Vela Square

Love traditional granny squares but want to make one that isn’t just the granny stitch? You’ll love the Vela Square! While still using the typical granny stitch technique, this modern granny square pattern also uses V-stitches to include an extra hint of lacy personality.

Designed specifically for the Friends with Granny Blanket CAL (crochet-a-long), this modern granny square will be a wonderful addition to any crochet square afghan and can be used for almost anything you’d use a crochet square for.

Inspiration for this Modern Granny Square

I love to tweak traditional techniques to include some modern personality, and I think you’ll love how this modern take on a granny square worked out.

I had a few ideas for a crochet granny square for the Friends with Granny Blanket CAL and I flipped back and forth between them. I had just finished up my Melody Shawl which I absolutely love and thought immediately that I could use a similar technique in this square.

So this modern crochet granny square is like the little sibling to my Melody Shawl and would be a great way to “test out” the techniques used in the shawl before purchasing that pattern, if you like!

As such, the inspiration for the Vela Square was very similar to the Melody Shawl – Create a “melody” of two classic stitches to bring some personality and visual interest to the classic granny stitch.

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Friends with Granny Blanket CAL

The Friends with Granny Blanket CAL (crochet-a-long) is an event hosted by Debbie of Madame Stitch and Claire of E’Claire Makery. This CAL is a celebration of everything Granny Square and the goal is to join the squares together to make a blanket. This modern crochet granny square was designed specifically for this CAL and you can see it in the top row, second from the left in a terracotta color. Fun, right?

Isn’t it a fun take on a classic crochet afghan?

The event kicked off August 8th and runs through August 23rd. There are 16 crochet square patterns to make in this CAL that are as lovely as they are fun. You can make the squares as many times as you like to make the blanket as big as you’d like!

Make sure to head over to the main page for the Friends with Granny Blanket CAL for all the information you’ll need to join, if you haven’t already. Click the button below to head to the main event page!

You can get all the patterns at once, if you like!

Have you missed a few of the free square patterns in this event or, perhaps, you’re interested in getting stuck in and don’t want to wait for the next square to be released? You can get them all at once!

The Friends with Granny Blanket Bundle comes with all 16 squares designed for this event. Purchasing the bundle not only gives you access to all of the squares immediately but it also helps support the designers who make free CAL events like this possible.

Want to purchase the bundle so you can make the blanket at your own pace and have all of your patterns in once place? Click the button below!

Vela – A Modern Granny Square Pattern

SKILL LEVEL

Intermediate – Crocheters looking to follow this pattern should know how to:

• Read a crochet pattern – There is NOT a video tutorial for this pattern
• Work the standard stitches (chain, single crochet, double crochet)
• Create chain spaces and work into them
• Skip stitches
• Place several stitches in the same stitch or space indicated

While I believe an advanced beginner absolutely could follow this pattern, you will need to be familiar with these techniques and understand how to work them to feel confident doing so.

MATERIALS

Medium (4) weight yarn. Any fiber you prefer will work well, although Medium Cotton is usually thinner and you may struggle to meet gauge.

Approximately
You will need approximately 1.25 oz / 35g / 65 yards.

Yarn Used
Lion Brand Heartland in colorway Capitol Reef

TOOLS

5 mm (H-8) hook
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Stitch Markers

GAUGE

After completing Round 4, your work should be approximately 4 inches across. However, keep in mind that this may be skewed slightly depending on if you used the magic circle to start or a chain 3, slip stitch to create a circle.

Note: I am a tight crocheter, which means my tension is typically tighter than others. Learn more about gauge and what this means with this blog post.

