Tried & True Beginner Blanket Pattern & Tutorial

I have been teaching beginners (read: novice/first time crocheters) to crochet for a couple of years. My favorite projects are any that include a super bulky yarn and a 15 mm hook. Why? These projects can be started and finished in one class and the beginner can leave with a hat on their head (or a cowl around their neck). I designed this blanket with the true beginner in mind. Maybe you took a class, or a friend taught you the single crochet. You’ve made a stack of hats, but you want more! This is the project for you. You will learn the four basic stitches and how to work in rows (working in rows is a beginner skill, but I don’t like teaching it for a first time crocheter). I have added notes here and there to help guide you and give you an understanding on the basics of pattern-reading. I have also included a full photo tutorial for each stitch to help you along your way.

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Materials

2 Stitch Markers

Hook: 15 mm (Check out my favorite here.)

List of Malabrigo Yarns:
(Yarns are linked to Amazon for easy shopping! AND your purchase helps support The Firefly Hook!)

Rios – The fiber in this yarn is 100% superwash wool. This yarn base is worsted weight. On most skeins in the store, there would be a number “4” on it to indicate how thick it is. This is the most common weight of yarn. When we talk about “weight” we don’t mean how heavy it is – we are talking about the thickness of the strand. There are 210 yards and 100 grams per skein. This also will tell you something about the thickness/weight. Most skeins are 50 or 100 grams. Thicker yarns have less yardage, thinner yarns have more when their weight in grams are the same! You will need 10 skeins of the Rios yarn base in the colorway “Gris”. Be sure to leave one skein as a hank for the tassels.

Rastita – The fiber in this yarn is 100% merino wool. This yarn base is lightweight or also called DK or light worsted. But the number never lies – it’s a number 3, so just a little lighter/thinner than a worsted yarn. This skein has 310 yards and 100 grams per skein. If you can’t find that number 3 anywhere, find a yarn with the same yard to gram ratio. You need four skeins of this yarn base in the following colorways: Dewberry, Sabriduria, Plomo and Black.

Arroyo – The fiber in this yarn is 100% superwash merino wool. This yarn base is sport weight. Look for the number 2 on the skein. Again – if you can’t find a number, look for the yard to gram ratio. This yarn has 335 yards and 100 grams per skein. You need four skeins of this yarn base in the following colorways: Lotus, Borraja, Plomo and Black.

Sock – Is it getting easier to see what’s happening with the yarn bases as they get smaller? This yarn is 100% wool. The yarn base is sock weight. Look for the number 1 on the skein or compare the ratio: It has 440 yards and 3.5 oz per skein. You need four skeins of this yarn base in the following colorways: Dewberry, Sabiduria, Plomo and Black.

Lace – This yarn is 100% Baby Merino Wool. The yarn base is lace weight. Look for the number “zero” or compare the ratio: 470 yds/50 g per skein. You need four skeins of this yarn base in the following colorways: 1 skein in each color. Purple Mystery, Pearl, Hollyhock and Black.

Pattern Info

Gauge: 17 rows and 22 sts = 14” as pattern repeats

Dimensions (approximate):

Height: 56”

Width: 49”

Each color panel = 14” (height)

Notes

Yarns are held together as one to equal the weight of a super bulky yarn.
Color panels move from reddish-purple to true-purple to grey to black with grey/gris throughout.

Reddish-purple colors: Sabiduria, Hollyhock & Lotus.
True-purple colors: Dewberry, Purple Mystery & Borraja
Grey colors: Gris (Rios only), Plomo & Pearl.
Black colors: Black

This pattern is written with the beginner/first time crocheter in mind.
Turn chains for all stitches (except single crochet) count as a stitch. You will work into the turn chain on the last stitch of the row.

Abbreviations (with YouTube links):

ch chain

dc double crochet

hdc half double crochet

rep repeat

sc single crochet

st stitch

tr triple/treble crochet

yo yarn over

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Pattern

Begin with Reddish-purple colors (one in each yarn base: Arroyo, Rastita, Sock and Lace) and two strands of Rios in Gris. Hold all six strands together as one.

Ch 82.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across. (81 sc)

Rows 2 – 3: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.

Rows 4 – 6: Ch 3, turn, dc in each st across.

Rows 7 – 9: Ch 2, turn, hdc in each st across.

Row 10: Ch 4, turn, tr in each st across.

Row 11: Ch 3, turn, [tr in next st, dc in next st] rep across row.

Row 12: Ch 2, turn, [tr in next st, hdc in next st] rep across row.

Row 13: Ch 3, turn, dc in each st across.

Row 14: Ch 2, turn, [dc in next st, hdc in next st] rep across.

Row 15: Ch 1, turn, [sc in next st, dc in next st] rep across row, sc in last st.

Row 16: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.

Row 17: Ch 1, turn, [sc in next st, hdc in next st] rep across, sc in last st.

One color panel complete. Do not finish off.

Second Panel: Begin with True-purple colors (one in each yarn base: Arroyo, Rastita, Sock and Lace) and two strands of Rios in Gris. Hold all six strands together as one.

Row 1: Begin new color on last YO of last stitch of last row, ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.

Rows 2 – 17: Rep rows 2 – 17 of panel 1.

Third Panel: Begin with grey colors (one in each yarn base: Arroyo, Rastita, Sock and Lace) and two strands of Rios in Gris. Hold all six strands together as one.

Rows 1 – 17: Rep rows 1 – 17 of panel 2.

Fourth Panel: Begin with black colors (one in each yarn base: Arroyo, Rastita, Sock and Lace) and two strands of Rios in Gris. Hold all six strands together as one.

Rows 1 – 17: Rep rows 1 – 17 of panel 2.

Finish off.