Summer Vibes Blog Hop – Free Pattern Today!

I’m so excited to share this free pattern today. I think I’m going to collect all of the patterns that I’ve made with this stitch and call it my Alexander McQueen collection in homage to Tiffany Haddish who famously wore one of his gowns multiple times to ensure that she the full value of the gown. Of course she also did it because she absolutely loved the gown and looked fabulous in it. Her obsession with the gown is similar to my obsession with this stitch. 

Stitch Obsession

The stitch is the long double crochet and I’ve literally been stitching this stitch for the last two months. First I made a pillow as a gift for a new relative, 

then I decided I wanted to make another one but with a different color scheme, then I decided I wanted to try it with a different pillow shape, then I decided I wanted to try the stitch with cotton yarn and that’s when the magic began.

Eco-Friendly Yarns: Cotton/Bamboo

I’d been writing about eco-friendly yarns in one of my last posts and based on what I was learning about cotton yarn. Given that it’s summer and acrylic anything is yuk right now, I decided to try this checkered pattern with one of my favorite cotton/bamboo blends, Lion Brand Coboo. It’s incredibly soft – I picture a pool full of this yarn, diving in, and being in complete bliss! Seriously, this yarn is so soft that it’s officially approved by the Knitted Knockers to make soft, comfortable, knit prosthetics for breast cancer survivors. Another wonderful thing about the yarn is that it’s machine washable and machine dryable. Not only will your projects be strong because of the bamboo, they’ll also be practical. Perfect for all things baby!

Summer Checkered Baby Blanket – Featured Free Pattern

When I designed this blanket, I knew I was going to continue with the two neutral colors, silver  and white. I love the subtle checkered pattern, that is the kryptonite for me! There are a myriad of color combinations that one can combine with it. I wanted to add color but for this particular blanket, I wanted to use blue. I began with Denim though I was still wondering if I should have used Steel Blue. It’s a lovely deep blue teal color but I was concerned that it might be too dark. As the pattern would have it, it made better sense to use both. 

As I began this pattern, I started with Silver and the next color was Denim. When I changed colors to White and came to the end of that row, I discovered that the color change back to denim (which is what I was seeking) wouldn’t work because the Denim yarn was on the other end of the blanket. Aha! Steel Blue to the rescue, any excuse to add more color. And I have to say, I’m in love! This pattern is mesmerizing and calming!

Because this is a lighter weight blanket, it’s perfect for those times when you need the blanket to take the chill away, not create warmth. For this particular pattern, I made the blanket 30 x 30, because I didn’t want it to be too big. I see this blanket as the car seat blanket or small receiving blanket size that covers the little ones during the road trips this summer when the AC had to be on but might be a little too cool for the baby.

Simply add 12 more rows if you’re seeking a 30 x 36 blanket. A simple border of single crochet or crabstitch is all you need here so that the focus stays on the pattern. 

Summer Vibes Blog Hop

I’m excited to add that this blanket is the featured pattern today in the SummerVibes Blog Hop, hosted by the lovely @crochet_fosbas. That means you can get it free today by stopping by her blog, Fosbas Designs, so that you can get the promotion code that you’ll need to get the pattern free on Ravelry, click below:

Once you have the promotion code, come back here and click the button below to be sent to the pattern purchase page on Ravelry:

Be sure to tag your creations with #crochetandtwistsdesigns so that I can see them! 

Enjoy the pattern and Happy Crocheting!