Peach and Cream Spiral Motif Crochet Blanket

Materials

• Bulky (weight 5-6) yarn in peach / apricot about 1,150 m (1,260 yd) for the full-size blanket
• Bulky (weight 5-6) yarn in cream about 890 m (975 yd) for the full-size blanket
• Extra yarn for two pillow covers about 400 m (440 yd) of peach and 115 m (125 yd) of cream
• Extra yarn for the ribbed lumbar pillow about 175 m (190 yd) of peach
• 6 mm (US J-10) crochet hook
• Large-eye tapestry needle for joining and sewing on the flowers
• 4 stitch markers for marking the shells
• Blocking mats and rustproof pins
• Two 45 cm (18 in) pillow inserts optional, for the pillow covers
• One 25 x 50 cm (10 x 20 in) lumbar pillow insert optional

Abbreviations

Spiral Motif (make 63 for the full size)

The center is a flat disc worked in a continuous spiral with no joining and no turning, so every round has 6 more stitches than the one before. Work the first stitch of each round in the first stitch of the round below and use a marker to track it. In every line below, the letter is the yarn color and the instruction after it is worked in that color until the next letter. Change color on the last yo of the stitch before the new color, including at the end of a round when the next round starts in a different color. Carry the unused strand along the tops of the previous round and work each sc over it. The stitch count in brackets is the total for the round.

1. Rd 1: P: 6 sc in MR. Pull the tail to close the ring tightly. (6)
2. Rd 2: P: 2 inc; C: 1 inc; P: 2 inc; C: 1 inc. (12)
3. Rd 3: P: 1 sc, inc, 1 sc; C: inc, 1 sc, inc; P: 1 sc, inc, 1 sc; C: inc, 1 sc, inc. (18)
4. Rd 4: P: 2 sc, inc; C: 2 sc, inc, 2 sc; P: inc, 2 sc, inc; C: 2 sc, inc, 2 sc; P: inc. (24)
5. Rd 5: P: 3 sc; C: inc, 3 sc, inc, 1 sc; P: 2 sc, inc, 3 sc; C: inc, 3 sc, inc, 1 sc; P: 2 sc, inc. (30)
6. Rd 6: P: 2 sc; C: 2 sc, inc, 4 sc, inc; P: 4 sc, inc, 2 sc; C: 2 sc, inc, 4 sc, inc; P: 4 sc, inc. (36)
7. Rd 7: C: 5 sc, inc, 4 sc; P: 1 sc, inc, 5 sc, inc; C: 5 sc, inc, 4 sc; P: 1 sc, inc, 5 sc, inc. (42)
8. Rd 8: C: 6 sc, inc, 2 sc; P: 4 sc, inc, 6 sc; C: inc, 6 sc, inc, 2 sc; P: 4 sc, inc, 6 sc; C: inc. (48)
9. Rd 9: C: 7 sc, inc; P: 7 sc, inc, 4 sc; C: 3 sc, inc, 7 sc, inc; P: 7 sc, inc, 4 sc; C: 3 sc, inc. (54)
10. Rd 10: C: 6 sc; P: 2 sc, inc, 8 sc, inc, 1 sc; C: 7 sc, inc, 6 sc; P: 2 sc, inc, 8 sc, inc, 1 sc; C: 7 sc, inc. (60)
11. Rd 11: C: 4 sc; P: 5 sc, inc, 9 sc; C: inc, 9 sc, inc, 4 sc; P: 5 sc, inc, 9 sc; C: inc, 9 sc, inc. (66)
12. Rd 12: P: 10 sc, inc, 6 sc; C: 4 sc, inc, 10 sc, inc; P: 10 sc, inc, 6 sc; C: 4 sc, inc, 10 sc, inc. Fasten off peach and weave in the tail, but keep the cream attached. (72)
13. Rd 13 (cream lace): Ch 3 (counts as the first dc), ch 1, sk 1 st, [dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1 st] 35 more times. Join with a sl st to the top of the first ch 3. You now have 36 dc and 36 ch-1 sps. (72)
14. Rd 14 (cream): Ch 1. [Sc in the next dc, sc in the next ch-1 sp] 36 times. Join with a sl st to the first sc and fasten off. (72)
15. Rd 15 (peach shells): Join peach with a sl st in any st. [Sk 1 st, 5 dc in the next st, sl st in the next st] 24 times, ending with the last sl st in the same st where you joined. Fasten off and weave in all ends. (24 shells)
16. Mark shells 1, 7, 13 and 19 (counting from the first one you made) with stitch markers. These four marked shells point up, right, down and left, and they are the ones you will join to neighboring motifs.

Filler Flower (peach, make 48 for the full size)

The flower is a small round center with four oval petals sewn around it. It fills the gap where four motifs meet. Leave a 20 cm tail on every piece.

