Retro Granny square with Kismet Knitspiration yarn
This is a written tutorial for a Retro Daisy Granny Square. In this blog post, I’ll be explaining step-by-step how to crochet this square. I also have a YouTube tutorial that you can watch!
This granny square design really pops due to the 3D effect of the daisy petals! Kismet Yarns asked me to showcase the beautiful colors in their new Knitspiration range. This range has replaced the yarn that was previously called Lollipop. It’s been completely rebranded with a fresh name, new label, and stunning new colors, so it’s essentially a whole new yarn line. There are 46 colors to choose from, and it comes in both double knit and chunky weight. For this crochet-along, I’ll be using the DK weight.
After watching a few YouTube tutorials and learning how this type of square is constructed, I decided to create my own version. I added my own stitch count and little adjustments to make it unique and a perfect match for this yarn brand. I had so much fun designing this square. It pushed me to think outside the box since I usually design amigurumi and C2C graphs!
For this blanket, I’m using 43 of the colours available in the range. My inspiration for this crochet-along came from a TikTok video I saw of a lady picking out beads for her retro daisies. I loved the idea and wanted to do something similar, but with a bit more control over the colours. Some of the shades in this range are quite close to each other, and I didn’t want to end up with a block that looked all grey or all yellow.
So, I got to work! I laid out all the yarn on my dining table and started matching three colours per block, using a colour wheel as my guide. From there, I played around by swapping out the same three colours to create different combos. I had six open spots left, so I randomly picked six extra combinations that I hadn’t used yet. I numbered the squares from 1 to 49, since we’ll need 49 in total to complete the blanket.
If you want to follow along, you’re more than welcome! You’ll only need one skein of each colour. Once you’ve made your blocks, be sure to number them correctly so it’s easier to place them in the right order when we start assembling the blanket.
The list for the blocks
I have put together a list of the colours we are using for this blanket, it is placed in a PDF File which you can find on my Facebook Groups Join [HERE] – Crochet Group for Yarn Over with Natasha Followers- The file only contains the colour combination for the blocks and not the pattern it self.
Tips for Joining Crochet Squares
There are many creative ways of joining crochet squares, but I always prefer to keep it simple! If you like to sew, a whip stitch join is a fast and easy technique to make crochet seams. You can also slip stitch the squares together with your crochet hook. I will be creating a YouTube video on the two techniques you can use to assemble your blocks at the end of the crochet-a-long.
THE SQUARE
Materials
- I’m using all the colours of the new Knitspiration yarn except for colours K30, K35 and K46
- 3.5 mm hook
- sciccors
- Tapestry needle
Notes
- This pattern is worked in the round
- Ch 3 at beginning of a row counts as 1 DC
- Pattern written in US terms
- I recommend you block your crochet squares when finished. It will make joining them together much easier, and they will look much neater.
You can block your square by using a cardboard box and four pegs. First, cut the box slightly larger than the square. Then, place one peg at each corner to hold the crochet square in position.
Gauge is not important, but just for context, my square was made with DK yarn and a 4mm hook and the gauge was
One square: 13cm x 13 cm
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- SC: Single Crochet
- HDC: Half double crochet
- DC: Double Crochet
- CH: Chain
- Rep: Repeat
- SK: Skip stitch
- ST: Stitch
- Slp st: Slip stitch
The Pattern
The Center
CH3 at the beginning of the round counts as a DC stitch
1: CH6, connect the beginning of the chain with a slp st to create a circle
2: CH3, create 15 DC stitches with in the circle and end with a slp st at the top of the CH3 stitch [16]
End Off and weave in all ends.
The Petals and Background
PC: Petal Colour , BGC: Background Colour
Working on the Petals and Background, First round
Start with the petal colour first
1: Connect the PC to the center with a slp st, CH3, DC in the same st space, CH 1, SK a st, *DC x 2 in the next st, CH1, SK a st* Rep ** x 6, slp st at the top of the CH3 [8 DC clusters, 8 CH spaces]
DO NOT CUT THE YARN, pull a loop and leave it for next round
Now we’re going to work in the skipped stitches for the background of the square
2: Connect the BGC to the open st between the DC clusters with a slp st and CH 7 (Count as your DC st and CH4) *DC into the next sk st, CH4*, Rep ** x 6 slp st at the top of the CH3
[ 8 DC, CH 4 x 8 ]
DO NOT CUT THE YARN, pull a loop and leave it for next round
Working on the Petals and Background, second round
Petals: (Push the chain 4 of the background colour to the back)
1: Retake on the PC and CH3, DC in the same st, DC in the next st, CH2, *DC x2 in first DC st, DC x 1 in the Second DC st, CH 2*, Rep ** x 6 slp st at the top of the CH3 [ 3 DC clusters x 8, 8 x CH 2 spaces]
DO NOT CUT THE YARN, pull a loop and leave it for next round
Background: (Push the chain 2 of the Petals colour to the back)
2: Retake on the BGC and CH3, DC in the same st, CH5, *DC x2 in the next DC st,CH 5*, Rep ** x 6, slp st at the top of the CH3 [ 2 DC clusters x 8, 8 x CH 5 spaces]
DO NOT CUT THE YARN, pull a loop and leave it for next round
Working on the Petals and Background, third round
Petals: (Push the chain 5 of the background colour to the back)
1: Retake on the PC and CH3, DC x 2 in the next st, DC in the 3rd st, CH2, *DC, DC x 2, DC, CH 2*, Rep ** x 6, slp st at the top of the CH3 [ 4 DC clusters x 8, 8 x CH 2 spaces] -move on to the petal edges
Background: (Push the chain 2 of the Petals colour to the back)
2: Retake on the BGC and CH3, DC in the same st, DC in the next stitch, CH5, *DC x2 , DC in next st ,CH 5*, Rep ** x 6, slp st at the top of the CH3 [ 3 DC clusters x 8, 8 x CH 5 spaces]
DO NOT CUT THE YARN, pull a loop and leave it for next round
Working on the Petals and Background, fourth round
Petals: (Push the chain 5 of the background colour to the back)
1: Retake on the PC and CH3, DC in the same st, DC in the next 3 sts, DC in the 3rd st, CH2, *DC x 2, DC next 3sts, CH 2*, Rep ** x 6, slp st at the top of the CH3 [ 5 DC clusters x 8, 8 x CH 2 spaces] -move on to the petal edges
Petals edge:
2: Slp st into the first st, SK a st, DC x 5 in the next st , SK st, Slp st in the next st, CH2, SK CH2 ,
* Slp st, Sk st, DC x 5, Sk st, Slp st, CH2, Sk CH 2* Rep ** x 6,slp st at the top of the CH3 [ petals edges]
Background: (Push both CH 2 of the Petals colour to the back)
3: Retake the BGC and CH3, DC in the next 2st , Now working with the CH 5 behind the petals edge, DC x 5 across the chain. Pushing the CH 2 back, you’ll work the BGC in the front, DC in each st, Now Rep with the 5 DC at the back of the petals edge, continue till you have reached your CH 3, end with the slp st at the top of CH3
The Border
Continue with the Background colour
1: CH 3, in the same st , DC, CH2, DC x 2, *HDC in next 5st, SC in the next 5st, HDC in the next 5st, In the same st DC x 2, CH 2, DC x2 * REP ** x 2, last side; HDC next 5st, SC in the next 5st, HDC in next 5st, slip stitch into the top of the CH 3.
2: CH1, SC in each stitch around the border till you have reached the CH1, Slp stitch, cut and weave in the ends.
