Read Crochet Patterns: One-Color Granny Squares – Round 2

How to Read a Crochet Pattern for the Second Round of a One-Color Granny Square

This is the third in a series of articles on the details of how to make a Granny Square.

The first article on how to make a Granny Square talked about making the initial ring, into which the first round will be worked.

The second article on how to make a Granny Square talked about working the first round.

There is also an article giving an overview of what is involved in a Granny Square.

This article will explain how to work the second round. It will look like this when it is done:

Granny Square - Round 2 done

Granny Square - Round 2 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:

Granny Square - Round 1 Done

Granny Square - Round 1 Done





Let us get started on the instructions.

One Color Granny Squares: Round 2

Here are the instructions:

Rnd 2: Slip st to next ch-2 space, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-2 space, ch 1, * (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 space, ch 1, *. Repeat from * to * twice more; join.

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

First, here are the Whats and the Wheres:

  • The Whats: Slip stitches, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 1) repeated, join
  • The Wheres: in next ch-2 space, in same ch-2 space, (in next ch-2 space) repeated

So essentially, 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. Remember, the first 3-dc group is actually a "ch 3, 2 dc". And there are those slip stitches at the beginning, and a join at the end.

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: Slip st to next ch-2 space, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-2 space, ch 1,
  • The Repeat: * (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 space, ch 1, *. Repeat from * to * twice more;
  • The Ending: join.


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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: Slip st to next ch-2 space, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-2 space, ch 1,

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:

Granny Square - Round 1 Done

Granny Square - Round 1 Done

You have to work slip stitches until you have reached the next chain-2 space (the hole formed by a chain 2 in the previous round).

Slip stitches are used here as almost-invisible travelling stitches.

Here is the first one, into the top of the first true double crochet of the previous round:

Granny Square - Round 2 - first slipped stitch

Granny Square - Round 2 - first slipped stitch

Here is the second one, into the top of the second double crochet of the previous round:

Granny Square - Round 2 - second slipped stitch

Granny Square - Round 2 - second slipped stitch

And here's the third, worked into the chain-2 space of the previous round:

Granny Square - Round 2 - third slipped stitch

Granny Square - Round 2 - third slipped stitch

In the photos, the fact that I am using a variegated yarn helps to make those slip stitches a bit more visible, because they are slightly darker than the stitches from the previous row. (I have found that using variegated or multicolored yarn when I am teaching really helps the students to see what is going on.)

The hook and yarn are now in position to actually start to make those groups of 3 double crochets.

On with the pattern! As a reminder:

The Beginning: Slip st to next ch-2 space, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-2 space, ch 1,

The next step is to chain 3 stitches. As noted in article on Round 1 or a Granny Square, this is also a positioning stitch.

Here's what it looks like after it is done:

Granny Square - Round 2 - Chain 3

Granny Square - Round 2 - Chain 3

The next step is to work 2 double crochets, chain 2, and 3 more double crochets all into the same chain-2 space that you slip stitched to. Then chain 1. (And remember, chains are not worked into anything - they just dangle from the hook!)

Here is what it looks like. Note the chain 1 by the hook.

Granny Square - Round 2 - Beginning Done

Granny Square - Round 2 - Beginning Done

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 space, ch 1, *. Repeat from * to * twice more;

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.

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!

Granny Square - Round 2 - first repeat done

Granny Square - Round 2 - first repeat done

Notice that there are two corner groups shown, one from the Beginning, and one from the Repeat.

But we need to do that Repeated section twice more.

Here is the second instance of the repeated section, showing three corner groups:

Granny Square - Round 2 - second repeat done

Granny Square - Round 2 - second repeat done

And here is the third and final instance of the repeated section, showing four corner groups:

Granny Square - Round 2 - third repeat done

Granny Square - Round 2 - third repeat done

The repeats are all done. Now it's time to finish off the round.

The Ending

And here are the instructions for the Ending:

The Ending: join.

Notice that it doesn't actually tell you where and how to join. By this stage in the pattern, you should have picked up the fact that the join is by means of a slip stitch into the top of the Chain-3 at the beginning of the round.

So here is the result, the end of Round 2:

Granny Square - Round 2 done

Granny Square - Round 2 done

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 one-color Granny Square will explain how to work Round 3. It's just a bit more complex!


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