Friday 21 October 2011

How to crochet a Granny Square


Hello Lovelies,
today I'm posting a tutorial on how I make my granny squares. I'm sure there are many ,many other tutorials and you tube videos on this subject but as a few of you have asked how I personally make mine I thought I would share my method .

 Granny squares are a great beginner crochet project as you only need to be able to chain , slip stitch and U.S. double ( U.K. treble ) crochet.
I expect there is much information on how to do these basic stitches online as well as in every crochet book. Getting a friend or relative to show you the basics takes some beating though :0)

The pattern is oh so simple. There are a few variations that may not immediately be obvious and a common problem encountered by some is where the rows begin to twist as the square grows. Like this, most frustrating !
I don't know exactly what causes this to happen but luckily my method unknowingly seems to avoid this problem .
So here is how I make granny squares...

U.S. terms as usual :0)
To begin chain 4 ........



insert hook into furthest chain from hook and slip stitch to form a loop....



Chain 3 ( counts as first double crochet )....



work 2 further double crochet( D.C.) into loop........



this is your first double crochet cluster :0)

chain 2 then make 3 D.C into loop chain 2 .repeat 2 times more and slip stitch into third chain of initial 3 chain . this is you first round complete. Can you see how the 2 chains are making the corners of your square ..........



If you want to change colours at this point then fasten off . If you want to make the next row in the same colour I copied my sister in laws method of slip stitching along to the next 2 chain space like this . Slip stitch into the top of the second D.C. ...



and then slip stitch into the 2 chain space. Easy when you know how but I never figured this out by myself !



Then start round 2 by chaining 3....



and working 2 D.C. into same 2 chain space. In the SAME 2 chain space chain 2 and work 3 D.C. Forms corner of round 2 .........



Work 3 D.C. chain 2, 3 D.C. into next 2 chain space of round 1 ....



Repeat this pattern in the 2 remaining spaces then join to initial 3 chain with a slip stitch......



As I'm changing colours at this point I've pulled up a loop and finished off.........



This is how I join a new colour. First I make a slip knot like at the beginning of a chain...



Pull this tight........



And insert hook into a space along the SIDE of my little square. In this example I've inserted my hook from front to back , back to front is probably better, but it's not crucial with this pattern ......



Yarn over ....


pull though space and yarn on hook .....



You have attached a new colour and are ready to start round 3 :0)

Chain 3 ......



Work 2 dc in same side space......



Work corner cluster in the same way as before ( i.e. 3D.C. chain 2 , 3 D.C. )into the 2 chain corner space of round 2 .........



Along the sides work 3 D.C. clusters with NO chain spaces.

Repeat around and finish off or slip stitch along to next space if you are not changing colour........



Round 4 . In this picture you can see I'm attaching a new colour into the space just to the left of a corner . Also it's not on the same side of the square that I attached the previous colour.......



Starting rounds on the side of the work ( as opposed to the corners ) and varying the sides used could be the reason I don't suffer the twisting problem.

complete round 4 in the same way as round 3 but you will have 2 D.C. side clusters along each side in this round.....



I'm using random colours and love rummaging in my yarn bag to select the next colours...



This could work...


Or maybe the other way round......



If you end up with a colour that looks a bit scary remember that the following round can tone it down a bit :0)

So the pattern is just repeating every round with the addition of extra side clusters , yes ? .....



In the above picture you can see I've joined the turquoise yarn 2 cluster spaces from the corner, it's not crucial exactly which space you choose.

You can see I also turn my work so random sides are used for joining a new colour. Here is the back , you can see the ends are spread about....



If you have only done one round of a certain  colour the start and finish ends are quite close together so I tie these with a double knot before sewing them in...taking care not to pull the first knot too tight and distort the stitches......



I hope all this helps some of you who have encountered the twisting problem . I really hope it encourages some of you ,who havn't already done so ,to  give a granny square a try .

I''l finish with 3 of my 2011 projects that have used this super easy, super effective crochet pattern...




                                                              "Vintage" Giant Granny


                                                                    small square granny blanket



                                              bright giant granny blanket

I think you can see how much fun I've been having with this pattern this year :0)

With granny squares the permutations of colour and size of square is endless. There are also many different ways to join squares and of course many,many different things you can make . From blankets to bags. Cushions to coasters and so many others I haven't even thought of yet . I think I will always love this pattern and can't really see me ever becoming bored with it's versatile simplicity .
I hope this tutorial is clear to you all . Any problems please let me know .

ENJOY.


Jacquie x

84 comments:

  1. I just love granny squares (just finished my first blanket, yay!!) and am now working on a boys blankie :-)
    Have a great weekend!
    Esther.

