The Granny Square Book Review with Excerpted Pattern: Butterfly Garden Square

I’m continuing Granny Square Month, a 30-day celebration of granny squares, with a review of a technique and pattern book by Margaret Hubert along with an excerpted pattern, so read on for details!

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. A free review copy of The Granny Square Book was provided to me by The Quarto Group. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review. My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions.

Book Review

The Granny Square Book: Second Edition: Timeless Techniques & Fresh Ideas for Crocheting Square by Square is the revised edition of Margaret Hubert’s 2011 book. (I reviewed the original, along with nine other granny square books, in this post.) Most of the information from my original review still applies, such as my description of the book as “An ode to the granny square…along with tips for construction, design, and finishing touches.  Uses U.S. pattern abbreviations for motifs and projects, and international stitch symbols for motifs.” However, the new edition has added 25 motifs, so the book now includes 100 (rather than 75) motif patterns.

The book opens with acknowledgements, a table of contents, and an updated introduction by Margaret. It then moves on to a 10-page Crochet Basics section, which provides an overview of hooks; written instructions with process photos for basic crochet stitches, two decreases, working through the back loop, and six special stitches; information about gauge; and an overview of pattern reading, along with a list of U.S. pattern abbreviations and a chart of international stitch symbols.

The 3-page Granny Square Techniques section provides written and illustrated instructions for 3 different ways to start the center ring and a step-by-step written and photo tutorial for the classic granny square. Details and Finishing is a 4-page section that shares information about the invisible join, picking up border stitches, and four methods for seaming.

The book then moves onto the motif patterns. Each motif pattern includes a flat-lay photo of the square, the skill level, the number of colors used (if more than one), an explanation of any special stitch patterns, and the pattern written both in U.S. abbreviations and in international stitch symbols. The patterns include four non-squares: the classic granny rectangle, and three half-square triangles that coordinate with a square pattern. The rest of the motifs are squares. The book lists the difficultly level for the squares as 9 beginner, 1 advanced beginner, 12 easy, and 8 experienced, with the remaining patterns listed as intermediate. In my opinion, there is not a substantial difference between the beginner, advanced beginner, and easy patterns in this book. Because the patterns in this book are occasionally reprinted from other sources and five are written by guest designers, it seems more likely that there was a lack of consistency in using the pattern difficulty levels.

As I mentioned in my first review, six of the motif patterns are reprinted from The Complete Guide to Photo Crochet. The second edition also includes the 12 floral granny square patterns from Granny Square Flower Garden (you can read my review and see a sample pattern here). Even if you have both of these books, that still leaves you with over 80 additional granny square patterns.

The next section is Designing with Granny Squares. This section is a combination of tips for designing your own projects using granny squares and 25 project patterns. The projects include accessories, garments, baby cloths, and blankets and other home decor items. Graph It Out, two pages with text and illustration, explain how to design your own granny square pullovers in 3 styles, vests, and triangular shawls. The book ends with a thorough index.

The Granny Square Book: Second Edition: Timeless Techniques & Fresh Ideas for Crocheting Square by Square is a great resource for advanced beginner or intermediate crocheters who enjoy working with motifs and want to expand their skills. There is a range of granny square patterns including floral, lacy, and structured motifs. There is enough variety in the projects to give a crocheter some great ideas. The instructional information is very helpful for any crocheter who wants to take their skills to the next level. The section edition is a paperback, rather than spiral-bound book, but it does (mostly) lay flat and includes flaps on both covers that you can use to mark your place so you don’t have to stress while crocheting. As with the previous edition, I give this book 5 stars!

Butterfly Garden Square

Crochet Pattern by Chris Simon

Published in The Granny Square Book: Second Edition: Timeless Techniques & Fresh Ideas for Crocheting Square by Square .

Pattern and Photo © 2011, 2017 Creative Publishing International, Inc., a member of Quayside Publishing Group. Shared with permission from The Quarto Group.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Tr worked 3 rounds below: Yo (twice), insert hook in 4th dc of 7 skipped sts 3 rnds below, pick up a loop catching both ch-loops on both previous rnds, [yo, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook] 3 times.

• Ch 4, join with a Sl st to form a ring.
• Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 15 dc in ring, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3 (16 dc).
• Rnd 2: Ch 3, (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same st (corner made), *1 dc in each of next 3 dc**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next dc (corner), rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3 (4 ch-2 corner sps).
• Rnd 3: Sl st in next dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp, *ch 6, sk next 7 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp, rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3 (4 ch-6 sps, 4 ch-2 sps).
• Rnd 4: Sl st in next dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, *dc in next 2 dc, ch 6, sk next ch-6 sp, dc in each of next 2 dc**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp, rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3 (4 ch-6 sps, 4 ch-2 sps).
• Rnd 5: Sl st in next dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, *1 dc in each of next 4 dc, ch 3, working over ch-loops in last 2 rnds, 1 tr in 4th dc of next 7 skipped dc in rnd 2, ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 4 dc**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp, rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3 (8 ch-3 sps, 4 ch-2 sps).
• Rnd 6: Sl st in next dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, *(1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc) in same sp, 1 sc in each of next 6 dc, 3 sc in the next ch-3 sp, 1 sc in next tr, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, 1 sc in each of next 6 dc, rep from * around, join with a Sl st in first sc.
• Rnd 7: Sl st in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, *ch 6, sk next 7 sc, 1 dc in each of next 7 sc, ch 6, sk next 7 sc**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp, rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
• Rnd 8: Sl st in the next dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, *1 dc in each of next 2 dc, ch 6, sk next ch-6 sp, 1 dc in each of next 7 dc, ch 6, sk next ch-6 sp, 1 dc in each of next 2 dc**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp, rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
• Rnd 9: Sl st in next dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, *1 dc in each of next 4 dc, ch 3, working over ch-loops in last 2 rnds, 1 tr in 4th sc of next 7 skipped sc in rnd 6, ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 7 dc, ch 3, working over ch-loops in last 2 rnds, 1 tr in 4th sc of 7 skipped sc in rnd 6, ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 4 dc**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp, rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
• Rnd 10: Sl st in next dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, *(1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc) in corner ch-2 sp, 1 sc in each of next 6 dc, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, 1 sc in next tr, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, 1 sc in each of next 7 dc, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, 1 sc in next tr, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, 1 sc in each of next 6 dc, rep from * around, join with a Sl st in first sc. Fasten off.

If you enjoyed this review and pattern excerpt, buy The Granny Square Book: Second Edition: Timeless Techniques & Fresh Ideas for Crocheting Square by Square  on Amazon!