Northern Timberline - Crochet Blanket
Christmas was a strange one this year, just with everything going on in the world, and in our own lives. It was different than we are used to for sure, but no less special of course. In fact, despite everything, this year was a little more special than most - our extended family was blessed with a Christmas Eve baby! My cousin & his wife welcomed a little boy on Christmas Eve, which was just so exciting! We are all so happy for them, and I sure hope we will be able to travel to visit them before long. Actually they have a knack for coinciding births with important dates, as their daughter was born on their wedding anniversary. That is impressive! There is nothing quite like a new baby to restore a sense of peace in the world - at least until those 2 a.m. feeds! ;)
They are an adventure-loving family and I just knew this new plaid design would be perfect to send to them to welcome their newest arrival. I thought it brought together inspiration from our own northern lifestyle & their adventurous one perfectly. Just looking at it makes me feel like I am in a quaint cabin in the middle of a large and quiet forest. This blanket reminds me of days spent in the rugged wilderness, cozying up around a campfire at night, and of course, the holidays as well. Introducing the Northern Timberline crochet blanket!
Plaid is an impressive design that is actually much simpler than it looks. If you have never tried it, I have a tutorial (video and photos) here.
When I finished the blanket I had some extra yarn left over, so naturally I started working on a tiny, matching Northern Timberline plaid toque for the baby…then his mom… and dad… and then of course his older sister! Couldn’t have anyone feeling left out! Those patterns will be available here soon.
Red plaid is an classic choice for both the outdoors and for Christmas time, and I took that inspiration to create this totally unique Northern Timberline plaid blanket. I design all my plaids from scratch and I am proud to share these one-of-a-kind designs with you! All my plaid designs are carefully drawn by hand, and every little thing is given much thought and intention. You should see the behind the scenes of the design process, and how much changes before a blanket can be created! Each one is different and I spend a lot of time perfecting the stitches & spacing so that it looks like a high-end, timeless plaid fabric.
For this project you will need 3 colours of yarn. I used Loops & Thread Impeccable yarn, which comes in many colours so it is wonderful for creating gorgeous plaid patterns. It is a medium yarn that is nice and soft, and easy to work with. This blanket is worked in the Lemon Peel Stitch and has a gorgeous texture. This a totally unique plaid that has been designed from scratch.
Purchase the Pattern PDF here.
MATERIALS:
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Loops & Thread Impeccable Yarn (260m, 127.5g)
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A - Claret (3 x 260m)
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B - Burgundy (3 x 260m)
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C - Dark Charcoal (2 x 260m)
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Scissors
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Tapestry needle
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Crochet hooks
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Size 6.5 mm (K) crochet hook (for blanket) - the yarn calls for a smaller hook, but because you carry over a second strand of yarn to create the plaid, I preferred the 6.5mm (K) hook.
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Size 5.0 mm (H )crochet hook (for border) - you only work with 1 strand of yarn on the border so it is important to size down your crochet hook to maintain gauge.
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FINISHED DIMENSIONS: 38 x 54”
Gauge: 5 in. = 14 sts, 13 rows
STITCHES USED (US Terminology):
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Lemon Peel Stitch (LPS - alternating Single Crochet (SC) and Double Crochet (DC)),
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Half Double Crochet (HDC),
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Slip Stitch (SL ST)
NOTES:
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You will be working with 2 colors in each row. You will carry along & crochet over the colour you aren’t working with.
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To change colours, pull through a loop of the next colour to finish the last stitch of the active colour. Give the colour you carried over a small tug first to keep it flat along your row.
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Keep one colour to the front of your work, and one colour to the back to keep the yarn from twisting.
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You can find a photo & video tutorial for changing colours in plaid here.
This listing is for a printable PDF pattern & includes a chart as well as written instructions.
Purchase the Pattern PDF here.
You can find other patterns on my blog www.callistafaye.ca
As you work through the blanket, it is worthwhile to note that the Lemon Peel Stitch creates an adorable scalloped edge on its own. If you would like, this is a great way to leave the blanket, but you will have to cut your yarn for each “row” of the plaid and weave in the ends. I have designed the pattern to allow for carrying up your yarn along the side of the blanket - as I personally do not enjoy weaving in many ends. When you carry up the yarn in this way, the exposed yarn is then all covered by the addition of a beautifully textured border. I only had 17 ends to weave in through the entirety of the blanket.
Scalloped edge created with LPS.
Yarn carried up the sides.
All patterns are in English, using US crochet terms. Please don't be shy if you have any questions! I will do my best to answer your queries. Take a look at my other crochet posts and YouTube channel for helpful tips & tutorials.
