Crochet Checkerboard Granny Square Blanket

This time I selected solid & variegated yarns

You will need yarns in two colors to make this checkerboard granny square blanket.  
The blanket looks lovely with the gradient color effect of the variegated yarns. And each square has its own unique shades of colors.

Sizing & Joining

This is a free size pattern. It means you can make any size blanket or afghan joining these granny squares. I made 34″ x 30″ sized blanket with 30 squares and arranged 5 rows by 6 squares. You can arrange your squares before starting joining and don’t forget to arrange the squares by color go evenly all over the blanket. Granny squares are joined using the flat zipper method. You can see below the joining part with the video tutorial support.

The yarn

I selected Ice yarn Favorite for solid and Rainbow for variegated but they are not categorized in the same weight. The main color is solid color which is categorized under 4 medium weight and the variegated yarn categorized under 3 Light weight. I had no issue while working with these 2 different weights. These two yarns go well with each other and it helps to get nice draping to the blanket.
This blanket is cozy and warm with the texture of the square. But if you want an extra warm blanket you can use same weight yarns for the two colors.
Remember, if you select any other weight of yarns, the square and the blanket will get the different size, too.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Finished sizes:

• Granny square: 5.25″ x 5.25″
• Blanket size: 34″ x 30″

Materials:

• 2.5 skein of Ice yarn Rainbow Anthracite Black, Teal, Camel, Pink, Salmon 3-Light / DK
• 3 skein of Ice yarn Favorite Light Beige 4-Medium / worsted
• H-8 / 5mm crochet hook
• Tapestry needle for weaving ends
• Scissors

Gauge:

• Ice yarn Rainbow 3-Light / DK (15 hdc x 10 rows)
• Ice yarn Favorite 4-Medium / worsted (14 hdc x 9.5 rows)

Abbreviations / special stitches

• ch = chain
• sl st = slip stitch
• sc = single crochet
• dc = double crochet
• fpdc = front post double crochet
• ch-sp = chain- (number of chains) space
• st = stitch
• sk = skip
• beg = beginning
• [ ] work instructions within brackets as many times as directed
• *to ; = repeat * to the instructions.
• C1 = color 1 (variegated yarn)
• C2 = color 2 (solid yarn)

Notes:

• Each square crocheted individually and joined together at the end.
• You will need yarns in two colors to make this blanket.
• I select solid and variegated yarns.
• This is a free size pattern. You can make any size blanket or Afghan joining these granny squares together.
• For this blanket I used the flat zipper method for joining.
• And lastly added 5 rounds border

Joining

There are many ways to join crochet squares. For this blanket I used the flat zipper method which is my favorite joining method I recently learned while making Floral Granny Square Blanket. I love the flat seam look. It’s not a very quick method to try and needs a little practice, but when you grab the rhythm it’s fun to work.

Below you will find a video how to crochet flat zipper method I used for making Floral Garden Granny Square Blanket

Notes:

• Working only in the back loop of each square.
• And always insert the hook from front to back.
• Keep the working yarn under the crochet piece for easy grabbing. 
• Keep in mind to always crochet loosely, not tightly.

Step 1: Insert the hook into the back loop of the middle st in corner st from front to back (first square) Insert the hook into the back loop of of the middle st in corner st from front to back of the next square (second square). (Image 1)

Step 2: now grab the yarn you are going to use for joining, make a slip knot and insert the hook through it (Image 2). Pull back through the both loops on the hook. (Image 3)

Step 3: Insert the hook into the back loop of the next st from front to back (first square) then insert the hook into the back loop of the next st from front to back of the next square (second square) (Image 4).

Step 4: yarn over (Image 5), pull back through the two loops on the hook (Image 6).

Repeat these steps until the last corner stitch of the both squares. Keep in mind to always crochet loosely, not tightly and Keep the working yarn under the crochet piece for easy grabbing.

Border

(crochet sc around the blanket evenly. Make sure to crochet 3 sc in each corner)
Round 1: with (C2), start from the middle st of the corner st. *crochet 3 sc in middle st of the corner st and sc in each st across until the next middle st of the corner; repeat * to this around the blanket and sl st to the first st. (I crocheted 113 sc sts in 2 short sides and 136 sc sts in long 2 sides, 3 sc in each corner) 510 sc total around the blanket.

Round 2: start from the middle st of the corner st. [*ch 3, sk next st, sl st to the next st, repeat * until the next middle st of corner st] 4 times around the blanket, (always remind to finish each side by crocheting sl st in the middle st of the next corner st) if there are 1 stitch remain at the end of any side, skip the last 2 stitches including remaining stitch and sl st to the next st. (69 chain spaces in each long side / 58 chain spaces in each short side) 254 total chain spaces.

Round 3: with (C1), join the yarn at first ch-3 sp of one of the corner (first ch-3 sp nearest to the corner), ch 2 (count as hdc), 2 hdc in same sp, [*ch 1, 2 hdc in next ch-sp; repeat until last chain space remain of that side, 3 hdc in last chain space of that side, ch 5, 3 hdc in first chain space of the next side] 3 times, *ch 1, 2 hdc in next ch-sp; repeat until last chain space remain of that side, 3 hdc in last chain space of that side, ch 5, sl st to the ch 3 top. (254 total dc group sets)