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Leaping Stripes and Blocks Blanket Tutorial

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The Leaping Stripes and Blocks Blanket crochet pattern is a big hit! It’s easy to memorize, works with any yarn, in any colors, and includes directions for almost every possible size. It’s also the stitch pattern used in the Mesmerizing Messenger Bag. And now, by request, there’s also a video tutorial!

Leaping Stripes and Blocks Blanket Tutorial
Leaping Stripes and Blocks Blanket Tutorial Video

There’s a full photo tutorial and written directions for the Leaping Stripes and Blocks Blanket pattern page, so I won’t repeat them here. And between the two, this is a pattern everyone should be able to make! It’s just the same two rows, in any size you like – simply start with a chain that’s a multiple of 4 plus 2.  For a washcloth, start with 30, for blankets made with worsted weight yarn and an 5.5mm hook, try these:

Sizes: (yardage totals approximate)
Preemie/Lovie (20″ x 20″) – Ch 70; 64 rows; 420 yds
Small Baby Blanket (30″ x 30″) – Ch 110; 96 rows; 950 yds
Standard Baby Blanket (36″ x 36″) – Ch 130; 116 rows; 1350 yds
Afghan/Throw (48″ x 68″) – Ch 174; 216 rows; 3350 yds
Twin Blanket (66″ x 90″) – Ch 238; 288 rows; 6237 yds
Queen Blanket (90″ x 100″) – Ch 326; 320 rows; 9250 yds
King/Cal. King (110″ x 100″) – Ch 398; 320 rows; 11,550 yds

If you’re using 2 or 3 colors of yarn, carrying the yarn up the sides as shown is a real time saver – just crochet right over them when you make the border! Of course, this makes a great scrap-ghan too – with the requisite ends to weave in. Either way, I think you’ll love the end result – in any size!

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Comments

    • Tamara Kelly

      Sorry! It had the wrong publish date on it and I didn’t realize – it’s up and running now! Sorry for the delay!

      Reply

  2. Lynn

    Clicking on the video gives me the message: This video is private. When I try to click to watch it on YouTube it says: This video is unavailable. I’ll go and save the written directions, but a video would sure be helpful! 🙂

    Reply

    • Tamara Kelly

      Sorry! It had the wrong publish date on it and I didn’t realize – it’s up and running now! Sorry for the delay!

      Reply

  3. Gudrun Schindler

    Would you be willing to tell what brand yarn and which colors you used for those two blankets pictured above?
    I don’t have “a stash” and will have to order yarn, and I really like those color combinations.

    Reply

  5. Kiki

    Thank you for a beautiful pattern, and one of the best tutorial videos I’ve ever seen. I just love this pattern, and plan to make a couple of them for family, and maybe some small baby blankets for Project Linus as well. Again, thank you!!

    Reply

  6. Rebecca

    Thank you for the pattern and the video. I am making the afghan size for my 9 year old grandson. The video was very informative. Thank you again.

    Reply

  7. Mary Cast

    Thanks so much for the videos. Your afghans rock! I have made the Blackberry stripe and love it. I wanted to give this one a try as a gift. I really appreciate the help.

    Reply

  8. Anne-Pia Hansen

    Hei Tamara Kelly

    Thank you so much for this tutorial, I’ve had trouble figuring out the pattern for a while. When I saw you had made ​​a tutorial I tried again, an hope that I get the pattern of it this time because I really like it and think it´s very beautiful.

    Would it be possible and okay that I translated your pattern to Danish and uploaded it on my blog, I will of course mention that I have it from you, and put a link to your blog?

    Best regards
    Anne-Pia Hansen

    Reply

    • Tamara Kelly

      Hi Dee, and thank you! A scarf would be easy enough – just make it narrow and long. And a rectangular wrap style shawl would be easy too! A triangular scarf would take a little more math to figure out the increases and decreases, but it could be done!

