‘Love for crochet’ and ‘Love for crocheting’ are different. While one requires exploring various crochet designs, the other one requires making various crochet designs. And today, we would love to present a delighted content for both categories in the form of crochet fleece blankets.
Do you know what fleece is? It is the wool coat of a sheep, which consists of soft woolen fibers along with a thin layer of skin. This must make you think that the crochet fleece blankets are apt for fall and winter, but SURPRISE! You can even use them during summer in the form of picnic rugs on a fine sunny day.
Making a crochet forever fleece throw is a relaxing workload to take upon. From a beginner to an expert, anyone can master the simple techniques used for making the fleece throw. Let’s check out how! However, Before we dive into any detail about crocheting the forever fleece throw, you must collect the required material.
So, let us begin with this itself.
Materials Required for Crochet Fleece Blankets
Once you start making the crochet fleece blankets, you will not like any hassle surrounding it. To save trouble, collect the required materials before starting.
| Yarn | Tape Measure |
| Hook(s) | Tapestry Needles |
| Scissors | Stitch Markers |
To get the desired pattern and feel of the crochet fleece blankets, you must choose the appropriate yarn. Start by choosing the correct yarn weight. Each yarn has its weight mentioned on the yarn label, and you must use the hook sizes and needles as per their specific requirements. You can use the weight you want, but we suggest you go for the size 4(medium) yarn since it is comfortable to use for crochet fleece blankets.
For an average blanket, 3 skeins of Fluffy Wool Yarn by Yonkey Monkey will be sufficient to snuggle into the blanket on cold nights. However, if you are using yarn from any other brand, you will need approx 2340 yards of yarn. So, make sure you maintain the proper measurements. Now, pick up your desired colored yarn and other materials and start crocheting!
Crochet Forever Fleece Throw Blanket
The crochet fleece blankets are easy and fun to make. Once you are accustomed to its pattern, you can easily sit down to crochet while watching your favorite show on the TV. The forever fleece throw blankets will keep you comfortable, warm, and snuggled all through the winter season. The instructions here will help you crochet the blanket.
Various Stitch Skills
The crochet stitching skills differ from the general stitching skills and require using yarn and crochet needles. Crochet stitching requires you to form loops directly on the fabric with bigger stitches than knitting. The resultant fabric is dense and textured, and the pattern requires basic knowledge and some practice. Each crochet stitching technique differs from the others in terms of texture and ways of placing the needle to tie the knot.
The six basic crochet stitching techniques are- chain stitch, single crochet stitch, double crochet stitch, half double crochet stitch, treble crochet stitch, and slip stitch. There are basic stitch skills that you need to practice for crochet fleece blankets.
1. Single Crochet
For this stitch, you need to crochet the hook into a chain and yarn over it. Then, pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through two loops. Every time there is a mention of a single crochet in the instructions, this is the method you need to follow.
2. Double Crochet
Yarn over the hook from front to back, insert the hook into the desired stitch, and again yarn over and carry the yarn through the stitch. This will make double loops. Yarn over, pull the yarn through the first two loops and repeat the process with the last two loops. The double crochet stitch is ready.
3. Front Loop Single Crochet
The front loop single crochet involves the inserting of the hook in the first loop only. Be careful with the first loop; otherwise, the pattern may go wrong. After that, yarn over and pull up a loop. Again, yarn over and pull through two loops.
Detailed Guide to Work on Crochet Fleece Blankets
For a throw blanket, you can choose to begin with any odd-numbered chain. The pattern must be ended with an odd-numbered chain. For instance, we will be making 155 chains.
- Row 1: For the first row, work into the back ridge loop of the chain. You will find them as bumps along the back. Now, find the second chain and rotate it to locate the bumps on the back. Insert the hook into the second back ridge loop from the hook and single crochet the work here. Place a stitch marker on the top of the first single crochet made. Then, across all the pattern rows, work in the chain and single crochet in each bump. Since we skipped the first chain and started working from the second chain, you must have 154 Single crochet stitches in the pattern now, i.e., one less single crochet stitch than the starting number of chains.
- Row 2: To start with the second row, make 2 chain stitches and turn your work. In the first stitch of the second row, double crochet your work and put a stitch marker on the top of the first double crochet. Double crochet in each stitch, and you will find the last stitch of the row is the stitch marker one. Remove the stitch marker and double-crochet into the stitch. By now, you should have 154 double crochet stitches.
- Row 3: Now, chain 1 and turn and single crochet in the first stitch, i.e., the stitch attached to the chain. Again, put a stitch marker on the top of the first single crochet stitch. Across all the other stitches, single crochet into each. Now, you will find that the last stitch of the row is the stitch marker, one where you need to remove the marker and make a single crochet. You will now have 154 single crochet stitches by the end of this row.
