They’re back! Your perfect cardigan starts with just one granny square and a little imagination.

Granny Squares have made a comeback, for good reason. They can be as straightforward or as complex as you want. The appearance can also change based on color choice and the type of yarn used. Creating your cardigan with granny squares can be surprisingly simple. In this post, I’ll go over the basics. For specific instructions on how I made my granny square duster, please refer to my projects. 

Gather Your Tools and Materials for your Granny Square Cardigan

Each item you use to make your cardigan will change its final look. Here is what you’ll need and how it will affect your project. 

Hooks

The size of your hook will affect the tightness of your stitches. The larger the hook, the looser the stitches. You also need to consider the type of yarn you will use. The best place to start is to look at the band on the yarn. It usually indicates the size of knitting needles and crochet hooks to use with that yarn. From there, go up or down based on your desired look.

Yarn

Your choice of yarn is crucial to the success of your granny square cardigan. Here are the key considerations to keep in mind. 

• Material- Yarn can be made from a variety of materials, including acrylic, cotton, wool, hemp, cashmere, and bamboo.
• Weight – This is the thickness of the yarn. This will influence the size of the hook you will use. I suggest a medium-weight, something with a 4. It’s easy to see and work with. 
• Color – Or colors. More colors create a more artsy feel, while stitching with one color can give a sophisticated feel. I went with a color family to get the best of both(in my opinion).

I went with some Carron Simply Soft that I got from a “frogged’ project. 

The quantity of yarn needed will depend on your design and size. We will cover that later in the design process. 

Other Items You May Need to Construct Your Cardigan

• Scissors – obviously, how else will you cut your yarn? 
• Stitch marker – Depending on the complexity of your granny square design, stitch markers can be beneficial. In a pinch, I have used twist ties, which are unconventional but effective. 
• Tapestry needle – For sewing in your tails and joining your squares. I crochet in my loose ends as I’m working, but that’s not always possible.
• Don’t forget any buttons or trim pieces you might want. 
• Bonus tip: Safety pins, I swear by them when joining pieces. They can also double as stitch markers. 

Designing Your Granny Square Cardigan

This can be the scariest part. But with granny squares, we have a basic shape to work from. You will then add or remove for size differences. You can choose one design or multiple designs. The only restriction is that for larger sizes, you may want to select a design. It should be made into a triangular piece. Many granny square pattern books may include some pre-designed patterns.

Measurements Needed

There are two ways to get the measurements you need. You can measure your body, or a well-fitted top. You will need to get:

• Distance from shoulder to shoulder, or seam to seam across the back of your shirt. 
• Distance from the top of the shoulder to the wrist
• Circumference around the waist
• Circumference around the largest part of the upper arm. 

At this point, I suggest making a granny square with the desired pattern to get a rough size. 

Sketching Layout

I think this is the most challenging part. So I broke it down to a few equations.

Subtract your wrist measurement from your upper arm measurement. If the difference is less than half, your granny square box construction is fine. 

Anything larger and you may need to consider adding a triangle piece. 

I had a white (W), light blue (L), medium blue (M), and dark blue (D). My granny squares had a center and outer color, so square LW had a light blue center and white outer. I tried to get a layout where the same outer colors never touch. I failed, and I’m okay with that.

Assemble Your Granny Squares

There are several ways to join granny squares. You can sew them together with a yarn needle or use different crochet methods. I just did a single crochet of the closer loop of both squares.

Get Creative! You can add or remove rows to lengthen or shorten the document. Choose to go sleeveless or do ¾ sleeves. Enhance your piece with borders or accessorize with trim or buttons. 

Be prepared to make adjustments while working, even with precise measurements. I had to add two rows to achieve the desired length. Designing often requires a bit of trial and error. Post your granny square cardigans in the comments to share inspiration. 

Remember, a mistake is just something that makes your piece unique!