I’m sharing a book review of A Modern Guide to Granny Squares as part of the Third Edition of Granny Square Month. You can also enter for your chance to win my review copy!
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Krause Publications provided me with a free review copy of A Modern Guide to Granny Squares: Awesome Color Combinations and Designs for Fun and Fabulous Crochet Blocks by Celine Semaan and Leonie Morgan (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:
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- 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: A Modern Guide to Granny Squares
A Modern Guide to Granny Squares: Awesome Color Combinations and Designs for Fun and Fabulous Crochet Blocks by Celine Semaan and Leonie Morgan (available online through independent booksellers or on Amazon) is a collection of granny square patterns and tips. The book opens with Meet Celine, where Celine shares that granny squares are perfect for folks who like to work on more than one project at a time (like us!). In How To Use This Book, there is a guide to how each pattern is set up and where to find different information within each pattern.
The Granny Squares includes 40 granny square patterns. Each pattern includes a brief description, the skill level, hook size, yarn used, finished block size, stitches and techniques used, and the page number where you can find the symbol chart key. Mix and Match suggests two squares that would match well with the current pattern and provides a thumbnail photo and page number for each. The patterns are written in US crochet abbreviations with international stitch symbol charts. Each pattern includes one large flat lay photo of the square against a white background. There is a range of pattern designs, including traditional motifs like a solid double crochet granny square; fruit, floral, and animal squares; and squares using different colorwork techniques.
The Projects includes four projects (a blanket, a pillow, a storage box, and a wallhanging) made using the squares in the book. Like the square patterns, each project pattern includes a brief description, the skill level, hook size, yarn used, finished size, stitches and techniques used, and the page number where you can find the symbol chart key. Each project also includes a full-page photo of the finished project displayed against a white background.
The next section is Materials and Notions which provides an overview of yarn fibers, crochet hooks, and notions. Starting and Finishing provides written and illustrated instructions for holding the yarn and hook, making a slip knot and foundation chain, starting with a foundation ring or magic ring, starting and turning chains, and fastening off and finishing the last round, and written instructions for weaving in ends. Basic Stitches provides written and illustrated instructions for the chain, slip stitch, single crochet, extended single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet, along with written tips for making taller stitches. Simple Stitch Variations provides written and illustrated instructions for crocheting through the front and back loops, around the front and back posts, into the row below (spike stitches), into chain spaces, and into stitch spaces. Special Stitches provides written and illustrated instructions for decreasing and increasing, clusters, popcorns, bobbles, and puff stitches. Colorwork provides written and illustrated instructions for changing color in a row and in a round and the tapestry crochet and intarsia colorwork methods. Reading Patterns and Charts provides an overview of reading patterns and charts along with a key to international stitch symbols US crochet pattern abbreviations and tips for calculating yarn amounts. Gauge and Blocking provides written and illustrated instructions for measuring gauge and blocking using wet and steam methods. Joining and Edging provides written and illustrated instructions for joining with overcasting, backstitch, mattress stitch, and crocheting seams with slip stitch or single crochet. It provides an explanation for calculating stitches for crocheting on edging, written and illustrated instructions for sewing on edging, and provides written and illustrated instructions for simple edgings with single crochet around top, bottom, sides, and corners. The book ends with an index and a fold out flap with a key to pattern abbreviations and international stitch symbols that you can reference as you work on patterns from the book.
A Modern Guide to Granny Squares: Awesome Color Combinations and Designs for Fun and Fabulous Crochet Blocks by Celine Semaan and Leonie Morgan (available online through independent booksellers or on Amazon) is a helpful guide to granny squares. Though it is a paperback that is challenging to read while you crochet, the fold out flap with the key to pattern abbreviations and international stitch symbols is helpful for newer pattern readers. The included blocks are well photographed in bright and vibrant colors. The book is definitely one that will inspire granny square lovers to make their next project! 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 my review copy of A Modern Guide to Granny Squares: Awesome Color Combinations and Designs for Fun and Fabulous Crochet Blocks by Celine Semaan and Leonie Morgan (available online through independent booksellers or on Amazon).
Would love to win this one!