- Row 4: For the fourth row, repeat the processes of 2nd and 3rd rows consecutively until row 127 or until you reach the desired height of the crochet fleece blankets. The last row before you end the 4th row should be the pattern of the 3rd row. Even if the blanket starts curling up a bit, the tassels will fix them for you.
- Row 5 and 6: Into the first single crochet, work 1 single crochet. Then, skip the next single crochet and work the front loop single crochet into the next single crochet. After this is done, get back to the skipped stitch and work the front loop single crochet.
Repeat this process until the last stitch of the row and work one final single crochet in the final single crochet. At last, stitch 1 chain and turn your work. Starting from here, for all of the rest of the blanket, repeat the sequence of front loop single crochet for 4 rows, then 2 rows of skipped single crochet rows 8 times, and end your work with 4 rows of front loop single crochet.
Note: Your work must end with a front loop single crochet since it will then make it easier to attach the tassels.
How to Add Tassels?
Tassels, also known as fringes, add to the length and personality of the crochet fleece blankets. Let’s learn how to make them along with the forever fleece throw blanket. First of all, you will need to prepare the yarn to attach the tassels.
- Prepare the yarn: Each tassel of a blanket is usually 6 strands 6” in length. Well, that is what it looks like. But the reality is something different. Each tassel has 6 strands that are 12” long. Upon folding, they appear different from reality. A total of 312 strands will be required for this blanket with 12” length each.
- Strand cutting: The best object you could use to cut the strands of appropriate size would be a 6” wide piece of cardboard or notebook, or something similar it. Wrap the yarn around the 6” object and cut the yarn from the edges of the object to form individual strands. Do not forget to cut the yarn from the middle; otherwise, you will achieve 12” strands. Repeat the process until you have 312 strands of yarn. You may cut different lengths of strands to make a different pattern of tassels.
- Where to attach the tassels: The ideal place to attach the tassels is in the last row of a single crochet for the top and into the chain stitches for the bottom of the blanket. Be careful of attaching tassels on both ends on the same side of the blanket.
Attach a tassel to the first stitch, then skip two stitches and again attach the tassel to the next stitch and repeat through the row. The last stitch will have the tassel if you do not make any mistakes. This process must be repeated for all the strands, a guide to which has been detailed below:
- Take three strands together and fold them in half. Use your hook to pull the folded ends through the chain or stitch from the front to the back. This creates a loop.
- Pull the ends through the loop.
- Pull tight to make a knot.
- Trim the tassels to bring them all in equal lengths.
There you have your Crochet Forever Fleece Throw Blanket ready! Enjoy the cozy season with this beautiful handmade blanket.
Important Points to Consider While Working on Crochet Fleece Blankets
While you make the crochet fleece blankets for you and your loved ones, make sure of certain things so that you do not ruin the blankets and will not have to waste time correcting the mistakes.
- Avoid changing the yarn in the middle of the row. When you notice that you are approaching the end of the skein, continue that skein till the end of the row, and then at the end of the row, switch to the next skein.
- Whenever there is a change in the yarn, knot the yarns together. Also, tie off and weave at the ends. This ensures the strength of the blanket.
- Use the appropriate needles and hooks in case you are using yarn of size greater or smaller than 4. Each size has its requirements.
How to Adjust the Size of the Blanket
The number of starting chains determines the width of the blanket. The crochet fleece blankets here are made in the multiple of 3+2. You can pick any divisible number by 3 and then add 2 to the number. This will make your starting number of chains to make the pattern.
Start the chain patterns with a row of single crochet stitches. Then, make a row of double crochet stitches and a row of single crochet stitches and repeat the pattern until your desired length is achieved. Ensure you end the pattern with a row of single crochet stitches(front loop single crochet here).
Conclusion
Crochet fleece blankets are super soft and keep you warm on winter days. Light a fireplace, sit around with your friends and family, and wrap yourself in this beautiful blanket. You can gift such handmade pieces to your precious ones since making these can consume your time and energy.
Apart from the soft blankets, you can use fleece wool to make other winter accessories such as hats, sweaters, gloves, and socks. They will keep you warm. Keep the crochet fleece blankets handy at the entrance of the house to warm whoever comes inside from the snowy weather outside.
We have tried to explain the process most thoroughly. Read the instructions carefully and make a warm blanket. Let us know how it turned out and if you modified it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can We Use Any Stitching for the Blanket?
There are various crochet stitching techniques, and you can use any one or combination of more than one technique to make a blanket of your desired size. However, the single crochet stitch mentioned in the crochet fleece blankets is the easiest one.
Can We Use More Than 1 Color Yarn to Make Blankets?
Definitely, one can use more than a single-color yarn to make crochet blankets, but make sure first to master the single-color crochet blanket and learn how to tighten the knots properly when the next yarn is used. Create a pattern while using more than one color of yarn.
