Hello! I’m so excited to share this darling checkerboard pattern with you! I loved this variation from all the gingham blanket patterns I have made through the years. I can’t believe I haven’t made just a two-color checkerboard look blanket before.
It was a dream to work on and make, and I just loved watching this blanket grow. I used the griddle stitch for this as it is one of my favorite stitch patterns to use as I am carrying yarn along each row. It seems to disguise the yarn being carried the best.
I also am using one of my favorite cottons as well for this blanket. Bernat Softee Baby Cotton is a 60/40 cotton and acrylic blend that washes up incredibly well for babies. It makes this blanket so fun to give. I even found a cute book called SLEEPY SHEEPY to match the color of the blanket.
(I love gifting books with blankets, we have a whole category dedicated to all the blankets we’ve made to match books if you’d like more ideas, tap here.)
If you have not learned how to carry yarn along the row and switch colors often, I’m going to highly encourage you to watch the YouTube tutorial linked at the end of the pattern. I will take you through each step and also show you how to keep the yarn from twisting along the row.
Learning just a few tips on mastering the color changes and working with two strands of yarn in a row is a game changer and really can make your experience making this blanket so much better.
Be sure and scroll to the end of the post if you’d like a free printable pdf version of this blanket. All our patterns on our website offer a free printable, they are at the end of each post.
Let’s get crocheting!
Materials
For 34 x 34 inch baby blanket
gauge: 2.5 inches = 10 sts and 8 rows of griddle stitch pattern (taken from blanket)
Bernat Baby Softee Cotton (tap name of yarn to shop on yarnspirations.com)
3 skeins each Clear White, Aqua Mist
Size H-5mm hook, tapestry needle, scissors, tape measure
Stitches
Single Crochet (SC): Insert your hook, yarn over (YO) and pull up a loop, YO and pull through two loops on hook.
Double Crochet (DC): YO, insert your hook, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through two loops, YO and pull through remaining two loops.
Pattern
Chain 131 with clear white. (Pattern repeat is any odd number x 10 + 1.)
Row 1: Begin in the second chain from the hook with SC. SC into each chain across the row, CH 1 and turn.
Row 2: Work SC into the first st, DC into the next st. Alternate SC, and DC across the next 8 sts (this alternating sequence will be referred to from here out as griddle stitch.) On the last step of the 10th st, pull through with aqua mist. Work griddle stitch for the next ten stitches bringing clear white along the row and working over it. On the tenth stitch, switch back to aqua mist. Continue the griddle stitch across the row, changing colors every 10 stitches. CH 1 and turn at the end of the row, bring aqua mist around the end of the row to begin working over it in row 3.
Tip: Carry the color not being used along the row with you and crochet over it. Always change color in the last step of the stitch and pull through with new color. Give this a little tug before doing so to make sure the carried yarn is laying flat against the row. It is normal to see the color through the work, but make it lay flat and not poke through the stitches.
To keep the yarn from twisting across the row, make sure you keep one color to the back of your work and one color to the front of your work. (see video for a further explanation.)
Row 3-9: Continue working griddle stitch, changing colors every 10 sts and carrying the yarn not in use along the row. CH 1 and turn at the end of each row. At the end of row 8, pull through with aqua mist before chaining one and turning. Bring clear white around the end of the work.
Row 10-17: Continue working griddle stitch, changing colors every 10 stitches. CH 1 and turn at the end of each row. At the end of row 16, pull through with clear white before chaining one and turning.
Repeat rows 3 through 16 until you have 13 blocks of color in height. Cut aqua mist and continue the border with clear white.
Border
Round 1: CH 1 and turn. Work 1 SC into each stitch across the row. CH 2, turn to work down the first side. SC into same space as last SC (“SC, CH 2 SC” are the corner stitches) Work 10 SC per each 8 rows. Work SC, CH 2, SC for the next corner. Work 1 SC into the base of each st across the bottom of the blanket. Corner stitch. Work 10 SC per each 8 rows up the final side. Work corner stitch in final corner, do not turn.
Round 2: Work SC into each SC and “SC, CH 2, SC” around each ch 2 space for each corner. Join with a sl st to first sc of the round, tie off and weave in all ends. (Option to work this round of SC in “yarn under” method. See video for further explanation.)
Thank you so much for stopping by! We love to share what we are crocheting for our friends and family with you. Thank you so much for using our patterns and loving to crochet as much as us.
XO, Tiffany
Click here or image below to download free printable pdf.
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