Trellis Stripe

The Trellis Stripe uses just one main stitch to create a slightly lacy and very pretty crochet blanket. The design is inspired by my allotment sweet peas which I grow up a home made trellis of bamboo and string. The stitches form a subtle vertical pattern created by the groups of treble crochet stitches and the little mini shells all lining up on top of each other. It's a simple, rhythmic pattern with very little counting and no complicated variations - after the first couple of set up rows, every row is the same. This is a very visual pattern (easy to see where you are and where you place your next stitch) which is ideal for beginners and I'll be giving you loads of advice and step-by-step guidance as we go through the tutorial.

If you are an experienced crocheter please can you read the beginning info which explains starting chains, pattern repeats, and the working of a gauge sample (oh, yes, you know you will want to do this!), then you can jump to the end where I've written out a conventional pattern which you can copy/paste/print in a word document if you wish. 

MATERIALS

For my blankets I use Stylecraft Special DK which is a 100% premium acrylic yarn. It's lovely to work with, comes in generous 100g balls and the finished blankets are warm, soft and machine washable. 

As is usual for my blankets, I've chose fifteen shades of Stylecraft Special DK for my Sweet Pea blanket.

This is enough to make a single/twin size blanket measuring approximately 120cm x 180cm.

If you wish to make a double/king blanket, you will need to buy two yarn packs.

Top row, left to right...

🌸 violet 🌸 cypress 🌸 candyfloss 🌸 magenta 🌸 plum 🌸 

Middle row, left to right...

🌸 lavender 🌸 meadow 🌸 soft peach 🌸 blush 🌸 fuchsia purple 🌸

Bottom row, left to right...

🌸 wisteria 🌸 pistachio 🌸 cream 🌸 clematis 🌸 pomegranate 🌸 

You can find the Sweet Pea yarn pack in my shop at Wool Warehouse...

❧🌸SWEET PEA YARN PACK🌸❧

HOOK SIZE  and TENSION

The standard hook size for Stylecraft Special DK yarn is 4 mm. However, it's a good idea to be familiar with your own personal tension and experiment with moving to a larger or smaller hook to achieve a neat result. For example, I'm a tight crocheter so I'm making my Sweet Pea blanket using a 4.5 mm hook. If you crochet quite loosely, then you will probably find that a 3.5 mm hook suits you just fine. 

I would strongly advise you to make a small tension sample. Please, please take the time to do this, especially if you are following the CAL and using a yarn pack to make a blanket. It'll help you make your blanket the right size and drape, and will make sure you don't run out of yarn. Making this small sample before you begin on your blanket will also help you to feel familiar with the pattern and decide which hook size will work best for you.

To make a tension sample, chain 28, then follow the pattern below. 

Work 6 rows in total without fastening off, then measure the width. It should measure approx. 15 cm.

 

 

PATTERN REPEATS AND STARTING CHAINS

The Trellis Stripe starting chain should always be a multiple of 8, plus an extra 4.

Here is a list of suggested starting chains for different size blankets :

Tension sample (15 cm/ 6"width) :: Chain 28 (3.5 pattern repeats)

Single/twin blanket (120cm / 48" width) :: Chain 212 (26.5 pattern repeats) ONE YARN PACK - this is the size of blanket I'm making for the SWEET PEA CAL.

Baby blanket (70cm / 28" width) :: Chain 124 (15.5 pattern repeats)

Lap throw (90cm / 36" width) :: Chain 164 (20.5 pattern repeats)

Double bed blanket (180cm / 72" width) :: Chain 316 (39.5 pattern repeats) TWO YARN PACKS

King bed blanket (210cm / 84" width) :: Chain 364 (45.5 pattern repeats) TWO YARN PACKS

TRELLIS STRIPE PATTERN

This pattern uses just two basic stitches to create a pretty stripe with a subtle surface texture. Each stripe is crocheted in two rows. I'm writing my pattern using UK crochet terms as follows :

dc [double crochet] :: insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (two loops on hook), yarn over and pull through both loops on hook (note :: this is equivalent to the US sc stitch)

tr [treble] :: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (three loops on hook), yarn over and pull through two loops on hook (two loops left on hook), yarn over and pull through remaining two loops (note :: this is equivalent to the US dc stitch)

To Begin : Use Violet yarn (posy) or Pistachio yarn (colourwash)

Chain 28 for the tension sample or

Chain 212 for the blanket. 

