How to Crochet a Traditional Granny Square With No Ends! Video Tutorial.

If you love the timeless look of the classic granny square but hate weaving in all those yarn tails, then you’re going to love this version. In this post, I’ll show you how to crochet a traditional granny square while keeping the number of ends to weave in to a minimum. We’ll chat about how to carry your yarns neatly, when to change colours efficiently, and how to work over your tails as you go, without leaving unsightly floats across the back of your squares.

Why I Love a Classic Granny Square

The traditional granny square is the ultimate crochet staple. It’s nostalgic, beginner-friendly, and endlessly versatile. But if you're anything like me, the only thing holding you back from making hundreds of them is the sheer amount of yarn ends that need sewing in afterward—especially if you're working with multiple colours.

That’s why I wanted to create a version of the classic granny square that looks just as lovely on the back as it is on the front, but is way more practical for colourful projects.

Perfect for Cosy Makes

Traditional granny squares are great for:

• Cosy blankets and throws

• Classic cardigans and shrugs

• Hot water bottle covers

• Cushions and home accessories

• Stashbusting scrap yarn projects

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Why Granny Squares are Perfect for Stashbusting

There's something so satisfying about working on granny squares when you're looking to use up your yarn scraps. The small, modular nature of granny squares makes them ideal for combining all those leftover balls and partial skeins that have been accumulating in your stash. 

You can mix and match colours without worrying about having enough for a large, single-colour project. It’s a wonderful way to give new life to forgotten yarns and turn them into something beautiful and functional. 

Granny squares are perfect for diving into your yarn collection and getting lost in some easy, repetitive stitches while seeing your remnants transform into something beautiful. It’s also a great way to reduce waste and make the most of every last bit of your beloved yarn.

Crocheting Without All the Tails

If you’re changing colour every round, it can feel like you spend more time sewing in ends than actually crocheting! One of my favourite ways to avoid this is by weaving in the yarn tails as I go. After fastening off, I turn the square to the wrong side and use my hook to pull the yarn tail through the backs of a few stitches—just under the top two loops or the “bumps” along the back. Then, when I start the next round, I make sure to crochet over those tails for a few stitches to lock them in securely. It’s quick, tidy, and saves loads of time at the end.

Materials You’ll Need

• Yarn: Any weight you like, but DK or Aran is perfect for traditional granny squares. I love using warm autumnal colours—mustard, rust, deep teal, and plum.

• Hook: Use the size recommended for your yarn. I usually go for a 4 mm for DK or 5 mm for Aran.  I love using Clover Soft Touch hooks.

• Yarn needle and scissors

• Optional: Multiple colours to make each round pop

My Favourite Yarn Picks for Granny Squares

• Stylecraft Special DK – an astonishing choice of colours

• Paintbox Simply Aran – perfect for bigger projects

• Paintbox Simply DK– another staple from Paintbox Yarns

• Drops Paris – I just love the way cotton yarns look in granny squares, the sample uses this yarn.

How to Crochet a Traditional Granny Square (Tail-Friendly Version)

The tutorial walks you through a basic granny square structure, but with tips along the way for how to avoid all the ends.  I’ll show you how I crochet my granny squares with as few tails as possible. I even show you how I switch colours and how I deal with the yarn at each stage, so you can follow along easily even if you’re new to it.

Customising Your Squares

Make it your own by:

• Using a neutral border colour to tie it all together

• Trying gradient or ombré colour schemes

• Mixing up solid rounds with variegated yarns

• Adding a final round of crab stitch or picot for edging makes great coasters

Ideas for What to Make

Once you get going with your granny squares, you’ll want to keep going forever! Here are a few things you might like to make:

• A classic granny square blanket

• Patchwork scarves

• Cushion covers

• Bunting or wall hangings

• Pouches or project bags

You can check out some of my free patterns here...

Final Thoughts

There’s just something about a granny square project that feels so comforting and satisfying. I hope this tutorial helps you enjoy the process even more, especially if you dread all those yarn tails. With just a few easy changes, you can spend more time crocheting and less time sewing things in—always a win in my book!

Happy hooking, and don’t forget to tag me if you try it!

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