Old English Creations

Crochet Your Calm and Create with Joy

 

B&G: Blankies and Grannies

Author: Alison  –   Updated: March 2025

B&G: Blankies and Grannies

The Joy of Crochet

B&G?

B&G is like the fun code I use for the main things which I create in crochet. Don’t get me wrong, I can do all types of crocheting, but when it comes down to it, my true love and where I am strong creatively, is in blankies, and grannies. As a personal quirk, I love to call it “B and G” or B&G.

Blankies and Grannies

B&G is all about creating beautiful crochet blankets and other projects using granny squares. I absolutely love making granny squares and turning them into cozy blankets. Over the years, I’ve also made garments from granny squares like my Country Jacket, but I always have a granny blanket in some stage of progress on the hook, it’s just part of my crochet life!

3-granny-squares-in-pink-and-green

The Magic of Granny Squares

What Are Granny Squares?

Granny squares, or “grannies,” are the iconic building blocks of crochet. They are everywhere in the crochet world, and for good reason! Simple yet versatile, they allow you to create endless combinations of colors, textures and patterns. I have a favorite pattern my basic gr nny with a twist which might look familiar to many seasoned crocheters. But the beauty of granny squares lies in their adaptability. With just a few tweaks, you can create something uniquely yours.

Granny Square

Types

There are many variations of granny squares, depending on the stitch combinations used. A few favorites include:

 

  • The Solid Granny: A single-color square, perfect for structured designs like my temperature blanket.
  • The Traditional Granny: The classic, multi-color square with chain spaces.
  • The Tudor Rose Granny: This is my original design and is a unique variation with a floral twist.

  

Shapes and Uses

Despite their name, granny squares don’t have to be square! They can be adjusted into hexagons, triangles, or even circles. You can use granny squares to make all sorts of crochet goodies:

 

  • Blankets
  • Bags
  • Garments
  • Home decor items like cushions and coasters

Blankies

More Than Just a Blanket

A “blankie” is a sweet term for a small, comforting blanket, but blankets come in all shapes and sizes. Many are made from granny squares, but there are also other styles of crochet blankets to explore.

Types of Blankets

There are different types of blankies that you can make with granny squares.

 

  • Doll Blankets: Tiny blankets for toy lovers or display.
  • Baby Blankets: Soft, pastel-colored blankets perfect for newborns.
  • Lap Blankets or Lapghans: Smaller throws, ideal for keeping legs warm.
  • Afghans: Medium-sized, cozy blankets for couches or beds.
  • Full-Sized Blankets: Large, luxurious covers for beds.

 

The difference between these blankets often comes down to yarn choice and size. A delicate baby blanket in pastel shades might follow the same pattern as a thick, chunky adult throw, but the look and feel will be entirely different.

Granny Square

Sizes and Portability

The standard granny square size is around 10 cm (4 inches) square, but you can make them as large or as small as you like. One of the best things about granny squares is how portable they are! You can crochet small squares anywhere:

 

  • On the bus
  • In the park
  • During your lunch break
  • At the doctor’s office
  • While waiting in the car for school pick-up

 

Since you’re working on small pieces, it’s easy to take your crochet with you wherever you go.

B&G Crochet Projects

Always Something on the Hook

For me, crochet is all about variety, so I always have at least two or three projects on the go at any one time.

A Small Project

I usually have something quick and portable like a headband, soap tidy, granny square bag or dishcloth. These can be completed in one day.

A Medium-sized Project

My medium projects perhaps can be a bag, poncho, shawl or wrapThese can be completed in one week.

A Big, Cozy Project

A large double-bed blanket, kept at my favorite crochet spot for long, relaxing evenings. These projects take weeks or even months to complete. I like to do one each season so, spring, summer, autumn and winter, this gives me three months which is enough time for me to complete a full size blanket.

Overarch

Incorporating B&G Into Your Crafting Life

How do you work with granny squares and blankets in your crochet journey? Do you:

 

  • Love making granny squares?
  • Enjoy creating blankets?
  • Have multiple crochet projects going at once?
blankies-and-grannies-pin

Pin this to read later.

Alison-headshot

Author Bio

Alison is a passionate crochet enthusiast and dedicated business blogger. She combines her love for crafting and entrepreneurship to inspire and connect with others.

With a knack for transforming yarn into beautiful creations and a flair for sharing valuable insights about running a successful crochet business, Alison embodies the perfect blend of creativity and practicality.

Read more about Alison’s crochet journey.

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Tudor Rose Granny

Inspiration

Our Tudor Rose granny square is a simple pattern that anyone can make. You can use our Tudor Rose granny for blankets or make them up into a bag. You can also make regular four-round Grannies and place them in between the Tudor Rose Grannies.