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  2. How lovely they are! Thanks! :)

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  3. I love your tip about turning your work Jacquie, Since I've discovered it I'm much happier hooking away on huge grannies! ♥

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  4. Hey, great tutorial. I always find Granny square as the easiest crochet square. If get time, do see my post of Granny square slippers. Thanks for sharing this tutorial with us. You chose attractive colors for the blanket. I must learn something from you.

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  5. Thanks for the great tutoria Jacqui!! I'm going to have to find time to start on ....I'm going on holiday soon, perhaps that would be à fine time to start. Have a lovely weekend.....CC'ya. XOXO

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  6. Oooooh, so much lovely granny-ness! Very inspiring. You're so right, there's never an end to the things you can make with a few grannies. Or, just one big one! :)

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  7. Brilliant tutorial, thank you so much, I've learnt a lot from this, just need to practice more now x

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  8. Great to show us how to do Granny squares!
    Maybe even I can learn now how to do such loevly blankets! Thank you so much! Kindest regards
    Nicole

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  9. I will try this next time as I just blogged about wonkiness frustrations!

    Erin @ dutch girl diary

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  10. Just what i wanted someone to show me how to make Granny squares. Thankyou.....xx

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  11. It is always interesting to see how other people do their granny squares. I have never suffered with twisty squares but I do like your tip of starting at the side rather than the corner. x

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  12. Awesome! I love your picture tutorials :) The little variations you use in this pattern are simple but make so much sense, I can't wait to try this on my next project.

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  13. Awesome, I'm making a granny square baby blanket. I like the giant granny blanket. Love all the colors.

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  14. That's really interesting Jacquie, thanks for the tutorial. When I did my granny square blanket, I used a slightly different method from You Tube, but I was thinking about maybe doing a giant grannt after I finish my stripe, so will definitely try your method to hopefully end up with a non wonky square! Also going to be trying some of your little crochet bunting sometime soon, will let you know how I get on! Have a happy weekend, Jenny xx

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  15. They are lovely. I have been starting all my rounds at the same corner, but I think I'm going to give your method a go

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  16. I just forwarded a link to this post to my sister who wants to try a granny blanket. I just finished my third crocheted blanket since you inspired me to give crocheting a go back in July. love this crochet stuff!!!!

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  17. thankyou so much, your blankets look so straight. I will try again trying your way this time. Fingers crossed x x helen x

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  18. Gorgeous and very well explained.
    I have never made a full on granny square blanket it's on my list of things to make, each time I see a gorgeous one (like yours) it makes me mad keen to get started ... then I see my wip pile behind the couch lol.
    Kandi x

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  19. Jacquie, You are the best!!! Thank you SO much for sharing your method of the Granny Square. I really like this pattern but would get upset when twisting started taking form after several rounds. I've made many attempts to figure out how to stop the twisting but nothing worked. So now you have inspired me to give it a go again! Made a swatch and so far so good! At the moment I have a WIP but as soon as I'm done I plan on making a Granny Square Blanket and I will send you photos! Thanks a million my dear friend and God Bless!!! :)

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  20. Great tutorial with very clear pics - will try this next time I do grannies! x

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  21. Great tutorial. Love your pics!

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  22. Thanks for the tutorial! Great snaps, too :)

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  23. Jacquie your squares are awesome, they don't twist! Am so going to try your method when get a chance, I'm fancying a large granny cushion cover.
    lots of love to you
    Lucexxxxxxxxxxxx

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  24. A lovely clear method of showing how a traditional granny square is made. I like the changing colour method too.

    Would you consider doing a tutorial on how to do the join-as-you-go method of joining granny squares? It is nice to have this alternative to do. I've never tried it.

    Thank you!

    Zinnia

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  25. Thanks for this tutorial. I am contemplating making a giant granny out of self-striping yarn--I just haven't found the right yarn yet. This is just what I needed.

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  26. I found this tutorial through Pinterest. Thank you for nice clear pictures and instructions. I am a left-handed crocheter so following patterns is usually very difficult!

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  27. Hello! Quick question, since you don't chain between side clusters on rounds 3 and 4, only chaining 2 on corners, can I assume that if you were to do a large granny, then rounds 5, 6, 7, 8 etc would still only have ch2 on corners? Thanks for explaining further, I am a newbie crocheter.
    Amy

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  28. I had somehow missed this tutorial and am so glad I've just found it. I love the slip stitching into the two stitches idea - it's just brilliant! Also love the way you join a new colour. I can totally see how that would stop it going all wonky. I can't wait to start another granny blanket one I finish my two current blankets and I'll definitely use your pattern! Thanks so much.

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  29. Hi Jacquie
    Your blog is amazing I have just started to make a granny blanket following your pattern and all is going well no twisting!! I'm a newbie to crochet, but your tutorial is so easy to follow so I thank you so much for sharing this with us and will be using your pattern often!! your other creations are also beautiful too..
    Sarah x

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  30. Thank you so much for this tutorial!
    I was so frustrated by my uneven granny square swatches that I almost threw in the towel.
    But seeing your technique of "no chain spaces between clusters" has really made the difference.
    Now, I can start on the baby shower blanket I had intended.
    Thanks for your help.

