I have wanted to make a crochet patchwork quilt style blanket with solid colour squares for a long time, but did not want to use Granny Squares or traditional corner-to-corner squares. Instead I wanted something that looked modern. After a play around making several swatches and samples I came up with these Crochet Patchwork Squares, which are very simply joined to each other. I loved the way that each square was joined to the next as I went along, and the corners and sides worked out wonderfully straight – so straight that I decided not to have a border, which meant that it retained its modern and contemporary look.

Instructions

This blanket is worked in vertical strips. You start with making the first strip and then you add subsequent strips whilst joining to the previous strip as you go along. Each vertical strip is worked in 12 colour blocks, each made up of 14 rows. The blanket is worked in Half Treble Crochet (htr in UK terms, or hdc in US terms), and is worked in groups of two half treble stitches (htr clusters).

Notes on joining (do a practice sample first)

Once you have made the first vertical strip, you will be then be adding subsequent strips using a slip stitch join-as-you-go. I recommend that you try out this joining method in advance of starting the whole blanket. Do this by making two squares in the first vertical strip and then practice joining the next vertical strip using the slip stitch join-as-you-go described below in Fig. 7 to Fig. 32. There is now a video showing the joining method and this can be found here.

Materials

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For my sample blanket I used Stylecraft Special DK 100% Acrylic yarn in nine colours, using 100g/295m of each colour. This blanket would work brilliantly as a stash-buster to use up your leftovers. You can purchase this yarn here.

I named this project the Rainforest Crochet Patchwork Squares Blanket owing to the colours that I used.

Abbreviations/Crochet terminology:

UK terms are used throughout. 

ss         slip stitch

htr       half treble crochet

ch        chain

*to*     instructions between asterisks will be repeated as specified

Stitch Guide/Conversion Guide

Instructions for the 1st vertical strip

Foundation Row – Using yarn A (Cypress) chain 17 (Fig 1);

Row 1 – 2htr in 3rd ch from the hook, *skip 1 ch, 2htr in next ch*, repeat from *to* until last 2 chains, skip ch, 1htr in last chain, (Fig 2) ch2, turn;

Row 2 – for row 2 and subsequent rows you will be working in the spaces between the htr clusters from the row below as follows: 2htr in first space (the first space is between the single htr worked at the end of row 1 and the 2htr), 2htr in each space until the last space (in between the 2htr and turning chain from the row below), insert 1htr in this last space, (Fig 3) ch2 turn;

Row 3 – 2htr in 1st space, 2htr in each space until last space, 1htr in last space, ch2, turn;

Rows 4-13 – repeat row 3;

Row 14 – repeat as for row 3 but when you come to the working the last htr, stop before the final yarn over (Fig 4) and introduce yarn B (Parchment) for the final yarn over (Fig 5);

Rows 15-27 – work as for row 3, using yarn B (Parchment) (Fig 6);

Row 28 – work as for row 14, introducing the new colour (yarn C – Grape) on the last yarn over;

Subsequent Rows – continue to work 14 rows in each colour until you have completed 12 colour blocks (you should have a total of 168 rows for the first vertical strip).

Colour order for the first vertical strip

Instructions for the 2nd Vertical Strip

The second strip is worked whilst joining to the 1st vertical strip. A video tutorial for the joining method can be found here.

Foundation Row – Using yarn G (Pistachio) (Fig 7), attach to the end of the foundation row with a ss (placement indicated in Fig 8) of the 1st vertical strip (Fig 9), chain 17 (Fig 10);

Row 1 – 2htr in 3rd ch from the hook, *skip 1 ch, 2htr in next ch*, repeat from *to* until last 2 chains, skip ch, 1htr in last chain (Fig 11), ss into row 1 of the 1st vertical strip (around the post of the end stitch) (Fig 13) (placement indicated in Fig 12), ch1 (Fig 14), ss in row 2 of the 1st vertical strip (around the post of the end stitch) (Fig 16) (placement indicated in Fig 15), turn (Fig 17);

Row 2 – for row 2 and subsequent rows you will be working in the spaces between the htr clusters from the row below. 2htr in the space between the single htr and the first group of 2htr from the row below (Fig 18), 2htr in each space until the last space (in between the 2htr and turning chain from the row below), insert 1htr in this last space, (Fig 19) ch2 turn (Fig 20);

Row 3 – 2htr in 1st space, 2htr in each space until last space, 1htr in last space (Fig 21), ss into row 3 of the 1st vertical strip (around the post of the end stitch) (Fig 23) (placement indicated in Fig 22), ch1 (Fig 24), ss in row 4 of the 1st vertical strip (around the post of the end stitch) (Fig 26) (placement indicated in Fig 25), turn (Fig 27);

Rows 4-13 – repeat as for row 3, ss into the corresponding row from vertical strip 1 at the end of each odd numbered row, ch1 and ss into the row above to start an even numbered row;

Row 14 – repeat as for row 3 but when you come to the working the last htr, stop before the final yarn over and introduce yarn E (Pale Rose) for the final yarn over (Fig 30);

Rows 15-27 – work as for row 3, using yarn E (Pale Rose) (Fig 31 & 32).

Colour order for the second vertical strip

Continue working the 2nd Vertical Strip in the following colour order:

Subsequent Vertical Strips

Continue to add vertical strips as per the instructions for the second vertical strip, until you have a total of 12 vertical strips.

Colour order for vertical strips 3-12

Weave in all of your ends! Add a border if you wish, I decided not to add one.

Enjoy your blanket.