Pumpkin Granny Square
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Pumpkin Granny Square
Difficulty: Intermediate (I wouldn’t do this as your very first crochet project, but it really isn’t that hard)
This wonderful little granny square is so cute and so easy to make. Granny squares are quick and super versatile, you can use them to make a blanket, a scarf, a table cloth, coasters, anything where you can stitch together some squares. Use your imagination, silly!
You can also swap the colors around if you want - the sky is the limit!
Feel free to copy and paste this into a word document for easy printing. I wrote it as cleanly as I possibly could so that it is easy to track which stitch you are on.
*Note: This pattern uses magic circle. I know, I know. Some of you loathe it. I really love it though. However, I did pop in the option to do the more traditional chain and sl st. to start your first round.
*Note: All of the images are of a granny square made with embroidery floss. I used these squares to make a bag (whose pattern I am still working on) and I love the sturdiness of floss. It’s a little more tedious to work with because of the 6 strands, but the finished product has amazing stitch definition and they don’t really stretch. So, if you’re like me and like to have all of your belongings in your purse, it will be a lot less likely to stretch out and get weird. PLUS, have you seen the colors they come in?!
Okay, here’s the pattern
STITCH GUIDE:
DC increase - DC twice into the same stitch
3 DC increase - DC 3 times into the same stitch
SC - single crochet
DC - double crochet
SL ST - slip stitch
Gauge: Each finished square should measure 2in x 2in, but again that is IF YOU ARE USING EMBROIDERY FLOSS! It’s a granny square so unless you are coming here after the bag pattern is ready and that’s what you’re making, gauge really doesn’t matter.
Hook Size: 1.3mm (or whatever hook size is used with your chosen yarn)
Length: If you do use embroidery floss and you use 4 colors:
Orange (pumpkin): 1 Skein
Brown (stem): 1 Skein
Black (background 1): 1 Skein
Optional Color (background 2): 1 Skein
This amount will net you 2 squares with a little left over
*Note: You’re going to use so little of the stem color that you can get close to 20 squares from 1 skein.
If you don’t want to use embroidery floss, that’s totally fine! I just don’t have accurate yardage for you, so make sure you have a decent amount until you make one. Then you will have an idea as to how much you need for your chosen project! Granny squares really don’t take much though. They are great for stash busting!
Round 1:
- Begin with a magic circle and chain 3.
*If you don’t like magic circles, just chain 4 or 5 and then sl st into your first chain, then chain 3 to start your next row.
- Make 10 DC stitches into your magic circle (or slip stitch circle).
Round 2:
- Standing DC (or chain 3).
- DC increase into every stitch, then sl st into the top of your standing DC (or chain 3) - you should end this round with 20 stitches.
Round 3:
Chain 1
1 SC
1 DC
DC increase
1 DC
DC increase
1 DC
DC increase
1 SC
SL ST next 4 stitches
Now we are almost done with our pumpkin. We just need to do what we just did, but in reverse:
1 SC
DC increase
1 DC
DC increase
1 DC
DC increase
1 DC
1 SC
SL ST into top of Chain 1
Congrats! Your pumpkin is done - well, we still have to add the stem, but celebrate anyway!
Now we move onto the edges!
Edge Round 1 (this whole round is worked into the back loop only, this helps keep the shape of the pumpkin):
- With your first background color, start this round at the 3rd slip stitch of the previous round!
- Standing DC (or chain 3) - no matter which you choose, make sure it is in the BACK LOOP ONLY
1 DC
1 DC
3 DC increase
1 HDC
1 SC into the next 4 stitches
1 HDC
3 DC increase
1 DC
1 DC
The next 4 stitches are made with the stem color, so swap to it, DO NOT cut your background 1 color, carry it behind your stem stitches because it will make your life a million times easier (especially when we have to weave in the ends)
DC increase
1 DC
1 DC
Now you can cut your stem color (leave enough to weave in!) and swap back to your background color
3 DC increase
1 HDC
1 SC into the next 4 stitches
1 HDC
3 DC increase
1 DC into next 3 stitches
SL ST into the top of your standing DC (or chain 3)
Edge Round 2:
We are now working through BOTH the front AND the back loops
We are also going to start shaping our corners, which requires us to create 4 dc and 2 ch stitches into the SAME stitch - I’ve marked them for you so you know where they are!
Standing DC (or chain 3)
1 DC into next 3 stitches
Corner 1: 2 DC, ch 2, 2 DC (remember, these all go into the same stitch!)
1 HDC into the next 8 stitches
Corner 2: 2 DC, ch 2, 2 DC (remember, these all go into the same stitch!)
1 DC into the next 8 stitches
Corner 3: 2 DC, ch 2, 2 DC (remember, these all go into the same stitch!)
1 HDC into the next 8 stitches
Corner 4: 2 DC, ch 2, 2 DC (remember, these all go into the same stitch!)
1 DC into the next 3 stitches
SL ST into the top of your Standing DC (or chain 3)
*Note - this round is tricky sometimes, especially if you miscounted where to start the background color on the last round (when we started in the 3rd slip stitch). So if you end this round and need to do 4 DC stitches to finish, THAT IS TOTALLY FINE and you’ll see why in a minute.
Okay, so now if you are choosing to do a second background color, go ahead and fasten of background color 1. If not, just move on to the start of the round.
If you are adding a new color, you can start it basically anywhere, this next round is super duper simple. I like to start mine on a different side than where I just fastened off, because I think it looks a little cleaner. Then I usually start in the middle of the row.
Here’s why it doesn’t really matter if your stitch count is a bit off on the last round - we want each side of our finished granny square to have 15 stitches. One of my favorite things about crochet is that it is SO very forgiving. As long as you are close (like maybe one or two off), adding in the additional stitches to get your end count of 15 stitches on each side is not going to be noticeable AT ALL.
So, at this point, count the stitches on each side of your square (make sure to include the corner stitches, so there should be 2 corner stitches on each end of your row). Make note of it.
Remember, when we do the corners, we will basically be increasing, so count that too. If your row has 11 stitches currently, you don’t need to do anything extra because after your corners are done on the next round, you will have 15 stitches. But if you have, say, 10 stitches, you will need to add in one additional increase to get 15 stitches.
If you have more than 11 stitches on one side, just make sure to decrease however many you need until you end up with those 15 stitches on each side of the last round.
I know it may sound confusing, but I promise it’s really easy. And if you miss count, it’s fine because when you stitch them together, you can just skip a stitch or double up, again, crochet is super forgiving.
LAST ROUND:
Standing DC (or chain 3) - if starting a new color, place your hook in the middle of a row. If not starting a new color, just start wherever you ended the last round.
*DC into each stitch until you get to a corner
Corner 1: 2 DC, ch 2, 2 DC (remember, these all go into the same stitch!)*
Repeat this on each side, making sure you end with 15 stitches
Once you reach your starting point, SL ST into the top of your standing DC (or chain 3)
Fasten off
And just like that, you’re done! Now make more - as many as you want! Get creative. And if your stem is off to the side a bit, who cares, pumpkins are not perfect and that’s fine!