Hello, lovely! I’m taking some time today to show you about a new crochet project I’ve been working on. The French Braid Blanket!

#FrenchBraidBlanket

Well, it’s not exactly *new*, because it’s been an idea in my mind since 2015, when I made a mock-up. Since then I’ve wanted to include it in a little linen stitch pattern collection, and I’ve finally had the time to release it!

Here’s a prototype of the Mini square version, but I ended up tweaking it a bit later on.

Crochet Pattern Collections

If you know my ShadeTree pattern collection, inspired by the art of Jessica Wilkinson, and my Relaxghans pattern collection, inspired by stash busting and crushing your inner crochet meanie, then you will love this linen stitch blanket stack.

I will be releasing a free linen stitch pattern at the end of every month from May through September. That’s 5 free linen stitch blanket patterns! Linen stitch is so versatile and so very zen… I just love it. I have already designed a couple of linen stitch crochet blankets: Zendoodle and Beach Hut – and my Good Vibes Blanket has a cool linen stitch center panel. You just might see Zendoodle and Beach Hut as free patterns in this collection – wink wink!

This is the fuzzy photo taken in 2015 of the little idea seed. I made this little cutie with my Scheepjes Yarns stash before I was even a Scheepjes Blogger! It’s Stone Washed* and Catona* mixed together. (*affiliates)

Can you believe I saved this idea from that long ago? Well, I’m glad I did, because it has been so much fun to play with this square!

French Braid Blanket, Mini Version

Immediately, I started imagining this same mini block, but in different yarn weights. Check this out! Fingering weight Sunkissed, DK weight Colour Crafter, and aran weight Stone Washed XL. I love how the square is perfectly sized up by changing yarn weights.

Mini Square Measurements:

• Sunkissed Mini Square: 5in
• Colour Crafter Mini Square: 6.25in
• Stone Washed XL Mini Square: 8in

French Braid Blanket, Mondo Version

This started out as just a project to use up remnants of yarn in a cool way. Then I started imagining, what if folks have larger amounts of yarn to use and don’t need such a small square.

For folks who wanted a larger square, I created the Mondo version and made up some samples in the same 3 yarn weights:

• Sunkissed Mondo Square: 10.5in
• Colour Crafter Mondo Square: 13in
• Stone Washed XL Mondo Square: 17.25in

See how the Mondo and Mini look side by side? You can tell it has the same amount of sections, but a different amount of rows on each section makes the squares differ in size. This yarn pictured here is fingering weight Scheepjes Sunkissed.

Sunkissed Yarn

I actually made a full blanket in the Sunkissed yarn, so here are the exact yarn amounts I used for my small 34 x 44in French Braid Blanket, made in the Mondo version (12 squares in a 3×4 formation):

• 02 Sand Dunes x 2 balls
• 15 Nook Day Sun x 2 balls
• 11 Peach Ice x 2 balls
• 09 Strawberry Ice x 1 ball
• 20 Beach Hut Pink x 1 ball
• 03 Breeze x 1 ball
• 04 Poolside x 1 ball
• 05 Seaside x 1 ball
• 10 Lavender Ice x 1 ball

You can order Scheepjes Sunkissed from WoolWarehouse (affiliate)

Here are the beginnings of my French Braid Blanket, Mondo Version, in Sunkissed:

These squares were perfectly aligned, and then my cat jumped up and decided that they would be better off if one was askew…

Colour Crafter and Velvet

Here’s the Mondo and Mini in Colour Crafter and Colour Crafter Velvet. I really love how this turned out! Mixing in the Velvet gives it a ton of character and depth.

I created these squares with some of my stash yarns, so I am not sure what yarn amounts would be required for a certain size blanket, but you can order Colour Crafter from WoolWarehouse, Deramores, and Black Sheep Wools, and you can order Colour Crafter Velvet from WoolWarehouse and Deramores. (affiliates)

PS: If you are curious how Colour Crafter Velvet looks when worked up, you can look at my Hexagon Burst Blanket free crochet pattern.

Stone Washed XL

And here are the Mondo and Mini Squares in Stone Washed XL. I’m not sure how much yarn would be needed for a blanket with the Mondo square, but I do have yarn amounts for a throw made in the Mini version:

• 861 Pink Quartzite x 13 balls
• 854 Crystal Quartz x 3 balls
• 842 Smokey Quartz x 2 balls
• 851 Deep Amethyst x 3 balls
• 850 Garnet x 2 balls
• 858 Lilac Quartz x 2 balls
• 860 Rose Quartz x 3 balls
• 876 Tourmaline x 2 balls
• 844 Boulder Opal x 3 balls
• 853 Amazonite x 2 balls

You can find Stone Washed XL at WoolWarehouse, Deramores, and Black Sheep Wools. (affiliates)

Yarny goodness, because why not:

Mini and Mondo Versions Compared

When you group the Mini and Mondo squares into separate photos, you see how much of a difference there is in the squares.

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And here is a peek at all of the 6 squares together. Isn’t it crazy how much versatility can come from a couple pattern tweaks and different yarn weights?

I’ve included a regular 6in hook in the photo for scale. Yes, that Stone Washed XL Mondo square is gargantuan! You can easily make a 54x54in throw with just 9 of those squares.

I have played with this square so much that I could probably spend a whole year just making French Braid Blankets. Here is a little peek at a fun layout I made, inspired by a quilt pattern. Yes the pattern will include coloring sheets!

As promised in the title, here is a sneak peek at the video pattern tutorial for the French Braid Blanket. This is Part 1 of the Mondo version. Enjoy!

I hope you love the French Braid Blanket as much as I do! It is so versatile and fun! And bonus, in the completely zen-tastic linen stitch. Keep an eye out for the free pattern on May 31.

Happy crafting,

Rachele C.