Bella Square Blanket, a free motif blanket crochet pattern
In summer of 2017, just 2 weeks before having my 2nd baby, I released my Bella Square Blanket pattern. We have a Cocker Spaniel named Bella who never used to care about pillows, blankets, dog beds…she just flopped on the floor and was perfectly happy. In December 2016 we suddenly lost our Doberman, Bella’s big brother. He LOVED being cozy with blankets and pillows and dog beds so his scent was all over the cozy things in our house. After he passed away, Bella started sleeping on his dog bed with his blanket because it smelled like him. Within a few months, I decided to make her a blanket of her own with scrap yarn I had left, and this blanket pattern was born. Ever since then, she’s LOVED all things cozy and probably has more handmade blankets than even my kids do.
In early 2020 I decided to add additional sizes to all my previous blanket patterns, and that meant making a new sample blanket to check all my numbers. Well, I ended up rewriting the pattern. At its core, it’s the same, I just tweaked it to make it a little better written, and added a lovely border to the pattern. Since I didn’t go into this thinking I was making a whole new blanket sample, I had decided to use some leftover yarn from another project…so my finished sample piece turned out to be the perfect size for my girls to use with their baby dolls.
Here you’ll find the free pattern for the lapghan size (40.25 inches x 53 inches), but if you want additional size options with all the details (11 sizes, to be exact!) AND a color planning chart, check out the printable PDF on Ravelry or Etsy, both linked toward the end of the post.
Recommended Yarn
Lion Brand Basic Stitch, or any worsted weight yarn
16 yards / .3 oz / 9g per square, plus yarn for the border.
*I used a total of 1803 yards for a lapghan blanket with the border as written in the pattern. The PDF contains the total yardage for each size.
Hook Size
US H / 5.0 mm
Finished Size
Lapghan –40.25″ x 53″ (102 cm x 135 cm) – 11 sizes available in the PDF
Gauge
Each individual square measures 4.25″ x 4.25″ (10.8 cm x 10.8 cm)
Complete 1 square to check gauge.
Stitches Used
ch(s) – chain(s)
ch sp(s) – chain space(s)
dc – double crochet
sc – single crochet
sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
sl st – slip stitch
st(s) – stitch(es)
Before we jump into the pattern, let’s talk about the yarn! Lion Brand Basic Stitch Anti Pilling Yarn is a medium weight 4, worsted weight yarn. I love a good worsted weight yarn for my baby blankets, so I was anxious to try this one out. I recently had a custom order for a baby blanket, and I decided it was the perfect time to give it a go. There are over 30 colors to choose from on the Lion Brand website, including solids, multi-colors, heathers and marls. The anti pilling aspect is ideal for baby blankets – the yarn is treated against pilling before being spun; if you do notice light pilling on your finished pieces, simply put it in the washer and the pills will disappear.
My impression of it is that it’s very similar to Caron Simply Soft yarn. Whether you consider that a good thing or a bad thing, give Basic Stitch a chance before you make a decision. It’s a little on the thinner side of a worsted weight yarn, but it doest seem to bloom a slight bit when worked up, whereas with Simply Soft, your piece always feels a bit thin. I did have some minor splitting with Basic Stitch, but not nearly as much as I’ve had with Simply Soft. I’m firmly planted in the center pull camp when working with yarn skeins, and I’ve learned the trick to helping lessen the “yarn barf” so it’s not usually a problem for me. I did have a problem with it with Basic Stitch, with all 8 skeins that I used, and that’s probably my biggest complaint about the yarn. You can pull from the outside to avoid that, though, so again I wouldn’t let it hold you back from trying this yarn. The yarn is very soft, and the stitch definition is excellent.
Overall I’m very happy with this yarn as a worsted weight choice. Caron Simply Soft has long been a favorite of mine among worsted weight yarn, particularly for baby blankets, but the last few times I’ve used it I haven’t been entirely happy with it. I’m glad to find a suitable alternative, and I think you’ll like it, too!
Pattern
NOTES
- Ch 2 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch.
- Join squares with the whip stitch, or your favorite method of joining.
- If you’re using multiple colors, it may be best to plan your layout before starting so you can make the correct number of each color.
- The last page of the PDF pattern contains a graph of 25 x 25 squares, enough to plot out the king sized blanket. Refer to the sizing chart on page 2 for how many squares each direction for your size, and you can use just that amount of squares for planning your colors on the chart.
Round 1 — Ch 3, sl st join to 1st ch, ch 2, 12 dc in circle. (12 dc)
Round 2 — Ch 2, dc 2 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) next, *dc next 2 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) next,* rpt 2 more times. Sl st to 1st dc to join. (24 dc)
Round 3 — Ch 2, dc 4 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-sp, *dc next 6 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-sp,* rpt 2 more times, dc last 2 sts. Sl st to 1st dc to join. (40 dc)
Round 4 — Ch 2, dc 6 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-sp, *dc next 10 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-sp,* rpt 2 more times, dc last 4 sts. Sl st to 1st dc to join. Fasten off yarn. (56 dc)
Make 108 squares, repeating rounds 1-4 for each square.
JOINING SQUARES
Gently block your squares to even them out. If using acrylic yarn, a gentle steam block with set the yarn in place. Lay out all your squares and arrange them in the pattern you’d like for the finished blanket. Using your preferred join method, join all the squares together.
BORDER
Join your border color yarn at any outside corner. Sc around the whole blanket, placing 3 sc in each of the 4 corner ch-sps, sl st in 1st sc to join. When you come to where the squares joined, place (1 sc, sc2tog, 1 sc) across the 2 joined square corner ch-sps and the join. This helps keep the edges a little straighter, without having a gap along each join line. Play around with your border sts and work them in whatever way gives you the look you like best.
Ch 1 and complete a second round of sc around, sl st in 1st sc to join.
*Optional picot border to be completed after 2 rounds of sc.*
Ch 3, sl st into same st, sc in next, *sl st to next, ch 3, sl st in same st, sc in next, * repeat around, sl st into the same st you started from. Fasten off yarn, weave in ends.
I love to see your finished projects, so be sure to use #BellaSquareBlanket and #blackbirdmountaindesigns when you post your photos on social media!
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