FINISHED SIZE

Approximately 8 inches x 8 inches

ABBREVIATIONS

In US terms;

• Ch – Chain
• Sl st – Slip stitch
• Hdc – Half double crochet
• Dc – Double crochet
• V st – V stitch (1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc all in the same stitch or space).
• St(s) – Stitch(es)
• Spc(s) – Space(s)
• Sk – Skip

NOTES

• Please read all notes before beginning this pattern.
• This square pattern is worked in the round. 
• This pattern is worked in closed rounds. You will always slip stitch to the first stitch of the round to close or around a chain space, which will be indicated in the pattern.
• This pattern calls for usage of a magic circle. You can use the magic circle or you can chain 3 and slip stitch to the first chain made to create a circle to work into. I have a video tutorial linked for the magic circle below.
• Chain 1 and chain 2 at the beginning of a round do not count as stitches. Always place your first stitch of the round in the same stitch you chained out of.
• Chain 3 at the beginning of the rounds always counts as a double crochet and a chain 1.
• If you notice your square becoming larger than 8 inches x 8 inches, you can replace the half double crochet stitches with single crochets instead.
• Stitch counts are referenced at the end of each round in parentheses and bold italics (#). 
• Round Repeats are listed in brackets [ ].
• Stitch Repeats are listed in braces { } and can be found outside of a Round Repeat and within a Round Repeat. Please see special notes.
• Instructions within parenthesis ( ) indicate to work all instructions in the same stitch or space.

Special Stitch – Magic Circle

This pattern is written to use a magic circle.  You can use the magic circle or you can chain 3 and slip stitch to the first chain made to create a circle to work into. Your choice!

If you don’t know how to work a magic circle but would like to learn, I do have a photo and video tutorial!

Special Size Notes

If you notice that your square is significantly smaller, you can switch the hdc in Round 9 to dc to add size or work another round of hdc.

If you notice that your square is too big, you can switch the hdc in Round 9 to sc and the dc in Round 8 to hdc, if needed.

Special Notes:

• In this pattern, there are both Round Repeats and Stitch Repeats. Round Repeats are always listed within brackets [….]. Stitch Repeats are always listed within braces {….}.
• You will see Stitch Repeats both inside of a Round Repeat and on their own. 
• When you see a Stitch Repeat on its own (outside of a Round Repeat), you will simply work the Stitch Repeat as many times as instructed.
• Some Rounds have a Stitch Repeat within a Round Repeat. Throughout this pattern, you will see the repeats listed in brackets →  [Repeat Instructions]. For the rounds that have a Stitch Repeat within a Round Repeat, you will see the Round Repeat in brackets and the Stitch Repeat within braces ( {…} ) → [ Repeat Instructions {Stitch repeat instructions}…]. 
• These instructions tell you that you will [repeat everything within the brackets a specific amount of times and {repeat everything within braces within the bracketed repeat as instructed} ].
• Instructions within parenthesis indicate to work all instructions into the same space. So, for example: (Vst, ch 2, V st). This set of instructions states to work a V stitch, chain 2, V stitch all within the same indicated space.

Modern Granny Square Pattern Instructions

Round 1 – In Magic Circle, ch 2 (doesn’t count here or throughout), [3 dc, ch 2 in circle]. Repeat inside brackets 4x. Pull tail tight and sl st to first st to close. (12 sts | 4 ch 2 spcs | 3 sts each side)

Round 2 – Ch 2, [1 dc 3 sts, (1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in ch 2 spc]. Repeat inside brackets 4x. Sl st to first st to close. (20 sts | 4 ch 2 spcs | 5 sts each side)

Round 3 – Sl st into next st. Ch 3 (counts as dc + ch 1 here and throughout), 1 dc same st. Sk 2 sts, [(V st, ch 2, V st) in ch 2 spc, sk 2 sts, V st next st, sk 2 sts]. Repeat inside brackets 3x. (V st, ch 2, V st) in ch 2 spc. Sl st around ch 3 to close. (12 V sts (24 dc + 12 ch 1 spcs) | 4 ch 2 spcs | 3 V sts each side)

Note: To close this round, you don’t have to find a specific chain to slip stitch into. Just slip stitch around the chain 3. This makes it so we are starting the next round in the chain 1 space of the V without having to slip stitch into the chain 1 space. In the next round, you should already be in the chain 1 space of the V st to begin.

