Namaqualand Blanket Pattern

The Namaqualand Blanket is very special to me for many (mostly sentimental) reasons.  I am delighted to share the pattern with you today.

This colourful square baby blanket is made up of a simple 6-round repeat.  The pattern literally contains every lesson I have learned since starting to crochet, so if the first 6 rounds seem daunting in their wordiness, please don’t be disheartened.  Once I have told you (in those first 6 rounds) everything I would like you to learn/take away from this pattern, the rest of the repeats become much easier.  Think of this pattern as a workshop-by-proxy (and bring tea and snacks)!

Namaqualand Blanket Pattern

© Dedri Uys 2016.  All Rights Reserved

This blanket was inspired by the beautiful colours of the Namaqualand flowers.  It has been specifically designed for the Be Inspired South African Tour 2016.

Materials

• 4 mm crochet hook (US 6/G  UK 8)
• Scheepjes Stonewashed:
  • Main Colours:  Moonstone, Canada Jade, and Smokey Quartz
  • Contrasting Colours (CC):  Red Jasper, Coral, Lemon Quartz, Blue Apatite, and Deep Amethyst (in that order)

Yarn Packs are available from my Wool Warehouse Shop and include a printed written-only version of the pattern.  You can also buy packs from Deramores.  Both of these shops ship internationally.  If you live in South Africa, you can buy yarn packs from Be Inspired.  For a full list of Scheepjes stockists, visit Scheepjes (NL).

For a full list of yardages and colours per round, please see this spreadsheet.

Abbreviations

US Terminology

• CC – Contrasting Colour
• Ch – Chain
• BP – Back post (insert your hook from back to front around the post of the indicated stitch and complete the stitch as normal)
• Dc – Double crochet
• RS – Right side
• Sl st – Slip stitch
• St/sts – Stitch/stitches
• WS – Wrong side
• () and * – Repeat instructions between parentheses and/or asterisks the number of times specified

Special Stitches

Cluster (Dc3tog) – (Yarn over and insert your hook into the next stitch.  Yarn over and pull up a loop.  Yarn over and pull through 2 loops) 3 times. Yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on your hook.  See this tutorial.

Popcorn Stitch – Make 5 dc in the same stitch. Remove your hook from the last stitch. Insert your hook into the first dc of the 5 dc. Grab the last stitch with your hook and pull it through the first stitch. If you want to make Really Lazy Popcorns instead (which I thoroughly endorse and will personally be using in this pattern), please see the photo tutorial HERE and Shell Stitch below.

Shell Stitch – Make 5 dc in the same stitch.

Standing Stitches – Standing stitches are exactly the same as regular stitches, except that they are made ‘in air’, without being attached to a previous stitch. Start with a slip knot already on your hook and complete the stitch as normal.  Here is a tutorials for the standing double crochet.

V-Stitch – (Dc, ch 1, dc) in the same stitch

Special Instructions

Working Around the Shells/Popcorns

Regardless of whether you choose to make regular Popcorns or Really Lazy Popcorns, you will need to make BPdcs around these stitches.  When making your BPdcs, ensure that your working yarn does not go around the back of the Shell/Popcorn {Photo 1}, but over the top {Photo 2}.  If your working yarn goes around the back of the Shell/Popcorn, you will end up with a nasty-looking loop on the Right Side of your work {Photo 3}.  If your working yarn goes over the top of your Shell/Popcorn, your BPdc will ‘hug’ the Popcorn and make it look nice and neat {Photo 4}.

Starting Your Rounds

You will fasten off (and TURN) at the end of each round.  The first dc of each round will be a standing double crochet (see Standing Stitches above).

Gauge

First 6 Rounds should measure 11.5 cm (just shy of 5”).  Please see Checking Your Gauge at the end of this post for more help.

Size

Using the yarn packs (available HERE), the blanket will be 1 m x 1 m, but you can continue to add 6-round repeats until it is as big as you want it to be.

Notes

• This square is made in rounds and you will TURN your work at the end of every round.  This will ensure that your central motif doesn’t twist as the blanket grows.  If you have trouble identifying the Right Side and the Wrong Side of your work, here’s a handy tip:  when the Popcorns from Round 3 are facing you, you are looking at the Right Side of your work.
• Stitch counts DO NOT include corner ch-2 spaces.

Chart

Please be mindful of the fact that you are turning at the end of every round.  See Starting Your Rounds above for help with starting each round.  Arrows indicate the start of each round, as well as the direction you will be working in.

Resources

Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue

Instructions

This pattern is a continuous 6-round repeat.  You can make it as big or as small as you like!

Please Note:  I have used Cotton 8 and a 3.25 mm hook for the photo tutorials below because it is easier to see stitch definition with Cotton 8.

