I’m joining the Crochet for Pets Blog Hop with Sandra Stitches with the join-as-you-go granny squares pattern for the Scrappy Pet Blanket. The Scrappy Pet Blanket is ideal for a cat or small dog, and it’s also a great project for using up scrap yarn.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Yarn for the sample was generously provided by Lion Brand.
I’m excited to join Sandra Stitches for the Crochet for Pets Blog Hop. All the patterns in this blog hop are forever free, but each day there is a featured pattern PDF that you can download for free.
For my contribution to this blog hop, I decided to make a pattern using the yarn leftover from the Norma Hooded Cowl and the Tri-Color Slouch Hat. I love granny square projects because they are so portable and easy to work on while I’m on the go, and for this project, I wanted to use the join-as-you-go (JAYG) method for joining granny squares. I made all the centers at once, and then added the outer pieces and joined later. Because the finished blanket is so small, the entire project was still easy to work on during my bus commute.
Scroll down for the free pattern for the Scrappy Pet Blanket. Don’t forget to visit Sandra Stitches for the rest of the patterns in the Blog Hop.
The Scrappy Pet Blanket is the featured pattern in the Crochet for Pets Blog Hop for March 15, 2024. You can download the PDF version for free on Ravelry using coupon code SPB2024 through 8am Eastern on March 16, 2024, or use the Click Here for Ravelry button below to add the pattern with coupon code to your cart. Check that your cart is set to zero before checking out as there will be no refunds for accidental purchases.
Don’t forget to head back to the main blog post on Sandra Stitches to get the rest of the free pet patterns in the blog hop.
If you make your own Scrappy Pet Blanket, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter on on Instagram 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!
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Scrappy Pet Blanket
Join-As-You-Go Granny Squares Pattern by Underground Crafter
This join-as-you-go granny squares pattern is perfect for a small pet, including a cat or dog. It’s a great project for using up scrap yarn.
Finished Size
- Small Pet. 19” (48.5 cm) square.
Materials
- Lion Brand Jeans (100% acrylic, 3.5 oz/100 g, 246 yd/225 m) – 1 skein in 105V Faded (CA), or approximately 155 yd (142 m) in CA in any medium weight, machine washable yarn.
- Jeans is available online from Lion Brand | LoveCrafts
- Lion Brand Heartland (100% acrylic, 5 oz/142 g, 251 yd/230 m) – 1 skein each in 150T Mount Rainier (CB), 149R Great Smoky Mountains (CC), and 171M Cuyahoga Valley, or approximately 70 yd (64 m) in CB, 95 yd (87 m) in CC, and 60 yd (55 m) in any medium weight, machine washable yarn.
- Heartland is available online from Lion Brand | LoveCrafts | WeCrochet | JOANN
- US Size J-10/6 mm crochet hook, or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Yarn needle.
Gauge
- Motif = 6” (15 cm) in pattern. Exact gauge is not critical for this project.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- BL – back loop only – Fiber Flux has a helpful video tutorial demonstrating how to identify the back loop here.
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- CC – Color C
- CD – Color D
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- dc2tog – double crochet 2 stitches together (decrease) – [Yo, insert hook in next st, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops] twice, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook. A helpful photo tutorial for this stitch is available here.
- hdc – half double crochet
- rep – repeat
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- RS – right (front) side
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- WS – wrong (back) side
- yo – yarn over
- [] Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.
- * Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.
- + Repeat instructions after plus sign as indicated.
- () Work stitches between parentheses into same stitch or space.
Pattern Notes
- There are many ways to crochet into chain spaces. The video below demonstrates four different methods. I used the first method for the motifs, joining the motifs, Border Rnds 1-2, and the corner ch-2 spaces in Border Rnd 3. I used the third method for crocheting into the back loop of the ch-1 spaces in Border Rnd 3.
- If you can’t see the video tutorial demonstrating different ways to crochet into a chain space above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- If you’re new to the join-as-you-go method, you may find this tutorial helpful.
- Moogly has a helpful standing dc video tutorial here, or you can join with sl st, ch 1, dc in same st, and then continue the pattern for Rnd 6 and Border Rnd 1.
- Moogly has a helpful standing sc video tutorial here, or you can join with sl st, ch 1, sc in same st, and then continue the pattern for Border Rnd 2.
Pattern Instructions
Motif
Motif Center – Make 9 with CA
- Ch 4, skip 3 ch, join with sl st to next ch to form ring.
- Rnd 1: (RS) Ch 1, 12 dc in ring, join with sl st to first dc. (12 sts)
- Rnd 2: Ch 1, starting in first st [(sc, ch 1) in next st] around, join with sl st to first sc. (24 sts)
- Rnd 3: Ch 1, starting in first st [dc in next st, 2 dc in next ch-1 sp] around, join with sl st to first dc. (36 sts)
- Rnd 4: Ch 1, starting in first st [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next st] around, join with slstBL to first sc. (48 sts)
- Rnd 5: Ch 1, scBL in first st and in each st around, join with sl st to first st. Fasten off.
