A new retro granny stash box

I really enjoyed making chunky retro-style granny squares for my retro granny stash bag and was amazed at the response that I’ve had on Facebook and Instagram about it. The granny square design is so much fun, I thought I’d see if I could come up with another storage solution.

Baskets, bags and boxes have become a little bit of an obsession and as I keep buying yarn, I’ve used the same retro granny square motif to make a funky but very useful retro granny stash box.

It is roomy but shallow. If you put balls of yarn on their end, the box will easily accommodate 9 x 100g balls of chunky yarn. Probably at least 12 x 100g balls of squishy DK yarn. And, of course, its perfect for storing and keeping together all your oddments and scraps to use on more granny stash projects.

The secret to the retro granny stash box

Aha – the big reveal. I didn’t use fabric stiffener or super rigid yarn – I used a skeleton box and simply made a coat for it using crochet!

. I used an Ikea drawer divider box as my skeleton but you could also use a cardboard box or plastic food box if you can get one big enough and as long as it has a square (not rectangular) bottom. I like the Ikea drawer box as its quite flexible but still sturdy enough to use for yarn storage.

Go here to find a detailed photo tutorial on the individual steps to make the retro granny stash box.

You will need:

• A box to use as a ‘skeleton’
• Chunky yarn in your choice of colours. You can use all one colour, two colours or multicolour.
• A size 6mm crochet hook
• Two of the retro granny square motifs

Granny square motif pattern and tutorial

This is the same motif used in my retro granny stash bag and a detailed pattern and tutorial are available.

You will need to make two motifs. One should fit snuggly into the base of your box. The other needs to be the same size but with one round of dc stitches added all the way round, after the final treble cluster round.

Basic free pattern for the retro granny stash box

A more detailed photo tutorial is also available – just click on this link.

This is not written in pattern speak but will guide you if you are experienced in crocheting or have already looked through the detailed photo tutorial. All terms used are UK terms. A treble is a double crochet in US terms; a double crochet is a single crochet.

Inner lining: make 1

Round 1: Make a double crochet stitch into each stitch around the first granny square, working in the front loops only.

Round 2: Make a double crochet stitch into each stitch of the previous round along the sides of the square. At each corner make one decrease.

Rounds 3-17*: Make a double crochet stitch into each stitch of the previous round.

Outer coat: make 1

Round 1: Make a double crochet stitch into each stitch around the second granny square.

Round 2: Make a double crochet stitch into each stitch around the first granny square working in the back loops only.

Round 3: Make a double crochet stitch into each stitch of the previous round along the sides of the square. At each corner make one decrease.

Rounds 4-17*: Make a double crochet stitch into each stitch of the previous round.

*I did 17 rows but try your box linings onto your box regularly and keep going until your linings are both just one round higher than the edge of the box when everything is fitted snugly.

Joining the inner lining to the outer coat

A more detailed photo tutorial is also available – just click on this link.

Put the two linings in place and make a double crochet stitch through both loops of both stitches to join neatly.

I think I am a bit addicted to making boxes and bags – the yarn in my stash box is already waiting for the next one – loving those colours!!!

A more detailed photo tutorial is also available – just click on this link.

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