How to crochet a super colorful sweater with a solid Granny square

Dear Artsy&Crafts Friends,

In today’s photo tutorial I am going to show you how to crochet a colorful sweater using the Traditional Solid Granny Square, as shown in the picture below.

You might think it is hard, but that’s not the case. So let’s get started.

Abbreviations:

ch- – chain
ch-X-sp – chain X space
dc – double crochet
sc – single crochet
sl st – slip stitch

Level: beginner

Size: L, 40

Tips:

1. To make your sweater as colorful as possible, you will need a variety of colors. So make an inventory of all the leftover yarn or buy new ones. Or you can make it with as many colors as you want, even two or just one, in which case you won’t have to cut the yarn and fasten off the yarn as much. The instructions will be the same. All in all, you will need about 800 grams ( approx. 29 ounces) of yarn in total.

2. For this project, we used 100% light worsted acrylic yarn. If you use a thicker yarn, the size will differ.

3. You will need a 4mm EU size (7-I9), 5mm EU size, a pair of scissors, tape measurement, like in the photo below (imag.1).

4. Try to keep a steady tension when crocheting the stitches to make the project look even and neat.

5. If you decide to work with multiple colors, be aware that you will have lots of loose ends. When working solid Granny squares, you will attach the new color as follows: make a knot, (imag. 2) join with sl st in ch-2-sp (imag. 3), which is the corner of the solid granny square. You will do the same when working the sleeves, chest or back.

6. Don’t forget to hide all the loose ends as you crochet ( imag. 4). If you leave them for later, it will be a lot more difficult and time consuming.

7. You will crochet 2 big solid Granny squares, one for front, one for back. Each square will have 20 rows. When you finish working one square, you will add 15 rows of double crochet to each square to complete the chest and the back. Then, you will work the sleeves, an edge using the single crochet and, finally, the collar.

Having said that, let’s get to work.

Part 1: How to crochet the two solid Granny squares

Row 1: with first color work 2ch (imag.5); work [ 3dc in 1st ch; 2 h (imag.6,7)] x 4; join with sl st last ch-2 with first dc; cut the thread and fasten off; you will have: 3dc on each side, 12 dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp (which represent the corners of the square)(imag. 8)

Row 2: join a new color with sl st in any of the 4 ch-2-sp; work 3ch (this counts as a dc here and throughout); work 1dc in same ch-sp as the 3ch (imag. 9); work 1dc in each of next 3dc from previous row (imag 10); * work [2dc, 2 ch, 2dc] in next ch-2-sp (imag. 11); work 1dc in each of next 3dc from previous row *; repeat from * to * two more times; to finish the row work: 2dc in first ch-2-sp, 2ch, join with top of first ch-3 with sl st; cut the thread and fasten off . You will have: 7dc on each side, 28dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp. (imag.12)

Row 3: join a new color with sl st in any of the 4 ch-sp; work 3ch, 1dc in same ch-2-sp as 3ch (imag.13); work 1dc in each of next 7dc from previous row (imag. 14); * work [2dc, 2ch,2dc] in next ch-2sp, (imag. 15) and 1dc in each of the next 7 dc from previous row *; repeat from * to * two more times; to finish the row work: 2dc in first ch-2-sp, 2ch, join with top of first ch-3 with sl st, cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have: 11dc on each side, 44dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp.(imag. 16)

Row 4: join new color with sl st in any of the 4 ch2-sp; work 3ch, 1dc in same ch-2sp as ch-3 (imag. 17), and 1dc in each of the 11dc from previous row; * work [2dc,2ch,2dc] in next ch-2-sp, (imag.18), and 1dc in each of next 11dc from previous row *; repeat from * to * two more times; to finish the row: 2dc in first ch-2-sp, 2c, join with top of first ch-3 with sl st; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have: 15dc on each side, 60dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp. (imag.19)

Row 5: join new color with sl st in any of the 4 ch2-sp; work 3ch, 1dc in same ch-2sp as ch-3 (imag. 20), and 1dc in each of the 15dc from previous row; * work [2dc,2ch,2dc] in next ch-2-sp, (imag.21), and 1dc in each of next 15dc from previous row *; repeat from * to * two more times; to finish the row: 2dc in first ch-2-sp, 2c, join with top of first ch-3 with sl st; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have: 19dc on each side, 76dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp. (imag.22)

The square will increase in size in the ch-2-sp corners which each row. Each side of the square will have 4 extra dc (16dc in total on each row). Following this principle and the instructions from the previous rows, please work the next 15 rows. To give you extra help, will count the number of dc for each row.

Row 6: you will have: 23dc on each side, 92dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 7: 27dc on each side, 108dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 8: 31dc on each side, 124dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 9: 35dc on each side, 140dc in total, 4ch-2-sp.

