Teal and Brick Feather and Fan Crochet Blanket
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Perfect for those just starting their crochet journey, with clear instructions and simple techniques
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A satisfying project you can complete in a single afternoon or evening.
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About This Teal and Brick Feather and Fan Crochet Blanket
This feather and fan crochet blanket pattern turns four colors of worsted yarn into a bedspread of nested arcs, like a field of peacock feathers. The whole blanket is worked in one piece from the bottom edge up, on a single stitch repeat of 18 stitches. Changing color every two rows makes the fans stack into curving bands of teal, brick, cream and gold, with no seams and no motifs to join.
The stitch is simpler than it looks. A fan row of double crochet increases and decreases (peaks and valleys) alternates with a plain single crochet row, and the color sequence does all the work. The skill is in keeping the stitch count exact, so that the fans line up row after row, and in managing four colors without a tangle of ends.
Plan on about 60 to 80 hours for the full size, or about 25 hours for a throw. It suits crocheters who are comfortable with double crochet, decreasing and changing color at the end of a row. A deep teal crab stitch border finishes the edge.
Materials
- Worsted (weight 4) yarn in deep teal about 850 m (930 yd) for the full size, border included
- Worsted (weight 4) yarn in brick red about 730 m (800 yd)
- Worsted (weight 4) yarn in cream about 730 m (800 yd)
- Worsted (weight 4) yarn in golden tan about 730 m (800 yd)
- 5 mm (US H-8) crochet hook
- 12 stitch markers to mark the repeats on the first fan row
- Large-eye tapestry needle for weaving in ends
- Blocking mats and rustproof pins
Abbreviations
chchainscsingle crochetdcdouble crochetsl stslip stitchst(s)stitch(es)yoyarn overdc2togdouble crochet 2 together: work 2 dc in the next 2 sts, leaving the last loop of each on the hook, then yo and pull through all 3 loops. Counts as 1 st.V2 dc in the same st. Counts as 2 sts.T, R, C, Gteal, brick red, cream, golden tanRS / WSright side / wrong sideFoundation
The blanket is worked from the bottom edge up, in rows. The width is a multiple of 18 sts, and each stitch repeat makes one column of fans. Full size uses 13 repeats (234 sts). See Layout and Sizing for other sizes.
- With T, ch 235 (13 repeats x 18 sts + 1).
- Row 1 (RS): Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (234)
- Place a marker every 18 sts on this row to mark the 13 repeats. You will not need them after the first fan row.
Fan Row and Plain Row
Each stripe is one fan row followed by one plain row, both in the same color. The fan row stitch count stays at 234, because each repeat uses 18 sts and makes 18 sts (3 + 12 + 3). The valleys fall between the repeats and the peaks fall in the middle of them.
- Fan row (RS or WS): Ch 2 (does not count as a st), turn. *Dc2tog 3 times, V in each of the next 6 sts, dc2tog 3 times*. Repeat from * to * 13 times. (234 sts)
- Plain row: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (234 sts)
- To change color: On the last sc of the plain row, work the last yo with the new color, then fasten the old color, ch 2 and turn to start the next fan row in the new color.
- Count your stitches after every fan row. If the total is not a multiple of 18, you have missed a stitch in a peak or valley, and the fans will start to slide.
Color Sequence (12 stripes, repeat 9 times)
Row 1 is the teal foundation row. After it, work one stripe (fan row plus plain row) in each color of the sequence below. The cycle has 12 stripes, and the full size uses 9 cycles (108 stripes). Carry a color up the side only if it returns within 3 stripes; otherwise cut it and rejoin later, leaving 10 cm tails to be crocheted over by the border.
- Stripes 1 and 2: T (4 rows in teal, together with Row 1).
- Stripe 3: R.
- Stripe 4: C.
- Stripes 5 and 6: G (4 rows in gold).
- Stripe 7: C.
- Stripe 8: R.
- Stripe 9: T.
- Stripe 10: R.
- Stripe 11: G.
- Stripe 12: C.
- Repeat stripes 1 to 12 eight more times (9 cycles, 108 stripes, 216 rows). End with a plain row.
