Finally after many many weeks I have finished my Vintage ‘V’ Stitch Blanket. Right at the beginning of this blanket journey, I had grand plans to crochet a row of pretty ‘V’ stitches for every day of the Covid Pandemic. As is natural and normal it didn’t quite work to that plan. Some days I would crochet 10 rows – those would be lazy Sundays. Some weeks I didn’t manage a line at all.
As in my previous post – the idea was to represent each day and then create blocks of 7 lines of colour seperated by a line of cream to create weeks.
In all I have worked 16 blocks (weeks). The overall blanket is about 200cm long and 160cm wide. It is large and heavy and generously covers a single bed. In actual fact it mostly covers a Super-King size bed.
To finish off the whole blanket I worked a linen stitch edge. This is a nice and simple edging and doesn’t add extra fussiness to what is a rather bright and clashing palette.
My intention has always been to honour the scrap blankets of the war-time era. A make-do-and-mend aesthetic. Grab what I had in my stash and work it into the design. But let’s be honest. There was a little order. I didn’t repeat a colour within a one-week block. By adding in the regular cream lines there is a subtle regularity to the design.
Nearing the end of a big project like this – there is a strange conflict. I was keen to get to the edge, try out how it would look. At the same time there is a sadness of saying goodbye to an old friend. Certainly I was very cosy under the mass of yarn as I finally finished off the design.
The ‘V’ Stitch Blanket will now be our cosy blanket of choice for our bed during the Autumn and Winter months. That is if our son doesn’t adopt it in the meantime… there is a real possibility of that happening.
If you want to make your own version – please do use your stash of yarn. The majority of yarn I used was Stylecraft Special dk from my stash – to give you a list here are the colours: Cream, Dandelion, Mustard, Copper, Silver, Bottle, Apple, Duckegg, Petrol, French Navy, Lapis, Cloud Blue, Boysenberry, Bright Pink, Powder Pink, Bright Pink, Lipstick, Claret, Candy Floss.
You will need:
Lots of yarn of the same thickness (weight). I have used Double Knit yarn.
4mm crochet hook for the main pattern.
(If you have it, a 5mm crochet hook for the foundation chain)
Some small sharp scissors.
A tapestry need with large enough hole (eye) to thread yarn through.
Pattern
Using A and 5mm hook, chain 187
Row 1: 1dc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in each ch to end, turn. 186 sts.
Row 2: Using 4mm hook, 3ch, miss dc at base of ch, miss 1dc, (2tr, 1ch, 2tr) in next st, *miss 2dc, (2tr, 1ch, 2tr) rep from * to last 3sts, miss 2dc, 1tr in last st, turn. (63 V clusters).
Change to yarn B.
Row 3: 3ch, *(2tr, 1ch, 2tr) in next ch sp, rep from * to end, 1tr in top of 3rd ch, turn. (63 V clusters).
Row 3 forms the pattern. Change the yarn colour every row. Weave in the ends as you go with your tapestry needle. Work until your blanket measures 180cm. The width will be approximately 160cm dependent on your tension.
Edging
I crocheted 10 rows of linen stitch for the edging. I did an initial row of double crochet around the edge. Making 5 dc stitches for every two rows. Use a 5mm hook and this will avoid some puckering of the edge. Here is a basic stitch pattern for linen stitch. My advice is to work (1dc, 2ch, 1dc) into each corner.
If you start making a Vintage ‘V’ Blanket please do share your images over on the Facebook page or tag me in via Instagram. I would love to see them. Remember to really get the Vintage look the more colour clashes the better. In my blanket I have made every 8th row a cream row. But you could substitute this with a muted grey or even black which brings a little bit of neutral colour order to the overall look. Happy Making!
Abbreviations: st=stitch, sts – stitches, ch- chain, dc = double crochet (UK)/single crochet (US),
tr = treble crochet (UK)/double crochet (US), sp – space.