As I promised in my last blog post, today I’ll show you how to join the squares together. If you missed the first part of the tutorial (how to make the square) click here to check it out.
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I will use only 4 squares to demonstrate the join-as-you go method. Also the colors I use differ from the actual blanket. Don’t let that confuse you.

1. After you finish the first complete square, start doing the second, but complete only the first nine rounds. Work through the tenth round, as explained earlier,

2. and stop once you’ve worked the fourth tr of the first corner, then make ch-2;

3. Take your first finished square and lean it against the second square. We will start joining the squares at corners.

4. Insert the hook into ch-4 space of the upper right corner of the first square, grab the yarn with your hook,

5. pull the yarn through ch-4 space and through the loop on your hook. We’ve just made our first join, using slip stitch.

6. Make ch-2, 4 tr in ch-4 space of the second square;

7. make ch-2, sl st in the next ch-4 space of the first square, ch-2, sc in the next ch-6 space of the second square;

8. * ch-3, sl st in the next ch-6 space of the first square, ch-3, sc in the next ch-6 space of the second square;

9. Repeat from * two more times;

10. ch-2, sl st in the next ch-4 of the first square, ch-2, 4 tr in the next ch-4 space of the second square;

11. Now, we’re going to join our second corner, so make ch-2, sl st in the next ch-4 space of the first square, ch-2, 4 tr in the same ch-4 space of the second square where we’ve just made 4 tr;

12. Continue the last round of the second square as you normally would. When you finish joining your first 2 squares, they should look like this. Now we’re going to join our third square. Join the third square in the same way we joined our first 2 squares together earlier,

13. and stop once you’ve made the fourth tr and ch-2 of the second corner.

14. Insert your hook in slip stitch with which we joined our first and second squares together,

15. grab the yarn and pull it through slip stitch and through the loop on your hook, then make ch-2;

16. Continue the last round of the third square as you normally would.

17. This is how the join of the three squares should look like.

18. Take the fourth square and repeat all the steps we made with the third square. Again, when you reach the second corner (4 tr and ch-2) stop to see where you should make a join.

19. The arrow in the picture indicates where you should make a join.

20. Insert your hook into the stitch, yo and pull the yarn through the stitch and through the loop on the hook.

21. Continue the last round of the fourth square as you normally would. See how the join of our four squares looks nice and neat.

Now, when you learned how to join the squares together, you can continue to join the rest of your squares in the same way.

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In the third part of the tutorial I will show you how to make the border.

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You can check out the first part of the tutorial here.

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This crochet blanket is light and airy, it’s perfect for summer. Popcorn stitches give it a nice texture, as well as a vintage look. This blanket can also be a perfect handmade baby shower gift for any baby girl.

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The pattern is written using US crochet terms.

Skill level: Advanced Beginner – Intermediate

Finished size if worked with suggested yarn: 80 x 80 cm (31.5″ x 31.5″)

Crochet hook: 3.5 mm (USA E-4 / UK 9)

Gauge: the square measures approximately 18 x 18 cm (7″ x 7″)

Yarn: For this blanket I used 100% cotton yarn “Tango” and “Golf” from St. George (125m/50g). Since that yarn isn’t available on line, I would like to recommend you 2 alternatives to the yarn I used.

The first one is Catona by Scheepjeswool. You can check out its gorgeous color palette here.

The second one is Catania by Schachenmayr. It also comes in variety of colors, which you can see here.

You will need approximately:

* White: 10 g

* Cream: 70 g

* Pale yellow: 15 g

* Pale pink: 15 g

* Pale green (or any other main color): 340 g

In this first part of the tutorial I will show you how to make the square. Don’t let the number of the photos discourage you. The square is actually simple to make, but I wanted to show you every little step on the way from the beginning to the end. I think that even beginners can make it quite successfully. Are you ready?

Let’s get started!

1. We will start with a magic ring. Make ch-4 in the ring. (counts as dc + ch-1)
2. Make * dc, ch-1;
3. Repeat from * 6 more times; you should have 8 dc with ch-1 between each dc;
4. Pull the yarn tail and close the ring.

5. Join with sl st to the third chain of the beginning ch-4. Fasten off.
6. Insert the new color in any ch-1 space, and make ch-3. Now, we’re going to make a beginning cluster stitch – treble crochet four together (tr4tog).
7. We will make an “incomplete” tr, so yarn over twice, insert your hook into the same chain space, yarn over and pull up a loop (you should have 4 loops on hook)
8. yarn over, pull the yarn through two loops (3 loops on hook),

9. yarn over, pull the yarn through two loops (2 loops on your hook), and now stop. It’s an “incomplete” tr.
10. Make 2 more “incomplete” tr in the same space. You should have 4 loops on your hook.
11. Yarn over,
12. and pull the yarn through all 4 loops on the hook. You’ve just made a cluster.

13. Make ch-4. Now we’re going to make another cluster.
14. Make 4 “incomplete” tr in the next ch-1 space. You should have 5 loops on the hook.
15. yo and pull the yarn through all 5 loops on your hook, ch-4;
16. * Make a cluster (tr4tog) in the next ch-1 space, ch-4;

17. Repeat from * 5 more times. You should have 8 clusters with ch-4 between each cluster.
18. Join with slip stitch to the top of the beginning cluster. Fasten off.
19. Take the background color. Now, we’re going to make standing sc, so make a slip knot on your hook.
20. Make standing sc (insert your hook in any ch-4 space – next to the cluster, yo, pull up a loop, yo and pull the yarn through two loops on your hook).

