I’m sharing a book review of a collection of dimensional granny square patterns, along with a crochet llama pattern for a square and a bag. As part of the Third Edition of Granny Square Month, you can also enter for your chance to win my review copies!
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. David and Charles provided me with a free review copy of 3D Granny Squares: 100 Crochet Patterns for Pop-Up Granny Squares by Caitie Moore, Celine Semaan, and Sharna Moore (available online through independent booksellers or on Amazon). 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.
This post is part of the Third Edition of Granny Square Month, a 30-day celebration of crochet motifs, granny stripes, and granny stitches. To follow along with Granny Square Month:
- Sign up for Crochet Along updates and the Underground Crafter newsletter to get regular updates, including an email as each post goes live. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to my subscriber vault which includes exclusive free PDF patterns, a coupon code for your choice of any crochet or knitting pattern or ebook from my Ravelry shop, and coupon codes from other indie designers and crafts businesses.
- Chat with other crocheters in the Underground Crafters Facebook group or the Underground Crafter Ravelry group.
- Tag your Granny Square Month projects with #grannysquaremonth on social media. Tag me on Bluesky as @UndergroundCrafter, Facebook as @Underground Crafter, or Instagram as @ucrafter.
- Enter the giveaway HERE by July 6, 2025 for your chance to win one of eight fabulous prizes from David & Charles, GMC Publications, Krause Publications, Landauer Publishing, and Quarto.
Book Review: 3D Granny Squares
3D Granny Squares: 100 Crochet Patterns for Pop-Up Granny Squares by Caitie Moore/Thoresby Cottage, Sharna Moore/Sweet Sharna, and Celine Semaan/Crafty CC (available online through independent booksellers or on Amazon) is a collection of 100 dimensional granny square patterns, along with 10 project patterns using these squares. The opening How To Use This Book section includes information about reading crochet patterns and charts, the tools needed for a basic crochet kit, charts comparing US and UK pattern terms and hook sizes, a key to the yarns used in this book (all of which are colors in the Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK range), and a glossary of international stitch symbols and abbreviations.
The next section is The Squares. Each square pattern includes a flat photo of the square on a white background with instructions using US pattern abbreviations and international stitch symbols. Some squares are crocheted in one piece while others include appliques that are attached. In the latter case, there are assembly instructions included within the pattern. The patterns are divided into 11 themed sections: Food & Drink, Fruit & Vegetables, Animal Magic, Wild Beasts, Under the Sea, Holidays, Mini Beasts (insects), Flowers, Motifs, Abstract, and Celebrations. There are 10 simple granny square projects included for a Fried Egg Pot Holder, a Teapot Pincusion, Apple Coasters, Cherry Envelope Pouch, Pineapple Cushion, Strawberry Towel Topper, Animal Play Cube, Flower Pillow, Violet Wrist Warmers, and Little Llama Bag (see below for the excerpt of this pattern). Except for the Animal Play Cube, which uses 6 square patterns, the other patterns use just one of the squares.
The next section is The Skills which is divided into Stitch Basics, Techniques, and Finishing. Stitch Basics includes written and illustrated instructions for the magic ring, slip knot, 8 crochet stitches (chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet, double treble crochet, and triple treble crochet), and 8 decreases (single crochet 2 together, single crochet 3 together, half double crochet 2 together, half double crochet 5 together, double crochet 2 together, double crochet 4 together, double crochet 5 together, and triple treble crochet 2 together). Techniques includes written and illustrated instructions for 4 standing stitches (standing sc, hdc, dc, and tr), tips for identifying the right and wrong sides and the front and back loops, 11 post stitches (front post slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet, double treble crochet, and triple treble crochet, and back post slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet), and 7+ special stitches (bobble, picot, beginning popcorn stitch, popcorn stitch, spike stitch, loop stitch, and 4 variations of the puff stitch). Finishing provides written and illustrated instructions for joining yarn, fastening off, and the invisible fasten off. It includes written instructions for weaving in ends and blocking. The book closes with Designers, which provides short bios of each of the three designers along with a list of patterns each designed, Thanks (acknowledgements), and an index.
