TLDR: A sack dress seems like a good idea but if you have curves you need to add shaping and with a granny square dress crochet pattern, you need your measurements and all the finished squares to figure out a layout that works.

Make a statement with this granny square dress crochet pattern that's perfect for summer.

"Wouldn't it be awesome if I could make a crochet granny square dress in time for the Canada Day long weekend?" I thought while holding yarn I had just repurposed from two knitted store-bought tops. The fact that I had not made a granny square dress before did not phase me. The main driver behind this focus was that we would be going to a cottage with my family and it would be so nice to get photos of a finished project against the scenic backdrop of Ontario's cottage country. This was two weeks before the planned trip. Plenty of time, right??

I ignored all my other projects and focused on making as many squares as I could while hoping that I would have enough yarn to actually make an entire dress. I rushed and not only that but I had started to join the squares as I went along thinking that this would speed up the process. Spoiler alert: While I did end up having enough yarn, I did not end up having enough time and did not meet my (unrealistic) deadline.

Back at home, I continued to make squares and join them into a tube shape. I had my suspicions this wouldn't fit well but I kept going hoping that things would magically fall into place if I just trust in the process.

The end result was a literal saggy sack of squares that hung limply from my shoulders.

And so, I put the dress away for a week while my emotions settled. When I was ready, I painstakingly undid the joins, which if you recall were done as I went along so nothing was linear and clear. So many lessons were learned this day.

Granny Square Dress Crochet Pattern Take 2!

To add shaping I knew I would need to have less squares on the top than on the bottom so they wouldn't be perfectly aligned. But the top part was still too loose. In the original joining of squares I had used double crochet stitches throughout, which added to the width of the fabric and gave it that unflattering saggy sack look. I could use double crochet stitches for the horizontal joins because that would give the dress its length but it was the vertical joins that were a puzzle to me.

And then a lightbulb went off in my head. What if I used a combination of stitches to join?

Measurements

To figure out how and where to use different stitches to join the squares I measured myself at the widest part of my hips, at my waist, and at my bust. I also measured from my shoulder to my waist and my waist to my hips and noted roughly where I would want the shaping to happen.

With these figures handy, I spread out the squares in the way I would be joining them and spaced them out to meet my measurements at the places where the shaping would happen. This allowed me to see where I would need to use the different stitches to join.

Bottom squares

Top squares

Assembling the Dress

I used all the stitch markers I could find to hold everything in place and I divided the dress into two parts, the top and bottom.

First, I did all the horizontal joins in double crochet for the top and bottom parts. And then I did the vertical joins as follows:

Bottom part:

• The first two rows of squares in double crochet

• The next next row of squares in half double crochet

Top part:

• The first row of squares in single crochet

• The next row of squares in slip stitch

Next, I aligned the top and bottom pieces and used double crochet stitches to evenly join the pieces all the way around. At the sides of the waist I did some more shaping with double crochet decreases (dc2tog).

For the shoulder straps I used 4 squares, two on either side and joined them with double crochet stitches. I had run out of the dark green yarn and wasn't able to make more squares so I finished the straps with rows of single crochet stitches in the back.

I added a couple more rows of double crochet stitches to the dress hem, finished off the neck and armholes with a row of single crochet stitches and the dress was done!

To style it, I threw on a belt to add even more shaping at the waist. I am so happy with this dress! I cannot wait to try this again and continue to improve the design.

Are you curious about making a crochet granny square dress? For reference, each of the squares in this dress measured approximately 5 inches by 5 inches. You can use any granny square design you like but here is the design I came up with.

Granny Square Dress

Crochet Pattern

Materials

• 4.00mm hook

• Fingering weight or DK weight yarn - my dress ended up using approx. 385 grams of yarn

• (Optional) dress slip to wear underneath (like this one on Amazon)

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch - chain

sc - single crochet:

hdc - half double crochet

dc - double crochet

tr - triple crochet

sk - skip

sl st - slip stitch

sp(s) - space(s)

Notes

Worked in rounds. Do not turn at the end of each round. Slip stitch to join each round. You can use one color or multiple colors in your squares.

Instructions

Round 1: in magic ring, ch 4 (counts as dc and 1 ch), *dc, ch 1, rep from * 7 times, sl st to 3rd of starting chain (total of 8 dc and 8 ch 1 sps). Pull yarn tail to tighten the magic ring.

Round 2: ch 2 (counts as hdc), in same ch1-sp [dc, tr, dc, hdc], *in next ch1-space [hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc], rep from * around, sl st to top of starting chain

Round 3: ch 4 (counts as dc and 1 ch), *in next tr [dc, ch 3, dc], ch 1, sk next 2 sts, dc in next hdc, ch 1, sc in next tr, ch 1, sk next 2 sts, dc in next hdc, ch 1, rep from * around, sl st to 3rd of starting ch

Round 4: ch 4 (counts as dc and 1 ch), dc in next st, **ch 1, [dc, ch 3, dc] in ch3-sp, *ch 1, dc in next, rep from * to next ch 3 sp, then rep from ** around, end with ch 1, sl st to 3rd of starting ch

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Round 5: join new yarn in any ch 3-sp corner, ch 3 (counts as dc), dc, ch 3, dc 2 in same sp, **dc in next dc, *ch 1, dc in next dc, 1 rep from* 5 times, in ch3-sp [dc 3, ch 3, dc 3] rep from ** around, join with sl st

Round 6: sl st to ch3-sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 2, ch 2, dc 3 in same sp, **ch 1, *dc 2 cluster in ch1-sp, ch 1, rep from * 5 times, in ch3-sp [dc 3, ch 2, dc 3] rep from ** around, join with sl st

Fasten off and weave ends.

If you make this crochet granny square dress I'd love to see your creation, just tag me on Instagram @popsdemilk_crochet and use the hashtag #popsdemilk

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This pattern is for personal use only. The pattern and its photos may not be reproduced, distributed or resold, translated, published, altered, shared or posted in any way over the internet or offline.

You may sell finished items made from this pattern as long as it is handmade by you, not mass produced, giving the credit to Pops de Milk / Patricia Castillo as the designer. If you have any questions, you can email me at patricia@popsdemilk.com

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