Row 10: 39dc on each side, 156dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp. (imag. 23)

Row 11: 43dc on each side, 172dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 12: 47dc on each side, 188dc in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 13: 51dc on each side, 204 in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 14: 55dc on each side, 220 in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 15: 59dc on each side, 236 in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 16: 63dc on each side, 252 in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 17: 67dc on each side, 268 in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 18: 71dc on each side, 284 in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 19: 75dc on each side, 300 in total, 4 ch-2-sp.

Row 20: 79dc on each side, 316 in total, 4 ch-2-sp. (imag.24)

Part 2: How to crochet the chest and the back

The pattern is the same for both chest and back. You work the rows horizontally on either side of the squares.

Row 1: join new color with sl st in any of the 4 ch-2-sp ; work 3ch (this counts as 1dc here and throughout) (imag. 25); work 1dc in each of the next dc from previous row of the square, 1dc in next ch-2-sp; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have 81dc in total. (imag.26,27)

Rows 2-15: join new color with sl st in last dc from previous row; work 3c, and 1dc in each of the next dc from previous row; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have 81dc in total. (imag. 28, 29)

Part 3: How to join the front and the back

Join the two sides of the sweater, front and back, with sl st. Insert crochet hook in any ch-2-sp from opposite side of the one you worked the 15 rows, simultaneously in both squares and start to sl st. Insert hook in next dc, simultaneously in both squares and sl st. Repeat until end of rows. Cut the yarn and fasten off. (imag 30)

Part 4: How to join the shoulders

Join the shoulders the same as the front and back, with sl st. Don’t forget to leave enough space for the neck. (imag. 31)
At this point, your project will look like a vest.

Part 5: How to crochet the sleeves

Row 1: join new color with sl st in any dc in the space designed for the sleeve; work 3ch (this counts as 1dc here and throughout), and 1dc in same dc as ch-3; work 2dc on the horizontal side of each dc in the sleeve space until you finish; join last dc with top of beg. ch-3 with sl st; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have 60dc in total ( imag. 32)

Rows 2-35: join new color with sl st in any dc from previous row; work 3ch, and 1dc in each of next 59dc from previous row; join last dc with top beg ch-3 with sl st; cut the yarn and fasten off. There will be 60dc in total (imag. 33).

Part 6: How to work the edges

You will need the 4mm crochet hook. You will use single crochet stitches and work in circle.

a)The edge at the bottom of squares:

Row 1: join new color with sl st in any ch-2-sp from bottom side of the Granny square; work 1ch, 1sc in same space as ch-1; work 1sc in each 79dc from the bottom side of square1; 1sc in next ch-2-sp; 1sc in next 79dc from bottom side of square2; 1sc in next ch-2-sp; join with first sc with sl st; cut and fasten off. You will have 162sc in total. (imag 34, 35)

Rows2-5: join new color with sl st in any sc from previous row; work 1ch, 1sc in same space as ch-1; work 1sc in each 161sc from previous row; join with first sc with sl st; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have 162sc in total. (imag.36)

b)The sleeve edge:

Row 1: join new color with sl st in any dc from previous row; work 1ch; insert hook in same space as ch-1 and pull out a loop; insert hook in next dc from previous row and pull out a loop; yarn over hook once and pull out through all the 3 loops on the hook (imag. 37, 38); * insert hook in next dc from previous row and pull out a loop; insert hook in next dc from previous row and pull out a loop; yarn over hook once and pull out through all 3 loops on the hook (imag. 39,40) *; repet from * to *; join last sc with first sc with sl st; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have 30sc in total. (imag. 41)

Row 2: join new color with sl st in any sc from previous row; work 1ch, 1sc in same space as ch-1; insert hook in next sc from previous row and pull out a loop; insert hook in next sc from previous row and pull out a loop through all 3 loops on the hook; * insert hook in next sc from previous row and pull out a loop, insert hook in next sc from previous row and pull out a loop, insert hook in next sc from previous row and pull out a loop through all 3 loops *; repeat from * to *; join with first ch-1 with sl st; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have 20 sc in total.

Rows 3-5: join new color with sl st in any sc from previous row; work 1ch, 1sc in same space as ch-1, and 19sc in each of the next 20sc from previous row; join with sl st with first sc; cut the yarn and fasten off. You will have 20sc in total. (imag.42)

Part 7: How to work the collar

Join desired color with sl st in any of dc from within the collar space; work 1ch, 1sc in same space as ch-1, and 1sc in each of the next dc from previous row within the collar area; join with sl st with first sc; cut the yarn and fasten off. (imag. 43)

Congratulations! You’ve just finished a super colorful sweater. Enjoy it.

Happy joining colors,

The Coolorburbians.

 

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