Furry Squares Blanket: free crochet pattern

The first project in my furry series is here, and I named it a Furry Squares Blanket. My idea was to find a fast and easy way of working with furry yarn in crochet. No wonder that fur is not the easiest material to crochet with as it is hard (or impossible) to see the stitches because of the massive fluff. And an adventure which should give relaxation and joy turns into headache and unravelling. But I have found a way. My new pattern is all about chains and spaces. It is much easier to see and feel them. And a combination with non-fluffy yarn for the border helps to count the rows without a problem. 

The Furry Squares blanket pattern comes in two versions. If you are not confident yet, try a plain option with just one color of the fluffy yarn. Or add stripes. 

And if you want to dive right into the squares and intarsia crochet, it is suggested that you first practice with the non-fluffy yarn to make sure you understand the idea of color changes and stitch placement. 

Hope you enjoy!

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FURRY SQUARES BLANKET pattern

 

Copyright. An original Lilla Björn Crochet Design (Tatsiana Kupryianchyk). Copyright 2014-2021. All rights reserved. This pattern is for personal use only. It cannot be sold, redistributed, or edited in any way. Translations and video tutorials are not allowed. You can sell your finished products, but you cannot use my pictures to promote them. Please, always credit me as a designer of this pattern. Thank you! 

Purchase a ready-to-print and ads-free pdf on Ravelry HERE and Etsy HERE. The file includes all instructions, pattern notes and progress pictures.

Abbreviations (US terms) 

CC contrast color 

ch chain stitch 

lp(s) loop(s) 

rep repeat 

sp(s) space(s) 

st(s) stitch(es) 

yo yarn over the hook 

hdc (half double crochet): yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, yo, pull through all three lps. 

sc (single crochet): insert hook in indicated stitch, yo, draw up a lp, yo and pull through both lps on hook. 

Pattern repeats 

[…] rep instruction inside […] as many times as indicated in the pattern. 

*…; rep instruction after * as many times as indicated in the pattern. 

MATERIALS

Colorway 1

Scheepjes Chunky Monkey (CC): 1099 Mid Grey x 3 balls 

Scheepjes Furry Tales 

Yarn A: 978 Cinderella x 3 balls 

Yarn B: 985 Little Pig x 3 balls 

Yarn C: 970 Snow White x 3 balls 

Yarn D: 988 Aladdin x 3 balls

Yarn E: 983 Tinkerbell x 3 balls 

Colorway 2

Scheepjes Chunky Monkey (CC): 1302 Air Force Blue x 3 balls 

Scheepjes Furry Tales 

Yarn A: The Beast x 5 balls 

Yarn B: 977 Beauty x 8 balls 

Yarn C: 978 Cinderella x 3 balls 

Furry Tales yarn is available in your local Scheepjes shops and also via online retailers: Wool Warehouse* and Black Sheep wools (UK, international shipping),  Caro's Atelier* (NL, Europe), Taemombo (US and Canada).

6 mm crochet hook, stitch markers

Gauge: 23 sts x 17 rows to measure approx. 20 x 20cm/ 8 x 8” with hdc and 6 mm hook  

Measurements: approx. 110 x 150 cm/ 43 ¼ x 59in

PATTERN NOTES

This blanket is worked in intarsia crochet with all 6 colors used for every row. First the bottom band of the blanket is worked with Chunky Monkey. Then the first row of colorful squares is worked. 

Take two boxes and place them on both sides of you. 

To begin, put all balls in the right box. Move working Chunky Monkey ball (CC) to the left box and work the first five stitches. Then drop CC on the back of work, change to the first fur color in the last yarn over (a small float will appear on the working side), move the working fur ball to the left box and crochet the first row of the first square. 

When the row for the first square is finished, drop current yarn on the back side of work, change to the next fur color in the last yarn over, move the new ball to the left box and continue working with the new color. Continue doing the same for all colors moving balls one after another to the left box. 

After you turn work at the end of the row, all yarns will appear on the right side. And again, after changing the colors you will drop them on the back and move the balls from the left box back to the right box (small floats of yarn will again appear at the working side - they will be hidden by the fluff). Turn work after every row alternating clockwise and anticlockwise directions. It will help to keep all yarns untangled. 

