Free Crochet Pattern...Berry Season Blanket

This sweet blanket celebrates berries in season.  It is crocheted in rounds with pretty shades of strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry in an easy to follow granny square pattern.  Make a tiny one for a dolly, a small one for a special baby, a medium one for a throw.  Or, try making a very large one for a lovely full size afghan or bed covering.  The number of rounds will determine the size.

Berry Season Blanket
By Jennifer Dickerson

Yarn for a medium to larger sized blanket (for a dolly or baby blanket, you'll use less, for a very large blanket, you may need more):

• 1 Skein Red Heart Super Saver, Shocking Pink (Color A)
• 1 Skein Red Heart Super Saver, White (Color B)
• 1 Skein Red Heart Super Saver, Orchid (Color C)
• 2 Skeins Vanna's Choice Baby, Pink Poodle (Color D)
• 1 Skein Red Heart Super Saver, Lavender (Color E)

Other Materials:

• H (5.0 mm) crochet hook
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Instructions:

This blanket is a classic granny square with a simple color pattern. Here is a photo tutorial to guide that may help you when making your granny square:

Here is a photo tutorial on how to make a basic granny square

Color sequence as shown (this is one full repeat of the color pattern, repeat this as many times as you like for preferred sizing):

• 3 Rounds Color A
• 1 Round Color B
• 3 Rounds Color C
• 1 Round Color B
• 3 Rounds Color D
• 1 Round Color B
• 3 Rounds Color E
• 1 Round Color B

Chain 4, join into a ring with a slip stitch.

 Round 1: Chain 4, work (3 dc into center of ring, chain 1) 3 times, then 2 dc into center of ring.  Join to close with a slip stitch.

Round 2: To work the corner of round 2, first chain 4, then 2 dc in same space, then chain 1, then 3 dc in the same space...first corner done!
Then chain 1, then work the next corner by working 3 dc in next space, chain 1, then 3 dc in same space, chain 1, repeat two more times to complete the round.

Round 3: Work the corner in the same manner as the previous round: chain 4, 2 dc in same space, chain 1, 3 dc in same space, chain 1.  To work the sides, simply work 3 dc in the next space then chain 1...repeat until you reach a corner again.

Keep working in this manner, with two clusters in the corners and one cluster on the sides until you finish the round. Just be sure there is a ch 1 in between each grouping of 3 dc as you work each round. That is what gives you those pretty spaces in between each cluster and keeps it nice and flat.

Repeat round 3 as many times as you want to achieve the desired size.

A note about making multicolored rounds:

• To begin a new round in the same color, simply slip stitch until you reach a ch1 at the corner and keep going.  
• To begin a new round in a new/different color, cut yarn, leaving a tail, and fasten it with a slip stitch. Join the new yarn at one of the corners as shown and tie securely.

Finishing:
Weave in any ends.

© Jennifer Dickerson 2013
Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  In addition, if you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog (including other languages).  Thank you!

How To SKP (Slip, Knit, Pass)

SKP (slip one stitch, knit one stitch, pass slipped stitch over) is a left-leaning decrease in knitting.  It is also can shown in patterns like this:

sl 1, k 1, psso (psso meaning "pass slipped stitch over")

To work the SKP in your project, knit to the area in which you'd like to work the stitch,

Next, slip the stitch as if to knit,

Knit the next stitch,

Now pass the slipped stitch over with your left needle. This step is similar to when you bind off your knitting project.

All finished!  Here's what it will look like when you are done:

How to Slip Stitch Two Things Together (Outside Loops)

Here is one way to join two pieces together using the slip stitch on the outside loops, whether it is pieces of a garment, granny squares, or anything else that needs to be joined together with a seam. This one is one of my favorite ways because it produces an invisible seam on the "right" side and because it works the outside loops, it makes your pieces look like they are sitting side by side. Plus, you don't even have to put your crochet hook down and it is super fast...always a bonus!

I'll be showing you how to join two ends of a green scarf using purple yarn to make everything stand out. Normally I would use the same color, but this will make it easier to see.

Begin by facing the "right" side of both pieces inward so that the "wrong" sides are facing out. If you just finished your piece instead of snipping the yarn, just keep going. Otherwise secure another piece of yarn to the end.

Next, insert the hook into the outside loops of both pieces,



Wrap yarn around hook,



and pull through both loops. Now we can begin working across.



Next, insert the hook into the next two outside loops and wrap yarn around hook.



Pull through the first two loops (the green ones in this case). It should now look like the photo below:



Now pull that loop through the other loop.



There should be one loop left on the hook. Keep repeating all the way across...



until you reach the end. Fasten off and weave ends if needed.



Here is what the seam will look like on the "wrong" side,



And here it is on the outside, or "right side" I love how it disappears, even with the contrasting yarn.

How to Slip Stitch

The slip stitch, or "sl st" as it is commonly abbreviated, is one of the most basic stitches in crochet.  It can be used to work a row without adding any height, to close or complete a round, or to join to pieces (such as granny squares together).  It is simple to do and can be worked quickly.  

Here we'll work our slip stitch on a row.  Begin by inserting your hook into a stitch as shown below,

Wrap the yarn around the hook,

Pull through the first loop in the hook, it will now look like the photo below:

And finish by pulling that loop through the other loop, it should now look like the photo below:

There you have it, the slip stitch!