🧵 Granny Square Top Crochet Along – Video 1: Materials, Yarn Subs + Swatching Tips
- Tiffany
- Jun 13
- 4 min read
Hey friends! I’m so excited you’re here because we’re kicking off our Granny Square Top Crochet Along — the first in a new monthly crochet series where I walk you step-by-step through building beginner-friendly crochet projects from start to finish.
This month’s project is a lightweight, wearable top made from just two granny squares — perfect for warmer weather, and super beginner-friendly with room to modify and make it your own.
✨ Grab Your Free Project Planner!
Before we dive in, I made a handy Granny Square Top Project Planner Worksheet to help you stay organized throughout this crochet-along! Use it to jot down your swatch results, yarn estimates, modification ideas, and sizing notes.
📺 Watch the Video Tutorial:
🎥 Right-Handed Version
🎥 Left-Handed Version
🗓️ Project Breakdown: What to Expect in This Series
Here’s how we’re breaking it down:
Video 1:
Project intro
Materials list + yarn recommendations
Yarn substitutions
Swatching for size + measuring growth
Yarn usage experiment (frog method!)
Video 2:
Breaking down how to size your top
Understanding ease (snug vs loose fit)
How yarn choice affects drape + wearability
Video 3:
Using your swatch to estimate yardage
How many rounds per size
Simple yarn usage chart
Video 4:
Modifications
Neckline shaping, sleeves, and adjusting length
Video 5:
How to join your granny squares
Which joining method works best for wearables
Why we’re not doing join-as-you-go
Video 6:
Blocking your finished top
How to care for bamboo/cotton blends
Fun color ideas and inspiration for your next version!
Video 7:
Video Tutorial Of Project
🧶 Materials List for the Project
Hook: H/8 – 5.00mm (I recommend a wooden hook like LYKKE to help prevent yarn splitting.)
Yarn: Lion Brand Coboo – a cotton/bamboo blend that’s soft, breathable, and perfect for summer
Stitch markers – to mark joins + shape
Measuring tape
Embroidery scissors
Yarn needle
🧵 Yarn Substitutes:
Ice Yarns Baby Silky
Yarn Bee Bamboo-Tiful
Laines Du Nord Baby Soft
Loops & Threads Silky Soft Rayon From Bamboo
(Look for a size 3 light yarn with similar feel and fiber blend.)
🔍 Swatching Instructions – Let’s Figure This Out Together
In this video, we swatch in the actual stitch pattern used in the project — the closed granny square!
Make a 6-round square using your selected yarn and the 5.00mm hook.
Use the exact same yarn and hook you'll be using for the top.
I like to start with either a magic ring OR the chain 2 method.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (this counts as your first dc st)
Make 3 more dc in the ring OR in the first ch of the ch-2 method.
Ch 2 for the corner, then make 4 dc in the ring. This is side 2.
Ch 2 for corner number 2, make 4 dc for side 3, ch 2 for corner number 3,
make 4 dc for side 4.
To close round 1 make 1 ch and then hdc in the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-3.
This is a trick to hide the joins or closures of rounds so you don’t get that line
that can start to form.
Rnd 2: Ch 3, counts as your first dc. Make one dc in the top of every stitch,
in each corner make a (dc, ch 2, dc). That’s it!
Work this all the way around for round 2. Just making one dc in the top of every
stitch and in every corner (dc, ch 2, dc).
At the end of row 2, in that last corner, dc, ch 1, then hdc in the 3rd ch of the beginning ch 3.
Rnd 3 - 6: Repeat exactly what we did for round 2.
Start each round by chaining 3, this counts as your first dc.
Make one dc in the top of every stitch, and in every corner make a (dc, ch 2, dc).
Ending every round with a ch 1 and hdc in the 3rd chain of beginning ch-3.
NOTE: Be careful to make sure you don’t miss that first dc st.
It can be super easy to overlook it. The way I help MYSELF is to look at the body
of the dc stitches and then just follow it up to the top of the stitch to make sure
I put a double crochet on top.
You really only need to watch out for the first 2 dc sts. After that every stitch is pretty easy to identify.
Measure the width after rounds 2, 3, 4, etc. — is the growth consistent?
Then (I know, I know…), frog the last 4 rounds, measuring the yarn used for each round.
This tells us how much yarn each round takes — and how much you’ll need to make your desired size!
All of this gets plugged into your Project Planner Worksheet (⬅️ don’t forget to download it above!).
💬 Let Me Know!
Are you joining this month’s project? Leave a comment below and tell me what yarn and color you’re using — or tag me on Instagram with your swatches and squares!
If you have questions or need help, feel free to ask below or head into The Crochet Club membership community where we dive even deeper into our monthly projects together 💛
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