First 6-Round Repeat

Round 1  {Moonstone}

Into a magic ring: ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc, ch 2, (3 dc, ch 2) 3 times.  Join to the top of the beginning ch-3 with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  Alternatively, you can use the Invisible Join. I heartily encourage you to try it if you haven’t yet.  {3 dc per side}

Round 2  {Canada Jade}

With WS Facing:  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space.  Skip the first st.  (Dc, ch1, dc) into the next st {indicated with an arrow in Photo 1 and illustrated in Photo 2}.  This is your V-Stitch made.  Skip the last st.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {4 dc and 1 V-Stitch per side}

Hint:  When the back of the last round is facing you, as it will be when you start every round in this pattern, the loops of each stitch will be AFTER the post of the stitch.

Stop for a moment and look at the ‘Right Side’ photo above.  Do you see the ‘knotty’ appearance of the round we just made?  That tells you that you are looking at the back of the last round.  In this pattern, your last round should always look ‘knotty’ because you are turning your work at the end of every round.  Until you get used to turning, pause before you start every round and make SURE that the back of the last round is facing you BEFORE you make the first stitch of the next round. 

Round 3  {CC – Red Jasper}

I choose to make my Popcorns the Really Lazy way, which essentially means I don’t close them until the next round.  If this method makes you uncomfortable, please feel free to make regular old popcorns as in Photo 4 below.

With RS Facing:  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space {Photo 1}.  Ch 3 and skip the first 3 sts.   Make a Shell/Popcorn in the ch-1 space of the V-Stitch {indicated with an arrow in Photo 2 and illustrated in Photos 3 and 4}.  Ch 3 {Photo 5} and skip the last 3 sts.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {4 dc, 1 Popcorn, and 2 ch-3 spaces per side}

If you look at photo 6 below, you will see that I chose not to close my Popcorns in the ‘traditional’ way.

Round 4  {Smokey Quartz}

With WS Facing (knobbly side of last round should be facing you!):  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space.  Dc in the first 2 sts {Photo 1}.  Make 3 dc in the first ch-3 space {Photo 2}.

BPdc around the Shell/Popcorn:

• If you are adventurous enough to try the Really Lazy Popcorns (and therefore only made Shells in the previous round), insert your hook from back to front into the ch-3 space before the Shell {Photo 3}, then insert it from front to back into the ch-3 space after the Shell, making sure that your working yarn runs over the top of the Shell, not behind it {Photo 4}, pinch the two ch-3 spaces together {Photo 5} and complete your BPdc {Photo 6}.
• If you just want to ‘use normal Popcorns already’, insert your hook from back to front into the ch-3 space before the Popcorn {Photo 7}, then insert it from front to back into the ch-3 space after the Popcorn {Photo 8} and complete your BPdc {Photo 9}.

Before you go any further, take a look at what you have just done.  Regardless of how you chose to make your Popcorn, you should see a dotted line running across the top of each Popcorn and the colour from the previous round (pink in these photos) should be visible above it {Photos 6 and 9}.  When you turn the square so that the Right Side is facing you, the BPdc should ‘hug’ the top of the Popcorn and no pink should be visible above the Popcorn {Photo 10}.  If the dotted line is on the Right Side of your work, you’ve accidentally made FPdc instead of BPdc and you will need to rip out and redo.

Make 3 dc in the last ch-3 space {Photo 11}.  Dc in the last 2 sts {Photo 12}.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {15 dc per side}

From this point on, it will be MUCH easier to identify the Right Side of your work.  When the Popcorns are ‘popping’ towards you, you are looking at the Right Side.

Round 5  {CC – Red Jasper}

Hint:  The central ‘leg’ of the third Cluster will fall in the BPdc from Round 4.  If your square suddenly pulls in at the end of this round, it is an indication that you are making your chains too tight.  You will need to either loosen your tension when making chains or add an extra chain between Clusters.

With RS Facing (Popcorns from Round 3 facing you):  *(Dc, ch 2, dc) in the ch-2 corner space {Photo 2}.  (Ch 2, make a Cluster) 5 times {Photos 2 and 3}.  Ch 2 {Photo 4}.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {2 dc, 5 Clusters, and 6 ch-2 spaces per side}

Stitch counts not working out?  Check that each Cluster falls over 3 stitches (dc3tog as in Photo 2), not in one stitch!

Round 6  {CC – Red Jasper}

With WS Facing:  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space {Photo 1}.  Dc in the first st {Photo 2}.  (Make 2 dc in the next ch-2 space {Photo 3}, dc in the next Cluster {Photo 4}) 5 times.  Make 2 dc in the last ch-2 space {Photo 5}.  Dc in the last st {Photo 6}.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {23 dc per side}

Second 6-Round Repeat

Round 7  {Moonstone}

With RS Facing:  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space {Photo 1}.  BPdc in each st {Photos 2 and 3}.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {27 dc per side}

Hint:  Check for those dotted lines that indicate you have indeed made BPdc not PFdc.

