I very much enjoyed making my annual Christmas Blanket early this year! I also made it super easy on myself and kept the counts either 4 or 8. And, it’s all one stitch-half double crochet. 

If you have been following me along for many years, you’ll know that I love to make a lot of varieties of gingham and plaid blankets. I use a technique of carrying yarn along the row and switching back and forth to achieve the color changes fairly seamlessly. 

This blanket is really not much different than my gingham blankets. I’m  adding a bit more color as I’m using two shades of gray, red, green and white. Once you realize the blanket alternates between two colors at a time, it’s a breeze to keep track of. 

Please watch the full YouTube tutorial linked in the pattern to learn how to keep the yarn from twisting. That usually is the most frustrating part of the experience, but when you learn how to do it, it’s a game-changer.

The border is a classic ribbed using the front and back post double crochets. That is demonstrated in the video tutorial as well. Feel free to make it even wider by adding more rows if preferred. 

Materials

Patons Canadiana (100 g/3.5 oz, 187 meters/205 yards, #4 worsted, medium)

5 skeins Ivy, 3 each White, Cardinal, Pale Gray Mix, Med Gray Mix

Size H, 5mm hook, tapestry needle, scissors

Stitches

Half Double Crochet (HDC): YO, insert your hook, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through all three loops on hook

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

Back post double crochet: insert your hook from back to front around the post of the next DC and work a DC. 

Graph

Click here or image below to download printable graph.

Video Tutorial 

Please watch to learn the technique to make this throw.

Pattern

For a size 40 x 60 throw chain 145 in Pale Gray Mix

(pattern repeat to make it another size is any number x 20 plus 24, plus 1 for the turning chain)

Print the graph. Odd rows are read right-to-left, even rows left-to-right. 

Tips on how to carry yarn: Pull through on the last step of the HDC stitch with the new color, keep one color to the front of the work, one to the back. Gently give a tug on the yarn being carried through the row before pulling through to be used. 

Rows 1-4: Begin in the second chain from the hook on row 1, refer to the graph in the lower right-hand to begin. 4 Pale Gray Mix, 4 White, *8 Pale Gray Mix, 4 White, 4 Pale Gray Mix, 4 White, Repeat from * across to last 16 sts, then 8 Pale Gray Mix, 4 White, 4 Pale Gray Mix, CH 1 and turn. 

Pull through with Cardinal on the last step of the last HDC of row 4, cut white and pale gray mix leave a tails to weave in later. 

Rows 5-13: 4 Cardinal, 4 Med Gray Mix, *8 Cardinal, 4 Med Gray Mix, 4 Cardinal, 4 Med Gray Mix, repeat from * across to last 16 sts, then 8 Cardinal, 4 Med Gray Mix, 4 Cardinal. CH 1 and turn.

Pull through with Pale Gray Mix on the last step of the last HDC of row 13, cut Cardinal and Med Gray Mix, leave tails to weave in later.

Rows 14-17: Repeat rows 1-4

Rows 18-26: Repeat rows 5-13 subbing Ivy for Cardinal

Repeat graph until you have the length desired, end the blanket on rows 1-4 instructions. Tie off and weave in all the ends. 

Ribbed Border

Round 1: With Ivy, pull up a loop in upper left hand corner. CH 1, HDC into same st as join. Work 3 HDC every other row on sides of blanket, 3 HDC in each corner, HDC into each stitch across top and bottom. Work remaining 2 HDC into same space as join to finish the starting corner, join with a SL ST to the first HDC, CH 1 and turn. 

Round 2: DC into each HDC, [DC, CH 2, DC] into the second HDC of each corner. Join with a SL ST to the first DC of the round. CH 1 and turn. 

Round 3: Alternate FPDC and BPDC around each DC. [DC, CH 2, DC] around each ch 2 space of each corner. Join with a SL ST to the first FPDC of the round. CH 1 and turn. 

Round 4 and 5: Repeat round 3. 

Round 6: SC into each DC, SC around ch 2 space of each corner. Join with a SL ST to the first SC of the round, tie off and weave in all the ends. 

Thanks so much for stopping by! If you want more ideas tap here to see our entire Gingham Blanket Collection.

XO, Tiffany