Granny Square Blanket Calculator: How Many Squares and How Much Yarn
Divide the blanket width and length, minus the border, by the square size. A 50 x 60 inch throw with a 2 inch border in 6 inch granny squares is 8 across by 9 down, 72 squares, finishing 52 x 58 inches. In worsted, estimate about 2,597 yards including the border.
Choose a blanket size, enter the size of one finished square, and add any width your joins and border will take. The calculator lays out the squares, tells you the finished size, and estimates yarn. The yards per square is an estimate you can overwrite once you have made and measured a square of your own.
Your granny square blanket
Your results
Squares to make
8 across x 9 down, finished 52 x 58 in
Estimated yarn, with 10 percent extra
| Squares | 2,232 yd |
|---|---|
| Border | 365 yd |
| Weight estimate | 1,130 to 1,530 g |
| In 200 yd skeins | 15 skeins |
Dozens of squares: colors, blocking and comfort
Once a granny blanket passes about 1,500 yards, color packs keep the palette interesting, a blocking board keeps every square the same size, and good light keeps the counting easy.
Knit Picks Brava Worsted Acrylic Yarn Pack, Rainbow, 24 Mini Skeins
$29.99Twenty four 25 g mini skeins of worsted acrylic, about 1,308 yards in many colors for scrappy squares.
Check price
NewEle 17-Inch Foldable Crochet Blocking Board with 40 Stainless Steel Pegs
$38.99A folding 17 inch pegboard with 40 steel pegs for blocking squares all the same size.
Check price
Daylight Company Slimline 4 LED Floor Lamp
$224.99A 6,000K floor lamp with a CRI of 95+, so similar colors stay easy to tell apart.
Check pricePrices change often, so confirm on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Starting a granny square blanket
A kit teaches the rounds and corners, a blocking board evens out the squares, and a cushioned hook makes a big batch comfortable.
Coopay Crochet Kit for Beginners, Easy Granny Square Crochet Blanket Kit
$27.99A granny square blanket kit with electronic instructions for a first project.
Check price NewEle 17-Inch Foldable Crochet Blocking Board with 40 Stainless Steel Pegs
$38.99Pin squares over the 32 by 32 hole grid so every one blocks to the same size.
Check price
Tulip Etimo Rose Crochet Hook Set
$109.99Ten cushion grip hooks from 2 to 6 mm with needles for weaving in ends.
Check pricePrices change often, so confirm on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
How do you calculate how many granny squares you need?
A granny square blanket is a grid. The only question is how many squares fit across and down once the border and joins take their share of the width. The calculator solves it the same way for any size. Here is the default: a 50 x 60 inch throw, 6 inch squares, no join allowance and a 2 inch border.
- Take off the border. A 2 inch border on both sides leaves 50 - 4 = 46 inches of width and 60 - 4 = 56 inches of length for squares.
- Divide by the square plus its join. Squares across = (46 + join) / (square + join). With no join allowance, 46 / 6 = 7.67, which rounds to 8. Down: 56 / 6 = 9.33, which rounds to 9. Adding the join to the top of the fraction accounts for there being one fewer join than squares.
- Multiply. 8 x 9 = 72 squares.
- Check the finished size. Width = squares x size + joins + border: 8 x 6 + 0 + 4 = 52 inches, and 9 x 6 + 4 = 58 inches. Rounding to whole squares always moves you a little away from the target, which is why the calculator shows the real finished size.
How much yarn does a granny square blanket take?
There is no published yardage standard for granny squares, so the calculator makes an estimate you can replace. It starts from the crochet throw yardage in the reference data. A 50 x 65 inch crocheted throw in medium weight is listed at 2,825 to 4,150 yards; the low end works out to 0.87 yards per square inch. The low end is used because granny squares are open work, with chain spaces between clusters, and they generally use less yarn than solid crochet.
- Per square: 0.87 x 6 x 6 = about 31 yards for a 6 inch worsted square.
- All squares: 72 x 31 = 2,232 yards.
- Border: the border covers 424 square inches (52 x 58 minus the 48 x 54 center), at the same rate, about 365 yards.
- Total with 10 percent extra: 2,597 x 1.1 = 2,857 yards, or 15 skeins of 200 yards.
For a far better number, make one square first. Weigh it on a kitchen scale, then use the yarn label to convert: grams x (label yards / label grams) = yards per square. Type that into the yards per square box and every figure updates. Joining yarn is not counted separately, which is one more reason to keep the 10 to 15 percent cushion.
How many granny squares for each blanket size?
This chart has no border and no join allowance, so it is the simplest possible grid for each preset size. Each cell shows squares across x down = total. Add a border in the calculator and the counts drop.
| Blanket | Size (in) | 4 in squares | 5 in squares | 6 in squares | 8 in squares | 12 in squares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroller / Car Seat | 30 x 36 | 8 x 9 = 72 | 6 x 7 = 42 | 5 x 6 = 30 | 4 x 5 = 20 | 3 x 3 = 9 |
| Receiving | 30 x 40 | 8 x 10 = 80 | 6 x 8 = 48 | 5 x 7 = 35 | 4 x 5 = 20 | 3 x 3 = 9 |
| Baby / Crib | 42 x 52 | 11 x 13 = 143 | 8 x 10 = 80 | 7 x 9 = 63 | 5 x 7 = 35 | 4 x 4 = 16 |
| Throw / Afghan | 50 x 60 | 13 x 15 = 195 | 10 x 12 = 120 | 8 x 10 = 80 | 6 x 8 = 48 | 4 x 5 = 20 |
| Twin | 66 x 90 | 17 x 23 = 391 | 13 x 18 = 234 | 11 x 15 = 165 | 8 x 11 = 88 | 6 x 8 = 48 |
| Full / Double | 80 x 90 | 20 x 23 = 460 | 16 x 18 = 288 | 13 x 15 = 195 | 10 x 11 = 110 | 7 x 8 = 56 |
| Queen | 90 x 100 | 23 x 25 = 575 | 18 x 20 = 360 | 15 x 17 = 255 | 11 x 13 = 143 | 8 x 8 = 64 |
| King | 108 x 100 | 27 x 25 = 675 | 22 x 20 = 440 | 18 x 17 = 306 | 14 x 13 = 182 | 9 x 8 = 72 |
Blanket sizes vary between published charts. The presets follow common knit and crochet blanket charts; see the blanket size chart for the ranges.