Round 8  {Canada Jade}

With WS Facing:  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space.  Skip the first st.  V-stitch in the next st {Photo 1}.  (Skip the next 2 sts, V-Stitch in the next st {Photo 2}) until you have 1 st left {Photo 3}.  Skip the last st.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {4 dc and 9 V-Stitches per side}

Round 9  {CC – Coral}

With RS Facing:  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space.  Ch 3 {Photo 1} and skip the first 3 sts.   (Make a Shell/Popcorn in the ch-1 space of the next V-Stitch {Photo 2}. Ch 3 {Photo 3}) until you have worked into each ch-1 space {Photo 4}.  Skip the last 3 sts.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {4 dc, 9 Popcorns, and 10 ch-3 spaces per side}

Round 10  {Smokey Quartz}

Please Note:  You will be making 3 dc in the first and last ch-3 space, and 2 dc in all the other ch-3 spaces.  Just as in Round 4, please check that you are making BPdc not FPdc {Wrong Side photo below}.

With WS Facing:  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space.  Dc in the first 2 sts {Photo 1}.  Make 3 dc in the first ch-3 space {Photo 2}.  (BPdc around the next Shell/Popcorn {Photos 4 and 5}.  Make 2 dc in the next ch-3 space {Photo 6}) until there is only one Popcorn and one ch-3 space left {Photo 7}.  BPdc around the last Popcorn.  Make 3 dc in the last ch-3 space {Photo 8}.  Dc in the last 2 sts {Photo 9}.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {39 dc per side}

Round 11  {CC – Coral}

Hint:  Apart from the first and last 2 Clusters on each side, the central ‘leg’ of each Cluster will fall in a BPdc from Round 10.

With RS Facing:  *(Dc, ch 2, dc) in the ch-2 corner space {Photo 1}.  (Ch 2, make a Cluster {Photos 2 and 3}) until you have worked into every stitch {Photo 4}.  Ch 2 {Photos 5 and 6}.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and TURN.  {2 dc, 13 Clusters, and 14 ch-2 spaces per side}

Round 12  {CC – Coral}

With WS Facing:  *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the ch-2 corner space {Photo 1}.  Dc in the first st {Photo 2}.  (Make 2 dc in the next ch-2 space {Photo 3}, dc in the next Cluster {Photo 4}) until you have worked into each Cluster {Photo 5}.  Make 2 dc in the last ch-2 space {Photo 6}.  Dc in the last st {Photo 7}.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your yarn ends.  TURN.  {47 dc per side}

Subsequent 6-Round Repeats

Repeat Rounds 7 to 12 until you have made 54 rounds (or your blanket is as large as you want it to be).  Each 6-round repeat features a different Contrasting Colour (CC).  At this point you have already used Red Jasper and Coral, so your next repeat will use Lemon Quartz, followed by Blue Apatite, followed by Deep Amethyst.  After that, start from Red Jasper again and finish with Blue Apatite.  Please consult this spreadsheet for round-by-round colours and stitch counts.

Stitch Counts for Subsequent Repeats:

• Round 7 (Moonstone) – multiples of 3 dc per side
• Round 8 (Canada Jade) – 4 dc and a multiple of 8 + 1 V-Stitches per side
• Round 9 (CC) – 4 dc, a multiple of 8 + 1 Popcorns, and a multiple of 8 + 2 ch-3 spaces per side
• Round 10 (Smokey Quartz) – multiples of 3 dc per side
• Round 11 (CC) – 2 dc, a multiple of 8 + 5 Clusters, and a multiple of 8 + 6 ch-2 spaces per side
• Round 12 (CC) – multiple of 3 + 2 dc per side

You can find a list of stitch counts per round HERE.

Checking Gauge

If you are using the colour pack, it is important that you match the gauge the blanket was written for, otherwise you will run out of yarn.  Alternatively, you can buy an extra skein of Coral, Blue Apatite, and Smokey Quartz as those are the colours that will have the least amount of left-over yarn at the end of the blanket (see this spreadsheet).

At the end of Round 12, your square should measure 22.5 cm in Stonewashed, and it should weigh 39 g. 

What do I do if my square is smaller?

If it is more than a 1 cm/5g smaller, you can go up to a 4.25 hook size, but you don’t have to.  Going up a hook size is precarious if you are using the colour pack because if your tension relaxes, you won’t have enough yarn to complete the blanket.

What do I do if my square is larger?

If your square is larger (or it weighs much more than 41 g), you won’t have enough yarn in the yarn pack to complete the blanket.  You can either buy an extra skein of Coral, Blue Apatite, and Smokey Quartz (the colours that will have the least amount of left-over yarn at the end of the blanket) or you will need to go down a hook size.

• If you are only slightly out (1 cm/5g), go down to a 3.75 mm hook.
• If you are more than 1 cm/5g out, you will need to go down to a 3.5 mm hook.
• If you are more than 2 cm/10g out, you will need to go down to a 3.25 mm hook.

If you share photos of your Namaqualand Blanket, please use hashtags #namaqualandblanket so that I can see your photos :)

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