      Reply

  10. Lori Johnson

    Thank you thank you thank you for the video for the leaping stripes and blocks pattern. I’m a visual learner and starting any new pattern takes me quite a while to figure it out. Because of the video I jumped right into it. I love this pattern and plan to make it my “go to” baby blanket.

    Reply

    • Tamara Kelly

      Hi Cindy! Somewhere between these, in a multiple of 4 plus 2, though you’ll want to make a gauge swatch to see where yours falls.
      Afghan/Throw (48″ x 68″) – Ch 174; 216 rows; 3350 yds
      Twin Blanket (66″ x 90″) – Ch 238; 288 rows; 6237 yds

      Reply

  12. Lorraine

    I am a beginner at this and your tutorial was so clear I am confident to try this. Can you also show how to crochet the border. I am not sure where to make the first row of SC. Also do you just keep the yarn you’re using and continue to the side with the SC?

    Thanks so much.

    Reply

    • Tamara Kelly

      Hi Lorraine! Crocheting a border is pretty easy once you’ve seen it done, but hard to demonstrate because exactly where you put the stitches is up to you! You can make the border with whichever color you make the last row with, just continuing on with it, or you can join a new color and work it with that one. Usually it’s easiest to work the first section of the border across the top, or last row you made, just crocheting across the row as usual, but with sc sts. Then you work an extra stitch or two in the corner stitch, and crochet down the side, then across the bottom/foundation chain, then up the other side, and done! I demonstrate it in this video: https://www.mooglyblog.com/working-into-the-edge/ One tip, I find it’s usually best, when working into the sides of the rows, to work 2 sc around dc sts, and 1 sc into the sc sts. But that can be too many, or too few, depending on your own gauge, so if it’s rippling use less, and if it’s pulling together use more. 🙂

      Reply

  13. Charlotte Dean

    I’m obsessed with this blanket right now. Currently on my hook as we speak! Love it very much and so easy to carry the yarn at the end instead of trimming off every row. Will definitely be highlighting this on my blog!

    Reply

  14. sharon post

    Thank you so much!!! Some days I spend looking for patterns. Once I found this one, I knew it was the one II was looking for. So easy, quick and oh so cool!!! I used sharing 2 colors and it looks like hounds tooth. Love it. Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply

  15. Donna b

    love the pattern & tutorial. i am a visual learner and was able to follow along with no problem. I just need to know if you have any tips on carrying more than one color change up over alternating rows. I am using a base color(a) and two accent colors (b&c). so they alternate A,B,A,C,A etc. the repeats carry up over 6 rows. which leaves a thread about 3 inches long loose on the side. I know I can bury them when SC around the sides.Thought you may have a better way. Thanks. Can”t wait to try some of your other patterns.

    Reply

    • Tamara Kelly

      Hi Donna! Thank you! What you will want to do, when working with such long floats up the sides, is catch them in the side of the new row as you work. So when the B passes the C row, just lay the B working yarn over the C working yarn before starting the C row… and then vice versa. This won’t hide them, but will keep them from being so long and at risk of getting snagged.

      Reply

  16. Theresa

    Hi Tamara, I love the look this afghan has and I would really like to make the twin size for my niece for Christmas but I am not good at figuring out how many skeins of each color I will need. The number I come up with is 19 skeins of each color I think that is why to many. Can you help me? What did I do wrong?

    Reply

    • Tamara Kelly

      Hi Theresa! I can try! It all depends on the yardage of the skeins of your chosen yarn. Taking the Twin size as an example, it calls for 6237 yds. If you were using Red Heart Super Saver, at 364 yds per skein, you’d need 17 skeins. This is total though – if you’re using 2 colors, you’d need 9 of each color. On the other hand, Hobby Lobby I Love This Cotton has only 180 yds per skein – so you’d need 35 total skeins, or 18 skeins of each if you’re using 2 colors… and 12 skeins each for 3 colors. 🙂 I hope that helps!

