Granny square tutorial - heart from a granny square

I've been having a go at making a granny square tutorial. Then I decided to see about turning a small square into a heart. I've put the heart on here too with trebles on the curves, but you could always swap the trebles for double trebles to make it more curvy. Sometimes searching for a pattern can take a long time, especially if you want it constructed in a particular way.
This weekend it's been fun - sort of, M and teen 2 had a try at the first and second round of a granny square. I needed someone who couldn't already crochet to follow 'my' instructions as I'd written them.
If you're brave enough to have a go, leave a comment and let me know how you got on.
Happy crocheting.

  Granny into a heart

Starting Crochet - A slip knot

Holding short edge (3'' length) in front, between thumb and first 2 fingers on your left hand, wrap long length over to form a cross – long length behind.

Pull long length through the circle to make a small loop.

Place loop on your hook with the long length of yarn towards you. 

Tighten loop gently, ready to start.

Granny Square Beginnings

Fig 1 Chain 5 with ss,  Fig 2 Chain 3,  Fig 3 2tr,  Fig 4  Finished first round.


Granny Square starting instructions
Slip knot
Chain 5
Join with slip stitch to make a circle


Round 1 3ch, (counts as 1 tr) 2tr into the circle *1ch, 3tr, rep from * three times. 1ch, ss in top of starting chain to join the square.

Second round of the granny square

 Round 2 3ch, 2tr into the corner, 1 ch 
*3tr, into the next chain space, 2ch, 3tr, into the same corner space, 1ch 
rep from, * twice.
3tr into the last corner, 2 ch
ss to join square

Third round of granny square

 Round 3 3ch, 2tr into the corner space 
*1ch, 3tr, into the next chain space, 1ch. 3tr, 2 ch, 3tr into the corner space. 
Rep from * 2 times
1ch, 3tr, 1ch, 3tr, 2ch
ss to join square.

Further rounds
Continue adding more rounds
Corners – 3tr, 2ch, 3tr
Sides ch1, 3tr, ch1
To change colour – simply cut length of finishing colour, wrap yarn over hook toward you, pull through. 

Take new colour and push hook through space where you finished and wrap yarn over hook and pull yarn through (long length towards you). Tie once to secure.

Darning in ends

Thread darning needle and sew under 4 stitches in one direction and then (back again) sew under a further 4 stitches alongside. 

Snip thread

Repeat both steps with all loose ends. 

If you can when you begin each new yarn choice, hold the short end and crochet over the short end of the yarn and snip end. Then no need to sew in this end.

Turn your granny square into a heart

Make 2 rounds of granny square 

ch1 at the corner, 11tr in the next ch space

ss1 in the next ch space

11tr in the next ch space

(2dc into ch space, 1dc into top of each tr st), rep

2dc, 2ch, 2dc (into chain space - bottom point)

3dc, 2dc into space, 3dc

2dc, ss to join in top of first stitch.

Darn in ends to secure.

Stitches & More

Slip knot

Chain stitch

Treble stitch

Slip stitch

3tr = a cluster

Abbreviations

ss - slip stitch

ch - chain 

rep – repeat

dc – double crochet

tr  - treble stitch
dtr - double treble

htr – half treble

Treble Stitch
Wrap yarn round hook toward you
Insert hook into the circle
Wrap yarn round hook toward you and pull yarn through the circle (3 loops on hook)
Wrap yarn round hook toward you and pull yarn through 2 loops on hook (2 loops on hook) 
Rep last step leaving 1 loop on hook this time

Double crochet
To dc – with loop on hook 
Insert hook through st or space
Wrap yarn over the hook toward you
Pull yarn through first loop only– 2 loops on hook
Wrap yarn over the hook toward you
Pull yarn through both loops

This completes the dc