Modern Crochet Rectangle Blanket

This modern take on the crochet Granny Square Blanket was a delight to design and make. You may have seen my pages on the Rectangle Granny. This is a blanket based on rectangles, but a modern updated rectangle design with each rectangle using a single colour, creating a contemporary feel.

Materials 

This has affiliate links.

Crochet Hook:  4mm or size needed to achieve gauge 
Yarn:DK weight yarn in five different colours, 100g/295m for each of four colours and 300g/875m in the fifth (joining) colour. 
The sample uses Stylecraft Special DK as follows:
Lime (A) – (100g/590m), 
Silver (B) – (100g/295m)  
Duck Egg (C) – (100g/295m), 
Cream (D) – (100g/295m), 
Graphite (E) – (300g/875m), 

You can purchase this yarn here.
Notions:Scissors
Needle to weave in ends 
Finished size:Approximately 88cm x 112cm, the actual size of your blanket will depend on your tension (how tightly you crochet) 
 Skill Level: Suitable for beginners 
Gauge:Rectangle made as constructed in the pattern = 4cm x 15.5cm, adjust hook size as necessary  Gauge is not critical for this project, but may affect yarn quantities  

Abbreviations/Crochet terminology:

UK terms are used throughout. 

ss         slip stitch

dc double crochet

htr       half treble crochet

ch        chain

beg-ch beginning chain

*to*     instructions between asterisks will be repeated as specified

Stitch Guide/Conversion Guide

UK termUK abbreviationUS termUS AbbreviationDescription
Double CrochetdcSingle CrochetscInsert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch (2 loops on hook), yarn over hook, pull through remaining two loops to leave 1 loop on the hook
Half Treble CrochethtrHalf Double CrochethdcYarn over hook. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch (3 loops on hook), yarn over hook, pull through remaining three loops to leave 1 loop on the hook
Slip StitchssSlip StitchssInsert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch and through loop 
ChainchChainchYarn over hook, pull through loop

Making the Rectangles

You will need to make a total of 100 rectangles; 25 rectangles in each of Lime (A), Silver (B), Duck Egg (C) and Cream (D). Each rectangle consists of a chain of 21, 1 row of double crochet and then 2 rounds of half treble crochet (htr) clusters (made up of 2 half treble crochet stitches).

Video tutorial

A video tutorial for the Modern Rectangle can be found here.

The instructions for making the rectangles are as follows:

Foundation Rows and Round 1

1. Ch 21
2. Dc in 3rd chain from hook (insert in ‘back bump’ shown by needle in photo)
3. Dc all the way along to the end
4. Turn
5. Ch2 (counts as 1htr)
6. htr in the first stitch (first st – indicated by needle
7. Miss 1 stitch
7. Insert 2htr in next stitch (placement shown by needle)
9. *Miss 1 st, 2 htr in next* and repeat from *to* until the last stitch (which was the turning ch at the start)
10. Insert 2htr in the turning ch formed at the start
11. Placement shown by needle
12. [2ch, 2htr, 2ch, 2htr] in same space
13. Miss 1 st, insert 2htr in next (should be opposite another 2 htr)
14. *miss 1 st, 2htr in the next space*, repeat from *to* until the end of the row
15. ch2, insert 2htr in same space as 2htr made at the start of the round. (shown by needle). Ch2 and ss into top of beg-ch
16. Round 1 complete

Round 2

17. Turn the work over
18. Needle indicates where to insert the slip stitch
19. Ss in the ch2 corner space you have just formed
20. Needle placement indicates placement of next group of stitches
21. Insert 2htr, Ch2, 2htr in the ch2 corner space
22. Needle indicates placement of the htr cluster which is in the gaps between the htr clusters from the round below
23. Work your way along inserting 2htr in each space until you reach the next corner
24. Work [2htr, ch2, 2htr] in the corner space
25. Work [2htr, ch2, 2htr] in the next corner space
26. Work 2htr in each space along until you reach the start of the round. Work 2htr, ch2 in the corner where you started and ss into the beg-ch.

Continue to make 25 rectangles in each of the four colours.

Arrangement of Rectangles

You can arrange your rectangles as you please. I arranged mine as follows:

Joining the Granny Rectangles

The Rectangles are joined using the joining colour (E), which is Graphite in my sample. I used the join-as-you-go joining method, which meant that each rectangle was joined to the adjacent rectangle whilst the third round was added to each rectangle. The third round is worked in the same way as for the second round, but with an additional htr cluster along each side.

The join-as-you-go joining method is outlined here. The principles of this tutorial are adapted to apply to the rectangles rather than squares.

Joining the modern crochet rectangles

Border

The border is simply 6 rows of htr clusters (a group of 2 htr), all worked in the joining colour E (Graphite).

Border on the Modern Crochet Rectangle Blanket

Border round 1: Using yarn E (Graphite), pull up a loop in any ch2 corner space. Ch2 (counts as first htr), 1htr into same space, work along the side of the blanket inserting *2htr in each space formed between the htr clusters from the row below. When you come to the join between the two rectangles insert a htr cluster in the corner space of both the first rectangle and the second (see photo below). When you arrive at the corner of the blanket work (2htr, ch2, 2htr) in the corner* and then repeat from *to* until you reach the start of the round, 2htr in corner space where you started, ch2, ss into top of beg-ch.

Border on the Modern Crochet Rectangle Blanket

Border Round 2: Turn the blanket over, ss into the chain 2 corner space that you just formed. Ch2 (counts as 1htr), 1htr into same space, work along each side of the blanket working 2htr in each space formed between the treble clusters from the row below and working [2htr, ch2, 2htr] in each corner. When you reach the start of the round, 2htr in corner space where you started, ch, ss into the top of the beg-ch.

Border Round 3-6: Repeat Border Round 2.

Fasten off and weave in all ends. I don’t usually block my blankets, but you can do this if you wish.