Crochet an Organic Cotton Granny Square Baby Blanket – Part 2: Joining the Squares & Finishing

After crocheting what seems like a bazillion little granny squares, this is the fun part - putting them all together and finishing off the blanket!

(If you missed part one of this tutorial on how to plan your granny square blanket and make the squares, go here to Part 1 first.)

Joining the granny squares:

With your white/cream yarn, starting with your first square in the first row, attach the yarn to one corner ch 1 hole and then chain 3 (this will act as your first dbl crochet + chain 1). [ Dbl crochet 3 times into the same hole (this forms a corner of the square), chain 1, dbl crochet 3 times into the next hole, chain 1, dbl crochet 3 times into the next hole, chain 1, dbl crochet 3 times into the next hole, chain 1 ] Repeat 3 times until you're at the hole you started on and then slip stitch into the 3rd chain from the beginning. Pull yarn through loop and cut, leaving a tail.

Now, you will move on to the second square in the first row and join it this way:

Attach the white/cream yarn to one corner ch 1 hole and then chain 3 (this will act as your first dbl crochet + chain 1).  [Dbl crochet 3 times into the same hole (this forms a corner of the square), chain 1, dbl crochet 3 times into the next hole, chain 1, dbl crochet 3 times into the next hole, chain 1, dbl crochet 3 times into the next hole, chain 1.] Repeat once and then stop! Poke your crochet hook through one corner chain of the first square. Slip stich through.

Ch 1, dbl crochet 3 times in same hole (of second square), chain 1, [dbl crochet 1 time in the next hole, then find the middle dbl crochet of the adjacent "dbl crochet 3" on your first square and slip stich through. Dbl crochet 2 times, ch 1] Repeat from [ to ]. Dbl crochet 3 times into the next hole, chain 1, dbl crochet 3 times into the next hole, chain 1. Slip stitch into the 3rd chain from the beginning. Pull yarn through loop and cut, leaving a tail.

You'll repeat this pattern for the entire first row of 12 squares.

On the next rows, when you need to join one square to others, only crochet up one side, and then start attaching it to the other squares.

Here's a picture showing a slip stitch through the corner chains to attach the square corners together.

The blanket is 16 rows long, so this part takes a while. I would suggest to take a "break" every few rows and weave in the ends on the back of the blanket so that you're not weaving them ALL in at the end (which is really annoying)!

Once the entire 16 rows of 12 are joined, you're ready to edge the blanket.

Finishing the blanket:

I chose a very simple bobble edge so that the colourful granny squares were the stars of this piece!

I single crocheted for two rows around the entire perimeter of the blanket, and then I used this lovely pattern to make bobble edging. Isn't it cute and quirky?

Weave in all of those pesky ends and your done!

I think we'll cuddle up with this blankie on our living room couch, and then when our new house is built and Baby A has her own nursery, it will reside there. I like that it's soft and made of natural fibers.

I'm totally in love with this crocheted granny square blanket - it's retro-cuteness at it's finest. And I'm really proud of it!

Have you ever crocheted a blanket? Please share your finished projects in the comments below.