Sectional Blanket 5: Xs and Os

Welcome to Week 5 of the Sectional Blanket mystery crochet along! This week, we will crochet our fifth section, which I’ve called Xs and Os, using a combination of the crossed double crochet (also known as the x-stitch) and single crochet combined with chain spaces. This stitch combination creates an interesting look without being too lacy for our final blanket.

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Materials for this project were generously provided by WeCrochet.

Join the Sectional Mystery Crochet Along!

  • Learn more about the CAL (and enter to win the end-of-CAL giveaways by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on December 31, 2022) in this blog post.
  • You can join in by crocheting along with each section of this blanket as you have time.
  • Sign up for my newsletter here so you never miss a clue!
  • Share your progress and post pictures of your finished projects. Tag your projects and posts #undergroundcrafter and #sectionalblanketcal on all social media. You can also tag me as Underground Crafter on Facebook, or as @ucrafter on Instagram and Twitter when you’re sharing project pictures.
  • If you decide to donate sections locally or to Warm Up America directly, USE THIS FORM to track your donations and to enter a special Sectional Blanket giveaway through December 31, 2022! If you donate sections or a complete blanket, you can also use the #warmupamerica hashtag.
  • If you’d like to chat with other crocheters, join the Underground Crafters Facebook group or the Underground Crafter Ravelry group.
  • By the end of the CAL, you’ll have your own beautiful throw blanket to cuddle up underneath, or to donate!
  • Use the button below on your Ravelry project pages or elsewhere on social media. Right click (on desktop) or tap and hold (on mobile) to save.

If you make your own Xs and Os Section, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter, Instragram as @ucrafter, or Twitter as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!

Add the Xs and Os Section to your favorites or queue, or buy the ad-free PDF on Ravelry.

Underground Crafter on Ravelry

Sectional Blanket Week 5: Xs and Os

Crochet Pattern by Underground Crafter

Updated April 9, 2022

The Sectional Blanket is a mystery crochet along in 7″ x 9″ (18 cm x 23 cm) sections, the size preferred by our charity partner, Warm Up America. New clues will be released on Fridays through December 16, 2022. If you decide to donate sections locally or to Warm Up America directly, USE THIS FORM to track your donations and to enter a special Sectional Blanket giveaway through December 31, 2022!

Finished Size

  • Throw Blanket, approximately 49″ x 63″ (124.5 cm x 160 cm) without borders.

Materials

  • WeCrochet Brava Worsted yarn (100% acrylic, 3 oz/100 g, 218 yd/200 m): 18 skeins in your choice of colors, or approximately 3,750 yards/3,429 meters in any medium weight yarn.
    • I am using the following colors for my version:
      • Color A/28437 Marina,
      • Color B/29246 Tidal Speckle,
      • Color C/28454 Tranquil,
      • Color D/29247 Snow Day Speckle,
      • Color E/28422 Cornflower,
      • Color F/28419 Clarity, and
      • Color G/28451 Sky.
  • WeCrochet Majestic US Size I-9/5.5 mm crochet hook, or size that matches gauge or you prefer using with medium weight yarn.
  • WeCrochet locking stitch marker set (optional, but helpful for marking the front and holding pieces together for seaming).
  • WeCrochet bent-tip yarn needle.

Gauge

  • 20 dc = 6″ (15 cm) across. Exact gauge is not critical for this project. If you plan to donate your finished sections to Warm Up America, please note that finished sections must measure 7″ x 9″ (18 cm x 23 cm).

Sectional Blanket Pattern Notes

  • Whenever possible, I recommend crocheting over your yarn tails as you work. Sometimes, a stitch pattern will be too lacy to effectively crochet over your yarn tails. In that case, I recommend weaving in ends.
    • Fiber Flux has a helpful video tutorial for crocheting over your yarn tails as you work here.
    • Stitches n Scraps has helpful video and photo tutorials for 3 ways of weaving in ends here. I use the yarn (tapestry) needle method.
  • Color changes are only suggestions. You are welcome to change colors more or less often.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

  • BL – back loop only – Fiber Flux has a helpful video for identifying the back loop here.
  • cdc – crossed double crochet – Sk st, dc in next st, dc in skipped st. Each cdc counts as 2 sts. A helpful video tutorial for this stitch is available below.
  • If you can’t see the video tutorial for the cdc above, click here to watch it on YouTube.
  • CE – Color E
  • ch – chain
  • dc – double crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • rep – repeat
  • sc – single crochet
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • sp – space
  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • *Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.
  • [] Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.
  • () Work instructions in parentheses into same stitch or space.

Notes for Section 5

  • Ch 1 at beginning of Rows and Rounds and sl st joins do not count as a stitches.
  • Color changes are only suggestions. You are welcome to change colors more or less often. For this section, my Color E is WeCrochet Brava Worsted yarn in 28422 Cornflower and I used approximately 75 yd (68.5 m).
  • There are several ways to crochet into chain spaces. See four methods in the video below.
  • If you can’t see the video above demonstrating how to crochet into a chain space, click here to watch it on YouTube.

Pattern Instructions

Section 5: Xs and Os

  • With CE, ch 21.
  • Row 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, sc in next 20 ch. (20 sts)
  • Row 2: Turn, ch 3 (counts as dc), cdc across to last st, dc in next st.
  • Row 3: Turn, ch 1, sc in first st and in each st across.
  • Row 4: Turn, ch 1, sc in first st, [ch 1, skip 1 st, sc in next st] across to last st, sc in next st.
  • Row 5: Turn, ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, [sc in next ch-1 sp, sc in next st] across to last st.
  • Rep Rows 2-5, ending after Row 2, 3, or 5 when section measures approximately 8″ (20.5 cm) tall.
  • Next Row: Turn, ch 1, sc in first st and in each st across.
  • Begin working in Rounds for Border.
  • Border Round 1: Turn, ch 1, sc in same st and in each st across Next Row, *ch 2, turn to work along long edge, evenly work 28 sc along long edge,** ch 2, turn to work along foundation row, sc in next 20 sts, rep from * to **, ch 2, join with sl st to first sc. (20 sts on each short side + 28 sts on each long side + 4 ch-2 sp)
  • Border Round 2: Ch 1, starting in same st [scBL in next 20 sts, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp, scBL in next 28 sts, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp] twice, join with sl st to first sc. (22 sts on each short side + 30 sts on each long side + 4 ch-2 sp)
  • Fasten off with long yarn tail (approximately 30″/76 cm) for seaming.
© 2022 by Marie Segares (Underground Crafter). This pattern is for personal use only. You may use the pattern to make unlimited items for yourself, for charity, or to give as gifts. You may sell items you personally make by hand from this pattern. Do not violate Marie’s copyright by distributing this pattern or the photos in any form, including but not limited to scanning, photocopying, emailing, or posting on a website or internet discussion group. If you want to share the pattern, point your friends to this link: https://undergroundcrafter.com/2022/02/11/sectional-blanket-5/. Thanks for supporting indie designers!

Leave a Comment

Subscribe to the newsletter to get my secrets and access to the subscriber vault!

5 Secrets for Improving Your Crochet Skills