Mondrian Windows Blanket – inspired by beautiful quilt designs

Inspired by geometric patchwork quilt designs, this Mondrian Windows Blanket is made up of smaller squares joined together to make bigger squares. It is based on the disappearing 4 patch quilt design.

The result is a Mondrianesque feel, although the colour palette I have used is far from Mondrianesque.

The blanket consists of 9 big squares joined together. Each big square is made up of 4 smaller squares.

Materials

For my sample blanket I used Stylecraft Special DK 100% Acrylic yarn in 11 colours, using 100g/295m of each colour, except for midnight where 200g/590m was needed.

Crochet Hook: 4mm or size needed to achieve gauge.

Yarn: 3540m of DK weight yarn in eleven different colours,
The sample uses Stylecraft Special DK in:
Lincoln – (100g/295m), 
Cypress – (100g/295m)  
Sage – (100g/295m), 
Meadow – (100g/295m), 
Sherbert – (100g/295m), 
Duck Egg – (100g/295m),
Storm Blue – (100g/295m),
Pistachio – (100g/295m),
Lavender – (100g/295m)
Wisteria – (100g/295m)
Midnight (border colour) – (200g/590m), 

Notions: Scissors, Needle to weave in ends 

Finished size

Approximately 100cm x 95cm

Crochet Level

Intermediate

Gauge

1 small square as per pattern for the first square = 15cm x 14cm approximately, adjust hook size as necessary  Gauge is not critical for this project, but may affect yarn quantities.

Abbreviations/Crochet terminology

Pattern is written in UK terms. 

Stitch Guide/US Conversion Guide

Colour order

If you want to follow my colour order you can find this here. Alternatively you could pick your colours at random.

Instructions for the Mondrian Windows Blanket

STEP 1 – Making the small squares

There are 36 small squares to make, 9 of each design (A, B, C, D).

Instructions for making square A

The written pattern with photos are provided below, but if you would prefer a video tutorial to make this square you can find this here.

Foundation Row – Using yarn ‘a’ 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), turn;

Row 2 – ch2 (counts as 1htr). 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), turn;

Row 3 – ch2 (counts as 1htr), 2htr in 1st space, 2htr in each space until last space, 1htr in last space (Fig 4), ch2, turn;

Rows 4-12 – repeat row 3;

Row 12 – repeat as for row 3 but when you come to the working the last htr, stop before the final yarn over and introduce yarn ‘b’ for the final yarn over (Fig 6);

Row 13 – work as for row 3 with new colour ‘b’ (Fig 7);

Rows 14 -18 – work as for row 3, using yarn ‘b’;

Row 18 – work as for row 3, fastening off at the end of the row (Fig 8). Secure the ends of the yarn – I knotted the two ends securely (Fig 9 ).

Next vertical strip

You will now be adding colour blocks to the right of colour blocks already worked.

Foundation Row – Using yarn ‘c’, attach to the end of the foundation row of the previous vertical strip (Fig 10), chain 9 (Fig 11);

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 (Fig 12), 1htr in last chain (placement indicated by needle in Fig 13), (Fig 14).

Joining – ss into row 1 of the 1st vertical strip (around the post of the end stitch) (Fig 16) (placement indicated in Fig 15), ch1 (Fig 17).

Ss in row 2 of the 1st vertical strip (around the post of the end stitch) (Fig 19) (placement indicated in Fig 18), turn (Fig 20).

If you need help with the slip-stitch join-as-you-go method, here is a video demonstration.

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 22) (placement shown by needle in Fig 21), 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 23) turn;

Row 3 – ch2 (counts as 1htr), 2htr in 1st space, 2htr in each space until last space, 1htr in last space, ss into row 3 of the 1st vertical strip (around the post of the end stitch), ch1, ss in row 4 of the 1st vertical strip (around the post of the end stitch), turn;

Rows 4-11 – 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 12 – repeat as for row 3 but when you come to the working the last htr, stop before the final yarn over and introduce yarn ‘d’ for the final yarn over (Fig 24);

Rows 13 -18 – work as for row 3, using yarn ‘d’ (Fig 25). On the final join at the start of row 18 ss into the top of the stitch rather than around the post of the stitch (Fig 26).

Make 9 of square A using different colour combinations.

Instructions for Square B.

