How to Crochet a Granny Heart Square - Itchin' for some Stitchin'

Hey Crafters!

Today I want to share with you this awesome crochet granny heart square tutorial!

I just made it up! Really. It’s true.

The idea came to me just the other day as I was thinking about what I was going to do with all the crochet hearts I have leftover from my husband’s Valentine’s Day gift.

I thought about using them as appliqués on skirts, purses, or headbands, but I really wanted to do something a little different with them.

Perhaps there was a way to make them a part of a gift for my mom, because, as luck would have it, both her birthday and Mother’s Day are in May. And May just snuck up on me!

I was already thinking I might crochet her an afghan, but how could I add these lovely little crochet hearts?

Then it hit me. I could turn them into granny squares!

Well, granny heart squares to be exact.

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So, I grabbed a heart and a hook and an hour later I had a granny square with a sweet little heart in the middle. 🙂

Let me show you how I did it! Don’t worry. It’s super easy!

What is a Granny Square?

First of all, let me give a brief granny square definition, on the off-chance you don’t know what they are.

Hey, I didn’t know what granny squares were until my grandma told me. So, it’s not entirely silly to think that there are those out there who are unfamiliar with the idea.

Anyway, let’s plow on.

Granny squares are a classic crochet motif. The most basic one starts off as what appears to me as a four petal flower or pinwheel. The first round surrounding the flower or pinwheel adds the four corners and sides of a square. Each round makes the square larger and larger.

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of granny square variations. Including ones that turn a circle into a square and like today’s tutorial, ones that have a heart at the center of the square.

How to Crochet a Heart into a Granny Square

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[li]This pattern is available as a large print, ad-free, printable PDF pattern. Get it HERE.[/li]

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Skill Level: Easy

Materials

Medium worsted weight yarn
Hook: J (6.0mm)

Note: The hook I used is a specialty hook made by Nelsonwood. It is the hook seen in all the photos for this article and it’s absolutely favorite hook!

Abbreviations & Skills Required

~ Simply click on the links above if you need a review of these skills.

Pattern

Step One

Make some crochet hearts.

Now, since I designed this pattern from hearts that I crocheted several weeks ago, I highly recommend you use my tutorial to create your hearts before continuing the crochet granny heart square tutorial.

See, A Quick & Easy Way To Crochet Hearts to make the hearts.

NOTE: The heart pattern is included in the pdf pattern available for purchase. It’s two patterns in one!

Step Two

Once you’ve finished your hearts it’s time to turn them into squares. My basic crochet heart has 28 stitches plus 1 chain 4 (ch4) that counts as a stitch, so there are actually 29 stitches in total.

Round 1:

Starting in the 3rd stitch to the left of the ch4—add new yarn color using the slip stitch (slp st).
Ch3 (counts as 1dc)
Work 2 double crochets (2dc)
Ch2
Work 3 double crochets (3dc) in the same stitch

~ This makes the first corner of your granny square.

Ch1
Skip the next 2 stitches
Work 3dc in the next stitch

~ This is making the left side of your granny heart square.

Ch2
Skip the next 3 stitches
Work 3dc in the next stitch
Ch2
Work 3dc in the same stitch

~ This creates the second corner of your granny heart square.

Ch2
Skip the next 3 stitches
Work 3dc in the next stitch (this should be the tip of the heart)

~ This is making the bottom edge of the square.

Continue up the other side of the heart by continuing to follow the pattern below:

Ch2
Skip the next 3 stitches
Work 3dc in the next stitch
Ch2
Work 3dc in the same stitch

~ This creates the third corner of your granny heart square.

Ch2
Skip the next 3 stitches
Work 3dc in the next stitch

~ This is making the right side of the square.

Ch1
Skip the next 2 stitches
Work 3dc in the next stitch
Ch2
Work 3dc in the same stitch

~ This creates the fourth corner of your granny heart square.

Ch1
Skip the next 4 stitches
Work 3dc in the top of the heart between the two arches
Ch1
Slip stitch (slp st) into the top chain of the ch3. You will have skipped the ch4 and 2 stitches when you do this.

~ This makes the top edge of the square.

How to Crochet a Granny Heart Square_round 1 by http://www.itchinforsomestitchin.com

You have just completed round one.

Okay, now I realize that it doesn’t yet look like a square. That’s okay. It will eventually take on the square shape as you continue to add rounds.

The remaining rounds work just like a traditional granny square.

Round 2:

Into your first granny heart square corner work:

Ch 4– counts as 1 dc and one ch 1
3dc
Ch2
3dc in the same stitch

Work the side of the square:

Ch1
3dc in space
ch2
3dc in space
Ch2

Into your second granny heart square corner work:

3dc
Ch2
3dc in the same stitch
Ch2

How to crochet a Granny Heart Square tutorial by http://www.itchinforsomestitchin.com

Work the bottom edge of the square.

3dc in space
ch2
3dc in space
Ch2

Then continue up the other side of the heart by continuing to follow the pattern below:

Into your third granny heart square corner work:

3dc
Ch2
3dc in the same stitch

Work the side of the square:

Ch3
3dc in space
Ch2
3dc in space
Ch1

Into the fourth granny heart square corner work:

3dc
Ch1
3dc in the same stitch

Work the top edge of the square.

Ch1
3dc in space
Ch1
2dc in space
slip stitch (slp st) to 3rd chain in the chain 4 (ch4) made at the beginning of the round.

Round three, and any other rounds you choose to add is worked in exactly the same way as round two.

Just remember that you are essentially working 3dc in each ch1 (if you are working the top section) or ch2 space (if you are working the bottom section).

You are also working 3dc, then ch1 (if you are working the top of section) or ch2 (if you are working the bottom section), 3dc again in each corner.

That’s all it really boils down to.

Round 3:

Ch3–counts as 1dc
2dc in space
Ch1
1st corner: 3dc, ch1, 3dc in same stitch, ch 1
3dc in space, ch1 (1)
3dc in space, ch2 (2)
3dc in space, ch2 (3)
2nd corner: 3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch2
3dc in space, ch2 (1)
3dc in space, ch2 (2)
3dc in space, ch2 (3)
3rd corner: 3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch2
3dc in space, ch2 (1)
3dc in space, ch1 (2)
3dc in space, ch1 (3)
4th corner: 3dc, ch1, 3dc in same stitch, ch 1
3dc in space, ch1 (1)
3dc in space, ch1 (2)
Slip stitch into bottom of the first ch3

Granny Heart Square Tips

One

You are essentially trying to shape a heart into a square, thus, you need to make sure that you are paying attention to the chain 1 and chain 2 spaces you are working.

Since the bottom of the heart is not as wide as the top part of the heart, you need to be sure you are widening the square at the bottom and narrowing the square at the top.

That’s why, in this pattern, you use ch1 as you work the top section and ch2 as you work the bottom section.

Two

Remember: Each round should end with working 2dc. This is because the starting ch3 counts as a stitch. Thus, once you slip-stitch to close off the round, you will actually have ended with 3dc.

These lovely squares are perfect for making gifts. You can use them to create beautiful afghans, pillows, and bags for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.

You can even use them to make clothing! Seriously. Granny squares can be made into dresses, cardigans, vests, and more.

Here’s a free granny square jacket tutorial to help inspire you!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to crochet a heart into a granny square and perhaps learned a new skill as well!

Until next time… Happy Crocheting!

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Learn How to Turn a Crochet Heart Into a Granny Square In Just 2 Easy Steps!