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Lazy Summer Day Blanket

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Can you remember long, lazy summer days when you were a child, and when it looked like all the nature, smells and sounds existed only to show you how great it is to be alive and free? This blanket reminds me of those times, so precious, carefree and serene. So, I decided to name this blanket “Lazy Summer Day” blanket.
Maybe this pattern looks familiar to you. That’s because I’ve already used the same granny squares to make my boho bags. When I finished writing the tutorial for those bags I knew that I would use this pattern again, because I loved the squares so much that I couldn’t resist making a blanket using those beautiful squares. And blankets are still my favorite things to crochet, in spite of “shawlmania” which I caught this past winter.

The blanket is square shaped, it is made of 36 squares, and measures 90 x 90 cm (35.5” x 35.5”). The squares measure approximately 13 x 13 cm (5” x 5”). I would say that this pattern is suitable for advanced beginners to intermediate crocheters. There are no complicated techniques or stitches in the pattern. Let me tell you something. I recently started learning to knit, and I was making my first knitted object, a really simple shawl. The pattern required knitting two stitches together. I must admit that I found it so difficult, that I almost gave up making the shawl. Nothing in crochet was so difficult, even at the beginning. I managed to finish that row of knitting two stitches together after several torturous hours with the help of another knitting needle, which I’d never seen anyone do, but there was no other way to accomplish that. So, crochet stitches are much easier and enjoyable to do than knitting two stitches together! If you can make a magic loop, you’ll be fine, because I explained everything else in detail, with a lot of step-by-step pictures.

This blanket can be made with any yarn, except maybe some woolly, chunky yarn. I love cotton yarn, and think that cotton, or some cotton mix is ideal for this summery blanket. I used pale powdery pink yarn “Tanja”, 100% cotton, 125m/50g, from Bimtex (Serbia). For the flowers I used a different cotton yarn of the same weight, which I already had in my stash.
Since the yarn I used for this blanket isn’t available on-line and you can’t get it if you live anywhere outside of Serbia (and it’s probably 99.9% of you) I would like to recommend two alternatives to the yarn I used. They’re both 100% cotton yarn, the same weight as “Tanja” yarn, and they’re gorgeous!
The first one is “Catona”, manufactured by Scheepjes, which you’re probably very familiar with, especially if you live in Europe. “Catona” has a very rich and beautiful color palette (somewhere over 100 shades!)
The second one is “Catania” from Schachenmayr. It also comes in a variety of colors (96 to be exact!), and looks beautiful.

The pattern is very detailed, with more than 90 step-by-step pictures explaining all the steps of the process. The pattern is written in English, in both US and UK crochet terms.
For those of you who have already bought my Boho bag pattern I have some good news. If you want to receive this pattern for free, just send me an email and say that you have already bought the bag pattern and I will send this pattern to you as a gift.

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Lazy Summer Day blanket pattern & step-by-step tutorial is now available in Dada’s place shop, (payment options: Credit cards & PayPal).

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You can also buy it in my Ravelry shop and in my Etsy shop. (payment option: PayPal)

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Free Crochet Pattern: The Whisper of Joy Blanket

by Filed Under: Crochet baby blanket patterns, Crochet blankets, Free crochet patterns 19 Comments

I named this blanket “The Whisper Of Joy” because it reminds me of childhood, of that carefree time when joy was an important part of almost every long, seemingly endless day. So, I tried to bring you at least a little joy with this colorful and easy to make free blanket pattern.

Now, you might be wondering “why a free pattern?” The answer is: because I know that you love free stuff, and I appreciate you very much, my loyal followers, and I wanted to give you something! The free crochet pattern is the best gift for anyone who enjoys crocheting, especially making crochet blankets. (As I do.) So, here it is, my gift to you!

This blanket is made of 64 granny squares. Each square has only four rows. The squares are joined with single crochet. The border is very simple and has 5 rows.

This tutorial is written in US crochet terms.

Skill level: Advanced beginner – Intermediate

Yarn: Alize
● 2 skeins of Alize Cotton Gold Batik 3304 – color A (100g/330m 3.53Oz/361yds)
● 3 skeins of Alize Cotton Gold 62 – color B (100g/330m 3.53Oz/361yds)

Crochet hook: 4 mm (US – G / 6)

Size: 82 cm (32”) x 82 cm (32”)

Gauge: the square measures 10 cm (4”) x 10 cm (4”)

Stitch guide:

Chain stitch (ch): Yarn over, draw yarn through loop on hook.

