Crochet

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Colorful Granny Squares

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100 colorful granny squares to crochet book

This book is truly colorful   and is full of wonderful granny squares that will inspire you to organize all your partial skeins of yarn to create many, many squares.

There are oodles of free granny square patterns online, so why buy a book of them?  One really useful reason is that Leonie Morgan has included information on how much yarn of each color you’ll need to complete enough of any particular square to make an afghan in a variety of sizes.  For instance, for a traditional granny square composed of five colors, you’ll need 2 yards of the central color (A), 3 yards of the next color (B), 6 yards of the next one (C), 8 yards of the next color (D), and 9 yards of the edging color (E), resulting in a total of 72 yards of color A,  and so forth to make an entire baby afghan.  No more running out of yarn when you’re three fourths of the way through the baby afghan the weekend before the shower!

Also, Morgan has included some truly outstanding squares that I have not seen elsewhere.  The Bobble Heart on Page 54, shown worked up into a colorful and sweet baby afghan on the next page is a stunner.  I’m not much for popcorns and bobbles, but I’ll be making this afghan.  Other appealing squares includes a mitered square with a star called Stars and Stripes, the Mitered Flower which reminds me of a sunrise, and the Frilly Circle shown in three presentations are all spectacular.  There are also cross stitched squares, ripple squares, 3D squares, and lots of flowers  The color play alone makes the book a good read!

Each of the 100 patterns has a clear, color photograph, written instructions, and a chart in addition to the detailed yardage information.  Since I’m not a fan of joining squares (although I will do it), there are plenty of these patterns that could simply be worked into larger, one block afghans.

Book Specs:

100 Colorful Granny Squares to Crochet by Leonie Morgan

St Martin’s Griffin Press, 2013

8X8 inch soft cover with 144 pages and hundreds of color photos

ISBN 9781250025128

$21.99 USD

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Pattern Review: Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat Crochet Pattern

The Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat Crochet Pattern is one of those fun wearable crochet projects that has just the right mix of retro charm and modern festival style. If you have been seeing granny square bucket hats popping up everywhere and thinking, “I could make that,” this pattern is a lovely place to start.

This crochet bucket hat is worked in the round using granny-style clusters, giving it that familiar textured look without requiring you to join lots of separate squares. That is a definite win if, like me, you enjoy the look of granny motifs but don’t always feel emotionally prepared for a mountain of seams and ends.

The pattern uses worsted weight #4 yarn, with cotton or a cotton blend recommended, which makes sense for a summer hat. Cotton gives the hat a bit more structure and keeps it feeling breathable rather than floppy and sweaty. You’ll need around 80g of yarn, a 5.5mm crochet hook, scissors, and a yarn needle. The finished hat is designed to fit a head circumference of approximately 51–55cm / 20.1–21.7 inches, which puts it in the adult small/medium range.

What I like about this pattern is that it includes practical fit notes rather than pretending every head and every crocheter’s tension is magically the same. The granny mesh has stretch, and the pattern suggests trying the crown on after Round 5 before continuing with the body section. That is such a useful little check-in point, especially with hats, because nobody wants to finish the whole thing only to discover it either perches on top like a teacup or slides down over your eyes like a lampshade.

The instructions are written in US crochet terms and include a clear stitch key covering chains, clusters, double crochet, repeats, slip stitches, and spaces. The pattern also explains how the rounds are closed, how the beginning chain functions, and how to count the clusters at the end of each round, which is helpful for keeping the shape on track.

The construction is straightforward: you begin at the crown, continue down into the sides, and then work the brim. The brim shaping comes from an increase round that helps kick the edge outward into that classic bucket hat shape. Rounds 15–17 then hold steady to smooth out the brim edge, giving the hat a neat finish without making the shaping feel overly complicated.

I would call this an easy to confident beginner crochet pattern rather than a very first crochet project. You’ll want to be comfortable working in the round, counting repeats, and making double crochet clusters. Once the rhythm clicks, though, it becomes a relaxing, repeat-friendly project — the sort of crochet you can work on while half-watching TV, provided you don’t lose count during the increase rounds. Ask me how I know.

This pattern also has great colour-play potential. The yellow version feels sunny and wearable, the scrap yarn version has brilliant festival energy, and a red-and-green version would make a surprisingly cute Christmas market hat. It would also be a good stash-busting crochet project if you have leftover cotton yarns hanging around from dishcloths, bags, or summer tops.

Overall, the Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat is a cheerful, wearable crochet pattern with strong Etsy appeal. It hits that sweet spot between nostalgic granny square style and modern handmade fashion, making it a great pattern for festival outfits, summer wardrobes, handmade gifts, and market sellers looking for a trendy crochet accessory.

Best for: confident beginners, granny stitch lovers, summer crochet projects, festival fashion, scrap yarn makes, and crocheters who want a wearable project that feels fun rather than fussy.