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  31. I have been looking for a certain granny square and this is perfect! Thanks so much!

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  32. I just want to let you know, I have been trying to teach myself how to crochet for ages, this guide on how to do a granny square was really well written and presented and I've just completed my first square!
    Thankyou! x

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  33. This is a great tip to stop the square twisting, I realosed this when I made a granny stripe blanket and it came out perfectly square. Thanks for sharing :)
    Heather x

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  34. Hello Jacquie ! Thank you for sharing this tutorial with us. I'm trying to start my first giant granny blanket with your method. Just a question : your 4th round is completed in the same way as round 3 but with 2 D.C. side clusters along each side in this round... OK. And after this round, you say that the pattern is just repeating every round with the addition of extra side clusters. Is the round 8 completed with 2 D.C, and the rounds 12, 16 and so on ?
    Thank you very much for your help !
    Thank you too for your lovely blog, so colorful and it's always a pleasure to read your posts. And your rabbits are so cute (I've got a white one) !
    Vinciane

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    1. The only place you put "extra" clusters is in the corner spaces, otherwise you just do a 3 dc cluster between the two clusters in the row below, no matter which row you're on. Every row will increase just because that's the nature of the beast with granny squares :)

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  35. really useful as I've alwway done chain 2s between all the clusters on the sides... This will definitely make my work tighter... guess I should have read up how to do granny squares before I just jumped in thinking that I had it down from memory of my mom doing it!

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  36. Thanks for your superb tutorial and with such clear pictures. I started teaching myself crochet 2 weeks ago and have just finished my first granny square swatch, all down to your clear explanations. Granny square blanket here I come! Fab blog, I am addicted!

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  37. Thank you so much for the tutorial I only hope I can do it. I am new and sometimes get confused. I might be able to do this one I have found several that I just can't understand. I found you on Pinterest Thanks again

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  38. thank you very much for your tutorial. it is so clean , step by step.
    i will try it out soon.
    the color combination is beautiful too.

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  39. Great tutorial. The tip regarding bringing yarn forward by slip-stitching into DC's is fantastic. Really makes the round neater. Thank you.

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  40. I really want to start doing crochet as I really love you blog and its inspired me but im really confused as I dont know how to do anything.
    If you are able to give me some tips on how to get started please email me meganwilliams97@hotmail.co.uk or tweet me megan22021997

    Thanks xxx

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  41. Thank you for this great tutorial. I have tried to teach myself from a You Tube tuturial, and so have been putting a chain stitch between the side clusters and three chain stitches on the corner clusters. This looks fine, but my work is a bit saggy, and when I look at other peoples' work it seems to be much tighter and neater. Do you ALWAYS only put two chain stitches in the corners, or as it gets bigger do you need to put three? Also, can you (or anyone else) suggest what sized hook I should use with double knitting to get a good tension? Thank you again for your great blog and superb inspiration.

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    1. Hi , yes you can stick with only two chains no matter how big your square as the corners are always the same and it's the extra clusters that make the square grow. I generally use a 4.00mm hook with double knitting yarn.Hope this helps and thank you for your comment.
      Jacquie x

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  42. love it.. so beautiful.. must do it.. thanks you so much..

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  43. Thanks so much for such an in-depth tutorial!

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  44. Hi, I was wondering if you could please help me out, I am a self taught act and have pretty much learnt anything and everything from youtube mainly, but I was wondering with this pattern, if you are doing more than 1 row in the same colour do you follow your first instruction of slip stitching to the next ch 2 space or do you do something different? I would really value your advise. Thanks!!!!

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  45. Excellent instructions ..never knew how to make a granny square...thank you..!

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  46. CAn you tell me what weight of yarn and what size hook you used? Thanks =) for the awesome tutorial!!

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  47. Thanks so much, this is so helpful!

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  48. Thank you so much for this tutorial. It is very easy to follow and the pictures help greatly.

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  49. Not sure you'll see a new comment from an older post but I had to say thank you for such a great tutorial! I even have a video CD from a yarn company that isn't even as close to as helpful as this! THANK YOU THANK YOU! Looking forward to browsing through the rest of your blog.

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  50. Hi there, thanks for your great blog! It is really inspiring. Do you have a pattern for zig zag crochet?

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  51. Absolutely beautiful. They really do brighten up any room.

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  52. Coucou,
    et merci pour ce tuto !
    J'en fait un en ce moment !
    Ton tuto va m'aider !
    Bravo à toi pour ce super blog et toutes tes si jolies créations.
    Bizz
    Val

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  53. I want to thank you so much for this tutorial. Granny Squares have always been the bane of my existence but this is so easy that they just fly off my hook.

