Happy National Granny Square Day!!

 

Wait, what?

 

Yes! Today is National Granny Square Day!

I know that there is a ton of “national” days, but I think it at least keeps things interesting, even if you can’t use it as an excuse to call in sick from work…

 

Me: *cough cough* “Sorry boss, can’t come in today, I’ve gotta celebrate National Granny Square Day”

 

Man, that would be awesome, though.

 

So today I’m here to share with you some of my own curiosities about the granny square and some of my favorite patterns that include them! Come along with me on this journey, it’ll be a fun little jaunt!

 

I was curious as to why it was called a “granny square” and unfortunately there really aren’t that many reliable resources to help answer the question as anything further than it “looks like something your granny would make”, which is a little bit of a letdown that it might be something so stereotypical. So it seems like another one of those “how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop” questions…the world may never know.

Another thing the world may never come to a definitive conclusion is when it got started. It’s about as murky as the question of when crocheting really got started as a fiber craft. Some reports say early nineteenth century but, as mentioned by The Sunroom, the earliest references are from books from Victorian England, in which are rather complicated patterns, suggesting a longer history than even that. Want to know more than you possibly wanted to about granny squares? I humbly suggest further reading this article by Crochet Concupiscence, it’s pretty wild and thorough!

But from whatever humble beginnings it originated, it has had an enduring relationship to crafters all over! It enjoyed a renaissance in the 60s and 70s and hasn’t ever completely faded, continuing to grace runways even today.

And there are all kinds of granny squares!

Little ones:

 

Chunky ones:

Simple ones:

Complex ones:

You have plenty of opportunities for creativity with these!

There are several kinds of motifs you can use as well. You can go for a floral motif:

Or even some cute animals! Maria’s Blue Crayon does some really adorable wildlife granny squares!

The “granny” style motif isn’t all, either!

You can also do granny stripes:

And granny chevrons!

The sky’s the limit!

And even I myself have made some cute stuff using the design! It’s such a nice and simple way to make things and really opens you up to different ideas!

I have my Granny Gone Chic fingerless gloves, these are done in Gryffindor colors:

And my Granny Goes to the Beach applique bikini top:

 

 

 

I just appreciate the wild amount of variety you have as a crafter when it comes to the usage of the granny square motif. I think it’s just a really cool way to add pops of color to things, whether you want something super vibrant, or subtly delicate in creams. It’s also a fantastic way of busting up your stash of odds and ends of yarn, which everyone has! So I hope you enjoyed reading this little foray into the magic of granny squares, I certainly did. If you want to get into the fun and action of the day, be sure to scroll about through the Instagram tag #nationalgrannysquareday or #nationalgrannysquareday2017! Everyone will be posting up close pictures of their individual squares to create a delightful digitally composed afghan, let’s hope it figuratively covers the globe!

 

Until next time,

Gilliane

 

Enjoy this article? Be sure to pin to your Pinterest boards! And I’d love to see what you’re up to with all of those granny squares, find me on Facebook and Instagram! Happy National Granny Square Day!

p.s. Enjoy all of these patterns, but be sure to share the love and link them back to where they came from. Be kind, and don’t claim the patterns as your own!