Layout and Sizing
- Throw: foundation ch 145 (8 repeats, 144 sts, about 96 cm wide) and 5 cycles (60 stripes, about 108 cm tall). With border, about 108 x 120 cm.
- Twin: foundation ch 181 (10 repeats, 180 sts, about 120 cm wide) and 9 cycles (108 stripes, about 194 cm tall). With border, about 132 x 206 cm.
- Full or double: foundation ch 235 (13 repeats, 234 sts, about 156 cm wide) and 9 cycles (108 stripes, about 194 cm tall). With border, about 168 x 206 cm. The yarn amounts in this pattern are for the full size.
- For a different width, add or remove whole 18-st repeats. The foundation chain is always 18 x the number of repeats + 1.
Border
- Rd 1: Join T at any corner. Work 3 sc in the corner. Along the top and bottom, sc in each st (234 sts). Along each side, work 3 sc for every stripe: 2 sc at the end of each fan row and 1 sc at the end of each plain row. Work 3 sc in each corner. Join with a sl st to the first sc.
- Rd 2: Ch 1, sc in each st around with 3 sc in each corner. Join with a sl st.
- Rd 3 (crab stitch): Ch 1 and do not turn. Working from left to right, reverse sc in each st around, with 3 reverse sc in each corner. Join with a sl st, fasten off and weave in the end.
Finishing
Weave in every end, working each one through several stitches of its own color so it does not show. Pin the blanket flat to its full size and block it, following your yarn’s care label: wet-block wool, and steam acrylic by holding the iron above the fabric without pressing. Stretch the fan rows gently while the blanket is damp so the arcs open into curves. Dry it flat.
Tips for Success
- Mark the first fan row with markers at every 18th stitch, and look at the peaks and valleys on the next rows. The valleys should always sit directly above the previous valleys.
- Keep your dc2tog stitches loose. Tight decreases pull the rows into a ripple instead of a fan.
- Wind each color into a small ball and keep the four balls in separate bags or a divided basket, so they do not tangle as you change color every two rows.
- Change color neatly on the last yo of the plain row so the stripe edge stays crisp.
- Weigh the first finished cycle (12 stripes), then multiply by 9 to check you have enough yarn before you go on.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Losing a stitch in a peak or valley slides the whole fan to one side. Count after every fan row and fix the error straight away.
- Working V into the dc2tog stitches instead of the sts below shifts the repeat. Count 3 decreases, 6 increases, 3 decreases for every repeat.
- Pulling the carried yarn tight at the side puckers the edge. Carry it loosely or cut it and rejoin.
- Changing color on the fan row instead of at the end of the plain row leaves a stripe with a ragged edge. Always change at the end of the plain row.
- Skipping the block leaves the fans looking squashed. Pin the blanket out and let it dry completely.
Ways to Customize This Pattern
- Change the palette. Soft pastels, sunset oranges and pinks, or ocean blues and sand all work, as long as you keep at least one light and one dark shade.
- Add a fifth color, such as navy or burgundy, in place of one of the repeated stripes in the sequence.
- For wider, deeper feathers, use a 36-st repeat: dc2tog 6 times, V in each of the next 12 sts, dc2tog 6 times, with a foundation of 36 x repeats + 1.
- Make a throw or baby blanket using the smaller sizes in the Layout and Sizing section.
- Work the whole blanket in a single color for a calm, textured version where only the fans show.
Frequently asked questions
Each repeat uses 18 sts and makes 18 sts: 3 decreases that use 6 sts and make 3, then 6 increases that use 6 sts and make 12, then 3 decreases that use 6 sts and make 3. That balance is what keeps the edges straight and the fans lined up.
No. If a color comes back within three stripes, carry it loosely up the side. Cut and rejoin only for colors that will not return soon, and crochet over the tails with the border.
Yes. Bulky yarn and a 6 mm hook give a heavier blanket with bigger fans, but each repeat will be about 13 cm wide, so you will need fewer repeats and fewer stripes for the same size. Make a swatch before you start.
About 25 minutes at the full width of 234 stitches. The fan row takes about 15 minutes, and the plain row takes about 10 minutes, including the color change.
The finished Teal and Brick Feather and Fan Crochet Blanket