War of the Roses

The War of the Roses was fought in England from 1455 to 1485. A Tudor Rose has white petals in the middle and red petals on the outside. It symbolizes the joining of two fighting opponents from the War of the Roses.  The white rose is for Yorkshire and the red rose is for Lancashire. Typically, the Tudor rose is displayed with one petal below and has two petals at the top.

Symbolic

It was in the 1500’s when the Tudor Rose was first used in royal standards.

Roses in general are a symbol for Mary. You will often find rose windows in churches.

Pattern Design Notes

The challenge is to get a five-petaled rose into a four-sided square. This is achieved in two ways.

  • Firstly, by using the long triple crochet stitch and stitching into the top of all the petals and only into some of the gaps between the petals.
  • Secondly, by having two opposite sides with a four / six chain combination and two sides with a five / five chain combination. All sides equaling ten chains in all excluding other stitches.

Weave in the tail ends as you go to avoid much sewing at the finish.

Pattern Design Notes

The challenge is to get a five-petaled rose into a four-sided square. This is achieved in two ways.

  • Firstly, by using the long triple crochet stitch and stitching into the top of all the petals and only into some of the gaps between the petals.

  • Secondly, by having two opposite sides with a four / six chain combination and two sides with a five / five chain combination. All sides equaling ten chains in all excluding other stitches.

Tension Gauge

If your tension is loose, then use a slightly smaller hook. If your tenson is tight, then used a slightly large hook

Measurements

Each Tudor Rose granny measures approximately 12cm x 12cm (4 ½ inches x 4 ½ inches).

Crochet Terminology

This pattern uses US crochet terminology.

Stitches Used

Chain = ch

Single crochet = sc.

Half double crochet = hdc.

Double crochet = dc.

Triple crochet – tc.

Slip stitch = sl.st.

Join in yarn.

Yarns

Impeccable medium weight [4] yarn.

A = white

B = red

C = blue

Hook

5mm crochet hook.

Pattern

Foundation chain ring: Ch5 join with a sl.st to form ring.

Round 1: With A (white), Ch3 (as 1st stitch), 9 dc into center ring join with sl.st. Fasten off. [10 sts].

Round 2: With B (red), join with sl.st., make loop [ch3, skip 2 sts, 1 sc], repeat 3 times, ch 3 sl.st. into 1st st. [5 loops].

Round 3: Make petals. Sl.st. forward into first loop, work into loop, 2ch (as 1st hdc), 3 dc, 1hdc, sl.st. into top of sc from round below, work into next loop, * 1hdc, 3 dc, 1hdc, sl.st. into top of sc from round below * repeat from * to * [3] times more. Fasten off. [5 petals].

Round 4: With C (blue), make a loop on your hook, hdc into a valley stitch between two petals. Ch5, 1dc into back loop of middle stitch of a petal, 3ch (1st corner), 1dc into same st. Ch6, sc into back loop of middle st of next petal, ch4, tc into valley stitch before next petal, ch3 (2nd corner), tc into same st, ch 5, sc into back loop of middle st of next petal, ch5, tc into stitch before next petal, ch3 (3rd corner), tc into same st, ch4, sc into back loop of middle st of next petal, ch6, dc into stitch before next petal, ch3 (4th corner), dc into same st, ch5, join with sl.st into top of 1st hdc in round.

Round 5: Sl.st into gap, ch3 (as 1st st), 2dc into gap, ch1, * into corner loop 3dc, ch3, 3dc, ch1, 3dc into next gap, ch1, 3dc into next gap, repeat *. Repeat from * to * twice more. Into corner loop 3dc, ch3, 3dc, [ch 1, 3dc into next gap], 1ch, join with sl.st. Fasten off.

Other Way to Use This Pattern

Tudor Rose Summer Tote

I used our Tudor Rose Granny square pattern to make a light summer tote which I ‘m calling the Tudor Rose Summer Tote.

Alison-headshot

Author Bio

Alison is a passionate crochet enthusiast and dedicated business blogger. She combines her love for crafting and entrepreneurship to inspire and connect with others.

With a knack for transforming yarn into beautiful creations and a flair for sharing valuable insights about running a successful crochet business, Alison embodies the perfect blend of creativity and practicality.

Read more about Alison’s crochet journey.

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Crochet Temperature Blanket – Week 1 Progress

by Alison Stapleton

Temperature Blanket Details

This year I am making a temperature blanket.

Each day will be represented by a three-row granny square in the colour of the high temperature that day where I live in the city of Vancouver in Canada.

I started on January 1, 2018, and make one square every day until December 31, 2018. That will be 365 crochet granny squares in all.

Size

I want my blanket to lay on my king sized bed and run in vertical rows for each set of 18 days.

My design is to make this blanket 18 squares by 21 rows as that makes a squarer blanket than the usual 14 squares (or two weeks) by 21 rows which result in a long, narrow blanket more suited to a single or twin sized bed.