      Reply

      • Theresa

        OK I think I have it now. I like the three colors and I think I’m going to go with purples. Thank you very much for your help.

        Reply

  18. Anne

    Hi, I love the look of this afghan and would like to make one for my friend! Can you tell me how many chains I would need to have to make the afghan a little wider, say 6 inches wider so it would be 54 inches? Thanks so much!!

    Reply

  19. Anne

    Hi, I love the look of this afghan and would like to make one for my friend! I’m not sure of what using a multiple of 4 plus 2 means though, could you maybe explain this for me so I’ll be able to figure out what width to make the afghan? I haven’t crocheted a lot of things yet, thanks very much!!

    Reply

    • Tamara Kelly

      Hi Anne! There are chain counts and row counts given for all the standard sizes in the pattern, but if you want a custom size, this is where you use the mult of 4 plus 2. What this means is that for the starting chain, you want to chain a number that is a multiple of 4, and then chain 2 more. So if you were making a washcloth, you might start with a chain of 26 – because 4 x 6 = 24, plus 2 is 26. For the afghan size, you start with a chain of 174 – because 4 x 43 = 172, plus 2 is 174. Does that help?

      Reply

        • Tamara Kelly

          Rows are completely different than chains. You’ll want to work 216 rows for an afghan that is 68″ long. The 43 is the number of stitch pattern repeats needed to get a particular width.

          Reply

  20. Teresa

    Tamara you are the best crochet teacher ever. Everything seems so easy with your explanations! Thank you so much

    Reply

  22. Sue mignault

    I love, love, love this pattern and your video tutorial. I’m just learning to crochet and am a lefty. Would you consider making a left hand tutorial for this particular pattern.

    Reply

  23. brittany

    I love this pattern!! Thank you for sharing. I am having trouble though. My sides are uneven…I’m following the pattern so I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Is there something that I could be missing?

    Reply

  24. Kate

    I’m just in love with this pattern but I do have one issue with how to finish. What would the stitches be on the last 2 or 3 rows. Thank you so much for this pretty pattern, video and great community.

    Reply

  25. Lisa

    Have never seen the idea for floating the colors up the side instead of cutting! Love this idea and can use it for another afghan I am making! Thank you!

    Reply

  26. Sara

    HI I love this pattern. Can I make a curtain with this pattern. Will it stretch while hanging. Which yarn would you suggest for crocheting a curtain. The width of the window is approximately 36. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Tamara Kelly

      Hi Sara! It may stretch, depending on how long the curtain you make is. To minimize this, I would use an acrylic yarn. 🙂

      Reply

  27. Renée

    Hi, Thank you for your video. I have three balls with 256 yards each, and I would like to make a baby blanket
    what size can I make and what are the numbers of stiches and rows do I need to do. I have tried to figure it out for 25 ‘x 25’ blanket, I have counted 90 stitches and 80 rows.

    Thank you very much for your help I am a beginner

    Reply

  29. 1sttimegma

    Hi,

    I am going to be a Grandmother for the first time (just found out today) and I want to make this baby afghan for our little nugget. I’d also like to make a matching baby hat and wondered if anyone had done one using this pattern.

    Thank you!

    Reply

  30. Melinda Brusky

    My mother made a beautiful afghan using this pattern using 6 colors but with triple crochet and 3 stitches per block. I’d like to try and duplicate it. Do I use a multiple of 6 plus 3? This is going to be only my second project but I feel I can manage if I can get it started right. I’m going for queen size for my bed.

    Reply

  31. Sister Mary

    Thank You so much for your clear instructions. I am making the Leaping Baby Hoodie and have just come to the section calling for this stitch. I am very excited to learn this new stitch. God Bless

    Reply

  32. Pam Kimmet

    Thank you, so much for this great tutorial. I had made a baby blanket years ago and I could not find the pattern anywhere. It is wonderful that you give all the sizes because I liked the pattern so much that, now that I am retired, I plan on making a queen blanket. Thanks again!

    Reply

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