Slip stitch (slip st): Insert the hook into stitch, yarn over and draw yarn through stitch and through loop on your hook.

Single crochet (sc): Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and draw yarn through both loops on hook.

Half double crochet (hdc): Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and draw yarn through three loops on hook.

Double crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, draw yarn through two loops, yarn over, draw yarn through two remaining loops on hook.

Treble crochet (tr): Yarn over twice, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (four loops on hook), yo, draw yarn through two loops (three loops on hook), yo, draw yarn through two loops (two loops on hook), yo, draw yarn through two remaining loops on hook.

5 dc Popcorn stitch: ch-3, make 4 dc in same space, drop loop from hook, insert hook from front to back between ch-3 and first dc, grab dropped loop, yarn over, draw yarn through two loops on hook.

Standing single crochet: Make a slip knot on your hook. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and draw yarn through both loops on hook.

So, let’s get started!

With Color A: We will start with a magic ring. Make ch-5 in the ring. (counts as tr + ch-1) – Picture 1

Make * tr, ch-1 in the ring. – Picture 2

Repeat from * ten more times; you should have 12 tr, ch-1 between each tr. – Picture 3

Pull the yarn tail and close the ring. – Picture 4

Join with slip st to the fourth chain of the initial ch-5. – Picture 5

Make slip st in the next ch-1 space. – Picture 6

Make ch-3. Now, we’re going to make a beginning popcorn stitch. – Picture 7

Make 4 dc in the same space; – Picture 8

Drop the loop from your hook and insert it into the third chain of the initial ch-3. – Picture 9

Grab the dropped loop with your hook, yarn over, – Picture 10

and pull the yarn through both loops on the hook. The first popcorn is finished! – Picture 11

Make ch-3, – Picture 12

then 5 dc in the next ch-1 space; – Picture 13

Drop the loop from your hook and insert it under both loops of the first dc of the group of 5 dc; – Picture 14

Grab the dropped loop, yarn over, – Picture 15

and draw the yarn through both loops on your hook; make ch-3; – Picture 16

Make * 5 dc popcorn stitch in the next ch-1 space, ch-3; – Picture 17

Repeat from * nine more times; – Picture 18

Join with slip st to the top of the beginning popcorn. You should have 12 popcorns with ch-3 between each popcorn. – Picture 19

Insert Color B into any ch-3 space and make ch-3; – Picture 20

make dc in the same space; – Picture 21

make 4 dc in the next ch-3 space; – Picture 22

Continue making 4 dc into each ch-3 space, until you reach the beginning of the round; – Picture 23

make 2 dc in the first ch-3 space where you’ve already made ch-3 and dc; (48 dc) – Picture 24

Join with slip st to the top of the initial ch-3; – Picture 25

make ch-2 (counts as hdc), then hdc in the next dc; – Picture 26

make dc in the next 3 dc; – Picture 27

 make tr in the same stitch, where you’ve just made dc; – Picture 28

(tr, ch-2, tr) in the next dc; – Picture 29

make * (tr, dc) in the next stitch, dc in the next 2 dc, hdc in the next 5 dc, dc in the next 2 dc, (dc, tr) in the next dc, (tr, ch-2, tr) in the next dc; – Picture 30

repeat from * two more times; – Picture 31

make (tr, dc) in the next dc, dc in the next 2 dc, hdc in the next 3 dc; – Picture 32

Now, we’re going to make an invisible join. Cut the yarn and pull it through the stitch. – Picture 33

Thread the tapestry needle. Skip the initial ch-2 and insert your needle under both loops of the next hdc, from back to front and pull it through. – Picture 34

Insert your needle back to the last hdc you made, through the back loop only and pull it through. – Picture 35

Weave in the yarn end.

The finished square! – Picture 36

How to join the squares

● When you finish all 64 squares needed for the blanket, it’s time to join them together. We’re going to join our squares with single crochet.
● We will first join together all the horizontal rows, and then all the vertical rows.
● We’ll start from the top right-hand corner and we’ll join the squares together from right to left.
● I decided to join my squares with the same color I used for the background, but you can choose to use some contrast color, and make the blanket even more interesting and unique.
● For the best result block your squares before joining.