1. Center, Rd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)
2. Center, Rd 2: inc in each st around. Sl st in the next st and fasten off, leaving a tail. (12)
3. Petal (make 4), Rd 1: Ch 5. Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and the next 2 ch (3 sc), 3 sc in the last ch, then 3 sc down the other side of the foundation chain. Do not join. Sl st in the next st and fasten off, leaving a tail. (9)
4. Assembly: Arrange the four petals around the center like the points of a cross, bases touching the edge of the center. Sew each petal base to the center, then sew the center and petal bases together between the petals so the flower holds its shape.

Layout and Sizing

1. The motifs are laid out in a straight square grid, with the four marked shells on each motif pointing to the four neighbors. A filler flower sits in the gap at every point where four motifs meet.
2. Sizes: throw, 5 motifs across by 6 down (30 motifs and 20 flowers), about 120 x 144 cm. Twin, 6 across by 8 down (48 motifs and 35 flowers), about 144 x 192 cm. Full or double, 7 across by 9 down (63 motifs and 48 flowers), about 168 x 216 cm. The yarn amounts in this pattern are for the full size.
3. Every motif is worked the same way, so swirl direction is the same across the blanket. The blanket edge is formed by the outer shells and is naturally scalloped.
4. Lay out all the motifs on the floor and take a photo before you join anything.

Joining the Motifs

1. Block every motif flat to 24 cm and let it dry completely.
2. Join the motifs into rows first, then join the rows to each other.
3. Place two motifs side by side with right sides up so that the marked shells touch. Using peach yarn and a tapestry needle, whip stitch the two shells together along 5 sts at their outer edges, passing through the back loops of the dc.
4. Where four motifs meet, stitch across the center of the join so there is no gap.
5. Place a filler flower in each gap, with one petal pointing toward each of the four motifs, and sew the tip of each petal to the nearest shell on the adjacent motif. Sew the flower center down at 3 points.

Matching Pillow Front (make 2)

1. Make 4 motifs and 1 filler flower for each front.
2. Join the 4 motifs into a 2 x 2 panel using the same shell joins. Sew the flower into the center gap. The panel measures about 48 cm (19 in) square.

Matching Pillow Back (make 2)

1. With peach, ch 66.
2. Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. (65)
3. Rows 2-67: Sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. (65)
4. Fasten off and weave in the ends. The panel measures about 48 cm (19 in) square after blocking.

Assembling the Pillow Cover

1. Place the front and back with wrong sides together. Using peach, whip stitch the back panel to the outer edge of the front along three sides, passing through the cream Rd 14 of each outer motif so the stitches stay hidden under the shells.
2. Insert the 45 cm pillow and close the fourth side the same way, or sew on snaps if you want to remove the insert for washing.

Ribbed Lumbar Pillow (optional)

1. Make 2 panels. With peach, ch 36. Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. (35)
2. Rows 2-71: Sc in the back loop of each st across. Ch 1, turn. (35) Fasten off. Each panel measures about 26 x 51 cm and has ribs running across the width.
3. With wrong sides together, whip stitch the panels together along three sides in peach, insert the 25 x 50 cm pillow and close the fourth side.

Finishing

Weave in every end before joining, as each motif has several and they are easiest to hide while the pieces are small. After joining, steam or mist the blanket lightly and pat the shells and flowers into place. Block according to your yarn’s care label: wet-block wool, and steam acrylic by holding the iron above the fabric without pressing. The open lace stretches when wet, so support the full weight of the blanket and dry it flat.

Tips for Success

• Cross off each round on the color chart as you finish it, and check the stitch count against the number in brackets at the end of every round, at least for the first few motifs.
• Carry the unused color loosely. A tight carried strand puckers the flat spiral and the motif will cup instead of lying flat.
• Make the motifs in batches of ten and block each batch together so they all end up the same size.
• Mark the four compass shells on every motif as soon as you finish it, so you do not have to count shells during assembly.
• Weigh your first finished motif and flower, then multiply by your motif count to check you have enough yarn before you begin the rest.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Changing color on the wrong stitch lets the swirl drift off. Always work from the color chart and change on the last yo of the stitch before the new color.
• Missing an increase in the spiral leaves the center cupped instead of flat. Check each round against its bracketed count.
• Joining the wrong shells makes the grid crooked. Mark the four compass shells and match them to the neighbors before you stitch.
• Pulling the ch-1 spaces in the lace round tight closes the holes. Keep the chains loose so the openings show.
• Using a hook that is too large makes a floppy circle that will not lie flat. Drop down half a size so the spiral stays firm.

Ways to Customize This Pattern

• Change the colors. Sage and cream, dusty blue and white, or terracotta and oatmeal all give the same swirl with a different mood.
• Make the swirl in three colors by adding a second light shade for the cream arms, changing at the same stitches.
• Make the filler flowers in cream instead of peach for a lighter overall look.
• Make a throw or baby blanket using the smaller sizes in the Layout and Sizing section.
• Use worsted yarn and a 4 mm hook for a lighter blanket. Work the spiral to 18 rounds, with 6 more stitches on every round, to keep the motif about the same size, and ask for a 108-st lace round count.