Blocky Stripes Crochet Stitch Tutorial

Here's the stitching pattern some of you asked for :) I don't know what in the dickens this stitch is called. I did not, by any stretch of the imagination, come up with it. I just don't know where I saw it. But it's stripes and the varying stitches make little block looking thingees so there you go. It's a very scientific naming process.

Anyway, if you want to whip up a fun throw, or even a larger blanket, this stitch pattern is a quick one to learn. It's quite simple and only requires you to know, in US terms, how to chain, single crochet (sc), and double crochet (dc). If you'd like to learn to crochet, or need a stitch refresher, the Lion Brand website has some great tutorials to get you going.

OK. On to the pattern.

To make your foundation, you need to loosely chain a multiple of 4 stitches plus one stitch for turning. My blanket is 225 and it's a great throw size. What you chain is up to you and what size you want your blanket to be.

Row 1: in the second chain from the hook, and the next 3 chains, single crochet. Then, do a double crochet in each of the next 4 stitches. Then 4 single crochets, then 4 doubles, and so on until the end.

Row 2: this depends on how many you chained. If you ended with single crochet, you will chain 1, and then sc in the sc, and dc in the dc, all the way across. If you ended with double crochet, you will chain 3, dc in the dc, and sc in the sc, all the way across.

You can see the stitch pattern in this photo pretty well. You can see how the singles and doubles are 'stacked' for two rows, and then they alternate and are 'stacked' for two rows.

Row 3: change your color. The stitches just completed should be single crochets. To make the 'blocks' appear you will now chain 3, double crochet in the next 3 sc, then sc in the dc, and so on, all the way across (you're doing the opposite of the stitch you're working into - if you are working into a single crochet, you'll do a double crochet, and vice versa).

Row 4: Just like row 2--if you ended with dc you'll chain 3 and work your way back across, starting with doubles. If you ended with a sc, you'll chain 1 and work back, starting with singles.

Keep repeating rows 3 and 4 until your blanket is the desired size.

A few notes on this one:

• Sometimes I wouldn't be paying attention and I'd do the wrong stitch. Usually I found the error by the next row. Instead of ripping it all out if it was waaaay back in the previous row, I would just revert back to what I was supposed to be doing in the first place. The error is hardly noticeable in the finished item (and I've got a few spots like that - one of them is actually in the photo above).
• I chose to fringe my blanket because weaving in ends is my mortal enemy. But if you love to hide your ends then by all means go for it. 

I know it reads like gibberish, but I'm hoping that once you get hooking it becomes clear. If you have any questions let me know!