Estimated yards per granny square by yarn weight
These figures come from the same method: the low end of each weight's crochet throw yardage per square inch, times the square's area, rounded to whole yards. The last column is the default throw layout above (72 squares plus a 2 inch border) in each weight. Treat them as planning estimates only.
| Yarn weight | 4 in square | 6 in square | 8 in square | 12 in square | Default throw total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine (2) | 22 yd | 48 yd | 86 yd | 194 yd | 4,021 yd |
| Light (3) | 18 yd | 42 yd | 74 yd | 166 yd | 3,519 yd |
| Medium (4) | 14 yd | 31 yd | 56 yd | 125 yd | 2,597 yd |
| Bulky (5) | 12 yd | 28 yd | 49 yd | 111 yd | 2,346 yd |
| Super Bulky (6) | 10 yd | 22 yd | 40 yd | 90 yd | 1,843 yd |
These are a starting point and nothing more. A tightly worked square, extra rounds, or a solid center instead of the classic clusters will all use more. A heavier yarn usually makes a bigger square in the same number of rounds, so in practice you would make fewer squares, not the same number in thicker yarn.
Measure every square before you join
Dozens of squares made over weeks will drift in size. Lay each finished square on a blocking board or ruler, and block the big and small ones to match before joining. It is the single best fix for a blanket that will not lie flat or square.
How do joins and borders change a granny square blanket?
A whipstitched or join as you go seam adds almost nothing, so leaving the join at zero is usually right. A slip stitch join, a raised seam or a round of single crochet around every square before joining adds real width between squares. Measure it on two joined squares and enter that number. At a quarter inch per join, the default throw grows from 52 x 58 to 47.5 x 60 inches without changing the square count.
Borders are the easy way to fine tune the size. If the grid lands an inch or two short, a wider border closes the gap without making another row of squares. For a solid border worked in rows, the crochet chain calculator and the blanket yarn calculator help plan the yarn for a solid section.
What tools make a granny square blanket easier?
Granny square blankets are a marathon of small, repeated pieces. The two tools that pay off most are a way to block squares to one size and a comfortable hook. A pegged board such as the NewEle 17 in Blocking Board holds squares square while they dry, and a cushioned set like the Tulip Etimo Rose Set helps when you are on square number sixty. For a scrappy look, the Knit Picks Brava Rainbow Pack gives a wide range of worsted colors in one box. Learn the classic cluster on our granny square cluster page.
Frequently asked questions
How many granny squares do I need for a throw blanket?
Subtract the border from both sides, then divide the width and the length by the size of one square and round to whole squares. For a 50 x 60 inch throw with a 2 inch border and 6 inch squares: 46 / 6 rounds to 8 across and 56 / 6 rounds to 9 down, so 72 squares. The finished blanket measures 52 x 58 inches.
How many granny squares for a queen size blanket?
A queen blanket of about 90 x 100 inches with a 2 inch border in 6 inch squares takes 14 across by 16 down, which is 224 squares, finishing at 88 x 100 inches. In worsted weight, estimate roughly 7,578 yards. Larger squares cut the count sharply: 12 inch squares need about a quarter as many.
How much yarn does one granny square take?
It depends on the size, the yarn and how many rounds you work. As a starting estimate, this calculator uses the low end of published crochet throw yardage per square inch, which puts a 6 inch worsted square at about 31 yards. The most accurate method is to crochet one square, weigh it on a kitchen scale, and convert grams to yards with your yarn label.
Why is my granny square blanket not square?
Usually because the squares are not all the same size. Tension drifts over dozens of squares, and different colors or yarn brands can crochet up slightly bigger or smaller. Measure every square before joining and block any outliers to the size of the rest. A pegged blocking board sized for granny squares makes that fast. Uneven joining tension can also pull rows out of line.
Should I join granny squares as I go or sew them together?
Both work. Join as you go connects each new square during its last round, so there is no big seaming session at the end and the joins add almost no width. Sewing or crocheting finished squares together lets you arrange colors freely before committing. A joining round or a raised seam adds width between squares; enter that in the join box. At a quarter inch per join, the default throw grows to 47.5 x 60 inches.
What size should a granny square be?
There is no standard size. Classic squares of a few rounds are often around 4 to 6 inches, while big single granny squares can be any size at all. Smaller squares make a busier, more colorful blanket but mean many more squares and joins. For a 50 x 60 inch throw with no border, 4 inch squares need 195 while 12 inch squares need only 20.
How we research: we compare manufacturer specifications, owner manuals, published standards and recurring themes in verified owner reviews. We do not test products in person, and this is researched guidance, not professional advice. Follow your machine manual and pattern, and take care with rotary cutters, hot irons and needles. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.