How to Crochet a Rectangle Granny Square (Granny Rectangle)
The granny rectangle is a simple twist on the classic granny square that lets you make a rectangular motif instead of a square one, perfect for blankets, rugs, and runners that are longer than they are wide. Instead of starting from a small central ring, you start with a long foundation chain and work in rounds around it, with the corners at the two ends. This guide shows you how to crochet a rectangle granny square. It is part of the crochet shapes guide.
What Is a Granny Rectangle?
A granny rectangle, or rectangle granny square, is a granny motif worked into a rectangle shape rather than a square. It is made by starting with a longer foundation chain and working in rounds around both long sides of that chain, placing corner increases at the four corners, which fall at the two short ends. This keeps the piece longer than it is wide as it grows. It uses the same round working and corner increases as a solid granny square, just built around a chain instead of a central ring.
How It Differs From a Square
The difference between a granny rectangle and a granny square is the starting point. A granny square starts from a small central ring and grows evenly in all four directions, staying square. A granny rectangle starts from a long chain, so it already has a length before you begin the rounds, and as it grows it keeps that length while getting wider, staying rectangular. Both use the same corner increases to shape the fabric, but the long starting chain is what makes the rectangle. It is closely related to the oval, which is made the same way but with rounded rather than square corners.
Setting the Length With the Chain
The length of your granny rectangle is set by the starting chain, so you begin by chaining the number of stitches you want along the straight middle of the rectangle. A longer chain makes a longer rectangle. Keep in mind that the rectangle will also grow wider with each round, so the finished piece will be longer and wider than the starting chain. Choosing the right chain length for your project, and keeping the chain relaxed so it is easy to work into, sets up the whole motif, as with any chain stitch.
Step by Step: How to Crochet a Granny Rectangle
Step one: make a foundation chain the length you want the straight middle to be. Step two: work along one long side of the chain in your granny stitch, then at the end work corner increases to turn around the first short end, placing two corners there. Step three: work back along the other long side of the chain, then work corner increases around the second short end. Step four: join, and on following rounds work a corner increase at each of the four corners and work evenly along the long sides, so the rectangle grows one round at a time. The corners stay at the ends and the sides get longer.
Keeping It Even
A granny rectangle lies flat and keeps its shape when the four corner increases stay consistent and the long sides are worked evenly. If it ruffles, the corners have too many stitches, and if it cups, too few, so keep the corner increase the same every round. Work evenly along the long sides without adding or losing stitches. Counting each round helps, and blocking the finished piece evens it out, which is especially handy when making several the same size, as covered in how to block crochet squares.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistakes are inconsistent corner increases, which make the rectangle ruffle or cup, and uneven long sides from adding or missing stitches. Keep the corners consistent and the sides even, and count each round. Placing the corners in the wrong spots, so the rectangle skews, is another slip, so make sure two corners fall at each short end. If the piece will not lie flat, the crochet shape troubleshooting guide will help you sort it out.
What You Can Make
Granny rectangles are used for rectangular blankets, baby blankets, rugs, table runners, cushion covers, and bags, giving you the pretty granny look in a shape that is longer than it is wide. A single large granny rectangle can be a whole blanket, or you can join several. For the square version, see how to crochet a solid granny square, and for a plain rectangle, see how to crochet a rectangle. Find projects in the beginner pattern hub.