Round 4 – Ch 2, 3 dc first ch 1 spc, sk 2 sts, 3 dc next ch 1 spc. Sk 1 st, [(1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in ch 2 spc. Sk 1 st, 3 dc in ch 1 spc. {sk 2 sts, 3 dc in ch 1 spc} Repeat inside braces 2x. Sk 1]. Repeat inside brackets 3x. (1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in ch 2 spc, sk 1 st, 3 dc ch 1 spc. Sl st to first st to close. (44 sts | 11 each side | 4 ch 2 spcs)

Round 5 – Sl st into next st. Ch 3, 1 dc same st. Sk 2 sts, V st next, sk 2 sts, [(V st, ch 2, V st) in ch 2 spc, sk 2 sts {V st next, sk 2 sts} Repeat inside braces 3x]. Repeat inside brackets 3x. (V st, ch 2, V st) in ch 2 spc, sk 2 sts, V st next. Sl st around ch 3 to close. (20 V sts (40 dc + 20 ch 1 spcs) | 4 ch 2 spcs | 5 V sts each side)

Round 6 – Ch 2, 3 dc first ch 1 spc, {sk 2 sts, 3 dc next ch 1 spc}. Repeat inside braces 2x. Sk 1 st, [(1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in ch 2 spc. Sk 1 st, 3 dc in ch 1 spc. {sk 2 sts, 3 dc in ch 1 spc} Repeat inside braces 4x. Sk 1]. Repeat inside brackets 3x. (1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in ch 2 spc, sk 1 st, 3 dc ch 1 spc. Sk 2 sts, 3 dc ch 1 spc. Sl st to first st to close. (68 sts | 17 each side | 4 ch 2 spcs)

Round 7 – Sl st into next st. Ch 3, 1 dc same st. Sk 2 sts, {V st next, sk 2 sts} Repeat inside braces 2x. [(V st, ch 2, V st) in ch 2 spc, sk 2 sts {V st next, sk 2 sts} Repeat inside braces 5x]. Repeat inside brackets 3x. (V st, ch 2, V st) in ch 2 spc, {sk 2 sts, V st next} Repeat inside braces 2x. Sl st around ch 3 to close. (28 V sts (56 dc + 28 ch 1 spcs) | 4 ch 2 spcs | 7 V sts each side)

Round 8 – Ch 2, 3 dc first ch 1 spc, {sk 2 sts, 3 dc next ch 1 spc}. Repeat inside braces 3x. Sk 1 st, [(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch 2 spc. Sk 1 st, 3 dc in ch 1 spc. {sk 2 sts, 3 dc in ch 1 spc} Repeat inside braces 6x. Sk 1]. Repeat inside brackets 3x. (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch 2 spc, sk 1 st, 3 dc ch 1 spc. {Sk 2 sts, 3 dc ch 1 spc}. Repeat inside braces 2x. Sl st to first st to close. (100 sts | 25 each side | 4 ch 2 spcs)

Round 9 – Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a stitch). Place 1 hdc in each of the next 14 sts to ch 2 spc. [In ch 2 spc, place 3 hdc. 1 hdc each of the next 25 sts]. Repeat inside brackets 3x. In ch 2 spc, place 3 hdc. 1 hdc each of the next 11 sts. Sl st to first st to close. (112 sts)

Finishing the Square
With the square finished, it should be slightly smaller than 8 inches x 8 inches and will block to size.

Cut your yarn and weave ends. Block the square to size. This ensures the edges are straight and opens up the V stitches.

Prior to blocking, your work will be a square but it may not have the most defined edges or stitches.

Blocking the square helps open up the V stitches and straightens the edges out for you. I’d recommend it for this square!

I blocked mine on my Knit IQ blocking mats and I used these blocking combs (these are amazing for straight lines!).

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That’s it for this one! I hope you love this modern crochet granny square and I hope you love all the other squares that come with the Friends with Granny CAL. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to join my Facebook Group so we can chat all about your creations! We are a group for crocheters of all experiences, all interests and love to hang out together. Come join the fun!

Looking for more Crochet Blanket Square Patterns? Check these out!

The Friendship Blanket CAL hosted 40 squares for you to choose from to create the perfect blanket.
The Marguerite Square is beautiful on it’s own or with other squares.
For a simple, easy square you can try the Suzette Stitch Square!
If you’re looking forward to Christmas, my Reindeer C2C square will bring you joy!