The Day of the Dead is not new a new holiday, but it is a holiday I lived much of my life unaware of — but with or without me, the Day of the Dead has come into it’s own as a craft-centric holiday, and this is reflected at both crafting websites and craft stores.

In addition to Day of the Dead themed candies and pre-made decorations there are needlepoint, crochet, and knit (to name a few) patterns widely available so that if you want to celebrate with a new shawl or hat or blanket, there is a pattern for it.

I doubt anyone will be surprised to learn that I am quite taken with the array of colors used to decorate the skulls. The combinations of colors and the juxtaposition of designs is something I have not fully absorbed, but which I thoroughly enjoy, and last year, in an effort to commemorate the holiday in crochet, I came up with a granny square that attempted to replicate the skull, and while I think my decorative techniques could use some practice:

I think the Day of the Dead granny square pattern itself is a good base from which to work.

All of this comes to mind now because as I was working on one of the recent batches of crochet remnants:

I noticed that one of the distinctive three-round skull granny squares was included in the assortment, and I wondered if I had ever written the pattern as I had intended to.

A quick search of my computer turned up nothing, but when I did a more deliberate search (born somewhat of panic), I found that I had written the pattern and made a photo tutorial.

So if you want to celebrate the day of the dead and need a granny square skull to crochet. I have just the PDF for you.