--- title: "Granny Life Community Build Project" url: https://stacklist.com/card/a815e13c-c242-4d87-87bf-4b730c2fa03a source_url: "https://www.grannylifecrochet.com/home" stack: https://stacklist.com/stack/ca4edb6e-70b9-494e-a843-ba8804222ffc summary: "Granny Life Crochet is a community art project combining traditional crochet with mathematical algorithms to create over 240 unique granny squares for an exhibition at Maison Poincaré in Paris. Participants use an interactive app to select motifs generated from cellular automata rules, then crochet their squares to contribute to a collaborative wall hanging artwork." tags: "crochet, mathematics, cellular-automata, community-art, granny-squares, algorithmic-design" key_entities: "cellular automata (concept), granny square (concept), Pixie Square pattern (technology), Maison Poincaré (location), Paris (location), Création, entre arts et mathématiques (event), Royal Institute (organization), Institute Henri Poincaré (organization), Malabrigo Rios yarn (technology)" classification: "reference" content_hash: "sha256:9549ab486ca071428282e12dec97818584efd69f78a5b6895b78aa6fd9d3e72c" acp_version: "0.2" token_counts_approximate: 2723 visibility: public agent_accessible: true status: "final" --- # Granny Life Community Build Project Search this site Embedded Files Skip to main content Skip to navigation Granny Life C rochet granny square motifs determined by algorithms Over 240 unique granny squares will be combined in the community artwork Vie de grand-mère , which will appear in the exhibit Création, entre arts et mathematiques at Maison Poincaré in Paris, France. Project participants chose their own granny square motif using our interactive app at www.mathgrrl.com/granny-life , then followed the crochet pattern and project instructions below. We welcomed all crafters, artists, and mathematicians, from beginners to experts, and people from all over the world participated! Over the next year we will continue to to post updates and information about the artwork on this site. Instructions The community submission phase of this project has ended, but you can still use the motif generator and crochet pattern instructions for your own creations :) Step 1: Choose a motif Use the Granny Life app to choose a "Paris" motif, and submit your choice in the Contact Form . Step 2: Crochet a square Choose your own color of Malabrigo Rios yarn and c rochet a granny square in your motif using our free Pixie Square pattern . Step 3: Be part of the art! Squares that were submitted by January 2026 will be part of an art exhibit in Paris ! VIDEO TUTORIALS Getting Started video Learn how to stitch the first two rounds of the Pixie Stitch granny square. For full instructions and details, see the Pixie Square pattern page . Edges & Corners video Learn to stitch edges and corners and how to manage color changes and tension. For details and c lose-up photos , see the Pixie Square pattern page . COMMUNITY Find us in person Feb 1-7, Royal Institute, London Feb 8-28, Institute Henri Poincaré, Paris Social media Bluesky - @mathgrrl.com, #grannylifecrochet, #mathsky, #crochet 🧶 Ravelry - @mathgrrl, Pixie Square Mastodon - mathstodon.xyz/@mathgrrl Reddit - @i-am-mathgrrl, r/crocheting, r/geekycrochet Contact Form Ask questions C laim motifs to crochet S ubmit completed squares We would love to hear from you! Art Project This project combines traditional artistic crafting with modern scientific and mathematical methods, and invites community members from the crafting and mathematical communities to participate together. The artwork explores rule-based pattern generators in the fiber arts, with a modified classical crochet technique that accommodates detailed, pixellated motifs generated from two-dimensional cellular automata. The finished work will be comprised of more than one hundred crocheted 6-inch granny squares created by crafters, artists, and mathematicians. The purpose of this artwork is not to illustrate cellular automata; rather, it is to leverage mathematics as a design tool, in a partnership between human creativity and algorithmic structures that creates a beautiful and cohesive artistic work. The motivation for using totalistic cellular automata to create granny square motifs is to create a set of motifs that naturally work together. Naively, we could make completely random choices to make a grid of granny squares, each with traditional crochet symmetries. But by using motifs that are generated from cellular automata rules, it is possible to obtain a much more interesting and structured set of designs. Even better, if we restrict our attention to just one totalistic rule (in this project we will use "Rule 6"), then we can obtain a set of designs that share various pattern similarities and form a more cohesive final artwork. The final artwork will consist of multicolored squares contributed from community members, and attached together in a pleasing arrangement to make a wall hanging for exhibition. This project has been ACCEPTED(!) to the Création, entre arts et mathématiques exhibition at Maison Poincaré which will be on display in Paris, France from April-July 2026. MATHEMATICS The motifs used in this project are all generated from a modified 2D totalistic cellular automaton that we call "Rule 6". To read more about the mathematics behind these patterns and how they are generated, see our page on The Math Behind the Motifs . FAQ Do I have to use a specific type of yarn? Yes, to have a square included in the artwork you do have to use a specific brand and color of yarn (Malabrigo Rios -- variegated preferred if possible -- with Ivory as the light color); see the Pixie Square Crochet Pattern for more specific details. Of course, you can also use the free motif generator and free crochet pattern for your own projects with yarn of your choosing. Can I crochet more than one square for the project? Yes! You can claim up to five motifs at a time, and submit as many