Repeat instructions for Square A but work the number of rows of each colour according to Fig 27.

Make 9 of Square B.

Instructions for Square C.

Repeat instructions for Square A but work the number of rows of each colour according to Fig 28.

Make 9 of Square C.

Instructions for Square D.

Repeat instructions for Square A but work the number of rows of each colour according to Fig 29.

Make 9 of Square D.

Step 2 – Arrange the squares

The small squares need to be grouped as below in Fig 30. However I would recommend laying all of your squares out on the floor to ensure that the colours are balanced (Fig 31 and Fig 32)

It may take time to be happy with the colour arrangement. I went through many combinations before being happy with it – the arrangement in Fig 31 and Fig 32 were not my finished arrangements!

Step 3 – Joining the small squares

The next step is to join your small squares together in their groups of 4. You can join these however you want – I sewed my squares together using a mattress stitch.

When you have finished joining, you should have 9 big squares.

Step 4 – Add a border around your first big square

The next step is to add a border round your first big square. I used a darker colour (I used Stylecraft Special DK Midnight) to do this.

The border around the big squares is simply 2 rounds of htr clusters (which is the same stitch as that used in the small squares).

Instructions for this are as follows:

1. Turn the big square over so that the WS is facing you. Keep the squares C and D at the top.
2. Pull up a loop in the top right square (square C), ch2 (counts as 1htr), 1htr in the same corner space.
3. Work a htr cluster (a group of 2htr) in each space formed in between 2htr clusters of the row below, until you reach the next corner space. Make sure that you have worked 21 htr clusters at this point (including the cluster worked in the first corner space) (Fig 34).
4. Work [2htr, ch2, 2htr] in the corner space. You should now have 22 htr clusters along the top of the square.
5. Work along the 2nd side of the square (down the side of square D and then B) with htr clusters in each space, approximately a htr cluster in every other row – ensuring you have worked 18 htr clusters at this point (including the htr cluster worked in the corner at the top).
6. Work (2htr, ch2, 2htr) in the corner space. You should now have 19 htr clusters in total along this second side (including the htr clusters worked in each corner) (Fig 35).
7. Work along the bottom edge with htr clusters and then (2htr, ch2, 2htr) in the corner. You should ensure you have at total of 22 htr clusters along the bottom including those in the corner spaces (Fig 36).

8. Complete the 4th side. Work (2htr, ch2) in the corner space and ss into the top of the ch2 worked at the start to close the round. You should ensure you have a total of 19 htr clusters along the 4th side including those htr clusters in the corners (Fig 37).
9. Turn over so RS facing (Fig 38).

10. Ss back into the corner space just worked. Ch2 (counts as 1htr), 1htr in same corner space.
11. Continue around the square with htr clusters in each space and (2htr, ch2, 2htr) in each corner space until you reach back at the start of the round.
12. Work (2htr, ch2) in the corner space at the start of the round, ss into the top of the ch2 worked at the start to close the round (Fig 41).
13. Fasten off.

Step 5 – adding a border around the rest of the big squares whilst joining to the adjacent square

For subsequent squares add the border and on the second round of the border join the square to the adjacent big square using a join-as-you-go method. You can find a tutorial on how to do this method of joining here.

Alternatively, if you do not want to use the join-as-you-go joining method, you can complete the 2 rounds of the border on each of the squares and then sew the squares together.

Step 6 – Add a crochet border around the whole blanket

The border is simply 4 more rounds of the htr clusters, worked as follows:

1. Pull up a loop in any corner space. Ch2 (counts a 1htr), 1htr in the same corner space.
2. Work around the blanket with an htr cluster in each space, working (2htr, ch2, 2htr) in each corner space until reaching the corner space where you started. When you arrive back at the start of the round (2htr, ch2) in the corner space, ss to the top of the ch2 worked at the start of the round.
3. Turn the work over. Ss back into the corner space just worked, ch2 (counts as 1htr), 1htr in the same corner space, work around the blanket with htr clusters in each space and (2htr, ch2, 2htr) in each corner space. When you arrive back at the start of the round, (2htr, ch2) in the corner space, ss to the top of the ch2 worked at the start of the round.
4. Repeat No 3 twice more, so that you will have 4 rounds completed.
5. Fasten off.