Granny Square Day 2023

Get your hooks ready, sit back and share your square on 15^th August to be a part of the biggest virtual crochet blanket: it’s time for #GrannySquareDay2023

Simply Crochet is thrilled to be celebrating another year hosting Granny Square Day, a huge Instagram event where the crochet community from around the world come together to make crochet granny squares and share them using the hashtag #grannysquareday2023 resulting in the BIGGEST VIRTUAL CROCHET BLANKET IN THE WORLD!

Granny Square Day is an international online celebration on Instagram, which takes place every year on the 15th August. Keep an eye on this page for the latest updates on Granny Square Day, and take a look at our fab granny square patterns and tutorials to help you take part in the special day!

All you have to do is hook, snap and share! All Granny Squares use #grannysquareday2023 and all Granny Square related projects use #grannysquaremakes2023

Can't wait until Granny Square Day 2023?

If you just can't wait until August, you can get started on your squares with our special edition magazine - The Ultimate Granny Square Collection

Featuring a selection of gorgeous scarves, bags, tops and home décor as well as a library of 50 original square patterns by well known crochet designers, this bumper magazine will appeal to both beginners and experienced crocheters alike!

All this plus expert help, charts and step-by-steps to get you on your way to creating beautiful makes.

Order your copy today for only £9.99 with FREE UK delivery. EUR £11.99, ROW £12.99.

How to get involved in Granny Square Day 2023

The event was originally created in 2014 by the US crochet whizz Susan Regalia, who realised that Instagram’s iconic grid format could be used to replicate the patchwork arrangement of the classic granny square blanket online.

Others quickly caught onto the idea and so Granny Square Day way born – a chance for a worldwide community to come together and celebrate what they love.

“A blanket is a gift of comfort and love,” says Susan. “When any of us view or contribute some of these granny squares, it’s as though we join in a giant world hug with each other!”

Whether you’re new to crochet, or are a seasoned pro, it couldn’t be easier to get involved! Here's how to get involved in Granny Square Day

1. Take a photo of a granny square (a 4-round traditional granny works best but feel free to be as creative as you want)

2. Crop it so that the single square fills the entire screen of your post

3. Be sure to include the hashtag #grannysquareday2023 in the description of your Instagram post, as when viewing the hashtag the Instagram grid format assembles the squares into a virtual granny square blanket!

We love seeing all of your final granny square projects, so we’ve created a new hashtag as a dedicated place to share all of your fabulous makes! Not only will this be a great place to show off your inspiring projects and designs, but it will also help to keep the main #grannysquareday2023 hashtag dedicated to your brilliant squares!

And make sure you're following the Simply Crochet Instagram for all the latest updates and to see our squares on the day!

Granny Square Day ambassadors!

To help us celebrate Granny Square Day and spread the word of this fab online event, we enlist the help of some very special granny Square Day ambassadors. Here are the ambassadors taking part this year by sharing what they do on their social media sites:

Kate Alinari - @katealinari

I'm an enthusiastic crochet designer and teacher based in Tuscany (Italy). I organize crochet retreats, lessons and walks around Florence for crochet and yarn lovers.

I believe that crocheting is funny, creative, rewarding and also it helps make people happier. Crocheting since I was 6, I've been featured by magazines and websites such as Simply Crochet, Love Crochet, We Crochet. If you’re visiting Florence, come to my group. It’s a fantastic occasion to meet locals and fellow crocheters.

I'm so honoured to be a Granny Square ambassador and I'm looking forward to share tips and tricks for happy crocheters.

Follow Kate on Instagram @katealinari.

Emma Leith - @emmaleithatelier

Crochet is such a joyful practice, it calms my mind and gets my heart racing all at the same time!

I’m the author of 'Mindful Crochet' and 'Colourful Crochet’ (CICO Books) and it’s my mission to share my love of this wonderful craft by producing colourful patterns that inspire crocheters of all abilities. I’m lucky enough to be a part of the design team for Simply Crochet Magazine which means I get to create all manner of projects and patterns that feature regularly throughout the year. I am so blessed!

I love teaching crochet and try to make my classes as fun and informal as possible. I am in awe of our hooky community and the endless hints trips and tricks I have been shown over the years and I hope to pass some of these on to you as part of the Granny Square festivities!

