Intermediate
What the pattern's own author called it. Nothing here is graded again.
Blankets 3 Laid out for paper No account, no download
Multicolored unicorn bricks baby blanket pattern
Two-color brick-stitch baby blanket, 32in square, 5.5mm hook, worked flat in two-row stripes.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Hook
- 5.5 mm
- Rounds
- 3
Worsted
What the sample was worked in. Any weight works; the size moves with it.
3
Each one is typed out whole and gets its own line.
This baby blanket builds its brick texture from a single special stitch worked two ways: yarn over slip stitch through the back loop for the field, and long double crochet reaching two rows down to lock the offset pattern into place. Color changes fall every two rows, White against Retro Stripe, carried up the side rather than cut. Have both skeins wound and within reach before starting, since the yarn is never far from your hand once the stripe sequence begins. A 5.5mm hook and a tapestry needle for the border and ends are all the tools this piece asks for.
Common mistakes and their fixes
- Working into both loops instead of back loop only
- Check each yo-slst-blo row before continuing; insert the hook only under the back loop to keep the brick ridges distinct.
- Cutting yarn at every color change
- Carry Color A and Color B up the side of the work instead of cutting, since the border is built to cover this carry.
- Miscounting the two skipped rows for ldc
- Pause and count down two rows from the working row before inserting the hook for each long double crochet; an off-by-one count shifts the whole brick pattern.
The materials list
Yarn
- Total of 550 g of medium weight yarn.
- 2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver - White yarn (yarn weight: Medium 4; 7 oz/198 g per skein)
- 2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver - Retro Stripe yarn (yarn weight: Medium 4; 5 oz/141 g per skein)
Crochet Hook
- 5.5 mm crochet hook (example: Furls Wooden Hook, Cocobolo)
Additional Tools
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Yarn Color A (White) and Yarn Color B (Retro Stripe)
- 5.5mm Crochet Hook
- Tapestry Needle (for weaving in ends)
- Scissors
Listed by the pattern's own author, in their words.
Key to this pattern, 7 short forms
Key Steps
Round 2
(RS): With B, chain 1, yo-slst-blo across; chain 1, turn.
Rounds 3–4
Continue with Color A, following the specific instructions for incorporating yo-slst-blo and ldc stitches.Alternate colors after each two rows, maintaining the pattern sequence.
Right Side
Continue with the yarn tail of Color A from the end of row 122, work down the side to the right bottom corner, mirroring the process used for the left side.
Round 1 of Border: Start by enhancing the top edge, then proceed around the blanket, adding stitches at corners for a smooth edge.
Round 2
of Border: Work evenly around the blanket in yo-slst-blo, placing two stitches in each corner stitch.
Ws
Color A: yarn color white Color B: yarn color Retro Stripe Refer to the author's picture tutorial for a back bump of chains.
Special Stitches Yarn Over Slip Stitch (yo-slst):
Yarn over (yo) and insert the hook into 2nd chain from the hook; yarn over and draw the yarn through the chain (3 loops on the hook). Slip the first loop on the hook through the next 2 loops on the hook to complete the stitch.
Yarn Over Slip Stitch Back Loops Only (yo-slst-blo): Work the yo-slst as described but only insert the hook into the back loops of the stitches.
Long Double Crochet (ldc):
Skip two rows below, and work 1 dc by inserting a hook from bottom to top under the loops of the yo-slst directly below the skipped rows.
Refer to the provided picture and video tutorials for detailed instructions on these special stitches.
Pattern Updates UPDATE 03/17/2020: A video tutorial for the Crochet Baby Blanket is now available!
Notes Each row begins with a ch 1 that is not counted as a stitch.
The last stitch of each row will be worked into BOTH top loops of the sts to prevent holes.
Useful tips: use stitch markers, always count your stitches, and ensure you're working them in the correct spot.
Color Changes Stripe Sequence: Change colors every 2 rows, alternating 2 rows of A with 2 rows of B.
Changing Colors: Detailed instructions provided on how to change colors seamlessly without cutting the yarn, carrying the unused color up the side to be covered by the border.
Remember to maintain the color sequence when joining a new skein of the Retro Stripe yarn.
Supplies Needed Yarn Color A (White) and Yarn Color B (Retro Stripe)
5.5mm Crochet Hook Tapestry Needle (for weaving in ends)
Scissors Gauge and Size
The gauge is not specified for this pattern, but the finished blanket size is designed around a starting chain of 114.
Stitches Used
Chain (ch)
Yarn Over Slip Stitch (yo-slst)
Yarn Over Slip Stitch Back Loops Only (yo-slst-blo)
Long Double Crochet (ldc)
Blanket Instructions
Left Side
(WS): With a new skein of Color A, join in the left bottom corner, chain 1, and work up the side until the left upper corner, evenly placing one yo-slst for each horizontal row for a total of 122 sts; chain 1, turn.
(RS): Work 1 yo-slst-blo in each stitch along the side; cut yarn and fasten off.
Check these before you start
- Carry the unused color up the side of the work rather than cutting it at each stripe change; the border in round 1 and round 2 covers this carry, so keep it snug but not tight.
- The ldc stitch skips two rows below and works into the yo-slst loops under that gap — count rows carefully here, since miscounting shifts the whole brick offset for the rest of the piece.
- Work the back-loop-only insertion consistently through yo-slst-blo rows; picking up both loops even once breaks the brick texture visibly in the finished fabric.
On one line
| Rounds | 3 |
|---|---|
| Parts | 5 |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Time | 4-6 hours |
| Hook | 5.5 mm |
| Yarn | Worsted |
Set-up
- Confirm you have 2 skeins each of White and Retro Stripe Super Saver on hand — 550g total — before the first chain.
- Work a swatch in yo-slst-blo to check that 14 stitches and 14 rows measure 4 inches by 4 inches with your 5.5mm hook.
- Read through the yo-slst, yo-slst-blo, and ldc definitions once before casting on, since the ldc reaches back two rows and needs the row below already in place.
- Decide how you will carry the unused color up the side before row 2, so the carry stays even rather than tightened partway through the stripe sequence.
Finishing
- Weave in the tail left from the final row using a tapestry needle, securing it into the border stitches rather than the open field.
- Work Round 1 of the border around all four sides, adding stitches at each corner to keep the edge from cupping.
- Work Round 2 in yo-slst-blo with two stitches in each corner stitch, then weave in the remaining color-carry ends along the border.
Construction
The brick offset comes from the ldc stitch reaching two rows below into the yo-slst loops beneath the skipped rows, which staggers each color block against the one below it rather than stacking them in a straight line.
The blanket is worked flat in rows rather than in the round, which is why both a left side and a right side of border are worked separately along the two vertical edges before the top-and-bottom round closes the square.
Time per section
| Chain and setup rows | about 20-30 minutes because the foundation chain and first yo-slst row set the stitch count for the whole piece |
|---|---|
| Main stripe body | about 3-4 hours because the two-row color sequence repeats across the full 32-inch square with both yo-slst-blo and ldc rows |
| Border, rounds 1 and 2 | about 45-60 minutes because each side is worked in turn with corner stitches added before the second round closes the edge |
Common questions
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.