TIP: to easily find the beginning and end of each fur square, use stitch markers to mark first and last fur sc on each square and move markers up as you progress. 

Photo credit: Laura Jackson

 

INSTRUCTIONS for squared blanket 

 

Bottom band

Row 1 (RS and WS are not important for this pattern): With first ball of CC. Ch132, 1hdc in third ch from hook, 1hdc in each ch to end, turn – 130 sts 

Row 2: Ch2 (does not count as a st here and throughout), 1hdc in each st to end, turn. 

Rows 3-4: Rep Row 2. 

Colorful Squares

TIP: For easy row count, mark any hdc on the first row of each row with squares. See the color scheme below for placement of colors 

Row 5: Ch2, 5hdc, change to fur color in last yo (drop CC on the back and move it to the left box), *1sc, ch2, skip 1 st, 1sc, [ch3, skip 2 sts, 1sc] x7 changing to next fur color in last yo of the last sc (drop prev fur color on the back side and move the ball to the left box); rep from * 4 more times changing to second ball of CC in the last color change, 5hdc with CC, turn. 

 

Row 6: Ch2, 5hdc with CC, change to next fur color in last yo, *1sc in next fur sc, ch2, 1sc in next ch3-sp, [ch3, 1sc in next ch3-sp] x6, ch3, miss next fur sc and ch2-sp, 1sc in last fur sc changing to next fur color; rep from * 4 more times changing to CC in the last color change, 5hdc with CC, turn. 

Rows 7-21: Rep Row 6. Cut all fur yarns leaving approx. 20 cm/8in tail for weaving. For every next row of colorful squares, repeat Row 6 seventeen times. Do not forget to mark the first hdc on the first row for easy counting. When all rows with colorful squares are finished, work a top band. 

 

Top band

Next row: With CC only, ch2, 5hdc, *[1sc in next fur sc, 2sc in next ch3-sp] x7, 1sc in next fur sc, 1sc in next ch2-sp, 1sc in last fur sc; rep from * 4 more times, 5hdc to end, turn – 130 sts 

Then repeat Row 2 from the bottom band three times and fasten off. Weave in all tails. 

LAYOUT

Colorway 1 

Colorway 1

 

INSTRUCTIONS for plain blanket 

Bottom band 

Row 1 (RS and WS are not important for this pattern): With first ball of CC. Ch134, 1hdc in third ch from hook, 1hdc in each ch to end, turn – 132 sts 

Row 2: Ch2 (does not count as a st here and throughout), 1hdc in each st to end, turn. 

Rows 3-4: Rep Row 2. Fur body TIP: For easy row count, mark any hdc on the first row of each row with squares. 

Row 5: Ch2, 5hdc, change to fur yarn in last yo (drop CC on the back and move it to the left box), *1sc, ch2, skip 1 st, 1sc, [ch3, skip 2 sts, 1sc] rep to last 5 sts changing to second ball of CC in last yo, 5hdc to end with CC, turn. 

Row 6: Ch2, 5hdc with CC, change to fur yarn in last yo, *1sc in next fur sc, ch2, 1sc in next ch3-sp, [ch3, 1sc in next sp] rep to last fur sc and ch2-sp, ch3, miss last fur sc and ch2-sp, 1sc in last fur sc changing to CC, 5hdc with CC, turn. 

Repeat Row 6 until desired length of the blanket. Cut fur yarn leaving approx. 20 cm/8in tail for safe weaving. Proceed to top band. 

Photo credit: Loele van den Bergh

Top band 

Next row: With CC only, ch2, 5hdc, *[1sc in next fur sc, 2sc in next ch3-sp] rep to last ch2-sp, 1sc in next fur sc, 1sc in next ch2-sp, 1sc in last fur sc, 5hdc to end, turn – 132 sts 

Then repeat Row 2 from the bottom band three times and fasten off. Weave in all tails. 

Purchase a ready-to-print and ads-free pdf on Ravelry HERE and Etsy HERE. The file includes all instructions, pattern notes and progress pictures.

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