3D Granny Squares: 100 Crochet Patterns for Pop-Up Granny Squares by Caitie Moore, Sharna Moore, and Celine Semaan (available online through independent booksellers or on Amazon) is a vibrant take on granny squares for advanced beginner crocheters. While the squares don’t list difficulty levels, all seem to be eminently crochetable for those with willingness to try new stitches and assembly methods. The book doesn’t indicate a finished size or gauge, but does suggest using hooks between US C/2-2.75 mm and US G/6-4 mm with Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK, a light (#3/double knitting/DK) weight yarn. Based on the photos, it appears that the granny square patterns in this book can be made to the same size if the crocheter uses the same yarn weight, hook size, and gauge across multiple projects. If you know basic stitches and are comfortable reading charts or pattern abbreviations, and you enjoy making granny squares with a bit of character, this may be the book for you! With 100 interesting granny squares, you’ll be sure to have hours of crochet fun ahead. Don’t forget to stop by the main Granny Square Month blog post by July 6, 2025 to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a copy of 3D Granny Squares: 100 Crochet Patterns for Pop-Up Granny Squares by Caitie Moore, Sharna Moore, and Celine Semaan (available online through independent booksellers or on Amazon)! Read on for an excerpted crochet llama pattern from the book.
Llama square and Little Llama Bag
Crochet Llama Patterns by Sharna Moore
Reprinted from 3D Granny Squares: 100 Crochet Patterns for Pop-Up Granny Squares by Caitie Moore, Sharna Moore, and Celine Semaan (available online through independent booksellers or on Amazon) with permission from David and Charles. Text & Designs © Caitie Moore, Sharna Moore, and Celine Semaan 2019. Layout and Photography © David and Charles, Ltd 2019.
Notes from Underground Crafter
- These patterns use standard US crochet pattern abbreviations. You can find a master list here. The charts use standard international stitch symbols. You can find a list here.
- The patterns in this book use Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK, a light (#3/double knitting/DK) weight yarn and a recommended hook size between US C/2-2.75 mm and US G/6-4 mm. The patterns below use the following colors:
- Colour 2: 402 Pure Black;
- Colour 5: 405 Stormy Grey;
- Colour 11: 411 Coffee Bean;
- Colour 12: 412 Bright Peach;
- Colour 19: 421 Banana Cream;
- Colour 20: 422 Daffodil Yellow;
- Colour 45: 451 Bubblegum Pink
Llama Square
Llama Body
- With a 4mm hook and Colour 19, ch10.
- Row 1: sc in second ch from hook, sc in each ch to end of row, ch, turn. [9sc]
- Row 2: 2sc in first st, sc in next 7 sts, 2sc in last st, ch, turn. [11sc]
- Rows 3-9: sc in each st to end of row, ch, turn. [11sc]
- Row 10: sc in next 3 sts, ch, turn. [3sc]
- Rows 11-14: Rep Row 10. [3sc]
- Row 15: sc in next 3 sts, ch3, turn. [3sc, 3ch]
- Row 16: sc in second ch from hook, sc in next 4 sts, ch, turn. [5sc]
- Rows 17-18: sc in each st, ch, turn. [5sc]
- Row 19: sc in next 2 sts, ch, turn. [2sc]
- Row 20: Rep Row 19. [2sc]
- Fasten off Colour 19.
- Embroider an eye onto head with Colour 2 as shown.
Llama Legs
- Join Colour 19 in bottom left corner of foundation ch of llama body.
- Row 1: ch, sc, ch, turn. [2sc]
- Rows 2-5: sc in next 2 sts, ch, turn. [2sc]
- Fasten off Colour 19.
- Join Colour 19 in bottom right corner of foundation ch of llama body and rep Rows 1-5 to create second leg. Fasten off Colour 19.
Blanket
- With Colour 12, ch4.