Lay out your squares in the way you want them to appear on the blanket. – Picture 37

I like to make a pile of squares for each row – so I don’t have to think about which square I should join next. – Picture 38

Now, we’re going to join our first two horizontal rows together, so, take the first two squares, one from the first pile and one from the second pile. – Picture 39

Put them together – facing wrong sides together. Line up your squares so the edges and stitches match. – Picture 40

Make a slip knot on your hook, because we’re going to make a standing single crochet. – Picture 41

Insert the hook from front to back through ch-2 space of both squares, and make standing sc (yo, pull up a loop, yo, and draw the yarn through both loops on your hook). Make sc in the same space. – Picture 42

Now, we’re going to make sc in the next stitch. Be sure to pull the hook through both squares, and both loops – front and back. – Picture 43

Work 1 sc in each stitch until you reach the left corner of the square. Make 1 sc in ch-2 space. – Picture 44

Take the next two squares facing wrong sides together and lean them against the first two squares. – Picture 45

Keeping them close together, make 1 sc in ch-2 space. – Picture 46

Keep working 1 sc in every stitch. When you’ve joined the second pair of squares, take another 2 and repeat the procedure until you join all 8 pairs of squares. – Picture 47

When you reach the corner of the last pair of squares, make 2 sc in ch-2 space. Fasten off. – Picture 48

These are our two first horizontal rows joined together. – Picture 49

Now, we will join the third row to the second one.

Take a square from your third pile and hold it against the first square of the second row, facing wrong sides together. – Picture 50

Make standing sc in ch-2 of the corner, then 1 sc in the same space. Continue joining the third row in the same way you joined the first two horizontal rows. Don’t forget to make 2 sc in the left corner of the last pair of squares. – Picture 51

Continue joining horizontal rows in the same way you’ve already joined your first three rows. To finish joining all 8 horizontal rows, you need to repeat this procedure five more times. – Picture 52

We will join the vertical rows in the same way we joined the horizontal rows. We’ll work from right to left. Start with the squares in the upper right hand corner.

Make standing sc in ch-2 space of the corner, sc in the same space, work 1 sc in each stitch, until you reach the join of two squares; – Picture 53

make 1 hdc in the last stitch before the join, ch-1, 1 hdc in the first stitch after the join. – Picture 54

Continue joining the squares until you join together all of your vertical rows. Don’t forget to make 2 sc in the left corner of the last pair of squares of each row. Weave in the yarn ends. – Picture 55

Now, we just have to make our simple border.

We will start the border in the fourth stitch to the right of the left corner. – Picture 56

Attach the yarn and make ch-2 (counts as hdc), make hdc in the next three stitches; – Picture 57

make (hdc, ch-3, hdc) in the next ch-2 space; – Picture 58

Continue making 1 hdc in each stitch. When you reach the join of two squares, make hdc in the last stitch before the join, and hdc in the first stitch after the join. – Picture 59

Make 1 hdc in each stitch around the blanket, in the corners make: (hdc, ch-3, hdc) in ch-2 space. – Picture 60

When you reach the beginning of the row, join with slip stitch to the top of the beginning ch-2; make slip stitch in the next hdc. – Picture 61

make ch-4 (counts as dc + ch-1), skip the next hdc, make dc in the next hdc; – Picture 62

ch-1, skip the next hdc, (dc, ch-3, dc) in the next ch-3 space; – Picture 63

* ch-1, skip the next hdc, dc in the next hdc; repeat from * around the blanket. In the corners make (dc, ch-3, dc) in ch-3 space. When you reach the beginning of the row, ch-1, join with slip st to the third chain of the initial ch-4; we’ve just completed the second row of the border. The third row is the same as the second, so make ch-4 (counts as dc + ch-1), skip the next ch-1 space, dc in the next dc; work ch-1, skip the next ch-1 space, dc in the next dc around the blanket. In the corners make: (dc, ch-3, dc) in ch-3 space. – Picture 64

When you reach the beginning of the row, join with slip st to the third chain of the initial ch-4, then repeat the third row. – Picture 65