Note : You can use a bigger hook size (4.5mm or a 5mm) to make your starting chain, then switch back down for the first crochet row. You need to count carefully - place stitch markers at regular intervals (every 25 stitches) if you need to.

Row 1 : This row will be worked in the single/back loops of the chain.

Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook (as shown above), insert hook in single/back loops only and work 1 dc in each chain.

You can place stitch markers as you go along to keep a count of your stitches.

You should have 27 stitches if you're making your tension sample, and 211 if you're making your blanket.

Turn your work.

Row 2 :  Chain 3 (counts as 1 tr). Work 1 tr into the next stitch (shown by my needle in the above photo). Work 1 tr into the next stitch.

Skip two stitches;

In the next stitch, work the following : (2 tr; chain 1; 2 tr);

Skip 2 stitches;

Work 1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches (shown in the above photo);

**Skip 2 stitches;

Work (2 tr; chain 1; 2 tr) into the next stitch;

Skip 2 stitches;

Work 1 tr into each of the next 3 sts;

Repeat from ** to end - you should end the row with a group of 3 trebles.

Note : If you are making the Posy blanket, fasten off ready join in a new colour.

If you are making the Colourwash blanket, carry on with Pistachio and work 2 more rows.

If you are making a tension sample, carry on and work 4 more rows with the same colour.

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CHANGING COLOURS - a short tutorial

Please feel free to skip over this bit - I thought it would be particularly useful for newbies, as it's a question I often see causes unnecessary worry. Also, I'm sorry that the yarn colours don't match with the blanket, I just used what yarn I had at the time as this was a little bit of an afterthought!

You should always leave long enough tail ends so that you can easily darn them in afterwards - I like to leave 12-15cm.

Insert your hook into the first stitch, and hook up the new colour, remembering to leave a 12-15cm tail.

Pull your hook gently back through the stitch, bringing a loop of the new yarn with it. Hold onto both ends of the new yarn (the tail end and the working yarn) so that the loop stays small and held firmly on your hook, then simply yarn over and make 3 chains (or however many chains the pattern tells you)....

....the chain-3 will hold securely and so long as you darn in your tail end well (I'll show you exactly how to do this in a bit) then this is a very neat way to join new colours.

If you find the no-knot method tricky, you can always make a small knot to anchor your new colour in place before you hook it up and pull it through the stitch with your hook. 

Once you've darned the ends in, the knot pretty much disappears. I personally prefer not to knot (mainly because it's quicker!) but the first blankets I made all had knots in where I joined new colours, so it's up to you how you go about it. Hope that has helped - remember there really is no right or wrong way to crochet, whatever works for you is absolutely fine.

Right, on with the pattern, we're onto row three!!

Row 3 : Use Lavender yarn (posy) or continue with Pistachio (colourwash)

Join a new colour into the first stitch. Chain 3;

Work 1 tr into each of the next 2 stitches (as shown in the above photo) - these stitches should line up with the 3 trebles in the previous row.

Your next set of stitches will be worked into the chain-1 space where I'm pointing my needle in the above photo..

Work (2 tr; chain 1; 2 tr) into the chain 1 space (as shown in the above photo). 

Work 1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches - these stitches should line up with the 3 trebles in the previous row.

**Work (2 tr; chain 1; 2 tr) into the chain 1 space;

Work 1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches (line up your trellis!)

Repeat from ** to end.

You should end the row with 3 trebles (shown in the above photo) - the last treble will be worked into the top of the chain-3 from the previous row. Turn your work.

