Getting in a knot with granny square

[Crocheted-fool]

I'm pretty knew to crocheting and still a bit clueless so i was wondering if anyone could help!

 

I can do round 1 of a granny square. And i understand it's all clusters of 3 doubles with a chain 2 between them and the clusters of 3 go in the spaces made by the chain 2 on the previous round and in corners there's 2 lots of clusters and on the straights there's 1

 

I just can't get round 2 started!

When i finish round 1 (working clockwise if that makes a difference) i do the slip stitch to join it up, chain 3 upwards - then I've nowhere to put the rest of that cluster unless i put it to the left but then I'm working anti clockwise.

 

Help!!

I'm stuck k .Asking impossibly small useless squares if i cant figure this out!

[redrosesdz]

Welcome to Crochetville!

 

Can you post a pic of what you have so far?

 

I'm guessing that you have 4 sets of 3 dc (double crochet) clusters and 4 ch-2 (2 chains) around a ring.  (It's a guess, because there are many ways to start a granny square, but 4 3 dc clusters and 4 ch-2 is the most common.)  You also have the beginning tail sticking out the back.  And you did a ch-3 to chain up.  Is that right?

 

Crochet has 2 sides, a front and a back, known as the right side and wrong side.  The right side is facing you and the wrong side is where the beginning tail is sticking out.  If you turn your square over and do round 2 on the wrong side, you'll see that you have a ch-2 as the next stitch.  At the end of round 2, chain 3 and turn it over, to do round 3 on the right side.  Do even rounds on the wrong side and odd rounds on the right side.

 

When you do ch-3  at the beginning of a new round it has 2 purposes.  The primary purpose is to get you to the height of a dc stitch.  That way when you do your next dc stitch, it won't lean over and be squished.  Secondly, the ch-3 counts as a dc stitch.  You'll see when you do 2 more dc stitches, the ch-3 will look similar to the regular dc stitches.

 

Those ch-2 between the 3 dc clusters are your corners.  When you get to a ch-2, you do 3 dc, ch-2, 3 dc.  The first 3 dc cluster finishes the side.  The ch-2 creates another corner.  The second 3 dc cluster starts the next side.

 

On the sides, only do 1 chain between the clusters.  Doing 1 chain on the sides will make the square neater and easier to recognize when it's a side, instead of a corner. 

 

To summarize, tun your square over, so that the beginning tail is facing you.  You already did your ch-3 up.  Do 2 more dc, then chain 2, then 3 dc all in the ch-2 space.  (A ch-2 space is the space under the 2 chains.)  Chain 1.  Do 3 dc, chain 2, then 3 dc in the next ch-2 space. Chain 1.  Do 3 dc, chain 2,  then 3 dc in the next ch-2 space.  Chain 1.  Do 3 dc, chain 2, then 3 dc in the last ch-2 space.  Chain 1.  Join with a slip stitch to the top of the initial ch-3.

 

Chain 3 up.  Turn your square over, so that the beginning tail is in the back again.  Do 2 more dc in the ch-1 space.  (A ch-1 space is the space under the single chain.)  Chain 1.  From here it sounds like you know what to do.

 

By the way, there's a couple of benefits to turning your square over and working on both sides.  First, it makes your granny square reversible.  Next, if you only work one side, your square will start to look wonky when it gets bigger.  Crochet stitches slant to the right, if you're right-handed, or to the left, if you're left-handed.  When you only work on one side, the slant will begin to make the square skewed.  By turning it over, the next round slants the other way and cancels out the slant of the previous round.

 

Good luck!  Please show pics of how you're doing.  Let us know if this helped you or not.  Let us know if you have any other questions.

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi, welcome from me too!

 

Those tiny first round squares, did you know they can be used to make things? They're called Granny's Daughters and can be joined to make larger items.

 

What pattern are you using? I saw one recently that did result in working backwards for a few stitches at the start of a round, so it may be possible that's what your pattern intends.

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville!

 

In crochet, there's a way to almost-invisibly 'scoot over' to start the next row or round in a different spot.  So if you've finished the last corner and slipped into the edge of the first block, you can either chain 3 and TURN which would solve your problem, or almost-invisibly slip stitch over the remaining 2 stitches of the block and start at that point.  The pattern should be telling you how to do this, though...as Magiccrochetfan said, there are variations on how to do a basic granny.