Join with slip st to the third chain of the initial ch-4; – Picture 66

Now, we’re going to make a simple row of single crochet along the blanket.

make ch-1, sc in the same stitch; – Picture 67

* make sc in the next ch-1 space, sc in the next dc; repeat from * around the blanket; – Picture 68

in the corners make 3 hdc in ch-3 space; – Picture 69

We will finish the blanket with an invisible join, so cut the yarn and pull it through the stitch. Thread a tapestry needle. – Picture 70

skip ch-1 and insert your needle under both loops of the next sc, from back to front and pull it through; – Picture 71

insert your needle into the last sc you made, in back loop only, from front to back and pull it through. – Picture 72

This is how my invisible join looks. – Picture 73

Feel free to sell the finished products made from this pattern, but please link back to my site: dadasplace for credit. And, please don’t use my pictures to sell your work.

Although this pattern is free, it is copyright protected, so please don’t sell or publish this pattern anywhere, don’t translate it, or make YouTube videos without my permission. Thank you for respecting my work!

Hope you will like the pattern, and maybe will try it out! If so, I would love to see it! Please be free to share it to my Facebook page, or on Instagram, and use hash tag #whisperofjoyblanket. I’m looking forward to seeing your beautiful creations, and that will bring me a lot of joy!

Blooming Blanket

by Filed Under: Crochet baby blanket patterns, Crochet blankets 1 Comment

I am happy to present the latest blanket pattern in Dada’s collection. The Blooming Baby Blanket! It is flowery, colorful and romantic, and very simple and easy to make, which is always a plus, at least for me.

The idea for this blanket came to my mind totally unexpectedly, when I was working on my Vintage style teddy bear blanket. Needless to say, I stopped working on teddy bear blanket, grab some leftovers from my yarn stash and tried to make this flowery granny square. And it worked! It turned out exactly as I had imagined. I didn’t have to adjust it at all. That’s maybe because the granny square is actually very simple, the basic one.

The blanket is 70 cm (27.5”) wide and 84 cm (33”) long and it weighs 515 grams. The square measures approximately 11 x 11 cm (4.3” x 4.3”). I love to work with 100% cotton yarn, and this blanket isn’t an exception. I combined two kinds of yarn. The first one is my beloved “Tango” from St. George, which I used so many times before, and the second one is gorgeous “Vera” from Yumco (also manufacturer from Serbia). They are the same weight: 125m/50g and very similar quality.

For this flowery, colorful blanket I made 42 granny squares in total and joined them together using Join-as-you-go method. In the end, I added this simple edge. At first, I wanted to make some rich, lacy edge, and I spent maybe 2 days designing and developing the perfect lacy border, but I wasn’t satisfied with any of them. Then I asked myself: What is the most obvious solution? I looked at the blanket and I instantly knew that I had to simply incorporate the same elements of the blanket into the edge. From that point on, everything went smoothly. Once again I learned my lesson: the best solution is always the most obvious, and usually very simple. But, for some reason, we like to complicate things, even when it comes to crochet.

I would say that this blanket is suitable for advanced beginners who master the basic stitches. The pattern is very detailed, with lots of step-by-step photographs (98 in total).

For the first time, this pattern is available in both US and UK crochet terms! I love and appreciate my British and Australian customers, so I wanted to make the whole process of crocheting even easier and more enjoyable to them, and from now on, every new pattern will be written in both US and UK crochet terms.

You can easily make this pillow using the Blooming granny square pattern. Just omit the last row of the square, and join the squares with single crochet (double crochet for my UK and Australian followers). You can add whatever border you like. I used the simple shell stitch border, but the Pom Pom edge would also be great.

As you can see, these bags are made of 4 Blooming granny squares (here I’ve also omitted the last row of the squares), joined together with single crochet (double crochet), I used different colors for joining, which makes them even more colorful and playful. You can really be creative with these simple crocheted bags and and let your imagination lead the way, expecially because it seems that you can’t go wrong with them.

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If you want something to bloom in your home 24/7 all year long, maybe this pattern is for you! It is now available in Dada’s place shop, (payment options: Credit cards & PayPal).

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You can also buy it in my Ravelry shop, as well as in my Etsy shop. (payment option: PayPal)

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