Row 4 : Chain 3;

work 1 tr into each of the next 2 stitches (line them up with the stitches below, as shown above)

**Work (2 tr; chain 1; 2 tr) into the chain 1 space;

Work 1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches (line up your trellis!)

Repeat from ** to end........remember your row should end with 3 trebles all lined up.

How EASY is this????????????!!!!!!!!!

Fasten off, leaving a 12-15cm tail end for darning - we are going to go over that next.

🌸🌸

DARNING IN ENDS WITH with the TRELLIS STRIPE - a short tutorial

I thought it would be useful to show you exactly how I darn in my ends for this pattern. It takes mere SECONDS so please be diligent and do them as you go along, you will thank me for this advice I promise you. Get into the habit - as soon as you snip, grab a needle and get darning.

Start with the tail end from the previous stripe (Violet in this case), thread the end onto a needle, then weave it under the stitches until you've passed through one pattern repeat (8 stitches). Pull the end through, but don't pull too tightly, give it a little wiggle.

Now weave the needle in the opposite direction under the same stitches so that the needle pops out at the outside edge. Again, don't pull too tightly, give it all a wriggle so that the stitches remain relaxed and aren't distorted by the darning.

You can snip this end off right at the edge of the crochet.

Now thread up the tail end from the stripe you've just completed. Weave your needle up through the final treble stitch of the  row (as shown in the above photo) and gently pull the tail end through.

Now weave horizontally under the stitches (keep the needle running at the base of the stitches, as shown above), passing under one pattern repeat, just as you did before. 

Finally, weave the needle in the opposite direction under the same stitches so that the needle pops out at the outside edge, then snip off the end close to the crochet.

And that's it! Weaving ends in two directions gives a very secure finish, and the ends are unlikely to pop out or come unraveled, even if your blankets are used and abused by your offspring/pets on the regular.

On with row 5 - this is a direct repeat of row 3.

Row 5 : Use Plum yarn (posy) or Meadow (colourwash)

Join a new colour into the first stitch. Chain 3;

Work 1 tr into each of the next 2 stitches;

**Work (2 tr; chain 1; 2 tr) into the chain 1 space

Work 1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches - these stitches should line up with the 3 trebles in the previous row.

Repeat from ** to end. Turn the work.

Row 6 : (this is a repeat of row 4)

Work 1 tr into each of the next 2 stitches;

**Work (2 tr; chain 1; 2 tr) into the chain 1 space

Work 1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches - these stitches should line up with the 3 trebles in the previous row.

Repeat from ** to end. Fasten off and darn in ends.

And that, my lovelies, is the Trellis Stripe, isn't it a breeze?

From here on, you will simply repeat rows 3 and 4, working two rows for each stripe. If you are following the colourwash version, please take careful note of the double width (4 row) stripes (written in red in the colour order list) so that you don't make them single stripes by mistake - ask me how I know about this haha??!!

Once you've made the first three rows of your blanket, lay it out and have a quick measure of the width to make sure you're on track and not wildly off with your measurements. You may find that your width is measuring a little wider at this stage - the blanket does kind of naturally shrink a little as it grows, the weight and stretchiness of it will pull it inwards and upwards, if that makes sense.

Lets just briefly go back to the tension sample.....

If you started out using a 4mm hook and your tension sample measures 15cm, then you have a lovely average tension and can crack on with the blanket.

If your tension sample came out bigger and on the loose side, you will need to change to a smaller hook, either a 3.5mm or a 3mm.

If your tension sample came out teeny and tight, you'll need to hop up to a bigger hook, either a 4.5mm or a 5mm.

Remember once you start your blanket, you can weigh your yarn balls using digital kitchen scales to make sure you are on track with your yarn quantities (aim for 12-13g per stripe).

Now I'm going to write out the condensed pattern for you so you can copy/paste/print if you need.

🌸🌸

ATTIC24 TRELLIS STRIPE

 

To Begin : Use Violet yarn (posy) or Pistachio yarn (colourwash)

Chain 28 for the tension sample or

Chain 212 for the blanket. 