Follow Emma on Instagram @emmaleithatelier

Cassie Ward - @themissingyarn

I’m Cassie, a 40 something crochet addict and mother to fully grown twin boys. I was inspired to start designing my own patterns because I could never find something just right. My patterns are bold, daring, bright and on trend; largely inspired by my love of fashion, festivals and desire to be different!

So why crochet? In my early 30’s I began suffering with anxiety and depression. I needed something to distract myself from my naughty mind. Crochet quickly became a way to escape, a hobby , a distraction where I found I could produce beautiful things with just one ball of wool and a hook and allow my head the space it needed to de-stress. Crocheting other people’s designs wasn’t enough. I quickly had to learn how to design my own unique one- off pieces!

I love exploring and working with all different yarn types, brands and colours. I had my first pattern published in 2011 and subsequently have had a book published called My crochet Wardrobe. I’m currently writing my second book in so excited to see it in print!

Follow Cassie on Instagram @themissingyarn

Keep your eyes peeled on this page as well as our ambassadors and the Simply Crochet Instagram for all the latest updates on this years ambassadors!

Helping Charity for Granny Square Day

In 2022 we teamed up with the Charity ‘Operation Orphan’ and are donating our designer’s fees and granny squares to them to be made into blankets and other projects for people in need, including Ukrainian children. For 2023, we are lucky enough to team up with the wonderful Amoami.

Amoami is a great cause which aims to connect Ukrainian refugees across Europe through their love of crochet. Offering the craft as a form of therapy, groups around the continent hold classes and other events to make, discuss and enjoy each other’s makes. A talented team also produce their famous bear, which wears a traditional Ukrainian scarf and is available for sale in order to create funds for their cause.

We’re happy to say that Amoami will be selling an exclusive Granny Square Day bear to celebrate our partnership. Simply Crochet will also be producing a granny square pattern with the iconic bear on, too. See below for a picture of the bear and other examples of Amoami’s bears.

Connect with them on Instagram at @amoami.design to find out more about their work and see how donated funds will be used.

Learn how to make a crochet granny square!

Let's start with the basics - making a basic square! If you've never even picked up a crochet hook before, don't worry, it's surprisingly simple and you'll find everything you need to know in our how to make a crochet granny square tutorial.

Exclusive free granny square patterns for 2023

Every year our Granny Square Day Ambassadors each design us a special free pattern for Granny Square Day.

Our 2023 Ambassadors will be designing some special squares too which we'll be updating you on nearer the day, but if you can't wait until then you can find links to all our ambassadors squares from previous years in our Free Granny Square Patterns post.

Learn how to join granny squares together

We've made a special tutorial to help you make the most of your granny squares.

Often the final part of assembling your squares together can be the hardest part of any project, so in our tutorial you'll find 5 different ways to join your crochet shapes together!

Find out how to make a granny square collage on your smart phone

One of our favourite things about granny square day is not only seeing the virtual granny square blankets that appear when you look at the hashtag, but also seeing the creative collages that people make with their favourite squares.

If you've always wondered how people make these collages, then you're in luck - just check out our guide on how to make a granny square collage with your smart phone!

Check out our free granny square project patterns for 2023

To celebrate Granny Square Day 2023 we're bringing you an epic free pattern!

This free granny square sweater crochet pattern by Fran Morgan is the ultimate GSD garment - made up of just 4 simple squares!

Start hooking yours today and don't forget to show us your completed sweater using the hashtag #grannysquaremakes2023.

Check out our top 40+ Granny Square Project Patterns

If you've still not found the perfect project for all your freshly hooked squares, then check out our 40+ Granny Square Projects list - there's bound to be something for you to hook up!

We hope you get involved and we can't wait to see what you hook up for granny square day! Share a picture of your granny square and join in with us on the 15th August over on Simply Crochet magazines’s Instagram.

Don’t forget if you need any help with your crochet stitches you can always check out our crochet for beginners guide. And if you’re looking to treat yourself, check out our list of the best crochet hooks and the best crochet kits for beginners.

Don't forget the Granny Square Day 2023 hashtags!

Now that you know all about what's happening for Granny Square Day 2023, why not head on over to Instagram and check out what's happening already! Remember you can find everyone's granny squares at #grannysquareday2023 and all Granny Square related projects at #grannysquaremakes2022

Get your granny squares looking perfect

If you want your granny squares to look their absolute best and want your edges to be nice and straight, then it's well worth taking the time to block them! Find out all you need to know about how to block crochet with Gathered.