Briar, meaning “thorny bush of wild roses” seemed a fitting name for a blanket filled with textured stitches and rose-inspired hues of deep maroon and soft taupe. This intricate blanket is a cozy addition to your summer-to-fall home décor.

Time: 1 month

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: Approx 62 x 52 inches [200 x 56cm]

Gauge: 9 dc = 2.5” [6 cm]. (Gauge is not crucial for this project)

Materials

Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes Bulky; (100% Peruvian Highland Wool; [137 yards/125 meters] /100 grams): Currant 28211 (CC1, 6 balls), Gosling 28214 (CC2, 12 balls), Fedora 28212 (CC3, 4 balls)

Hook: Size J [6mm]

Notions: Tapestry needle, Scissors

Downloads:

• Briar Blanket Chart
  • Section of chart (please note row numbers; there are more sts than shown).

Special Stitches

To work the leaf hopper cluster variation (LH): [Yarn over, insert your hook from front to back to front around post of stitch directly below the last dc stitch worked, yarn over and draw up a loop] twice.  Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook.  Ch 1. Next, skip the next dc in the row below and [yarn over, insert hook around post of next dc in row below from front to back to front, yarn over and draw up a loop] twice, yarn over and pull through all loops on hook.

On the next row following the leaf hopper cluster you will work in the top of each leaf hopper stitch and the center ch-1.

Front Post Treble (FPtr): Yarn over 2 times, insert your hook from front to back to front around the post of the stitch indicated, yarn over, pull up a loop, (yarn over, pull through 2 loops on your hook) 3 times.

FPtr Cross (worked over 3 sts): From row 31 each FPtr will be worked 2 rows below from the row you are currently working on. The first FPtr will start in the 6^th st of the row, two rows below. Work 1 dc in the next st on the current row, then skip 2 sts two rows below, then working in front of the first FPtr just made work FPtr around the post of the first skipped st two rows below, this creates the FPtr Cross.

On subsequent rows you will work your cross around a post of a previous FPtr two rows below.

When you work a FPtr it will look as if you have missed a st when you look at it on the wrong side – you will not ever work in this st.

Pattern Notes

• The beginning start ch can be substituted for a chainless foundation row of 149sts
• You may wish to recount stitches at the end of each row just to ensure the number of required stitches are correct as you work.
• You may find it useful to add a stitch marker into the first and last st of your row, moving the stitch marker up as you work.
• The ch 3 at the start of a row counts as the first dc, this can be substituted with a ch 2 if you have a looser tension and it produces too big a gap.
• Changing Color: When changing to a different color, pull the new color through the last loops of the previous st to complete that st. Change colors in this manner whenever indicated on the pattern. When changing to and from a color carry the unused color yarn along the wrong side of the work loosely so that the work does not gather. Crochet over the unused color, as per tapestry crochet, as they are carried along; this will hide the strands of yarn invisibly and eliminate long unused strands.

Pattern

With CC1, ch 151,

Row 1 (RS): 1 dc in the 4^th ch from hook, dc in each st across row, turn. (149 sts)

Rows 2 – 4: Ch 3, dc in next st and each st across row, turn.

On Row 5 you will change color from CC1 to CC2 on the last st before each PC, and back to CC1 to finish each PC.

Row 5 (RS): Ch 3, 1 dc in the next 4 sts, * [with CC2, PC in the next st, with CC1, 1 dc in the next 2 sts] twice, with CC2, PC, with CC1, 1 dc in the next 5 sts; repeat from * eleven times, turn. (133 dc / 36 PC)

Row 6 – 9: Ch 3, 1 dc in each st across row, turn. (149 sts)

Fasten off yarn CC1. Attach CC3 to the top of the last st worked.

Row 10: Ch 3, 1 dc in each st across row, turn.

Row 11 (RS): Ch 3, * LH, 1 dc in the next 3 sts; repeat from * until last 4 sts, LH, 1 dc in last st, turn. (25 LH / 74 dc)

Row 12: Repeat row 10, turn. (149 sts)

Row 13 (RS): Ch 3, 1 dc in the next 3 sts, * LH, 1 dc in the next 3 sts; repeat from * until last 7 sts, LH, 1 dc in the last 4 sts, turn. (24 LH / 77 dc)

Rows 14-19: Repeat rows 10 – 13 once and 10 – 11 once more, turn.

Row 20: Ch 2, 1 hdc in each st across row, turn.

Fasten off yarn CC3. Attach CC1 to the top of the last st worked.

Rows 21-24: Repeat row 2, turn.

Row 25 (RS): Repeat row 5, turn.

Rows 26-29: Repeat row 2, turn.

Fasten off yarn CC1.  Attach yarn CC2 to the top of the last st worked.

Row 30 (WS): Ch 3, 1 BPdc in the next st, 1 dc in each st across the row to last 2 sts, 1 BPdc, 1 dc in last st, turn

Note 1: The next section of the blanket will be forming FPtr crosses over three rows; you will be working forwards and backwards on the row two rows below, the BPtr will be worked over the top of the FPtr.  There will be a st directly behind the BPtr/FPtr which is not worked.

Note 2: Try to keep your ‘crosses’ at a loose even tension. If you crochet fairly tightly you may wish to go up a half a hook size for this next section so your work doesn’t pull in towards the center.

Row 31 (RS): Ch 3, 1 FPdc in next st, 1 dc in next st, 1 FPtr on 6^th st of the row two rows below, 1 dc in next st, then working in front of the FPtr just made, 1FPtr in 4^th st of the row two rows below (to complete your first cross), *1 dc in the next st, counting forwards skip 2 sts of the row two rows below after the last FPtr, 1 FPtr in the next st of the row two rows below, 1 dc in the next st, and then working backwards over the FPtr just made, skip 1 st in the row two rows below, 1 FPtr in the next st of the row two rows below to complete your next cross; repeat from * 45 times, 1 dc in the next st, 1 FPdc in the next st, 1 dc in last st, turn.

Row 32: Repeat row 30, turn.

Note: On subsequent rows, FPtr/BPtr will be worked around the FPtr/BPtr of the row two rows below.

Row 33 (RS): Ch 3, 1 FPdc in the next st, 1 dc in next 3 sts, * work 1 FPtr around right leaning FPtr two rows below, 1 dc in next st, then working in front of FPtr just made, 1 FPtr around the left leaning FPtr row two rows below to complete your cross, 1 dc in next st*; repeat from * to * until the last 2 sts, 1 FPdc in the next st, 1 dc in last st, turn.

Rows 34-93: Repeat rows 30-33 fifteen times.

Rows 94-95: Repeat rows 30-31, ending on RS.

Fasten off yarn CC2, attach yarn CC1 on the RS (the top of the last st just worked).

Row 96-125 (RS): Repeat rows 1-29 replacing the foundation row 1 with row 2.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Finishing

Block to measurements.

Split one skein of CC1 into 4 to make 4 tassels (approx. 25g/31.3m/34.3yds).

Cut two 15” (38cm) lengths out of the section of yarn you have split and put to one side, then cut approx. 89 lengths of 13” (33cm) to make tassels, using the two 15” lengths to tie around the top of the tassel to secure.

Attach a tassel to each corner of your blanket to finish.