Granny Squares vs Granny Stitches vs Filet

Granny Squares have been a staple of crocheting for years. In addition to allowing you to see results fast, they're portable. A hook, a skein of yarn, and a small pair of scissors are easily transported in a large - or even medium sized - purse.

Granny squares can be used in a variety of projects. They can be as small as one inch each side or they can be expanded to over eighty (80!) inches across. They can be solid, or have the open pattern that many of us remember from childhood.

Their most well-known application is, of course, afghans and blankets. Blankets can be created piecemeal and assembled at the crafter's leisure using one of a number of joining techniques.

Festive Solid Hexagons

While, the traditional granny square pattern is known far and wide, the variations are nearly infinite. Squares have been single colored, multi colored, had their stitches modified to look like flowers or stained glass... Even the number of sides has been altered. Hexagons, pentagons, triangles, circles, and oblongs of all shapes and sizes are known to exist.

Afghans and blankets are not all that have been made with granny squares. Patterns for hats, purses, and shawls exist. I even saw a photo going around earlier this year of one community that made a tree out of granny squares for the holidays. It had to be at least twice as tall as I am!

Left: Solid Granny Square
Right: Traditional Granny Stitch

There is a large distinction that should be made. The granny square is not the same thing as a granny stitch. The granny square is simply a crocheted square that is assembled into a completed project. The granny stitch, however, is generally made up of three or more 'post' stitches. (Such as double crochet or triple crochet.) A gap is left, and another grouping of post stitches is created.

Granny Stitch Shawl

The granny stitch is most commonly used in granny squares. I know, shocking. The stitch can, like all other crochet stitches and patterns, be used in other ways. I'm particularly fond of my shawl. (Thank you, spouse, for modelling it.)

Filet checkerboard

Keep in mind, that the granny stitch and filet crochet are not the same thing. They do have the post stitches, gap, post stitches pattern in common. However, filet stitches are crafted with the aim of making the gap the same width as the post stitch grouping. Usually in a pattern similar to dc, ch 3, 5dc, ch 3, (etc) across.

Granny Stitch Pattern

A granny stitch is, unlike the filet, usually a pattern similar to: 3dc, ch1, repeat to end. Where filet lace squares are practically pixels, the granny stitch will create an almost shell or V-shaped stitch by working the post stitches in the space created by the single chain stitch on the row below - skipping the double crochet stitches. It maintains the width of the row by using that increase above the chain (+2 stitches) while only putting a single chain (-2 stitches) over the three double crochet stitches.