- With yarn needle, weave in ends.
First Outer Motif
- Rnd 6: Join CB with standing dc to any st on RS of Motif Center (see Pattern Notes), [*dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 3 sts,** ch 2, dc in next st] 3 times; rep from * to ** once, ch 1, join with sc (counts as second ch of ch-2 sp) to first dc.
- Rnd 7: Ch 1, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp, [*ch 1, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 3 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 2 sts,** (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner ch-2 sp] 3 times; rep from * to ** once, 3 dc in first ch-2 sp, ch 2, join with sl st to first dc. Fasten off CB. (60 dc + 4 ch-2 sp + 16 ch-1 sp)
Joining Remaining Motifs
- Use assembly diagram below for positioning and follow joining instructions.
Joining Second Motif (to First Motif)
- Rnd 7: With WS of current and finished Motif facing and working on current Motif, ch 1, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp, [*ch 1, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 3 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 2 sts,** (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner ch-2 sp] 2 times; rep from * to ** once, (3 dc, ch 1) in corner ch-2 sp, join with sc to corner ch-2 sp on finished Motif, 3 dc in ch-2 sp, join with sc to ch-1 sp on finished Motif, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, join with sc to ch-1 sp on finished Motif, skip 3 sts, 3 dc in next st, join with sc to ch-1 sp on first Motif, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, join with sc to ch-1 sp on finished Motif, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in corner ch-2 sp, join with sc to ch-2 sp on finished Motif, ch 1 in first ch-2 sp. Fasten off. (60 dc + 4 ch-2 sp + 16 ch-1 sp)
Joining Third Motif (to Second Motif)
- With CB, rep as for First Outer Motif through Rnd 6. Rep Rnd 7 as for Joining Second Motif.
Joining Fourth Motif (to First Motif)
- With CC, rep as for First Outer Motif through Rnd 6. Rep Rnd 7 as for Joining Second Motif.
Joining Fifth Motif (to Second and Fourth Motif)
- With CD, rep as for First Outer Motif through Rnd 6.
- Rnd 7: With WS of current and finished Motifs facing and working on current Motif, ch 1, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp, [*ch 1, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 3 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1, skip 2 sts,** (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner ch-2 sp] 2 times; (3 dc, ch 1) in corner ch-2 sp, +join with sc to corner ch-2 sp on finished Motif, 3 dc in ch-2 sp, join with sc to ch-1 sp on finished Motif, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, join with sc to ch-1 sp on finished Motif, skip 3 sts, 3 dc in next st, join with sc to ch-1 sp on first Motif, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, join with sc to ch-1 sp on finished Motif, skip 2 sts, 3 dc in corner ch-2 sp, join with sc to ch-2 sp on finished Motif,++ join with sc to ch-2 sp on next finished Motif, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp; rep from + to ++, ch 1, join with sl st to first dc. Fasten off. (60 dc + 4 ch-2 sp + 16 ch-1 sp)
Joining Sixth Motif (to Third and Fifth Motif)
- With CC, rep as for First Outer Motif through Rnd 6. Rep Rnd 7 as for Joining Fifth Motif.
Joining Seventh Motif (to Fourth Motif)
- With CB, rep as for First Outer Motif through Rnd 6. Rep Rnd 7 as for Joining Second Motif.
Joining Eighth Motif (to Fifth and Seventh Motif)
- With CC, rep as for First Outer Motif through Rnd 6. Rep Rnd 7 as for Joining Fifth Motif.
Joining Ninth Motif (to Sixth and Eighth Motif)
- With CB, rep as for First Outer Motif through Rnd 6. Rep Rnd 7 as for Joining Fifth Motif.
Border
- Border Rnd 1: Join CD with standing dc in any corner ch-2 sp on RS (see Pattern Notes), 3 dc in same ch-2 sp, *[ch 1, skip 3 sts, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp] 4 times, ch 1, skip 3 sts,** dc in next ch-2 sp, dc2tog in same ch-2 sp and next ch-2 sp, dc in second ch-2 sp; rep from * to ** once,+ (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner ch-2 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at +, (3 dc, ch 2) in first corner ch-2 sp, join with sl st to first dc. Fasten off CD.
- Border Rnd 2: Join CC with standing sc in any corner ch-2 sp on RS (see Pattern Notes), [scBL in each st and ch-1 sp (see Pattern Notes) across to corner ch-2 sp,** (sc, ch 2, sc) in corner ch-2 sp] around, ending last rep at **, sc in first ch-2 sp, join with sl st to first sc.
- Border Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in same st, [sc in each st across to ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 2, sc) in corner ch-2 sp] 4 times, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off CC.
Finishing
- With yarn needle, weave in ends on WS of blanket.