Lemon Peel Stitch Blanket

This colourful Lemon Peel Stitch Blanket is a simple and relaxing crochet project made using six shades of Paintbox Simply Aran. I used a 6mm crochet hook and worked the blanket in six-row colour stripes, finishing it with a simple two-round border.

Lemon Peel Stitch creates a lovely textured fabric by alternating double crochet and treble crochet stitches. The finished fabric has plenty of texture without large holes, making it particularly well suited to cosy blankets.

This is a project from my crochet journal rather than a formal, graded pattern, so I have included the stitch and colour information I used to make my blanket. I no longer have the finished measurements, but the details below should give you a good starting point if you’d like to make something similar.

Yarn and Materials

  • Paintbox Simply Aran, 100% acrylic – 1 x 100g ball of each of the six colours
  • 6mm crochet hook
  • Tapestry needle
  • Scissors

I used the following Paintbox Simply Aran colours:

  • 220 Banana Cream
  • 242 Tea Rose
  • 200 Paper White
  • 254 Peach Orange
  • 243 Raspberry Pink
  • 250 Bubblegum Pink

About the Lemon Peel Stitch

Lemon Peel Stitch is a simple combination of double crochet and treble crochet stitches worked alternately across each row. On subsequent rows, the stitches are worked into the opposite stitch from the row below, creating the characteristic textured surface.

If you’d like to learn more about the stitch, including how to work it and ideas for using it in other projects, see my Lemon Peel Stitch guide.

Making the Blanket

I started with a foundation chain of 106 stitches, giving 104 stitches in the first row. I then worked the Lemon Peel Stitch in rows, changing colour every six rows.

Close up of the lemon peel blanket in progress

Foundation Chain

Chain 106.

Row 1

  • Work 1 dc in the 4th ch from the hook.
  • Work 1 tr in the next ch.
  • Work 1 dc in the next ch.
  • Continue alternating dc and tr across the row.
  • Finish with a dc. [104 sts]

Row 2

  • Turn. Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr).
  • Work 1 dc in the next st.
  • Work 1 tr in the next st.
  • Continue alternating dc and tr across the row, ensuring that the dc is worked into a tr from the row below and the tr is worked into a dc from the row below. [104 sts]

Subsequent Rows

Repeat Row 2, maintaining 104 stitches in each row.

Colour Stripe Pattern

Each colour stripe is made up of six rows. I used 16 stripes in the following order:

  1. Banana Cream – 6 rows
  2. Raspberry Pink – 6 rows
  3. Tea Rose – 6 rows
  4. Peach Orange – 6 rows
  5. Paper White – 6 rows
  6. Bubblegum Pink – 6 rows
  7. Raspberry Pink – 6 rows
  8. Banana Cream – 6 rows
  9. Peach Orange – 6 rows
  10. Tea Rose – 6 rows
  11. Paper White – 6 rows
  12. Raspberry Pink – 6 rows
  13. Peach Orange – 6 rows
  14. Bubblegum Pink – 6 rows
  15. Banana Cream – 6 rows
  16. Tea Rose – 6 rows

Changing Colour

I changed colour at the end of every six-row stripe, fastening off the old colour and joining the next colour at the beginning of the following row.

The Border

I finished the blanket with a simple two-round border, using double crochet for the first round and treble crochet for the second.

Border Round 1

  • Join yarn in any corner.
  • Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch).
  • Along the top and bottom edges: Work 1 dc into each stitch.
  • Along the sides: Work 1 dc around the post of the end stitch of each row. Continue working 1 dc around the post of each row along the side of the blanket.
  • At each corner: Work 3 dc into the corner stitch to turn neatly.
  • Join with a ss to the first dc.
  • Do not turn.

Border Round 2

  • Ch 3 (does not count as a stitch).
  • Work 1 tr into each stitch around the blanket.
  • Work 3 tr into the centre stitch of each corner.
  • Join with a ss to the first tr.
  • Fasten off and weave in the ends.

A Simple Stitch with Lots of Possibilities

I really like Lemon Peel Stitch for blankets because it creates a textured fabric without large holes, while still being simple enough to work without having to concentrate on a complicated stitch pattern.

The stitch would also work well for cushions, scarves, washcloths and other projects where you want a little texture without an open, lacy fabric.

If you’d like to explore the stitch further, take a look at my Lemon Peel Stitch guide. I’ve also used the stitch to create a Lemon Peel Square, which is another way to use this versatile stitch.