completed squares as you like. If you purchase the yarn for the project then you should be able to make five or six squares. Is it okay if I crochet left-handed? Yes! We welcome le ft-handed crocheters to this project. The stitches and the pattern are very symmetric, so it should not make a difference if you "crochet the other way". Should I "block" my crocheted square when it is done? No. Please do not block your square before submitting. "Blocking" is the name for wetting/steaming your square and then pinning it into shape; please don't do that. We will block the squares in a consistent way when they are recieved. What if my finished square doesn't look perfect? It takes some practice to get the stitches, tension, carried yarn, and square shape to all come out right. If your square isn't perfect then it can be a " learning square"; please hold on to it, because part of the exhibition has to do with the process of creating art. All practice/learning squares -- and any that are too small/large or have other issues -- will also be part of the exhibition. What is the deadline for submitting a crocheted square? I need to have all completed squares by January 8, 2026. Squares received after that date will be used in the artwork if space permits, or displayed in the "process" part of the exhibition. Have a question not covered here? Ask us in the Contact Form . PROGRESS REPORT: DONE! :) Over 240 squares have been crocheted and the project is done! Thank you to everyone who is participating in this project :) Squares that are too small or large, or have other issues may be used in the "process" part of the exhibition and recreated for the artwork. The final artwork is a two-sided 11x11 grid of 242 crocheted granny squares, measuring approximately 6 feet across. Early squares and testing connection method Working on finding pleasing arrangements Nice, but we're gonna take it apart and start over Working on a rainbow cascade idea... And we've taken it apart again to try new ideas... Thinking about a warm side / cool side this time... Sorting into two groups of 11 piles by color Attaching squares with a JAYGO crochet border This is about half of one of the two sides! Eight rows completed on the red/purple side Planning out the layout of the blue/green side Stacks on stacks on stacks Work-in-progress visting the Royal Institution Working on the blue side on the Eurostar Working on the border with Harry and Tom "Night" side almost complete "Day" side almost complete The last stitch! It is done!!! DAY NIGHT DAY NIGHT CONTRIBUTED Squares The crocheted squares below are finished and are included* in the community art project that will be exhibited at the Maison Poincaré in Paris, France! These completed squares were made all over the world, including: Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, the UK, and the US :) * Some of the completed squares were the wrong size or have other issues that precluded them from being in the main artwork. Those squares were included in the creation/process part of the exhibit and those same motifs were remade and included in the final artwork. generation 9 mathgrrl generation 12 Elkie generation 13 Pokygirl generation 16 colettalillian generation 18 maths_kath generation 19 Merryweather generation 22 colettalillian generation 24 AbbeyPerini generation 27 Elkie generation 29 MisMissy613 generation 32 motorproteins g eneration 34 Yarnlord g eneration 37 Jar generation 39 mflouze generation 45 wildstrom generation 51 hawksley generation 53 Nutella generation 56 AbbeyPerini generation 60 AbbeyPerini generation 65 Reka generation 66 AbbeyPerini generation 67 colettalillian generation 74 LisaSnailBear generation 75 Routl generation 76 heather628318 generation 77 AbbeyPerini generation 79 natabat generation 80 Merryweather generation 84 natabat generation 90 asabest generation 94 cri-kee generation 96 Lise generation 105 Malou generation 107 Emza generation 108 rachwhatsit generation 11 1 amethyst generation 114 AbbeyPerini generation 117 Emza generation 120 virtualcourtney generation 122 Reka generation 128 Malou generation 131 virtualcourtney generation 133 AbbeyPerini generation 135 virtualcourtney generation 139 rachwhatsit g eneration 140 Reka generation 142 gottaotter generation 143 euleun generation 144 Malou generation 149 Flave generation 150 heather628318 generation 158 AbbeyPerini generation 163 heather628318 generation 166 Routl generation 167 sadesf generation 16 8 sadesf generation 175 Flave generation 179 asabest generation 182 mathgrrl generation 18 3 Soperlein generation 186 corvocrochet generation 187 RacheyO generation 191 Frey generation 19 4 Lise generation 198 Fleur generation 200 pir generation 206 tanvi generation 210 Nutella generation 214 virtualcourtney generation 218 AbbeyPerini generation 222 colettalillian generation 228 brainofdane generation 233 mathgrrl generation 238 gottaotter generation 241 asabest g eneration 242 mathgrrl g eneration 244 mathgrrl generation 248 Reka g eneration 250 mathgrrl generation 251 kwb generation 253 AbbeyPerini generation 258 heather628318 generation 259 Bee generation 261 mathgrrl generation 262 labeurthen generation 268 AbbeyPerini g eneration 270 mathgrrl g eneration 271 Yarnlord g eneration 274 Reka generation 279 Reka generation 281 Jar generation 282 AbbeyPerini generation 285 tangentqueen generation 289 Marritme g eneration 294 AbbeyPerini generation 300 mathgrrl generation 302 sinsonte generation 304 Flave generation 306 KimRoth generation 308 clairem generation 309 CrochetFun generation 311 Bee generation 313 cri-kee generation 316 RacheyO generation 318 Morphybeans generation 321 AbbeyPerini generation 323 AbbeyPerini generation 327 AbbeyPerini generation 335 AbbeyPerini generation 344 motorproteins generation 346 Yann-Situ generation 34 8 cri-kee generation 353 natabat generation 359 AbbeyPerini generation 365 RacheyO generation 368 Marritme generation 369 virtualcourtney generation 376 gottaotter