4 Free Granny Square Blanket Patterns (Linked to Each Designer)

Each of these free granny square blanket patterns is a real published pattern with written round-by-round instructions, linked to the designer who wrote it. One is the basic square itself; the other three are blankets, and three of the four avoid joining altogether by growing a single square outward.

The granny square is one cluster — three double crochet into a chain space — repeated. Once that is in your hands, the only decision left is whether to make one enormous square or many small ones.

Before you start

Make one square first and measure it. Everything about a granny blanket — how many squares, how much yarn, how long it takes — follows from that measurement, and it varies more between people than any other kind of crochet because the cluster tension is personal.

Approach	Joining	Best for
One giant square	None	Least finishing work, stop at any size
Large squares, chunky yarn	~48 joins for a throw	Fast, portable, forgiving
Small squares, worsted	~200 joins for a throw	Using up scraps, maximum colour play

1. Basic Granny Square

Start here if you have never made one. Cheryl Bennett’s square is the pattern everything else on this page is built from: three double crochet worked into a chain space, a chain to separate the clusters, and two clusters with a chain-2 between them at each corner. That is the whole granny square. Any yarn weight, 5 mm hook in the sample. Rated beginner, and worth making one before committing to a blanket’s worth. Free pattern: Basic Granny Square Pattern.

2. Mermaid Shells Blanket

One giant granny square rather than many small ones, worked in continuous rounds with colour changes and finished with a shell border. Because it grows outward you stop when it is the right size — 68.5 cm square in Sarah-Jayne Fragola’s sample, but it expands by simply adding rounds. Caron Simply Soft on a 5 mm hook. She rates it absolute beginner, and the single-square construction means there is no joining at all. Free pattern: Mermaid Shells Blanket.

3. Continuous Granny Square Blanket

Also a single expanding square, but Jo changes colour every two rounds and finishes with a shell border, and she gives the numbers for two yarn weights: about 30 inches square in light weight on a 5 mm hook, or 33 inches in medium on 5.5 mm. After the opening rounds it is the same round repeated indefinitely, which makes it the most mindless project here in the best sense. Free pattern: Continuous Granny Square Blanket.

4. Not Your Abuelita’s Blanket

The traditional approach — many squares joined — but scaled up: Daniela works 8-inch squares in super bulky chenille on a 9 mm hook, so a 60 by 52 inch blanket needs far fewer of them than a worsted version would. The squares are joined with an invisible seam before a single crochet border goes on. Beginner-friendly, and chenille hides uneven tension, which is useful while you are still learning the cluster. Free pattern: Not Your Abuelita’s Blanket.

The 4 patterns compared

Pattern	Designer	Hook	Size	Yarn	Level
Basic Granny Square	Cheryl Bennett	5.0 mm	One square	Any	Beginner
Mermaid Shells Blanket	Sarah-Jayne Fragola	5.0 mm	27″ square	Worsted	Absolute beginner
Continuous Granny Blanket	Jo to the World	5.0–5.5 mm	30″–33″ square	DK / worsted	Easy
Not Your Abuelita’s Blanket	Daniela, CJ Design Blog	9.0 mm	60″ × 52″	Super bulky chenille	Beginner

Frequently Asked Questions

One giant square or many small ones?

One giant square means no joining and no ends to weave in beyond the colour changes — much less finishing work. Many small squares are portable and let you use up odd amounts of yarn, but you have to join them all. Three of the four patterns here are single-square constructions for that reason.

Why is my granny square turning out wonky?

Almost always the corners. Each corner needs two three-double-crochet clusters separated by a chain, and each side needs one cluster per chain space. Miss a corner cluster and the square pulls in; add an extra side cluster and it ruffles. Count the clusters on each side at the end of every round.

How many granny squares make a blanket?

It depends entirely on the square size. At 8 inches square in super bulky, a 60-by-52-inch blanket needs about 48. At a more typical 4 inches in worsted, the same blanket needs nearly 200. That difference is the main argument for working big squares in chunky yarn if you want it finished.

What is the best yarn for a granny square blanket?

Worsted weight acrylic for a first one — it is cheap, washable and forgiving. Chenille or super bulky makes a much faster blanket and hides uneven tension, at the cost of stitch definition. Cotton gives the crispest clusters but is heavier and less cosy.

If this is your first granny project, make the basic square, then pick one of the single-square blankets — you will have a finished blanket without ever joining anything. Each link goes to the designer’s own page with the full round counts.