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  54. Thank you for this fabulous tutorial. The instructions were easy to follow and the pictures were a great help. I am wanting to crochet a MineCraft Creeper blankie for my boys using Granny Squares and all my green yarn and this will be perfect! Thank you so much!

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  55. Many thanks for a wonderful tutorial, ali

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  56. Thanks for making crochet so easy! Even though I am French, your explanations speak to me more than hundreds of French tutorials I have desesperately tried to understand.
    You are like a crochet role model to me. :)

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  57. Hi,

    What size crochet needle did you use? :-)

    Betty x x
    fairybettyw.blogspot.com

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    1. I can see in the photos that her hook is a UK 4.00mm, US G/6.

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  58. I was wondering, Jacquie, why you only do 2 DC's for the sides of round 4. Is there any other round you do only 2 DC's for the sides?

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    1. Hi Dawn, thanks for your comment. On round 4 I was referring to double crochet clusters ( a group of 3 double crochet stitches made in the shame space ) . I hope this clears up any confusion.
      Jacquie x

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  59. very nice. i am just regretting the fact that i am reading this outside home and do not have any yarn with me becaus eit mnade me want to make at least a small square immediatelly:)

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  60. glad i found your blog...NOW i will make some squares that aren't rolly-polly! Great tips.
    Will you let me know how to gain access to the links beyond the #1, 2 & 3 Square?
    Thank you!

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    1. Hi Ann, thanks for your comment. The pattern just repeats as many times as you want it to.Each round having one extra side cluster. Corners are always the same. Hope this helps.
      Jacquie x

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  61. i have struggled for ages with granny squares and stumbled on your blog while googling how tos and this has been a godsend its so simple and easy to follow and you dont miss bits its been so helpful im now well on my way to a giant granny square blanket :)
    thanks alot
    Emma x

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  62. Thank you, thank you for this. Thru Pinterest I found your blog. I'm making a rug using your granny square tutorial and it looks amazing. Your explanation is so easy to follow. So, thank you very much for sharing! :-D

    Birgitte :-*

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  63. Thank you so much for posting these instructions!

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  64. Thank you so much for posting these directions. I have been having a problem lately with a "slip stitch in a space" when starting a new row and color, as is done in a granny square, and your instructions are so easy to understand a follow - thank you again!! Awesome blog, too!

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  65. I love this, have just linked to it in a blog-post I have written on Plutonium Muffins :) Thank you!

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  66. Been a knitter for almost 40 yrs, but my friend (who had no interest in all things yarn) just crocheted a blanket for the first time and it spurred me on to finally learn! Thanks to your info I've now completed 2 granny squares! Funny thing is that my friends name is Jacquie and I have a rabbit flippy flopping around the house, just have to keep anything chewable out of bunny reach! Thanks again

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  67. Just noticed this tutorial for a Granny square (even though I've been reading your blog for several years). This is very similar to how I make mine - especially the fact that I don't do any chains between the clusters along each side. This was how I was taught to do it many, many years ago and I find it works really well.

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  68. Buena idea de como empezar con un color diferente.
    Un saludo,
    Carmen

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  69. This is by far the absolute best granny square tutorial I've seen. I was about to give up after trying tutorials from about 10 OR more other tutorials. You are the only person to explain in detail how to continue from round 1 without changing colors. I think that is what the others were not explaining well. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

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  70. The clearest granny square tutorial I have ever seen, done the way I do it! Brilliant.

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  71. Hi, I'm soon going to try this, thanks for the tutorial.

    On this blanket you have added a new colour each round.If you are doing say two rounds per colour, and you join on the side, do you still have to slip stitch around to the corner to work up the next round?

    Has anyone tried this pattern with more rounds per colour and still got a square which hasn't twisted? I know I want to have thicker stripes in my blanket, probably two rounds per colour.

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    1. Hi Holly, thanks for your comment.
      If you are not changing colour you just need to slip stitch to the next space between clusters...not around the corner.
      I hope this helps
      Jacquie x

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    2. That's perfect thank you. I've just started and loving it so far!

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  72. I haven't checked in for quite some time so I'm still trying to catch up reading your blog. Have you done a tutorial for the small granny square blanket?? I have a friend that wants me to show her how to make that type of crochet blanket but I am not very good at putting them together and make them look right. Can you help me?? Thanks so much! Just love your blog!

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  73. This is exactly what I taught myself on YouTube too and same saggy result. After reading this I tried only the 2ch and much better result . Also with YouTube they said on second row to do 3ch and then an extra 1 to reach over to the next hole but the slip stitches look sooo much better. Wish I'd found you first Jacqui and I'm just finishing off my first knee rug for charity and am not as thrilled with the end result now?

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