Read Crochet Patterns: Two-Rounds-Per-Color Granny Squares – Round 2

How to Read a Crochet Pattern for the Second Round of a Two-Rounds-Per-Color Granny Square

This is the third in a series of articles on the details of how to make a Granny Square, one that looks like this when it is done.

Here is a list of the previous articles in this series so far:

1. Overview of what is involved in a Granny Square
2. The first article on how to make a Granny Square: how to make the initial ring, into which the first round will be worked.
3. The second article on how to make a Two-Rounds-Per-Color Granny Square: working the first round.

This article will explain how to work the second round. And since this is a Two-Rounds-Per-Color Granny Square, the second round is the same color as the first one. It will look like this when it is done:

Remember, from the second article on how to make a Granny Square, this is what it looks like after the end of Round 1:

Let us get started on the instructions.

Two-Rounds-Per-Color Granny Squares: Round 2

Here are the instructions:

Rnd 2: With A, ch 4 (counts as dc, ch-1 here and throughout this pattern), *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp (corner made), ch 1; rep from * 2 more times, (3 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp; join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-4. Fasten off.

As before, there are two ways to figure out what's happening.

First, here are the Whats and the Wheres:

• The Whats: Ch 4, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 1) repeated, (3 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), join
• The Wheres: in next ch-2 space, (in next ch-2 space) repeated, in next ch-2 space

So most of the time, in this round, you work groups of 3 dc's separated by either ch 1 or ch 2. And these are going to be worked in the ch-2 spaces formed from the previous round. The beginning and ending are different, though.

Second, here is the pattern broken down by Beginning, Repeat, and Ending (remember that this is an important skill to learn in order to read crochet patterns).

The Beginning: With A, ch 4 (counts as dc, ch-1 here and throughout this pattern), The Repeat: *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp (corner made), ch 1; rep from * 2 more times, The Ending: (3 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp; join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-4. Fasten off.

So you will start by working something that doesn't seem like it really fits (that ch 4). Then you will work a total of three different corner groups of (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, each followed by a chain 1. And finally a shrunken corner group. Read on (after a word from our sponsor).

How to Crochet the Instructions

Here’s where the good stuff is: how to crochet this round of the Granny Square, with photos.

The Beginning

Here are the instructions for the beginning of the round:

The Beginning: With A, ch 4 (counts as dc, ch-1 here and throughout this pattern),

And now, one step at a time, with photos.

Remember that at the end of the previous round, you joined to the top of the beginning ch-3 of that round, as shown in this photo:

Th pattern starts with the phrase "With A". The full pattern for this Granny Square also said to start with A. There are two colors in this Granny Square (hence the title). They are referred to as A and B. And the first two rounds are worked with color A.

The next part of the pattern says to work a Chain 4. Now, you probably realize by now that a Chain 3 at the beginning of a Row or Round is quite often used to fake out a Double Crochet stitch - not only does it get the hook in position to work subsequent Double Crochets, but it is also counted as a Double Crochet itself.

But in this pattern, it says that the Chain 4 is counted as a Double Crochet AND a Chain 1. In fact, it will actually act as the last part of the last corner group that you will be working. Trust me - you'll see in just a short while!

This photo shows it after this Beginning section of Round 2 is completed. I have bent that chain just a bit, in hopes that you will sort of see that it will look like a DC and Ch 1:

And the Beginning part of the round is done.

The Repeat

Now we're into the Repeated section:

The Repeat: *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp (corner made), ch 1; rep from * 2 more times,

Find the next ch-2 space, and work 3 double crochets, 2 chains, and 3 double crochets all into that space. Finish with a chain 1.

As hinted above, it is useful to call the sequence of "(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 space" a corner group. Basically, from here on, whenever you get to a corner, you work this corner group.

Anyway, here is what the first instance of the repeated section looks like - remember that Chain 1 at the end!

Notice the beginning Chain 4 followed by the first corner group.

But we need to do that Repeated section twice more.

Here is the second instance of the repeated section, showing two corner groups - and the Chain 1 at the end:

And here is the third and final instance of the repeated section, showing three corner groups - and the Chain 1 at the end:

The repeats are all done (including the Chain 1 at the end). Now it's time to finish off the round.

The Ending

And here are the instructions for the Ending:

The Ending: (3 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp; join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-4. Fasten off.

WARNING: it looks as though it starts with just another typical corner group. BUT IT IS NOT! Into the final corner ch-2 space, you work 3 Double Crochets, a Chain 2, and then ONLY TWO Double Crochets. Be very careful here.

This photo shows that partial corner group. Notice that there are only two Double Crochets after the corner space.

Check out that slanting chain-4 from the beginning of the round. We are now about to play with it. The instructions say to join with a slip stitch in the third chain of that beginning chain 4.

This photo shows where to work that slip stitch. The issue is that the first 3 chains of the chain-4 are going to act like the final double crochet of this corner group. But we still need a chain-1 space. So you need to back up a bit to do the join.

This photo shows the slip stitch completed:

The next step is to fasten off (of course - this is a two-rounds-per-color Granny Square, and we have just completed the second round). I just cut the yarn (leaving a 6 inch tail) and pull the yarn through the slip stitch, as shown in this photo:

I strongly suggest that you weave in both ends now, before working the next color - trust me, it is easier. That being said, I made this sample on vacation, and left behind my big-eyed needle, so I had to wait until I got home to weave all of the ends in. It was awful!

Here is our little project:

You can see that the little project is starting to look like a square. In the corners are chain-2 spaces, and along the sides are just chain-1 spaces.

To Be Continued

The fourth article on how to make a two-rounds-per-color Granny Square will explain how to work Round 3. It's just a bit more complex!