 

Hang in there!  Here's a picture tutorial, if you mouse over the pics they show the left handed version--this tut tells you to turn

https://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-granny-squares-step-by-step/

[Crocheted-fool]

Hiya. Thanks for the replies. The tutorial in on spruce.com which is usually pretty good.

I've watched a tutorial for lefties andzafter that chain 3 they do an extra chain 1 then start a cluster in the next square along. I'm guessing righties wouldn't have the same issue.

 

I think turning it would get confusing eventually...So i might avoid that? Thanks though for such a long detailed reply. I appreciate the effort!

 

Funnily enough I'd named them in my head as granddaughter squares - no idea what I'll use them for, i might just end up expanding them with different colours (which would solve my original problem anyway as i can then start wherever i want to)

[magiccrochetfan]

Granddaughter squares   cute name!  

 

OK so the tutorial does show the stitches being placed to the right of the chain.  link for reference of others who havent seen it yet  https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-crochet-classic-granny-square-3576784

 

that's one way to do this and yes it does leave a twist.  If you continue to follow this pattern you will have a twist like this in every round, which could be pretty noticeable---if it were just one round it might blend in more.  If you can live with the twist, that's great, forge ahead with this pattern.  But if you don't like the twist then you have to do something different.  

 

The one-color granny square is actually more complicated than a multi-colored one.   for the one-color square, I like the tutorial that Granny Square linked, it is simple and clear.    For a multi-colored square you finish off at the end of each round and start with new yarn for the next round; if your stitches don't have much lean as RedRoses described, you may not need to turn your multi-colored squares.  

 

Now as far as turning being confusing---Many many patterns do involve turning.  anything worked flat in rows, like many blankets or placemats or parts of garments, has you turn at the end of the row to begin the new row.  So at some point you will most likely need to get used to turning.   Unless you use a very limited range of patterns, you really can't avoid turning.  So just want to encourage you to consider going ahead and practicing turning now. 

[Crocheted-fool]

I know a lot of flat things involve turning, and with normal square pieces I'm ok, i just think I'd forget which way i had already turned a granny square (young kids means i don't often have longer than 10 minutes to myself to crochet)

 

My first few pieces I've made have been a teddy bear and a rather bedraggled looking crocodile (when it comes to circles I'm ok if i don't get mixed up about counting stitches!)

[magiccrochetfan]

 i just think I'd forget which way i had already turned a granny square (young kids means i don't often have longer than 10 minutes to myself to crochet)

 

 

 

 

Ah, I see what your concern is.  I think it would be a simple matter of looking at the piece to see where to place your stitches to avoid twisting them or as you said working anti-clockwise.  As long as you aren't doing that, you are good.  

[redrosesdz]

If you have a round started, then it's pretty easy to see which way to go, because you have a piece sticking out.  If you're going from one round to the next, just look to see if you can make a stitch.  If you can, keep going.  If you can't, turn it over.

[hemmelighed]

I ran into a very similar problem when doing this same project, a technique that works wonders for me is to chain 5 instead of just 3. Doing 5 chains means you have the 3 for the first double crochet as well as 2 for the space, so you'd then do a cluster in the next chain 2 space and continue the pattern around until you get to that last spot. In the last chain 2 space (which should be the one that the chain 5 comes from, you would work 2 double crochet then join to the 3rd chain in the chain 5. 

For the next row you'd only chain 3, then do 2 double crochet, and continue pattern til the end. 

Next row you'd have to revert back to the 5 chain.....so on and so forth.

This method eliminates the need to turn your work and also allows for a seamless working without having to do any extra slip stitches or whatnot. 

Hope this helps!!!

-Angel

[mamarose22]

Redrose, you do a great job of explaining things in detail.

My friend also turns her square after each row.  I also have seen some people make a square like hemmelightd describes. I figured out my own way (and h1, ave seen some people do the same).  When I get to the 2nd row, I ch 3 make 2 dc in the same space as the as the corner chains (1/2 corner made) ch 1 go to the next ch 1 space and make my 22dc and continue around.  When I get back to the last corner I complete  it bu malomg 3 dc, ch 2 and join. I hope this makes sense.