- Rnd 1: 2dc in fourth ch from hook, ch2, *(3dc, ch2) in same ch**, rep from * to ** twice, slst to top of ch4 to close rnd. [4 3dc-groups, 4ch-2-sp]
- Fasten off Colour 12.
- Join Colour 45 in any ch-2-sp of Rnd 1.
- Rnd 2: ch3, 2dc in same sp, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in next 2 ch-2-sps, 3dc in last ch-2-sp. [6 3dc-groups]
- Fasten off Colour 45.
Square
- With Colour 5, make a magic ring.
- Rnd 1: ch3, 2dc in ring, ch2, (3dc in ring, ch2) 3 times, join to top of ch3. [12dc, 4ch-2]
- Rnd 2: ch3, *dc in each st to ch-2-sp, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) in ch-2-sp**, rep from * to ** 3 times, join to top of ch3. [28dc, 4ch-2]
- Rnds 3-6: ch3, *dc in each st to ch-2-sp, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) in ch-2-sp**, rep from * to ** 3 times, dc in each st to end, slst in third ch of initial ch3. [92dc, 4ch-2]
- Fasten off Colour 5.
Finishing
- Stitch llama body onto centre of square and stitch blanket onto llama body as shown.
- With Colour 20, make 4 tiny tassels on bottom of blanket.
- With Colour 19, make 4 tassels on top right corner of llama body for tail.
Little Llama Bag
Llama
- Follow instructions for Llama to make 1 complete llama body, replacing Colour 19 with Colour 11.
- Embroider an eye onto head with Colour 2 as shown.
- Follow instructions for Llama to add llama legs, replacing Colour 19 with Colour 11.
- Follow instructions for Llama to make 1 complete blanket.
Square
- Work Rnds 1-6 of square for Llama, replacing Colour 5 with Colour 19.
- Rnds 7-8: ch3, *dc in each st to ch-2-sp, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) in ch-2-sp**, rep from * to ** 3 times, dc in each st to end, slst in third ch of initial ch3. [124dc, 4ch-2]
- Fasten off Colour 19. Rep to make a total of 2 squares.
Assembly
- Stitch llama body onto front square and stitch blanket onto llama as shown.
- With Colour 20, make 4 tiny tassels on bottom of blanket.
- With Colour 11, make 4 tassels on top right corner of llama body for tail.
- Place both squares together. Join Colour 19 in ch-2-sp at top left corner of Rnd 8 through both squares. Work through both squares all around to join 3 sides of bag.
- Rnd 9: sc in same sp as join, sc in every st to next ch-2-sp, (sc, ch, sc) in ch-2-sp, sc in every st to next ch-2-sp, (sc, ch, sc) in next ch-2-sp, sc in every stitch to next ch-2-sp, sc in next ch-2-sp. [99sc, 2ch-1]
- Fasten off Colour 19.
Handle
- Join Colour 19 in ch-2-sp at top right corner of Rnd 8 of front square.
- The following rnds are worked around tops of both squares. Place a stitch marker at start of each rnd:
- Row 1: sc in each st and ch-2-sp to end of rnd, slst to close rnd. [64sc]
- Rnds 2-6: Rep Rnd 1. [64sc]
- Rnd 7: sc in next 10 sts, ch12, sk 12 sts, sc in next 20 sts, ch12, sk 12 sts, sc in next 10 sts, slst to close rnd. [40sc, 2ch-12]
- Rnd 8: sc in each st and ch to end of rnd, slst to close rnd. [64sc]
- Rnd 9: Rep Rnd 8. [64sc]
- Fasten off Colour 19.
Finishing
- Cut 36 strands of Colour 19, each measuring approx 15cm (6in) and use two strands of yarn for each fringe.
- Fold strands in half. Use a yarn needle to thread 2 folded strands of yarn through st at left bottom corner of bag, pull yarn through loop, sk 1 st, *work another fringe, sk 1 st**, rep from * to ** to opposite corner at bottom of bag.
- Trim fringe to desired length.