My regular blog readers know I have a soft spot in my heart for baby blankets. I actually love crocheting blankets in general, but by the time I get about halfway through a full sized blanket, I’m usually questioning my own sanity. Baby blankets are much faster to make, and they always seem to be cherished by parents and babies alike.
Last year, one of my dearest friends was expecting her first born, and I knew I had to make something special. I had recently finished the sample for the Checkerboard Cable Scarf that was published in Love of Knitting‘s Holiday, 2013 issue.
This post contains affiliate links. The yarn for the sample was generously provided by King Cole.
The generous folks at King Cole had sent me quite a lot more Merino Blend Aran than what was required for the scarf, and I knew my friend was having a boy.
The white and blue seemed like just the right colors for his blanket, and the easy care of the superwash wool seemed a great fit for a newborn.
I used double-ended crochet because it looks great – but different – on both sides, and it makes a nice, thick blanket. After all, Tadley was due in late December, so I thought he might need something very warm for his stroller or car seat during the winter.
To combat the love-hate relationship I develop with all of my crocheted blankets during the last few rows, I crocheted this on the bias, increasing towards the center and then decreasing until the end. Once I reached the center, each row was shorter than the one before it, so finishing the blanket was a breeze.
Well, almost a breeze. On the last few rows, I ran out of yarn. I ordered one extra skein in each color, and by some strange miracle, both skeins were from the same dye lots as the yarn I received from King Cole almost five months before.
This blanket is very lush and thick, and works equally well as a playmat in the spring or a stroller blanket in the winter. Gauge isn’t critical, and it can be easily resized (though you may need more or less yarn).
I used a flexible double-ended crochet hook made from my Denise2Go interchangeable crochet hook set, but my pattern testers used other types of double-ended crochet hooks, including long, straight hooks. Enjoy!
Tadley’s Diagonal Blanket
Double-Ended Crochet Pattern
by Underground Crafter
A simple reversible project crocheted on the bias with a double-ended crochet hook!
Finished Size: Adjustable. Photographed sample is 36” (91.5 cm) square.
Materials:
- King Cole Merino Blend Aran (100% superwash wool, 1.75 oz/50 g/88 yd/80 m) – 10 skeins each in Denim 778 (CA) and in Aran 776 (CB), or approximately 840-1,000 yd (770-915 m) in each of 2 colors in any medium/worsted weight yarn.
- I/9 5.5 mm flexible double-ended crochet hook, or size needed to obtain gauge. (I recommend the Denise2Go Crochet for a Cure 2-Hook Set.)
- Yarn needle.
Gauge: 18 sts x 18 rows in Tss = 4” (10 cm). Exact gauge is not critical for this project.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern:
- CA – color A
- CB – color B
- ch – chain
- ea – each
- rep – repeat
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- sc – single crochet
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – sts
- Tfs – Tunisian full stitch (used to increase 1 st in this pattern) – Insert hook under horizontal bar (between 2 vertical bars), yo and draw up loop onto hook.
- Tss – Tunisian single stitch – Insert hook under next vertical bar, yo and draw up loop onto hook.
- Tss2tog – Tunisian simple stitch 2 together (used to decrease 1 st in this pattern) – Insert hook under next 2 vertical bars, yo and draw up loop onto hook.
- yo – yarn over
Pattern notes:
- Always sk first vertical bar (below first loop on hook) at beginning of row.
- Blanket is crocheted in rows on the bias, increasing to the center and then decreasing to end. Border is crocheted in the round.
- Weaving in ends in double-ended crochet projects can be challenging. Change colors at beginning or end of rows when possible.
- For edging, a stitch marker or piece of scrap yarn can be used to indicate corner st.
Pattern Instructions
Blanket
- With CA, ch 3.
- Set Up Row: Sk 1st ch. (Insert hook in next ch, yo and pull up a loop) twice. (3 loops)
Increase stitch count to center
- Row 1: Slide loops to other hook, turn, with CB, ch 1, *yo and draw through 2 loops; rep from * across.
- Row 2: Tfs in first sp between vertical bars, Tss in each vertical bar across to last sp, Tfs, Tss in last st. (Increase by 2 sts)
- Row 3: Slide loops to other hook, turn, with CA, ch 1, *yo and draw through 2 loops; rep from * across.
- Row 4: Rep Row 2.
- Rep Rows 1-4 until sides measures approximately 34”/86 cm (or desired length), ending after Row 3.
Decrease stitch count to end
- Row 5: Tss2tog, Tss in ea vertical bar across to last 3 sts, Tss2tog, Tss in last st. (Decrease by 2 sts)
- Row 6: Rep Row 1.
- Row 7: Rep Row 5.
- Row 8: Rep Row 3.
- Rep Rows 5-8 until 3 sts remain on hook, ending after Row 3.
- Final Row: With CB, (insert hook in next vertical bar as for Tss, yo, draw through both loops on hook) twice. Fasten off.
Edging
- Rnd 1: Facing side where CA is more prominent, join CB with sc in corner, 2 sc in same st, *sc in edge st of ea row across to next corner,** 3 sc in corner; rep from * around twice, then from * to ** once. Fasten off.
- Rnd 2: Turn, facing side where CB is more prominent, join CA with sc in corner st, 2 sc in same st, *sc in each st around to next corner,** 3 sc in corner; rep from * around twice, then from * to ** once. Fasten off.
- Rnd 3: Rep Edging Rnd 1.
- Rnd 4: Rep Rnd 2.
- With yarn needle, weave in ends.
I love this. I want to make it for my project Linus group. How can I print this pattern.
Kelly, you are welcome to print the pattern directly from the website. I would love to see pictures when you’re finished!
A really handsome (!) blanket. Handsome because, in my opinion, cute or beautiful does not do it here.
Thanks for the kind words, Hanne! If you make one, I’d love to see pictures.