Bright & Beautiful Blankets

Patchwork blanket in a jiffy

You will need

• Sufficient scraps of yarn in chunky, double knit and 4-ply to crochet 100 blocks

• 7mm crochet hook

• Tapestry needle

• Scissors

Before you begin

• Use one strand of chunky and double knitting, but two strands of 4-ply.

• Crocheted block sizes will differ, but won’t make a difference when crocheting the blanket together.

• A 7mm crochet hook is thicker than required size, but gives larger blocks.

• Only two colours of yarn are used per motif, but in different combinations (see combinations below).

• Crochet equal numbers of motif 1 and motif 2.

Combinations

Rnd 1 in colour 1; rnds 2 to 4 in colour 2.

Rnd 1 in colour 1; rnds 2 and 3 in colour 2; rnd 4 in colour 1.

Rnd 1 in colour 1; rnd 2 in colour 2; rnd 3 in colour 1; rnd 4 in colour 2.

Rnd 1 and 2 in colour 1; rnd 3 and 4 in colour 2.

Rnd 1 and 2 in colour 1; rnd 3 in colour 2; rnd 4 in colour 1.

Rnd 1 to 3 in colour 1; rnd 4 in colour 2.

Abbreviations

beg… begin (ning)

ch… chain stitch

dc… double crochet

rep… repeat

rnd(s)…. round(s)

sl st…. slip stitch

sp(s) …space(s)

tr… treble

To crochet motif 1

Using 7mm crochet hook, crochet 6 ch, sl st in 1st ch.

Rnd 1: 4 ch, *1 ch, 1 tr in ring,* rep from * to * 9 times, 1 ch, sl st in 3rd ch.

TIP If using the same colour for rnd 2, sl st in next 1 ch-sp; if not, fasten off and join colour 2 into next 1 ch-sp.

Rnd 2: [4 ch, 1 tr, 2 ch, 1 tr, 1 ch, 1 tr] in same 1 ch-sp, *2 ch, [1 tr, 1 ch, 1 tr, 2 ch, 1 tr, 1 ch, 1 tr] in 3rd 1 ch-sp,* rep from * to * twice more, 1 ch, sl st in 3rd ch.

TIP If using the same colour for rnd 3, sl st in next 1 ch-sp; if not, fasten off and join colour 2 into next 1 ch-sp.

Rnd 3: 1 ch, 1 dc in same ch-sp, *[2 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc] in next 2 ch-sp, 1 dc in next 1 ch-sp, 2 dc in next 2 ch-sp, 1 dc in next 1 ch-sp,* rep from * to * 3 times more, but replace last dc with sl st in 1st ch of rnd 3.

TIP If using the same colour for rnd 4, follow pattern for rnd 4; if not, fasten off and join colour 2 into same sp.

Rnd 4: 3 ch, 1 tr in each of next 2 dc, *[2 tr, 2 ch, 2 tr] in next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr in each of next 8 dc,* rep from * to * twice more, [2 tr, 2 ch, 2 tr] in next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr in each of next 5 dc, sl st in 3rd ch at beg of rnd 4. Fasten off.

To crochet motif 2

Using 7mm crochet hook, crochet 6 ch, sl st in 1st ch.

Rnd 1: 4 ch, *1 ch, 1 tr in ring,* rep from * to * 9 times, 1 ch, sl st in 3rd ch.

TIP If using the same colour for rnd 2, sl st in next 1 ch-sp; if not, fasten off and join colour 2 into next 1 ch-sp.

Rnd 2: 3 ch, *[1 tr, 2 ch, 2 tr] in same 1 ch-sp, 1 tr in each of next 3 1 ch-sps,* rep from * to * 3 times more, but replace last tr with sl st in 3rd ch at beg of rnd 2.

TIP If using the same colour for rnd 3, sl st in next sp between tr; if not, fasten off and join colour 2 in next sp between tr.

Rnd 3: 3 ch, *[2 tr, 2 ch, 2 tr] in next 2 ch-sp, crochet 1 tr in each of next 5 sps between tr,* rep from * to * twice more, [2 tr, 2 ch, 2 tr] in next 2 ch-sp, crochet 1 tr in each of next 4 sps between tr, sl st in 3rd ch at beg of rnd 3.

TIP If using the same colour for rnd 4, sl st in next sp between tr; if not, fasten off and join colour 2 into next sp between tr.

