Monday 7 October 2013

Granny Square Bookmark

Peek-a-boo! What is peeping out of this book?


It’s a bookmark made of itty bitty granny squares!


I created this bookmark for someone who doesn’t crochet, whose favourite colour is green, and who is a librarian...and this person sent me the loveliest package of goodies in the post a few days ago...


Thank you so much, dear Suzanne! She knows I love my birdies, and I was very touched indeed to receive such pretties from Mrs. Bramble at Tales from My Craft Room! I will treasure these indeed.

Of course, I could just send a nice thank-you note, but I really wanted to send a little treat as well. So I chose to make her something that she most likely won’t have but hopefully will enjoy!

Would you like to make one? I enjoyed crocheting this with delicate DMC cotton thread and a 2mm hook, and I think I’ll buy some more colours and make some more for the book lovers in my life! Perfect stocking stuffers, or treats for teachers...

Granny Square Bookmark
You need:
DMC Petra Crochet Cotton Perle No. 5 (I used pale mint green and white, bought here)
2mm crochet hook


Method (written in UK terminology):

Using your first colour, ch 4, sl st to form a ring.

Round 1: ch 2 (counts as 1 tr), 2 tr, *ch 2, 3 tr. Repeat from * two more times (four clusters and four corners), sl st to top of ch 2 st. Fasten off.

Round 2: Join in next colour in corner, ch 2 (counts as 1 tr), (2 tr, ch 2, 3 tr) in corner space, *3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr in corner space. Repeat from * in remaining two corner spaces, sl st to top of ch 2 st. Fasten off.

Round 3: Join in next colour in corner, ch 2 (counts as 1 tr), (2 tr, ch 2, 3 tr) in corner space, 3 tr in side space, *(3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr) in corner space, 3 tr in side space*, repeat from * to * twice more, sl st to top of ch 2 st. Fasten off and weave in ends.

This pattern makes one granny square. I made four small squares for this bookmark, with the join-as-you-go (JAYG) method. JAYG is easy once you get the hang of it – you are basically slip stitching the squares together at adjacent stitches. Here is how you do the remaining squares:

Crochet the first two rounds of the next square.

Round 3: Join in next colour in corner, ch 2 (counts as 1 tr), (2 tr, ch 1, sl st to the bottom right corner space in previous square {see photo below} ch 1, 3 tr) in corner space.


Next step: sl st to previous square in the stitch to the right of the side space {see photo below}, 3 tr in side space,


sl st to previous square in the stitch to the left of the side space {see photo below}


(3 tr, ch 1, sl st to the bottom left corner space in the previous square {yep, you guessed it, see photo below} ch 1, 3 tr) in corner space,


3 tr in side space, *(3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr) in corner space, 3 tr in side space, repeat from * on remaining two sides, sl st to ch 2 st.

You should have happy squares joined together!

Edging: Join colour anywhere along one of the long sides of the bookmark, ch 1, *1 dc in each st along the side, 2 dc in corner space (I found that 3 dc in this Cotton Perle made my corners ruffle and fan out, so I changed to 2 dc, but if this causes your bookmark to curl, try 3 dc in the corner and chill out a bit, you’re tension is tight! ;-} ). Repeat from * until you meet back where you joined in your thread, sl st to join. Fasten off and weave in ends. Ta-dah!

Please do get in touch if you try this pattern, show me how it turns out, or if something goes wrong or you're muddled...

Happy crafting!
Chrissie x



15 comments:

  1. Wow Chrissie, you are amazing and so is that bookmark. I am sure that anyone would love to receive such a gift, whether they were a crocheter or not. The pale green is lovely too with the white!

    ReplyDelete
  2. So sweet Chrissie, and such a lovely little parcel you received too! :) x

    ReplyDelete
  3. How sweet! I've been wanting to try crocheting with perle cotton; it seems I have to help Santa Claus out by making a teeny, tiny bedspread this year. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the bookmark! It is so lovely and the green is such a pretty colour. Lovely little goodies from Suzanne too.
    Marianne xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such a lovely gift to make and to receive - well done once again lovely Chrissie, and also for going to such lengths in writing out the pattern so beautifully. Such a sweet gift from Suzanne - very thoughtful!
    Joy xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely bookmark
    Carolx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such a sweet little bookmark and I am sure she will be touched. I love the bits she sent you, how very lovely. It seems that both us birds are bird lovers. Thanks for sharing the pattern, lovely job my dear. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Chrissie what a lovely gift and so thoughtful. I just shows how we can take something very small and create a special treasure. What a lovely idea - love your gifts they are so nice and thoughtful. A lovely post as always Chrissie, thanks so much. Big hugs
    Dorothy
    :-)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you for the pattern, it's a great idea. I'm in a book club and they would make great gifts.
    S xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. I adore all things granny, what a lovely bookmark

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a brilliant idea for a gift. I've made scarves this way but never a bookmark. x

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like crocheting with fine threads like you've used. The granny square book mark turned out very nicely :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a lovely idea to crochet a little bookmark! I love the sweet gifts you received too:)
    Helen x

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hello Chrissie, I've received the bookmark so could read the post about it today! Thank you so much for the bookmark and for making something so thoughtful just for me - I am in awe of those tiny, perfect stitches. I shall do a show and tell over the weekend (I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of little bookmarks appearing in blogland after such a fab tutorial!). XXX

    ReplyDelete
  15. It's a lovely bookmark! With beautiful colors!
    Have a great week,
    Tammy

    ReplyDelete