Bobble Granny Squares

The Original Pattern for Bobble Granny Squares

This is the square I made using the original pattern and the puff stitch.  The pattern started with 4 ch in a loop. I personally prefer a magic ring, so that is how I started my granny square.  The first round consists of eight puff stitches, each separated by 2 ch and closed with a slip stitch into the top of the first puff stitch.

To start the second round, you work a slipstitch into the first 2 chain space and work three double crochets (the first one is 3 ch), then you work 2 ch.  In the corner, you work two puff stitches separated by three chain, followed by 2 ch. You follow that pattern of stitches all the way around the square. (So, 3 dc, 2 ch, 1 puff stitch, 3 ch, 1 puff stitch, 2 ch on all four sides). You end the round by doing a slip stitch into the top of the 1st dc (or 3ch substituting for the 1st dc).

In the 3rd and all subsequent rounds, you work the same pattern, but you add 2 dc in each 2 ch space on either side of each corner.

You can make this granny square as small or as large as you want by adding more rounds.  Mine is five rounds using a 4.0mm hook and 8 ply yarn.  Each of the four variations measure  x  mm.

1st Variation- 4 dc cluster

Once I had made the first square using the original pattern, I decided that it looked too 'gappy for me and I wanted to try a different "bobble" stitch to see if that would produce the effect I was after.

My Bobble Stitch:

• Wrap the yarn around the hook and insert the hook into the next stitch. Wrap the yarn around your hook (at the back of the work) and pull the yarn through.

At this point, you would normally wrap the yarn around your hook and pull it through both loops on the hook to complete your double crochet. For this stitch, please forgo that step and repeat the first step another three times.  You should have 4 half-completed double crochets and 5 loops on your hook.

• Yarn over and pull through all of the remaining loops on your hook. 

Round 1: *1 bobble, 2 dc rep from * another 7 times, sl st into the top of the first bobble stitch.

Round 2: sl st into first 2 ch sp, 3 ch (substitutes for a dc), 2 dc, *2ch, 1 bobble, 3 ch, 1 bobble, 2 ch, 3 dc into 2 ch sp, rep from * two more times, 2ch, 1 bobble, 3 ch, 1 bobble, 2 ch, sl st into the top of the 3 ch.

Round 3: 3 ch, dc in each dc to the 2 ch sp, 2 dc, *2ch, 1 bobble, 3 ch, 1 bobble, 2 ch, 2 dc in 2 ch space, dc in each dc to the 2 ch sp, 2 dc, rep from * two more times, 2ch, 1 bobble, 3 ch, 1 bobble, 2 ch, 2 dc in 2 ch space, dc in each dc to the 1st stitch of the round (in this round it would be zero, but increases by one in each subsequent rounds).

Repeat round 3 until your square is the size you require.

2nd Variation-  4 dc Bobble

I liked the first variation better than the original; the gaps were smaller, but the bobble clusters were just a bit flat. I like a little 3D texture, so I decided to try another type of bobble stitch.

My 2nd Bobble Stitch : bobble (#2):

• Work 4 double crochets, take the hook out of your loop and insert it into the top of the first double crochet. Add the loop from the 4th double crochet. 
• Wrap the yarn around your hook and pull it through all of the loops on your hook.

The instructions are the same; you just substitute one bobble stitch for the other. 

Round 1: *1 bobble (#2), 2 dc rep from * another 7 times, sl st into the top of the first bobble stitch.

Round 2: sl st into first 2 ch sp, 3 ch (substitutes for a dc), 2 dc, *2ch, 1 bobble (#2), 3 ch, 1 bobble (#2), 2 ch, 3 dc into 2 ch sp, rep from * two more times, 2ch, 1 bobble (#2), 3 ch, 1 bobble (#2), 2 ch, sl st into the top of the 3 ch.

Round 3: 3 ch, dc in each dc to the 2 ch sp, 2 dc, *2ch, 1 bobble (#2), 3 ch, 1 bobble (#2), 2 ch, 2 dc in 2 ch space, dc in each dc to the 2 ch sp, 2 dc, rep from * two more times, 2ch, 1 bobble (#2), 3 ch, 1 bobble (#2), 2 ch, 2 dc in 2 ch space, dc in each dc to the 1st stitch of the round (in this round it would be zero, but increases by one in each subsequent rounds).

Repeat round 3 until your square is the size you require.

3rd Variation-  4 dc Bobble and Treble Pattern

Better.  The gaps are less noticeable, and the bobbles are slightly raised, so I get the texture I wanted, but what else could I do? 

Add more texture, of course!

I used the same instructions for the corners as I did in the 2nd version, but I added more texture in the double crochet sides, alternating double crochets with treble worked around the post of the dc in the round below, starting at round 3. This adds texture in the sections on the side of the squares.

Round 1: *1 bobble (#2), 2 dc rep from * another 7 times, sl st into the top of the first bobble stitch.

Round 2: sl st into first 2 ch sp, 3 ch (substitutes for a dc), 2 dc, *2ch, 1 bobble (#2), 3 ch, 1 bobble (#2), 2 ch, 3 dc into 2 ch sp, rep from * two more times, 2ch, 1 bobble (#2), 3 ch, 1 bobble (#2), 2 ch, sl st into the top of the 3 ch.

Round 3: 3 ch, (tr around the post, dc), rep to 2 ch sp, 2 dc, *2ch, 1 bobble (#2), 3 ch, 1 bobble (#2), 2 ch, 2 dc in 2 ch space, (1 dc, 1 tr around post) rep to last dc before the 2 ch sp, dc, 2 dc in 2 ch space, rep from * two more times, 2ch, 1 bobble (#2), 3 ch, 1 bobble (#2), 2 ch, 2 dc in 2 ch space, 1 dc (1 tr around post, 1 dc) rep to 1st st (in this round it would be zero, but increases by one in each subsequent rounds).

Repeat round 3 until your square is the size you require.