Make a cosy starry night crochet blanket designed by Sara Huntington

Like most yarn crafts, crochet is a wonderfully tactile way to stay stress-free. The repetitive nature of making each stitch is soothing on minds and bodies, and at the end of it, you have a beautiful piece of textiles to show off.

Curl up, grab a crochet hook and some yarn and learn the basics at www.youtube.com/SimplyCrochetMag

Our designer, Sara, taught herself in a weekend and you can too!

Follow the steps below, or download the PDF here.

You will need

• Erika Knight Gossypium Cotton DK (100% Cotton 50g/100m) 1 ball each of: Milk (500), Sea Fret (501), Ikat (510)
• A 4mm (US G/6) crochet hook

Granny star square

This is a great pattern to start with if you’re a beginner at crochet. Using white yarn ch6, ss to first ch to join into a ring.

Round 1

Ch3 (counts as tr), 2tr into ring, ch1, *3tr into ring, ch1; rep from * four more times, ss to top of beg ch-3, ss to top of next 2 tr and ch-1 sp to start next round. [6 groups of 3 tr, 6 ch-1 sps]

Round 2

Ch3 (counts as tr), (2tr, ch2, 3tr, ch1) in same ch-1 sp, (3tr, ch2, 3tr, ch1) in each rem ch-1 sp around, ss to top of beg ch-3, fasten off. [12 3-tr groups, 6 ch-1 sps, 6 ch-2 sps]

Round 3

Join blue yarn in any ch-2 sp with a ss, *ch6, ss in next ch-2 sp, (ch9, ss in next ch-2 sp) twice; rep from * once more, ss to first ss. [4 ch-9 sps, 2 ch-6 sps]

Round 4

*6dc in next ch-6 sp, (4dc, ch2, 7dc) in next ch-9 sp, (7dc, ch2, 4dc) in next ch-9 sp; rep from * once more, ss to first dc. [14 dc per side]

Round 5

Ch2 (counts as htr), htr into each dc around working (2htr, ch2, 2htr) in each ch-2 corner space. [18 htr per side]

Round 6

Join grey yarn in any htr with a ss and repeat Round 4. [22 htr per side] Fasten off.

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• Create a winter wreath for your door
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Two-colour centre star

Now you’ve mastered the granny square, try this two-colour pattern. Using white yarn, ch6, ss to first ch to join into a ring.

Round 1

Ch1 (does not count as st), 6dc into ring, ss to first dc.

Round 2

Ch1 (does not count as st), 2dc in each dc around, ss to first dc. [12 dc]

Round 3

*Ch4, dc in second ch from hook, htr in next ch, tr in next ch, skip dc at base of ch, ss into next dc; repeat from * five more times, ss to base of first ch, fasten off. [6 star ‘arms’]

Round 4

Join blue yarn to any ch-1 sp at the end of a star arm with a ss, *working into the sts down the side of the arm; dc in next st, htr in next st, tr in next st. Working into the opposite side of the ch up the other side of the next star arm; htr in next st, dc in next 2 sts, ss in ch-1 sp at the top; rep from * 5 more times, fasten off.

Round 5

Join blue yarn to any ss at the top of star arm, *ch6, ss in ss at top of next star arm, (ch9, ss in ss at top of next star arm) twice; rep from * once more. [4 ch-9 sps, 2 ch-6 sps]

Rounds 6-8

Repeat Rounds 4-6 of the granny square pattern.

Measurements

The finished size for both squares is 13x13 cm (5x5 in)

Abbreviations: (UK terms used throughout)

• Beg beginning
• Ch chain Ch-sp(s) chain space(s)
• Ch-2 sp(s) chain space(s) consisting of 2 chain (or number stated)
• Dc double crochet
• Htr half treble crochet
• Rem remaining
• Rep repeat
• Ss slip stitch
• St(s) stitch(es)
• Tr Treble crochet
• (...) Work all the sts within the round brackets in the stitch or space indicated
• (...) x times Work all the stitches within the round brackets the total number of times stated
• *....; rep from * x more times Repeat the instructions after * for the stated number of times more
• [...] Stitch counts within square brackets show you how many stitches you should have at the end of round.

Pattern originally published in Project Calm issue 5.