21. Make 5 sc in the same space. (6 sc in total)
22. * Make 6 sc in the next ch-4 space;
23. repeat from * 6 more times;
24. make sl st in standing sc, then make ch-7;

25. skip the next 5 sc, sc in the next sc;
26. * make ch-7, skip the next 5 sc, sc in the next sc;
27. repeat from * 5 more times;
28. make ch-5,

29. dc in the beginning slip stitch.
30. Make ch-3 (counts as dc + ch-1).
31. * Make [2 dc,ch-1,dc, ch-1, dc, ch-1, 2 dc] in the next ch-7 space, then make ch-1;
32. repeat from * 6 more times;

33. make [2 dc, ch-1, dc, ch-1, dc, ch-1, dc] in the next ch-5 space;
34. join with sl st to the second chain of the beginning ch-3;
35. make ch-2 (counts as dc), skip the next ch-1 space, dc in the next dc, ch-3. Now, we’re going to make a Popcorn stitch;
36. skip the next dc and make 5 dc in the next ch-1 space;

37. drop the loop from your hook, and insert the hook (from front to back) through both loops of the first dc of the group of 5 dc;
38. grab the dropped loop with your hook,
39. yarn over,
40. and pull the yarn through all three loops on your hook.

41. The finished popcorn.
42. make [ch-3, skip the next dc, popcorn in the next ch-1 space] 2 times, ch-3, skip the next dc, dc in the next dc;
43. * skip the next ch-1 space, dc in the next dc, [ch-3, skip the next dc, popcorn in the next ch-1 space] 3 times, ch-3, skip the next dc, dc in the next dc;

44. Repeat from * 5 more times;
45. Skip the next ch-1 space, dc in the next dc, [ch-3, skip the next dc, popcorn in the next ch-1 space] 3 times, ch-3,
46. join with sl st to the top of the initial ch-2;
47. make ch-2 (counts as dc),

48. dc in the next dc, dc in the next ch-3 space,
49. [ch-3, popcorn in the next ch-3 space] 2 times,
50. ch-3, dc in the next ch-3 space, dc in the next dc,
51. * dc in the next dc, dc in the next ch-3 space, [ch-3, popcorn in the next ch-3 space] 2 times, ch-3, dc in the next ch-3 space, dc in the next dc;

52. Repeat from * 5 more times;
53. dc in the next dc, dc in the next ch-3 space, [ch-3, popcorn in the next ch-3 space] 2 times, ch-3, dc in the next ch-3 space; join with sl st to the top of the beginning ch-2;
54. ch-3 (counts as dc),
55. * dc in the next 2 dc, 2 dc in the next ch-3 space, ch-3, popcorn in the next ch-3 space, ch-3, 2 dc in the next ch-3 space, dc in the next 2 dc;

56. Repeat from * 6 more times;
57. dc in the next 2 dc, 2 dc in the next ch-3 space, ch-3, popcorn in the next ch-3 space, ch-3, 2 dc in the next ch-3 space, dc in the next dc, join with sl st to top of the beginning ch-3.
58. Make sc in the next dc, ch-6, skip the next 3 dc, sc in the next ch-3 space (next to popcorn),
59. sc in the next ch-3 space (right after popcorn), ch-6, skip the next 3 dc, sc in the next dc,

60. ch-6, skip the next 4 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-3 space,
61. ch-4, 3 dc in the next ch-3 space, ch-6, skip the next 4 dc, sc in the next dc,
62. * ch-6, skip the next 3 dc, sc in the next ch-3 space (next to popcorn), sc in the next ch-3 space (right after popcorn), ch-6, skip the next 3 dc, sc in the next dc, ch-6, skip the next 4 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-3 space, ch-4, 3 dc in the next ch-3 space, ch-6, skip the next 4 dc, sc in the next dc;

63. Repeat from * 1 more time;
64. ch-6, skip the next 3 dc, sc in the next ch-3 space, next to popcorn, sc in the next ch-3 space, right after
popcorn, ch-6, skip the next 3 dc, sc in the next dc, ch-6, skip the next 4 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-3 space, ch-4,
3 dc in the next ch-3 space, ch-3,
65. tr in the beginning sc;
66. [ch-6, sc in the next ch-6 space] 3 times,

67. ch-4, skip the next 3 dc, [4 tr, ch-4, 4 tr] in the next ch-4 space, ch-4, skip the next 3 dc, sc in the next ch-6 space,
68. * [ch-6, sc in the next ch-6 space] three times, ch-4, [4 tr, ch-4, 4 tr] in the next ch-4 space, ch-4, sc in the next ch-6 space;
69. Repeat from * one more time;
70. [ch-6, sc in the next ch-6 space] three times, ch-4, [4 tr, ch-4, 4 tr] in the next ch-4 space, ch-4. Now, we’re going to make an invisible join.

71. Cut the yarn and pull it through the stitch. Thread the tapestry needle. Insert your needle through the first stitch after tr, from front to back and pull it through.
72. Insert the needle back, in the last stitch you made, through the back loop only, from front to back, and pull it through.
73. This is how invisible join looks like. Weave in the ends.
74. Congratulations! You’ve just finished your first square!

Next time I will show you how to join the squares. We’re going to join them using as-you-go method, so if you’ve decided to make this blanket, please don’t make a bunch of squares while you’re waiting for the joining tutorial to be publish. You will need only one square completely done. You’ll finish the other squares while joining them together. So be patient. The next part is coming very soon…

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Update: The second part of the tutorial – How to join the squares is now available. Click here to check it out.

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