Crochet Sage Green & Cream Granny Square Two-Piece Shorts Set & Phone Case Pattern

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about granny squares, yet they have never felt more modern than they do right now. The classic motif has made a full circle from your grandmother’s blanket to the runways of major fashion houses, and now it belongs in your wardrobe. This pattern walks you through creating a complete coordinated set: a cropped top, a pair of high-waisted shorts, and a matching phone case, all worked in a soft sage green and warm cream color palette that feels effortlessly put together from the moment you slip it on.

Whether you are an intermediate crocheter looking for your next wearable project or a seasoned maker who wants a fresh take on the granny square, this set is designed to be both approachable and impressive. Let’s walk through everything you need to know, from materials and gauge to assembly and finishing touches.

Why Sage Green and Cream?

Color choice can make or break a project, and this particular combination has something almost magical about it. Sage green is one of those rare hues that flatters nearly every skin tone. It sits right at the intersection of nature and sophistication, calm enough to feel wearable on a daily basis but interesting enough to turn heads at a summer market, a beach gathering, or a festival. Paired with warm cream rather than stark white, the palette feels soft and organic rather than harsh. The two tones complement each other without competing, which means your granny squares will have beautiful visual definition while the overall piece still reads as a cohesive set.

From a practical standpoint, sage green and cream also happen to photograph beautifully in natural light, which matters if you plan to share your finished work on social media or in your own shop if you decide to sell finished pieces. The earthy tones catch golden hour light in a way that cooler or more neon palettes simply cannot.

Materials You Will Need

Before you cast on, gather your supplies so you can work through the pattern without interruption.

Yarn: You will need approximately 500 grams of a DK weight cotton yarn in sage green and 300 grams in cream. Cotton is the recommended fiber for this project for several reasons. It has excellent stitch definition, which lets the granny square structure really pop. It is also breathable and washable, which you absolutely want in a wearable set that will spend time in warm weather. Look for a yarn with a slight twist rather than a completely smooth finish, as the texture adds a subtle depth to the finished fabric. Good options include Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, Paintbox Simply DK, or any similar cotton or cotton-blend DK yarn you already have in your stash.

Hook: A 3.5mm or 4mm crochet hook works well with most DK cotton yarns, but always defer to your gauge swatch. The fabric should feel slightly firm but still drape; you do not want stiff cardboard, but you also do not want so much drape that the shorts lose their shape.

Notions: You will need a yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, stitch markers, a measuring tape, and a length of 1-inch wide elastic for the shorts waistband. For the phone case, a small piece of non-slip grip fabric or a sheet of stabilizer is helpful if you plan to use it as a standalone case, though this is optional.

Sizing: This pattern is written for sizes XS through XL. Full measurements are given throughout the pattern so you can adjust as needed.

Understanding the Granny Square Motif

The foundation of this entire project is a single granny square worked in two rounds. If you have never made a granny square before, you are about to fall in love. If you have made hundreds, you will appreciate the small twist in the construction that gives these squares their clean, modern look.

Basic Granny Square (makes one 4-inch square at gauge):

Start with sage green yarn and make a magic ring, or chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring.

Round 1 (sage green): Chain 3, work 2 double crochets into the ring, chain 2. Work 3 double crochets into the ring, chain 2. Repeat twice more so you have four clusters of 3 double crochets separated by chain-2 corner spaces. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3. Fasten off sage green.

Round 2 (cream): Join cream yarn with a slip stitch in any chain-2 corner space. Chain 3, work 2 double crochets in that same corner space, chain 2, work 3 double crochets in the same corner space. This forms your first corner. Chain 1. In the next corner space, work 3 double crochets, chain 2, 3 double crochets. Chain 1. Repeat around all four corners. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3. Fasten off cream.

Weave in your ends. You now have a two-round granny square that measures approximately 4 inches once blocked. Block each square by lightly misting it with water, pinning it to your measurements on a blocking board, and allowing it to dry completely. This step is non-negotiable for a set that will be joined together, because unblocked squares simply will not match up cleanly.

The Cropped Top

The cropped top is constructed by joining granny squares in a flat grid and then seaming them together. The beauty of this construction method is that the sizing is highly adjustable, and you can try the top on as you go by simply holding the grid up to your body.

Square count by size:

For an extra small, you will need 24 squares. Small requires 26 squares, medium requires 28 squares, large requires 30 squares, and extra large requires 32 squares. These squares are arranged in a front panel and a back panel of equal width, connected at the sides and shoulders.

Construction:

Lay out your squares in a grid of four across and three down for the front panel, adjusting the width for your size. For sizes small and above, the additional squares are added by widening the grid. Join your squares using the join-as-you-go method or a flat slip stitch join along each shared edge. The flat slip stitch join creates a subtle ridge on the right side that adds a nice textural detail and looks intentional rather than accidental. Work through the back loops of each stitch as you join for the cleanest seam.

Once your front and back panels are assembled, join the side seams by holding the panels with wrong sides together and working a single crochet seam from the bottom hem to the armhole. Leave the top edges open for the shoulder straps.

Neckline and straps: For the neckline, work a single round of single crochet around the entire top edge in cream, decreasing slightly at the front center to create a gentle scoop. For the shoulder straps, you have two options. You can crochet a simple chain of approximately 40 to 50 stitches in sage green and attach it at the front and back shoulder points, or you can work a narrow 3-stitch single crochet strap directly onto the top for a more structured look. The adjustable chain strap is ideal for making fit adjustments after the fact.

Bottom hem: Work two rounds of single crochet around the bottom edge of the top in cream, then finish with a round of reverse single crochet for a polished edge that lies flat.

