The Granny Square is more than just a crochet motif—it’s a cultural icon. In this episode of Exploration Crochet, ReRe takes us on a journey through the history, evolution, and surprising staying power of the Granny Square. This humble motif has proven itself timeless-- reinvented across decades of fashion, home decor, and fiber art. From its early appearances in Victorian pattern books to its explosion on the runways of the 1960s and 70s, the Granny Square has always found a way to stay fresh.
We’ll explore its global revival fueled by the internet, its modern transformations into 3D flowers and daring festival wear, and even the darker side of machine-made imitations and underpaid labor. Along the way, we’ll imagine a “what if”: how much money Granny could have made if the motif had been copyrighted.
Ultimately, the Granny Square isn’t just a pattern—it’s a shared cultural treasure, reminding us all that, L-7 aside, it’s hip to be square.
Sound Attributions:
double bass happy hillbilly blues by elzozo – https://freesound.org/s/613388/-- License: Creative Commons 0
loopable excerpt#2 of szegvari's freesound 667103.flac by Timbre --https://freesound.org/s/667183/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0
Abstract Pop Electronica (loop ver.1) by AudioCoffee https://freesound.org/s/745334/ --License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0
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