Do you want to perfect the bobble stitch? Try this free crochet pattern

When Shannon from The Loophole Fox and Agat from Made by Gootie asked me to be part of their Harmony Blanket CAL I knew I wanted to use the bobble stitch to create a timeless but modern design.

They had an idea to host a CAL made with strips – each section designed by a different designer. They wanted the sections to be warm and not lacy but full of texture and inviting. I was given a starting stitch count and invited to come up with something that fit the vision they were going for.

Inspiration behind the design

In October 2021 I realised the Winterberry beanie and scarf as part of the Crochet Cancer Challenge. It was designed to honour my grandad who had oesophageal cancer. I knew that I wanted to design something else with the stitch combination to start creating more of a ‘Winterberry Collection’.

It’s comforting to design things that remind me of lost loved ones – but they have to be the right textures to represent them. The bobble stitch uses a little more yarn than a lot of stitches, but that makes it warm and comforting and my grandad gave great hugs!! The texture of this combo is fun and tactile – just like my grandad was. You get the idea….

Once I had the stitch count and could work out the math to make it fit this pattern didn’t take very long at all to put this one together.

Construction of the design

 

This strip is worked flat and in rows. The bobble stitch rows are worked on the wrong side because this makes them ‘pop out’ on the right side of the work. Between the bobble stitches are all single crochets. So this design is literally just a matter of counting to get the bobbles to sit in the correct places.

The crochet bobble stitch may look a little intimidating, but actually it isn’t as bad as you would think!

To work a bobble stitch you would:

*Wrap yarn around hook, insert hook into next st, wrap yarn around hook and pull through, wrap yarn around hook and pull through 2 loops on hook. Rep from * 4 more times, wrap yarn around hook and pull through remaining 6 loops on hook

The Yarn

For my gold version, I used Hobby Craft’s Women’s Institute Aran yarn in gold. It comes in 400g skeins so it goes a long way. However, it is only available in the UK.

You can use any size yarn and an appropriate sized hook for this afghan strip. However, if you are doing the Harmony Blanket CAL you will want to use the same weight yarn and hook size so that your blanket looks the best it can be!

Harmony Blanket KIT

There are two yarn kits available for this blanket! They have been put together by Caterpillar Yarns. One is the deluxe version which uses the Sirdar Country Classic Worsted yarn, and the other is a version that uses similar colours from Hayfield in their bonus Aran range which is a bit cheaper if you are trying to look after the pennies!

If you want to check out the kits then just click the pictures below…

Get the PDF pattern!

I have decided that this pattern will not be available in any of my shops.

This is because I am actually going to use this strip as the basis for a whole afghan design in 2023. I also wonder why would someone just buy an afghan strip on Ravelry or Etsy?? I can see the point of buying a corner to corner square pattern because they can be turned into so many things, but just a strip?

Harmony Throw Blanket E-Book

This gorgeous Harmony Throw is available as an e-book. That means that you will get the whole blanket pattern in one document and can make it at your own pace and in your own time.

Better yet – until the end of the CAL you can get your copy of this e-book for only $10.99!! After the end of the CAL the price will increase to $15.99 so you save almost 1/3 by buying it now!

If the e-book is not for you, for the next few days of the CAL you can get the free pdf version of the Winterberry Strip by clicking the button below! What’s more – be sure to grab this download before Monday 24th October when this pdf will no longer be available as a direct download.

The pattern for this strip will always be free on this blog post.

The pattern specifics:

Materials:

#4 worsted weight cotton yarn – approx. 250 yards 5mm hook Stitch markers (optional) Scissors Tapestry needle

Gauge:

Not important for this project as you can add or reduce length on the strip

Sizing:

Width is not important and can be amended by amending the stitch multiple by 15. As written this one will be approx 50″ wide and 5″ tall

Abbreviations used:

Ch(s) – chain(s) St(s) – Stitch(es) Rep – Repeat Sc – single crochet Hdc – half double crochet FHDC – Foundation half double crochet Ss – slip stitch Sk – skip BS – Bobble Stitch

Other notes:

– Written in US terms – CH1 does not count as a st. – The right side of the work is the odd numbered rows. You will work the BS on the wrong side. – There are 2 row 1’s here – the first is if you are starting a new project, the second is as part 2 of the Harmony Throw CAL – PLEASE pay attention to the way the repeats are written. There is not an * at the end of the repeat because you may not get a full repeat in rows 6-10 so make sure you read the row before working it.

Special stitches:

Bobble Stitch: *Wrap yarn around hook, insert hook into next st, wrap yarn around hook and pull through, wrap yarn around hook and pull through 2 loops on hook. Rep from * 4 more times, wrap yarn around hook and pull through remaining 6 loops on hook.

Camel Stitch: Also known as the third loop hdc. Video tutorials are below. This one is worked by inserting your hook into the 3rd loop of an HDC stitch, which, for this pattern, is in the side facing you as you work (i.e. the wrong side since we are working in rows).  This pushes the top 2 V’s to face more outward, thus creating a “knit stitch” look.  Complete an HDC in the 3rd loop of the HDC from the previous row.

The Pattern:

Row 1 (if you are starting a new project):  CH 193 and HDC in second CH from hook and each 

CH across (192)

OR

FHDC 192 (192)

Row 1 (As part 2 of the Harmony Throw CAL): CH2 (counts as a st), HDC in each CH across (192)

Row 2:          CH1, turn, Camel St in each st across (192)

Row 3: CH1, turn, Sc in each st across (192)   

Row 4: CH1, turn, Sc in first 13 sts, *BS in next st, Sc in next 14 sts.  Rep from * until 14 sts remain, BS in next st, Sc in last 13 sts. (180 Sc, 12 BS)

Row 5:  CH1, turn, Sc in each st across (192)  

Row 6: CH1, turn, Sc in first 11 sts, *BS in next st, Sc in next 3 sts, BS in next st, Sc in next 10 sts. Rep from * until 12 sts remain, BS in next st, SC in last 11 sts. (168 Sc, 24 BS)

Row 7:  CH1, turn, Sc in each st across (192)  

Row 8: CH1, turn, Sc in first 9 sts, *BS in next st, Sc in next 3 sts. BS in next st, SC in next 3 sts, BS in next st, Sc in next 6 sts.        Rep from * until 10 sts remain, BS in next st, SC in last 9 sts. (156 Sc, 36 BS)

Row 9:  CH1, turn, Sc in each st across (192)  

Row 10: CH1, turn, Sc in first 7 sts, *(BS in next st, Sc in next 3 sts,) 3 times, BS in next st, Sc in next 2 sts. Rep from * until 8 sts remain, BS in next st, SC in last 7 sts. (144 Sc, 48 BS)

Row 11 :  CH1, turn, Sc in each st across (192)           

Row 12: Rep row 8

Row 13: Rep row 3

Row 14: Rep row 6

Row 15: Rep row 3

Row 16: Rep row 4

Rows 17 + 18 – Rep row 3

Row 19: CH1, turn, Hdc in each st across (192)

Row 20: Rep row 2 (192)

 

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