The High-Waisted Shorts

The shorts are where this project really comes into its own. They are constructed using a combination of granny square panels and a solid crochet waistband, creating a piece that looks intricate but is surprisingly wearable and comfortable.

Square count for shorts (by size):

Each leg requires 8 squares for XS, 9 for S, 10 for M, 11 for L, and 12 for XL. You will need a total of 16 to 24 squares for the shorts body, plus solid crochet for the crotch gusset and waistband.

Construction:

Begin by assembling two square panels, one for the front and one for the back of each leg. These panels are joined along the inner leg seam and the outer leg seam to create tubes. Once both leg tubes are assembled, join them at the center front and center back to create the shorts shape. This joining seam runs along the crotch and rear, and it benefits from a reinforcing row of slip stitches worked on the inside of the garment.

The crotch gusset is worked in solid sage green single crochet to fill in any gap at the seat and provide structure and modesty to the shorts. Work approximately 6 to 8 rows of single crochet in a curved triangle shape and sew it into place at the crotch.

Waistband: The waistband is worked flat in sage green and then seamed to the top of the shorts body. Chain a number of stitches equal to your desired waistband circumference minus 2 inches to allow for stretch. Work in single crochet back and forth for 12 to 14 rows, or approximately 2 to 2.5 inches in height. Fold the waistband in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and sew along the short ends to form a loop. Before closing the seam entirely, thread your elastic through the channel formed by the folded waistband, overlap the elastic ends by about an inch and sew them securely, then close the final seam. Attach the waistband to the shorts body by single crocheting around the entire top edge, working through both the waistband layer and the shorts body simultaneously.

Leg edges: Finish each leg opening with a round of single crochet in cream followed by a round of reverse single crochet in sage green. This creates a neat two-tone border that ties the shorts back to the top visually.

The Matching Phone Case

No coordinated set is complete without an accessory, and a phone case is the perfect small project to use up leftover yarn after completing the top and shorts. This case fits most standard smartphones in the 6 to 6.7 inch range and can easily be adjusted by adding or removing squares or adding extra rows of single crochet around the edges.

Construction:

Make 4 granny squares following the same pattern as the main project. Arrange them in a 2×2 grid and join them using the flat slip stitch join. This gives you a panel that measures approximately 8 inches by 8 inches.

Fold the panel in half, bringing the top and bottom edges together. Join the two side edges with a slip stitch seam worked in sage green, leaving the top open for your phone. Reinforce the bottom fold with a row of slip stitches worked through both layers.

Finish the top opening with a single round of single crochet in cream. If desired, add a small loop at the top right corner by chaining 12 in sage green and joining it back at the same stitch, then reinforcing the loop with slip stitches. This loop works as a wrist strap or can be used to clip the case to a bag.

For added protection, cut a small rectangle of craft foam or non-slip mat material and insert it inside the case before sliding your phone in. This gives the case just enough body to protect your screen without adding bulk.

Assembly and Finishing Tips

One of the most important things you can do for any granny square project is to spend time on your finishing work. Here are a few guidelines that will make the difference between a project that looks handmade and one that looks professionally crafted.

Weave in all ends securely using your yarn needle, splitting the plies of the yarn as you work through nearby stitches for maximum security. Cotton does not have the elasticity of wool, so it is worth taking a little extra time here rather than dealing with unraveling ends later.

Block every single piece before assembly. This cannot be said enough. Wet blocking cotton is simple: soak your pieces in cool water for about ten minutes, gently press out the excess water in a towel, pin everything to your measurements on a foam blocking mat, and let it air dry completely. The difference in stitch definition and square uniformity is dramatic.

When joining panels, maintain consistent tension throughout. If you tend to join too tightly, go up half a hook size for joining only. Conversely, if your joins are loose, try going down half a hook size.

Press your finished set lightly with a damp cloth and a cool iron set to the cotton setting, being careful not to crush the texture of the stitches. This final press gives the set a clean, finished look that holds up beautifully in photographs and in wear.

Care Instructions

Because this set is made from cotton, it is wonderfully easy to care for. Machine wash on a gentle cycle in cold water. Reshape while damp and lay flat to dry to maintain the structure of the squares. Avoid the dryer if you want to preserve both the color and the shape of the set over time. With proper care, this set will last for many summers.

Customization Ideas

Once you have worked through the pattern once, you will find dozens of ways to make it your own. Swap the sage green for terracotta and the cream for white for a warm, earthy Mediterranean look. Try dusty rose and ivory for something more romantic. Add a simple shell stitch border along the hem of the shorts for extra femininity, or work an additional round of squares to lengthen the top into a mini dress. For a bolder look, reverse the color placement so the cluster rounds are in cream and the border rounds are in sage green.

The phone case can also be adapted into a small coin purse by adding a zipper along the top opening, or made larger to fit an iPad mini by increasing the square count to a 3×4 grid.

A Note on Yarn Substitution

If you cannot find a DK cotton in the colors described, do not let that stop you. Any DK or light worsted weight yarn with good stitch definition will work. Cotton-acrylic blends offer a little more stretch and softness, which can be a benefit in shorts. Just make sure to work a gauge swatch before committing to the full project, and adjust your hook size accordingly. The finished square should measure as close to 4 inches as possible after blocking for all the counts in this pattern to work out correctly.

Final Thoughts

This crochet sage green and cream granny square two-piece shorts set with matching phone case is the kind of project that rewards every hour you put into it. Each square is quick to work up, the construction is logical and satisfying, and the finished set is something you will actually reach for all summer long. There is a particular joy in wearing something you made with your own hands, something that fits exactly the way you want it to and carries the quiet pride of your own craft.

Take your time with the blocking, be patient with the joining, and do not skip the gauge swatch. Those three things alone will carry you from a good project to a truly great one. Happy crocheting.