I plan to make some extra white squares at the end to square off the blanket and on this can embroider the date for the year (2018). Here I may do MMXVIII just to be different.

The Details Up To Day 9

I know it says “week one” on the title of the post but it was actually Day 9 before  I got this published.

For the first week, the temperatures in Vancouver remained between 5C and 6C for the highs.

In a way, it was annoying to have to do the light blue for day after day and on into Day 9!

But, I think it will soon get a little colder as we move into late January and February is typically the coldest month.

My Progress

I like that I can do one granny square just after dinner each night while watching TV and chatting with my family. It is very doable and once the day’s square is completed that is all I have to do. So, there is a feeling of satisfaction in completing the single motif.

I do not feel the need to do more crocheting but I do have other projects on the hook that I will work at over the weekends.

I will post again when I reach week 2 and share wyouyrou just how good the blanket is coming along.

This is like a crochet along (CAL) and all the squares are the same.

Temperature blanket Day 9

Temperature Degree Colours

I have the colours already decided listed here.

Temperature blanket stash of colours.

Zero and below white

1C to 2C cream

3C to 4C taupe

5Cto 6C light blue

7C to 8C teal

9C to 10C green

11C to 12C lemon

13C to 14C yellow gold

15C to 16C orange

17C to 18C pink

19C to 20C hot pink

21C to 22C red

23C to 24C magenta

25C to 26C violet

27C to 28C purple

29C and above black

I bought the yarn (which is Vanna’s Choice [4] weight yarn) on January the first at my local yarn store (LYS) in downtown Vancouver.

I am using a 5.25mm crochet hook.

Instagram @OldEnglishCreations

Follow my daily progress and tag me with your temperature blanket images all year.


Crochet Bag Patterns

Crochet Bag Patterns

Crochet bags are fun and easy to make. There are many types of bags and most can be made in crochet. The beauty of these designs is that they usually can be made in a day or two. Start now and have a new bag each season (that’s four this year) or go ahead and craft yourself one for each month. Crochet bags do not last forever and depending on the yarns you use they can get worn, fluff or pill easily. Take care to choose natural fibres like cotton or wool  or select tough acrylics.

Where to put your crochet bags when out and about

Never chuck a crochet bag (or any bag for that matter) onto the floor.  Rather leave it hanging on the back of your chair

In a restaurant or coffee shop

Tuck your bag behind your back on the chair in a restaurant or coffee shop. Only place spectacular evening bags on the dining table. You can get a handy dandy portable handbag hook and dangle your bag stylishly from the table edge.

On the bus, train or subway

Always have your bag on your knee. Don’t leave it on the seat next to you (this attracts grab-and-runs). Not on the floor. If your commute is very dirty put you crochet bag into a see-though plastic bag for travelling in busy public places.

In the cloakroom

Hang it on the hook or knob behind the door. Never place your crochet bag on top of the cistern. Really? Never ever on the floor. Tuck it under your arm as you hover. At the basin, if you have to put it on the counter, place some paper towels down first. You never know what lurks in public places.

Care for your Crochet Bag

You have spent many hours making your crochet bag so you need to care for it to extend its longevity. When bags like this get dirty or stained it is hard to clean them so the best way is to protect them  beforehand. Any bag you make and use says something about you. You want you crochet bags to be beautiful for a long time so take care and enjoy using your hand crafted bags.

More Patterns

These bag patterns will be coming soon. I will add them as soon as I can. The patterns are free for a few days and then cost $2 for a PDF download. Check back often to pick up your free bag patterns.

There are more free patterns here.

Alison-headshot

Author Bio

Alison is a passionate crochet enthusiast and dedicated business blogger. She combines her love for crafting and entrepreneurship to inspire and connect with others.

With a knack for transforming yarn into beautiful creations and a flair for sharing valuable insights about running a successful crochet business, Alison embodies the perfect blend of creativity and practicality.

Read more about Alison’s crochet journey.

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Square-a-Day Crochet Blankets – 3 Options

Square-a-Day Crochet Blankets

A crocheted square-a-day blanket is easy, quick and it almost grows when you are not looking.

You make one square each day of the year to reflect what was happening every day. At the end of twelve months you have a crochet record of how the year was for you.

Skills required

Because the effort you have to expend is only one square a day it can easily be done by beginners and experienced crocheters in a few moments each day.

If you are a beginner this project will help you get better at a simple granny square that will stand you in good stead for all of your crocheting life.

if you are an experienced crocheter you can add this little square to you repertoire of other crochet work that you have on the hook.

The square-a-day blanket is a perfect complement to other crochet work in progress (WIP) which you may have. The square-a-day blanket is a big project and will take you all year to finish. This means that you can also do other crochet work in-between.

