Learn how to crochet the block stitch! This stitch shines with color changes that allow contrasting yarn to peek between the blocks. Use five different colors of yarn in cozy green and blue hues for a gorgeous handmade baby blanket.
I love carrying the yarn up the sides when I’m making a striped blanket so there are very few ends to weave in. Tons of color changes and barely any ends is a game changer!
I used this technique in my Tricolor Alpine Stitch Crochet Baby Blanket as well. I used leftover yarn from that project in this block stitch blanket, so if you love these colors give that post a look as well.
If carrying yarn up the sides intimidates you, I highly recommend watching the FaveCrafts class How to Crochet a Beginner Shawl in Three Colors. Tamara Kelly of Moogly teaches not only how to carry your yarn up the sides, but how to do a magic circle, how to work into the front loop only, how to do a stacked single crochet stitch, and all sorts of tips and tricks that are lovely for taking your projects to the next level.
The blanket is finished with a moss stitch border which I think complements the single crochet rows in the body of the blanket nicely.
I hope you love it!
Abbreviations (US)
- ch(s): chain(s)
- dc(s): double crochet(s)
- pm: place stitch marker in the stitch you’d just created
- rep: repeat
- rnd(s): round(s)
- sc(s): single crochet(s)
- sl st: slip stitch
- sk: skip
- sp(s): space(s)
- st(s): stitch(es)
Materials
- Color A: I Love This Yarn! Weight 4 Medium (100% Acrylic, 355yds/325m, 7oz/198g) Spa 1 skein
- Color B: Big Twist Value Weight 4 Medium (100% Acrylic, 380yds/347m, 6oz/170g) White 1 skein
- Color C: Print I Love This Yarn! Weight 4 Medium (100% Acrylic, 252yds/230m, 5oz/142g) in Sage Advice
- Color D: I Love This Yarn! Weight 4 Medium (100% Acrylic, 355yds/325m, 7oz/198g) Linen1 skein
- Color E: Downton Abbey Matthew Weight 4 Medium (75% Acrylic, 21% Wool, 4% Rayon, 230yds/210m, 3.5oz/100g) Herb Green 1 skein *this yarn is discontinued. See suggested substitutes here at YarnSub.
- These were all yarns from my stash. If you’d prefer, you could do the entire blanket in Big Twist from Joann and substitute for the following colors: Color A: Big Twist Value in Sage; Color C: Big Twist Heather in Sage; Color E: Big Twist Tweed in Green
- Size I/9 5.5mm crochet hook
- Stitch markers
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Finished Size
30″ x 37″ | 26″ x 33″ before border
Gauge
18 sts x 13* rows = 5″x5″
*the 13 rows begin and end with the rows of dc like so:
Notes
You can get an ads-free, easy-to-print PDF of this pattern over at Ravelry or Etsy!
Blanket is worked carrying the yarn up the sides. Significantly fewer ends to weave in! I tacked down any floats at the end of every row to prevent super long, potentially tight floats from forming. Once you’ve completed the first 5 rows, you should have in mind that at the end of EVERY row you will be tacking down floats AND changing color.
If you choose to use different colors for your blanket, try to make sure there is good contrast in the five colors. The hallmark of this stitch is the little color pops which get lost if your colors are too similar.
Blanket is worked changing color every row in A-B-C-D-E order.
For a great step-by-step photo tutorial of this stitch, visit the block stitch tutorial at Nordic Hook.
Pay attention to the number of stitches suggested for the first round of the border. I pulled out the entire border and started over because I had too few stitches along the sides and the blanket puckered badly.
To adjust the width of the blanket, ch a multiple of 3+1.
Five Color Block Stitch Stitch Baby Blanket Pattern
With color A, ch 94.
Row 1: First 3 chs count as a dc. Dc in the 4th ch from the hook and in each st across. Join color B. Turn. <92 dcs>
Row 2: Ch 1. Sc between the first two dcs. *Ch 2, sk 3 dcs, sc between dcs; rep from * across. You should end with the final sc between the last dc and the turning ch of the previous row. Join color C. Turn. <31 scs, 30 ch-2 sps>
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as a dc). Work 3 dcs in each ch-2 sp across. Do a final dc into the last dc from two rows back. Join color D. Turn. <92 dcs>
Rows 4-85: Rep Rows 2 and 3 until work measures 33″, ending on row 3 of the repeat. Change colors at the end of every row in the following order: A-B-C-D-E. I ended on color E.
Cut yarn, fasten off, and weave in ends.
Moss Stitch Border
Border is worked rs facing.
The moss st border requires an odd number of sts along the top, bottom, and each side of the blanket. Either make sure you end up with an odd number by following the suggested st counts at the end of Rnd 1, or you may need to “fudge” and add 1 st in the middle of each side as needed.
Rnd 1: Using color C (white), pull up a loop of yarn in the top right corner. Ch 1, sc in the same st. Sc in each st across, increasing once somewhere in the middle. When you reach the corner, work (sc, ch 2, pm, sc) in one st. Working along the side, aim to work about 3 scs per 2 row-ends. Work (sc, ch 2, pm, sc) in the corner. Sc in each st along the bottom of the blanket, increasing once somewhere in the middle, and work (sc, ch 2, pm, sc) in the corner. Working along the final side, aim for 1 sc into each row-end, increasing twice. When you reach your starting corner, (sc, ch 1**, pm, sl st join). <Not including the marked corner sps, you should have 93 sts across the top and bottom of the blanket, and 119 sts along the sides.>
**We are only doing a ch 1 in the starting corner to minimize the size of the eyelets that will form since this will be our seam.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc back into the marked ch-1 corner. Working back into the starting corner in this way keeps your seam in the corner. *[Ch 1, sk 1 st, sc in the next st] across until there is 1 st left in the row. Ch 1, sk 1 st. Work (sc, ch 2, pm, sc) in the marked ch-2 corner sp. Rep from * around until you reach your starting corner. Sc, ch 1, pm, sl st join to the first sc in the rnd. <Not including the marked corner sps, you should have 95 sts across the top and bottom of the blanket, and 121 sts along the sides.>
Rnd 3-8: Ch 1, sc back into the marked ch-1 corner. *[Ch 1, sk 1 st, sc into the next ch-1 sp] across until there is 1 st left in the row. Ch 1, sk 1 st. Work (sc, ch 2, pm, sc) in the marked ch-2 corner sp. Rep from * around until you reach your starting corner. Sc, ch 1, pm, sl st join. <At the end of Rnd 8 you should have 107 sts across the top and bottom of the blanket, and 133 sts along the sides (not including the marked corner sps).>
Cut yarn, fasten off, and weave in ends.
Pin for later!
On row three I had to change one in between the three double crochets to even the count with the previous row single crochet between chain threes. It lays a lot better if you do this.