Teaching different groups of the students over the summer I gathered some experience as to what would be the best thing to start learning crochet with.
At first, I tried teaching how to chain and then work double crochet stitches into the chain. The students created a piece of fabric working rows forth and back. I soon realized that for total beginners this was too complicated. On one side they had to think about their hand movements a lot, making sure the tension was right, and the stitches were even. On the other side the first thing they had to do was to struggle working stitches into a chain. Lastly, making sure the beginning and the end of the row were done correctly was challenging as well. This made classes stressful, and it was nearly impossible to replicate at home.
Then one student asked me to teach her how to make granny squares, and it clicked for me. The reason granny squares were so popular was because they eliminated all the above difficulties for beginners. You don’t need to work any stitches into chains, and except for the border (which is not strictly necessary), you always work into large spaces created by chains in the previous rounds. As it is worked in the round, and due to its construction, it is easy to follow the rythm, and the beginning and the end of the round are fairly easy.
Granny squares are very versatile and can be used to create many different things, from phone cosies to coats. I have started a small collection here on Pinterest, and I will keep adding interesting ideas as I see them. While traditional granny squares are usually made with several colours, you don’t need to do that – you can make monochrome squares but use different colours for each one. It is also possible to make them in many different sizes so there is a large field for creativity and variation there as well.
As it is usual with all things crochet (and knitting), there are dozens if not hundreds of variations on now to make one. I made a very detailed video on how I teach granny squares, including one way of changing colour and a border. Below you will also find a chart.
Written Instructions
Abbreviations (US terminology!)
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
dc – double crochet
sk – skip*
Pattern
Ch 5, join in the round with sl st;
Round 1. Ch3, working all the time in the circle created by the chains, 3 dc, (ch2, 4 dc) 3 times, ch 2, join with sl st into the 3rd chain
Round 2. Ch4, ( sk 4 dc of the previous round; work 3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc into the next ch-2 space; ch1) 3 times, sk 4 dc of the previous round; work 3 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc into the next ch-2 space, join with sl st into the 3rd chain.
Round 3. Ch3, 2 dc in the ch-1 space of the previous round ( sk 3 dc of the previous round; work 3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc into the next ch-2 space; ch1; sk 3 dc of the previous round, 3 dc into the next ch-1 space, ch ) 3 times, sk 3 dc of the previous round; work 3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc into the next ch-2 space; ch1; join with sl st into the 3rd chain.
Round 4. Ch4, ( sk 3 dc of the previous round; 3 dc into the next ch-1 space, ch, sk 3 dc of the previous round, work 3 dc, 2 ch, 3 dc into the next ch-2 space; ch1, sk 3 dc of the previous round; 3 dc into the next ch-1 space, ch,) 3 times, sk 3 dc of the previous round; 3 dc into the next ch-1 space, ch, sk 3 dc of the previous round, work 3 dc, 2 ch, 3dc into the next ch-2 space; ch1, sk 3 dc of the previous round; 2dc into the next ch-1 space, join with sl st into the 3rd chain.
I hope this is helpful and interesting. Please do not hesitate to share your questions or thoughts in the comments.