Rnd 4: 1 ch, 1 dc in same sp, 1 dc in next sp between tr, *[2 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc] in next 2 ch-sp, crochet 1 dc in each of next 8 sps between tr,* rep from * to * twice more, [2 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc] in next 2 ch-sp, crochet 1 dc in each of next 6 sps between tr, sl st in 1st ch at beg of rnd 4. Fasten off.

To make up

Arrange 100 crochet blocks randomly in 10 rows of 10 blocks each. Crochet the following circle (it appears as a square when it is completed) where the corners of four different blocks come together: using 7mm crochet hook, make knot (step 1, below), crochet 3 ch, push crochet hook through 2 ch-sp of block 1 (step 2), 1 tr in knot made (step 3), another 2 tr in same knot (step 4), push crochet hook through 2 ch-sp of block 2, 1 tr in knot made, another 2 tr in same knot (step 5), push crochet hook through 2 chsp of block 3, 1 tr in knot made, another 2 tr in same knot (step 6), push crochet hook through 2 ch-sp of block 4, 1 tr in knot made, another 2 tr in same knot, push crochet hook through 2 upper loops at top of 1st tr made, then through 2 chsp of block 1 (step 7) and work sl st through all 4 loops on crochet hook.

Fasten off.

Crochet the following circle along the edge of the blanket between two corners of blocks: using 7mm crochet hook, make a knot (step 1), crochet 3 ch, push crochet hook through 2 ch-sp of block 1 (step 2), 1 tr in knot made (step 3), another 2 tr in same knot (step 4), push crochet hook through 2 ch-sp of block 2, 1 tr in knot made, another 9 tr in same knot, push crochet hook through 2 upper loops at top of 1st tr made, then through 2 ch-sp of block 1 (step 7) and work sl st through all 4 loops on crochet hook. Fasten off. Darn in all the loose yarn ends.

Bolster cushion in any size

You will need

• Sufficient scraps of yarn in chunky, double knit and 4-ply

• 5mm crochet hook

• Tapestry needle

• Scissors

• Bolster cushion inner

• Measuring tape

• Dressmaker’s pins

Before you begin

• Use one strand of chunky and double knit, but two strands of 4-ply.

• Change the wool colours as required.

To measure

Use a measuring tape to measure the circumference of the cushion (measurement 1), as well as the length (measurement 2) and diameter (measurement 3).

Abbreviations

ch chain stitch

rep repeat

rnd(s) round(s)

sl st slip stitch

sp(s) space(s)

tr treble

To crochet ‘body’ of cushion

Using 5mm crochet hook, crochet ch to the length of measurement 1.

Row 1: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in 4th ch from crochet hook, crochet 1 tr in each ch to end of chain length, turn.

Row 2: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in each tr to end of row, turn.

Row 3 and onwards: Rep row 2 until work is the same length as measurement 2. Fasten off.

To crochet 2 circles at cushion ends Using 5mm crochet hook, crochet 3 ch.

TIP Use knot as in photograph (step 1) of patchwork blanket to start with circle. Crochet circle only to same diameter as measurement 3. Change colours as and if required.

Rnd 1: Crochet 11 tr in 1st ch (of knot; as in step 1), sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 2: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, crochet 2 tr in each tr of rnd 1, sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 3: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, *1 tr in next tr, 2 tr in next tr,* rep from * to * to end of rnd, sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 4: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, *1 tr in each of next 2 tr, 2 tr in next tr,* rep from * to * to end of rnd, sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 5: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, *1 tr in each of next 3 tr, 2 tr in next tr,* rep from * to * to end of rnd, sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 6: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, *1 tr in each of next 4 tr, 2 tr in next tr,* rep from * to * to end of rnd, sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 7: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, *1 tr in each of next 5 tr, 2 tr in next tr,* rep from * to * to end of rnd, sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 8: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, *1 tr in each of next 6 tr, 2 tr in next tr,* rep from * to * to end of rnd, sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 9: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, *1 tr in each of next 7 tr, 2 tr in next tr,* rep from * to * to end of rnd, sl st in 3rd ch made.

Rnd 10: Crochet 3 ch, crochet 1 tr in same sp as sl st, *1 tr in each of next 8 tr, 2 tr in next tr,* rep from * to * to end of rnd, sl st in 3rd ch made. Fasten off only when diameter of circle matches measurement 3.

To make up

Place crocheted piece around bolster cushion and sew up seam of body using the tapestry needle and a scrap of yarn. Pin circles with dressmaker’s pins to ends of cushion. Sl st each circle to body of cushion. Fasten off.

Darn in all loose yarn ends.

— Gallo Images