Small, medium and large

It is always a good idea to have more than one project on the go, a big one (like this blanket), a medium one like a hat or shawl and a small one like a bookmark.

It is advisable to have large and small pieces and this blanket falls into the small pieces section because you can take it with you.

Basic square

The squares you do are a basic two-row granny square motif. The two rows can be one colour or in some cases (see below) with two different colours in each square.

You can do one, two or three square-a-day blankets and we have three suggestions of blankets that you can make this year.

 


3 Types of Square-a-Day Blankets

Three types of daily square blankets that you can make and are explained here are:

  • A daily rising planet blanket (astrology related)
  • A daily high temperature blanket
  • A daily mood blanket (your feelings)

Your life – your blanket

Clearly you can think up other ways to do the square-a-day blanket depending on interests in your own life.

If you are a gardener you can do one for planting, seedlings, flowers and fruits in your garden. The first rose bloom or the first apple on your trees. This is a good one as the seasons change and the garden lives a dies off over the year.

If you live in a rainy area you could do a square-a-day rainfall blanket.

Let the blanket reflect your life and the things that are important to you.


1) Daily Rising Planet Crochet Blanket.

For this blanket you will make one square for each day of the year.

The colour for each square is chosen depending on which planet rises before the Sun every day for 365 days.

Your blanket can be either 14 x 27 squares and this will make a long oblong blanket or it can be 18 x 21 squares which will make an almost square blanket.

Either way there is no simple way to make a rectangle that is 365 days so there will always be a few squares over and the left over squares can be where you write, or embroider, the date and year for the blanket.

Sunrise and the Pre-dawn Rising Planet

The pre-dawn rising planet (in fact this is also known as the Oriental Plane)t is the planet that rises on the eastern horizon every morning before the Sun at dawn.

This rising planet will change over the course of a year as the Sun and the planets move through the zodiac.

Choosing the Colours

You will use one colour for each planet. In astrology the Moon is considered a planet as well.

Moon – white

Mercury – taupe

Venus – pink

Mars – red

jupiter – blue

Saturn – grey

Uranus – turquoise

Neptune – mint green

Pluto – maroon


The Make-a-Square-a-Day method

Because we do in fact know which planet will rise before the Sun this blanket can be started and you can push forward with the daily squares if you choose.

But the best way to create this type of daily blanket is by making one-square-per-day which is the main idea.

This is a big project and it can be done alongside other smaller or medium sized projects that you have on the hook.

To make one small granny square and crochet it together will take you less than thirty minutes every morning or evening.


2) Temperature Blankets

There are two ways to do the squares in the temperature blankets. You can simply do the daily high temperatures or the high/low temperatures.

Daily high temperatures

In the high temperature blanket you take the daily high for the day where you live and crochet the square in the pre-determined colours you choose.

So for example in Vancouver the highs are about 26C in summer and 4C in winter.

So each degree on the thermometer can be one colour or you can designate one colour to cover two degrees because there are only so many colours of yarn in one make.

Daily high/low temperature blanket

The other option is the high/low temperature blanket.

In this blanket you do a granny square with two rows where the first row is the low temperature and the second row is the high for the day. This makes a more colourful combination of squares in the blanket.

The only thing is that you need a wider range of colours to cover the low temperatures as well.

Example colours for a temperature blanket

Zero and below white

1C to 2C cream

3C to 4C grey/taupe

5Cto 6C light blue

7C to 8C teal

9C to 10C green

11C to 12C lemon

13C to 14C yellow gold

15C to 16C orange

17C to 18C pink

19C to 20C hot pink

21C to 22C red

23C to 24C magenta

25C to 26C violet

27C to 28C purple

29C and above black


3) Daily Mood Blanket

A mood blanket can be done by crocheting a square in the mood you wake up in each morning.

We all like to think we are upbeat and happy each and every day and that is the goal of most people but reality is different. The only problem with this blanket is that you may be in a sad mood for many days and the blanket will bear witness to this.

Also if you get halfway through the year and your cat dies you will be is a sad mood for weeks and this will show in the blanket.

The mood blanket will reflect life as it really is. If you feel comfortable with making a mood blanket here are some suggested colours that you can use for each mood.

Example colours for a mood blanket

Anger – red

Joy – orange

Happiness – yellow

Envious – green

Sadness – blue

Optimistic – indigo

Inspired – violet

Bored – white

Tired – black

You can choose the colours beforehand and hopefully you will have a happy and cheerful year.

 

Author Bio

Alison Heathcote, a passionate crochet enthusiast and dedicated business blogger, combines her love for crafting and entrepreneurship to inspire and connect with others.

With a knack for transforming yarn into beautiful creations and a flair for sharing valuable insights about running a successful crochet business, Alison embodies the perfect blend of creativity and practicality.

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B&G: Blankies and Grannies

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Crochet Patterns

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