(NOTE: If you are making a chainless foundation chain, then you need a multiple of 8, plus 3 [211 stitches] in total)

ROW 1 : Starting in 2^nd chain from hook, work 1 dc in each stitch across; turn. [211 sts]

ROW 2 : Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr); 1 tr in each of next 2 sts; **skip 2 sts; (2 tr; ch 1; 2 tr) in next st; skip 2 sts; 1 tr in each of next 3 sts;

Repeat from ** to end. Fasten off. Turn.

ROW 3 : Use Lavender yarn (posy) or continue with pistachio yarn (colourwash)

Join new colour in beginning tr stitch.

Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr); 1 tr in each of next 2 sts; ** (2 tr; ch 1; 2 tr) in ch-1 space; 1 tr in each of next 3 sts;

Repeat from ** to end (note that the last stitch is worked into the top of the ch-3 from previous row); turn.

ROW 4 : Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr); 1 tr in each of next 2 sts; ** (2 tr; ch 1; 2 tr) in ch-1 space; 1 tr in each of next 3 sts;

Repeat from ** to end (note that the last stitch is worked into the top of the ch-3 from previous row). Fasten off. Turn.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 – work two rows for each stripe, following the colour order given in the CAL posts.

NOTE: One stripe = 2 rows (following pattern for rows 3 & 4). When working the colourwash stripe order, there are some stripes which are double width (4 rows).

FINAL ROW : This is to straighten out your top edge

When you reach your final stripe colour, work the first row following Row 3 of the Trellis Stripe pattern, then for the second row of the last stripe, this is what you do ::

FINAL ROW TO CREATE STRAIGHT TOP EDGE

Chain 3;

Work 1 tr into each of the next 2 stitches (as shown in above photo):

Work 1 dc into each of the next 2 stitches (as shown above);

Skip the chain-1 space (completely ignore it). See where my needle is pointing? This is where your next stitch will go.....

Work 1 dc into each of the next 2 stitches (as shown above);

Work 1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches (line up your trellis!)

**1 dc into each of the nest 2 stitches;

skip the chain-1 space;

1 dc into each of the next 2 stitches;

1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches;

Repeat from ** to end.

You should end the row with 3 trebles, just as you have for all previous rows. Fasten off.

And that's it - all done and dusted!

The pattern instructions for the border will be given on Friday 22nd February (part 7 of the CAL).

🌸🌸

Here are the links you might need :

🌸 SWEET PEA YARN PACK

🌸 SWEET PEA BLANKET INTRODUCTION

🌸 SWEET PEA BLANKET Q&A

🌸 SWEET PEA BLANKET PREPARATION (includes a sneak peek of the Posy and Colourwash blankets!)

🌸 SWEET PEA BLANKET CAL : Part 1 (colour info for stripes 1-15)

🌸 SWEET PEA CAL PART 2 (colour info for stripes 16-30)

🌸 SWEET PEA CAL PART 3 (colour info for stripes 31-45)

🌸 SWEET PEA CAL PART 4 (colour info for stripes 46-60)

🌸 SWEET PEA CAL PART 5 (colour info for stripes 61-75)

🌸 SWEET PEA CAL PART 6 (colour info for stripes 76-83/86)

New colour installments will be given every Friday throughout January and February 2019.

Happy, breezy, summery hooky to you all, enjoy every minute!!

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Comments

[Jenny]

Is there a part seven (7) as indicated there would be?
I don’t see it

[Kate]

Is there a printable of just the pattern and list of colour order. I already have the pack.

[Krystina]

Anyone else left with 2 stitches at the end of row 2?

I've used stitch markers, counted perfectly. I cannot figure out why it hasn't ended on the 2 trebles at the end!

[Connie]

I like it when you crochet it along with it me. My eyes aren’t as good as they used to be but when you talk into it yeah makes a lot more sense. I love the pattern

[Kim Reamey]

Is there a written pattern for the Trellis Stripe without all the pictures?
I write patterns in notebooks and need a more simple version.

[Jean]

Is there a border for the trellis stripe blanket?

