Free Crochet Blanket Pattern - Wanderer's Compass Blanket

Give subtle shades of rose quartz and serene blue and stylish shake-up with this pretty, fun-to-make design. Designed by Hugh Metcalf.

Tools and materials

With a pretty spike stitch cluster, this block creates a beautiful central flower or compass motif. Use the layout diagram as a guide for the number of blocks to make in each colourway, however, once you’ve got the repeat set, it’s super simple to adjust the length and width to fit a larger bed size.

Start crocheting

Colour combinations Rnds 1, 3 and 4 always use MC old lace.

A (make 23 full motifs and 4 half motifs) Rnd 2: CC1 Rnd 5: CC3

B (make 18 full motifs and 4 half motifs) Rnd 2: CC3 Rnd 5: CC2

C (make 18 full motifs and 4 half motifs) Rnd 2: CC2 Rnd 5: CC1

Full motif

With MC, chain 4, join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Rnd 1: 3 ch (counts as 1 tr here and throughout), 3 tr in ring, 2 ch, [4 tr in ring, 2 ch] 3 times, join with sl st in beg 3 ch. Fasten off and break MC. Join next colour in any 2ch-sp.

Rnd 2: 3 ch, {1 tr, 1 ch, [2 tr, 1 ch] twice, 2 tr} in same 2ch-sp, {[2 tr, 1 ch] 3 times, 2 tr} in next 2ch-sp 3 times, join with sl st in beg 3 ch. Fasten off yarn. Join MC in any gap (not ch-sp) between 2tr-groups.

Rnd 3: *4-trcl in FLO of Rnd 1 sts, [3 ch, 1 dc in next 1ch-sp] 3 times, 3 ch, sl st in next gap between 2tr-groups; rep from * around, join with sl st in 1^st 4-trcl.

Rnd 4: Sl st in next 3ch-sp, 3 ch, 2 tr in same 3ch-sp, 1 ch, *3 tr in next 3ch-sp, 2 ch, [3 tr, 1 ch in next 3ch-sp] 3 times; rep from * two more times, 3 tr in next 3ch-sp, 2 ch, [3 tr, 1 ch in next 3ch-sp] 2 times, join with sl st in beg 3 ch.  16 tr groups Fasten off MC. Join next colour in any corner 2ch-sp.

Rnd 5: 2 ch (counts as 1 htr), 1 htr in same ch-sp, 2 ch, 2 htr in same 2ch-sp, htr across in each st and 1ch-sp to next corner 2ch-sp**, [2 htr, 2 ch, 2 htr] in corner 2ch-sp; rep from * around, ending last rpt at **, join with sl st in 2nd of beg 4 ch.

Fasten off. Block and weave in ends.

Half motif

With MC, chain 4, join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Row 1: 4 ch (counts as 1 tr and 1 ch), 4 tr in ring, 2 ch, 4 tr in ring, 1 ch, 1 tr in ring. Fasten off and break MC. Join next colour in beg 4ch-sp.

Row 2: 4 ch (counts as 1 tr and 1 ch), [2tr, 1 ch, 2 tr] in same ch-sp, {[2tr, 1 ch] 3 times, 2 tr} in next 2ch-sp, {[2 tr, 1 ch] twice, 1 tr} in next 1ch-sp. Fasten off yarn. Join MC in beg 4ch-sp.

Row 3: 3 ch, 1 dc in next 1ch-sp, 3 ch, 1 sl st in next gap between 2tr-groups, 4-trcl in FLO of Rnd 1 sts, [3 ch, 1 dc in next 1ch-sp] 3 times, 3 ch,1 sl st in next gap between 2tr-groups, 4-trcl in FLO of Rnd 1 sts, [3 ch, 1 dc in next ch-sp] twice. Fasten off and break MC. Rejoin MC in beg 3ch-sp.

Row 4: 3 ch, 1 tr in same 3ch-sp, 1 ch, [3 tr, 1 ch] in next 3ch-sp 2 times, 3 tr in next 3ch-sp, 2 ch, [3 tr, 1 ch] in next 3ch-sp 3 times, 2 tr in last 3ch-sp. Fasten off and break MC. Join next colour in 3rd of beg 3 ch.

Rnd 5:  2 ch (counts as 1 htr), htr in each st and 1ch-sp across to corner 2ch-sp [2 htr, 2 ch, 2 htr] in corner 2ch-sp, htr in each st and ch-sp across to last tr, rotate half motif and cont to work along the side, [1 htr, 2 ch, 2 htr] in side of first tr, 1 htr in 3ch-sp, [2 htr in side of next tr] twice, 1 htr into centre ring, [2 htr in side of next tr] twice, 1 htr in 3ch-sp, [2 htr, 2 ch, 1 htr] in final tr, join with sl st in beg 2 ch. Fasten off. Block and weave in ends

Finishing

Starting from one end of the blanket, using the layout diagram as a guide, join with MC by double crocheting along. Start on Half Motif on 2nd row of blanket joining to first Full Motif of first row, joining with WS of motifs together. In each bottom corner, make 1 dc in corner ch-sp of motifs currently being joined, and then a second dc in corner ch-sp of next motif and current motif on row above or below. In each top corner, work through ch-sp of current motif being joined as well as ch-sp of motif to left and above. Work as set, finishing with an extra row of A motifs.

Edging

Rnd 1: Join MC to FLO of stitch on straight edge of blanket. DC across in FLO, making 3 dc in each corner ch-sp of each Full Motif. In each top corner ch-sp of non-straight edge, [1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc], continue around, join with sl st in BLO of first st.

Rnd 2: 2 ch (counts as 1 htr), working into BLO around, htr around. At each intersection between straight and non-straight edges, [1 htr, 1 ch, 1 htr] in BLO of same st. At each top corner ch-sp of non-straight edge, [1 htr, 2 ch, 1 htr] in ch-sp. At each bottom corner on non-straight edge, htr2tog in BLO. Continue as set around, join with sl st in beg 2 ch.

Make 5 tassels for each end and attached to corner ch-sps as shown.

Yarn Tassels

Step-by-step Cut two squares of cardboard – the height of these will correspond to the height of your finished tassels

Wrap yarn around the cardboard – the thickness you wrap around will affect the final fullness of your tassel With a tapestry needle, thread a separate length of yarn under the top through the cardboard and out the other side.

Cut the yarn on the other side, holding the yarn tightly to stop it shifting too much.

Wrap another length around the top in a loop and tie off. Trim the ends to the same length as the tassel.

Tie the top length of yarn to fasten the tassel and tie onto end of blanket. Voila!