Dolphin Blue Granny Square Blanket

This is a beautifully simple but stunning blanket.  It is made up of 64 Granny Squares joined together using the join-as-you-go method. Each Granny Square is made up of a single colour.  The pattern requires double knit yarn in seven different colours, but can easily be adapted if you prefer to use more or less colours.  The finished item is approximately 107cm by 107cm, but the pattern can be easily adapted to bigger or smaller if desired.

This sample is made from Paintbox Simply DK Acrylic yarn – you can purchase this yarn here.

Materials

Crochet Hook:  4mm or size needed to achieve gauge 
Yarn:DK weight yarn in seven colours, 276m for each of six colours and 828m of a joining colour.   

The sample uses Paintbox Simply DK in:
Seafoam Blue (131) (A) – (100g/276m), 
Washed Teal (132) (B)  – (100g/276m)  
Pistachio Green (124) (C) – (100g/276m), 
Stormy Grey (104) (D) – (100g/276m), 
Pale Lilac (145) (E) – (100g/276m) 
Banana Cream (120) (F) – (100g/276m) 
Dolphin Blue (136) (G) – (300g/828m) 

You can purchase this yarn here.
Notions:Scissors
Needle to weave in ends 
Finished size:Approximately 107cm x 107cm 
Skill Level:Suitable for beginners 
Gauge:5 rounds in pattern = 11cm x 11cm, adjust hook size as necessary  Gauge is not critical for this project, but may affect yarn quantities  
Gauge: 5 rounds 11cm x 11cm

Abbreviations/Crochet terminology:

UK terms are used throughout. 

Ss         slip stitch

Tr         treble crochet

Ch        chain

Beg-ch beginning chain

*to*     instructions between asterisks will be repeated as specified

Notes on the Granny Square:

The pattern is based on the traditional Granny Square.  The Granny Square uses groups of treble crochet to form ‘treble clusters’. It is a really simple technique and suitable for a beginner. There are many different ways to make a Granny Square – this pattern has two chain stitches in each corner. The pattern also suggests you turn the work over after each round – I find this helps to keep the square even and it also makes the work reversible. 

How to crochet a single colour Granny Square

Video tutorial can be found here.

Written Instructions:

Foundation ch4, join with ss in first ch to form a ring (alternatively you can use a magic ring).

Round 1 Ch3 (counts as first tr), 2tr in ring, (ch2, 3tr) 3 times, ch2, join with ss in 3rd ch of beg-ch.  Turn work over, ss into ch2 corner space that you just formed.

[4 treble clusters]

Round 2 Ch3 (counts as first tr), 2tr into same space, *(3tr, ch2, 3tr) in next ch2 corner space*, repeat from *to* twice more, 3tr in corner space where you started, ch2, ss into 3rd ch of beg-ch. Turn work over ss into ch2 corner space that you just formed.

[8 treble clusters]

Round 3 Ch3 (counts as first tr), 2tr into same space, *3tr in space formed between the treble clusters from round 2, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in next ch2 corner space*, repeat from *to* twice more, 3tr in space formed between the treble clusters from round 2, 3tr in corner space where you started, ch2, ss into 3rd ch of beg-ch. Turn work over ss into ch2 corner space that you just formed.

[12 treble clusters]

Round 4 Ch3 (counts as first tr), 2tr into same space, *3tr in next two spaces formed between the treble clusters from round 3, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in next ch2 corner space*, repeat from *to* twice more, 3tr in the next two spaces formed between the treble clusters from round 3, 3tr in corner space where you started, ch2, ss into 3rd ch of beg-ch. Turn work over ss into ch2 corner space that you just formed.

[16 treble clusters]

Round 5 Ch3 (counts as first tr), 2tr into same space, *3tr in each space formed between the treble clusters from previous round, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in next ch2 corner space*, repeat from *to* twice more, 3tr in each space formed between the treble clusters from the previous round, 3tr in corner space where you started, ch2, ss into 3rd ch of beg-ch. Fasten off and weave in ends.

[20 treble clusters]

You will need to make a total of 64 squares – 10 in A (Seafoam Blue) and B (Washed Teal) and 11 in C (Pistachio Green), D (Stormy Grey), E (Pale Lilac) and F (Banana Cream).

Arrangement of Granny Squares

Arrange the squares as follows:

Arrangement of granny squares

Joining the squares:

For this blanket I used the join-as-you go joining method. This meant that as I worked a sixth round of each granny square using colour G (Dolphin Blue) I joined to the adjacent square using a slip stitch. Alternatively you can complete the sixth round in G (Dolphin Blue) and then crochet or sew the squares together. Details on the how I do the join-as-you-go method can be found here.

Border:

The border is simply 3 rounds of treble clusters worked in the same way as for the Granny Squares.

Continue to turn the work over after each round. Start round 1 of the border on the side that you consider to be the front of the blanket.

Round 1. Using Dolphine Blue (G)

Pull up a loop in any chain 2 corner space. Ch3 (counts as first tr), 2tr into same space, 3tr in next five spaces formed between the treble clusters from the round below, work 3 trebles in the slip stitch that joined the two squares below, continue working around the blanket working in this way and work (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in each corner.  When you reach the corner you started work 3tr ch2, ss into 3rd ch of beg-ch, do not fasten off.

Rounds 2. Turn work over ss into ch2 corner space that you just formed. Ch3 (counts as first tr), 2tr into same space, work 3tr in each space formed between the treble clusters from the round below, continue working around the blanket working (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in each corner.  When you reach the corner you started work 3tr ch2, ss into 3rd ch of beg-ch, do not fasten off.

Round 3. Repeat round 2. When you have completed the round, fasten off and weave in the ends.