[Diane]

You inspire me so much I'm about to start my very first blanket following your pattern. A little nervous as I crochet tight but am good at Amigurumi but it's time to leave my comfort zone
Thank you for sharing all the lovely things you make

[Sandra Dhaem]

Could you please send me the pattern for the sweet pea blanket , the trellis

[Wendy Forbes]

Hi Lucy, loving the pattern and colours of this beautiful blanket. How many stitches would you have to start with to make a double bed size?

[Noreen j Askins]

I made the lap size. When It came to the part about the "little points" I only got 24 points not 47 points. I need to know if this is the right amount of points for the lap size before I continue on.

[Annie Wood]

I am about to order wool for this blanket. I want to make a baby blanket to start. Will I automatically be emailed the rest to finish off. I am a total beginner and tried so many times to learn crochet. Wish me luck ;)

[Kaley]

Going to be starting the Sweet Pea Posy blanket this week after finishing my very first blanket yesterday. Did my tension sample a couple of times and I’m a little stuck with what to do?! Using a 4mm hook my tension was too big, yet a 3.5mm was too small! I’m guessing to go with the smaller hook so I don’t run out of wool but am I doing something wrong? With the 3.5mm my tension sample measures 13-14cm.

[Lesley Hunter]

Hi.
I am new to your post but I have started working on the colourwash blanket. My pack of wool arrived late (I am in NZ) so I am just at the end of the greens and ready to move onto the lavender shades. I cannot see where the violet shade is going to be used and wondered if it is going to be used later on. I don’t want to carry on and then find that I have made a mistake so would appreciate a quick reply.
Thanks
Lesley H.

[Shelley Wooten]

I love this pattern. Are all of the single treble stitches placed in the backloops?
Thank you,
Shelley Wooten

[Elizabeth Jessop]

Hi Lucy I am just finishing Moorland and although I have the wool and have done my tension square for Sweet pea will have to finish Moorland before I start and cannot wait. Is there a colour list to use for this one as I find them very useful

[Annie]

Could variegated colour wool be used?

[Jo Watts]

Hi Lucy
Thank you for your wonderful work!
I have a query though - I completed a tension sample at the measurement was right, however having just completed part one of the CAL I re-measured and my blanket is very small - its only measuring about 98cm and is only 24cm tall - I have checked the stitch count and the pattern repeat and it's the right amount - does this mean i should have gone up a hook size? (I find the up down thing confusing - dyslexic brain)
Also it's looking so neat and pretty that I don't want to start again, would putting a larger border on at the end help? And will I need to add in some extra stripes.
Many thanks for all the wonderful work you do :-)

[Maria Illsley]

a beautiful blanket I would like to create a baby blanket. Will you be doing a YouTube tutorial ?

[Nellie Keizer-Koopal]

Just finished the first part, colourwash. love it!
pattern is so easy that I didn't need a translation in dutch.

[belinda louise Shallcross]

Blanket # 3! Just finished Moorland blanket a month ago, finally able to crochet along. Row #3 just completed in Portland, Oregon.

[Barbara Sandison]

Hi, I’m new to a CAL. Do we crochet the first four rows this week and get the colour pattern in instalments? I’ve seen posts on IG saying folk are on row 12 and I’m confused!

[Diane Kelsey]

Finnybobbies, I think you need approximately 300g of wool to make the baby blanket. I have just started it and used 8g per stripe. I'm think of making 33 stripes so that the blanket is 1m long.

[Christine Burgess]

Please,please is there a way to copy this so that I can print it.? I really love this CAL and am making a king sized blanket. Thank you so much for creating it!

[Helena Cutler]

I have 2 chains left in row 3... do I need to rip? 😖😖😖

[Finnybobbles]

Well I'm in love already! Have arrived a bit late and only just ordered my pack. Am totally undecided if I should do posy or colourwash. Have done tension piece with my stash. Just wondering how much yarn would be needed for the baby blanket size as contemplating making a different colourway for a baby due in spring and want to know how much yarn to get. Any ideas anyone?