HOOK ‘N’ LEARN

Complete Lucy Croft's pretty square to begin our beautiful blanket

This is the very first pattern in our Hook ‘n’ Learn blanket crochet-along, and we’ll be running it over the next year. Perfect for beginners and fun for more experienced stitchers, you’ll learn how to do 12 attractive stitches, then we’ll show you how to put it all together in the last issue. Choose between the beautiful soft shades of Stone Washed XL, or the bright tones of Colour Crafter (or go mad and make both!). Block stitch is the perfect stitch for newbies to master – it’s simple to learn and looks fab worked in two zingy colours, whichever yarn you choose.

Stone washed xl

■ Scheepjes Stone Washed XL (70% cotton, 30% acrylic, 50g/75m) 3 balls of Rhodochrosite (875)

1 ball of Larimar (868)

■ A 5.5mm (US I/9) hook

■ Stitch marker

For yarn stockists for both versions visit Scheepjes at www.scheepjes.com/en

MEASUREMENTS

Part 1: 40x40cm (16x16in)

TENSION

14 tr and 11 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over Block Stitch using a 5.5mm hook

colour crafter

■ Scheepjes Colour Crafter (100% acrylic, 100g/300m), 1 ball of each: Dordrecht (1062)

Gouda (1081)

■ A 4mm (US G/6) hook

■ Stitch marker

MEASUREMENTS

Part 1: 32x32cm (12 x12 in)

TENSION

16 tr and 13 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over Block Stitch using a 4mm hook

ABBREVIATIONS

For a full list, see page 92

NOTES

All even rows are worked on the RS. Each odd row is worked in alternate directions, dropping the working yarn and picking it up on the next odd row. Do not fasten off odd rows. The instructions for the Colour Crafter blanket are shown in brackets.

BLANKET

Using a 5.5mm (4mm) hook and Rhodochrosite (Dordrecht), ch55.

Row 1 (RS) Tr in fourth ch from hook and each ch across, do not fasten off. Remove hook from working yarn and keep a live loop, securing it with a stitch marker. [53 tr]

Row 2 (RS) With RS facing, join Larimar

(Gouda) in sp after first tr, ch1 (does not count as st), dc in same sp, *ch2, skip next 3 tr, dc in sp before next tr; repeat from * across working last dc into sp before last tr, turn, fasten off. [18dc and 17 ch-2 sps]

Row 3 (WS) With WS facing, insert hook in live loop at end of last odd row, ch3 (counts as tr), *skip next dc, 3tr in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * across to last dc, skip last dc, tr in top of beg ch-3 of previous odd row, do not fasten off. Remove hook from working yarn and keep a live loop, securing it with a stitch marker.

Row 4 (RS) Repeat Row 2.

Row 5 (RS) With RS facing, insert hook in long loop at end of last odd row, ch3 (counts as tr), *skip next dc, 3tr in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * across to last dc, skip last dc, tr in top of beg ch-3 of previous odd row, do not fasten off. Remove hook from working yarn and keep a live loop. Rows 2-5 set pattern.

STONE WASHED XL VERSION ONLY

Rows 6-45 (or until piece measures 40cm ending with an odd row) Repeat Rows 2-5 10 more times.

Fasten off.

COLOUR CRAFTER VERSION ONLY

Rows 6-39 (or until piece measures 40cm ending with an odd row) Repeat Rows 2-5 eight more times, repeat Rows 2-3 once more. Fasten off.

Here you can see the completed blanket, made in Scheepjes Stone Washed XL, an aran weight yarn with a very pretty marled effect. This results in soft, muted colours that look amazing when combined together. Block stitch is the first stitch you’ll learn...

Top left: your first block stitch square, worked in Stone Washed XL; bottom left: the first block stitch square worked in Colour Crafter yarn. Right: the whole Hook ‘n’ Learn blanket worked in the clear, bright colours of Colour Crafter. It’s a soft,...