If you need a chunky yarn that is super soft, you might like working with the Bernat Marly. It feels like flannel and is easy to work with. I had to give it a few rows before I was completely in love but now that the blanket is finished, I wish I would have made it larger. This turned out to be only 26 x 26 inches, so it’ like a car seat blanket. (I’ll leave the pattern repeat in the instructions so you can make it any size you’d like.)

I’m using a classic Harlequin Stitch and a pattern I’ve made previously. The only thing I did different was how I worked the border around the corners. (I’ll explain how in the pattern.)

Here is a video tutorial for the Harlequin Stitch – if you’ve never used this stitch, working this as a swatch would be a great place to start before you begin the blanket. 

Materials

Bernat Baby Marly (100% polyester, 300 g/ 10.5 oz, 202 m/ 221 yds)

1 skein Mist, 2 skeins Robins Nest

Size L/8.00mm hook, scissors, tapestry needle

Size

Finished size 26 in x 26 in

Stitches

Single Crochet (SC): Insert your hook, yarn over (YO) and pull up a loop, YO, pull through two loops.

Double Crochet (DC): YO, insert your hook, pull up a loop, YO, pull through two loops, YO, pull through remaining two loops.

Double Crochet 3 Together (DC3tog): *YO, insert your hook, pull up a loop, YO, pull through two loops. Repeat from * over next 2 stitches, YO and pull through all loops on hook. 

Double Crochet 6 Together (DC6tog): *YO, insert your hook, pull up a loop, YO, pull through two loops. Repeat from * over next 5 stitches, YO and pull through all loops on hook. 

Front and Back Post Double Crochet (FPDC & BPDC): A front post double crochet means you insert your hook from front to back around the post of the next DC and work a DC. A back post double crochet means you insert your hook from back to front around the post of the next DC and work a DC.

Pattern

(Pattern repeat is 8 plus 1. All you need to do is make a chain any multiple of the number 8 to the length you need, then add one more chain and begin the pattern.)

Chain 81 with Robins Nest.

Row 1: In the 5th chain from the hook, work [3 DC, 1 CH, 3 DC], skip 3 ch’s, 1 SC in the next ch, *skip 3 ch’s [3 DC, 1 CH, 3 DC] in next ch, skip 3 ch, 1 SC in next ch, repeat from * to the end of the row pulling through in the last stitch with mist.

Row 2: CH 3 and turn. Skip first SC, DC3tog over next 3 DC, *CH 7, skip 1 ch, DC6tog over next 6 DC (leaving the SC between unworked), repeat from * ending with DC3tog over last 3 DC, 1 DC in the top of the last ch.

Row 3: CH 3 and turn. 3 DC in the first space (hole that formed between the dc3tog and dc) from row below, *1 SC around the ch 1 space of the row below, (enclosing the 7 ch’s), [3 DC, 1 CH, 3 DC] in the center space of the dc6tog’s, repeat from * ending 3 DC in top of last DC3tog’s, 1 DC in top of the turning chain pulling through with Robins Nest. (Leave Mist color behind and don’t cut, you can carry it up the side of your work to save weaving in ends.)

Row 4: CH 4 and turn. Skip first DC, *6 DCtog over next 6 DC (leaving the SC between unworked), ch 7, skip 1 ch, repeat from * ending with ch 3, 1 SC in top of the turning chain.

Row 5: CH 1 and turn. Skip first SC and the ch 3’s, *[3 DC, 1 CH, 3 DC] in center of the 6 DCtog’s, SC in ch space one row below, (enclosing the 7 ch’s), repeat from * ending with 1 SC in the first of the 4 turning chains pulling new color through (Robins Nest.)

Repeat rows 2 – 5 until you have 8 sets of diamonds in Mist. Work one row of Robin Nest, (row 4) and when it is time to chain 7, chain 3 instead then SC around the stitch in the row below, then chain 3. (This will help when you work your row of DC around for the border.)

Tie off and weave in ends. 

Border

ROUND 1: Pull up a loop in any corner. CH 3. Work 2 DC around each DC post and 1 DC into SC.  DC 3 times in each corner. When returning to the starting corner, work 2 more DC, the starting CH 3 acts as a DC. Join with a slip stitch in the starting chain and chain 2.

ROUND 2: Continue in the same direction working alternating front post and back post DC around each post. When you get to the corners of this row, you will want to continue the pattern of alternating front and back post double crochet, but you will work three stitches around the corner post.