The surprising history behind one of crochet's most recognizable patterns.
Looking at the stained-glass granny square bag above, it's hard to believe the granny square traces its roots back more than a century. It's unmistakably a granny square, but it has a lot more in common with today's boutique yarn shops than your grandmother's afghan. It may use a traditional crochet motif, but the finished project feels thoroughly modern. So I started wondering: who invented the granny square? Down the rabbit hole I went.
The classic granny square doesn't appear to have been invented by any one person. Instead, it seems to have evolved gradually from Victorian crochet motifs until it became one of the most recognizable patterns in the fiber arts.
Although crochet became popular during the early 1800s, historians haven't found evidence of the classic granny square before the late Victorian era. Late 1800s crochet pattern books were filled with motifs worked from the center outward. Most were intended for doilies, table covers, bedspreads, and other decorative household items rather than clothing or bags. Some of those motifs look surprisingly familiar, suggesting that today's granny square evolved from these earlier designs rather than appearing all at once.
The name is another mystery. No one knows for certain why it's called a "granny" square. The most common explanation is that grandmothers used leftover yarn from other projects to crochet small squares, which were later joined into blankets and other useful household items. Whether that's actually where the name came from has never been proven, but it certainly fits the practical nature of the pattern.
Long before yarn companies sold coordinated color collections, crocheters rarely threw anything away. Leftover yarn from sweaters, scarves, and other projects was turned into small motifs that could later be joined together. What we now call "stash busting" was simply good household management, and the granny square was one of the easiest ways to make use of every last bit of yarn.
The pattern exploded in popularity during the 1960s and 1970s, when bright colors and handmade fashion were everywhere. Granny square afghans, ponchos, vests, handbags, and hats became icons of the era. For many people (including me), that's still the image that comes to mind when they hear the words "granny square."
Today, however, the granny square has taken on a completely different look. Modern designers are pairing the traditional motif with sophisticated color palettes, luxury yarns, and contemporary styling. The stained-glass granny square bag above is a perfect example. The bag is based on the beautiful Stained Glass Square pattern by Cookie Snob Crochet, which reimagines the classic granny square with a thoroughly modern look. The construction is unmistakably traditional, but the finished project feels anything but old-fashioned.
Maybe that's the real mystery—how a pattern that probably started life making doilies somehow ended up inspiring designer handbags, fashion runways, and social media trends more than a century later. Fashion trends have come and gone, but the granny square continues to reinvent itself for each new generation of makers.
Not bad for a humble little crochet square.