Crochet Virus Blanket Pattern For Beginners

Snuggle up with the cherished Crochet Virus Blanket, a piece that's as fun to make as it is to use. Picture a hug turned into a blanket, with lovely, repeating patterns that are soothing to the eye. Crocheting this blanket is like piecing together a beautiful puzzle, where each stitch adds to a growing work of art.

Crochet Virus Blanket

Materials:

4.25 mm crochet hook (G size)
Red Heart Shimmer yarn in Ivory
Red Heart Shimmer yarn in Hot Pink
Scissors
Yarn needle

Pattern Instructions:

Round 1:

Make a slip knot leaving a tail to weave in later.
Chain 6. Slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring.
Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet).
Double crochet 19 times into the ring (Total of 20 double crochet including the initial chain 3).
Slip stitch to the top of the chain 3 to finish the round.

Round 2:

Chain 3 (first double crochet).
Place 2 double crochet into each stitch around (Total of 40 double crochet).
Slip stitch to the top of the chain 3 to finish the round.

For Round 3:

Chain 3 (first double crochet), then chain 1.
Double crochet into the next stitch, chain 1. Repeat from to until the end of the round (40 double crochet with a chain 1 space in between each).
Slip stitch to the top of the chain 3.

Round 4:

Chain 5, skip the first chain-1 space, then single crochet into the next chain-1 space.
Chain 3, skip a chain-1 space, and single crochet into the next chain-1 space. Repeat this sequence 3 times.
Then create a corner by chaining 5, skipping a space, and single crocheting into the next space. Do this once more for the second corner.
[Repeat this corner and chain-3 sequence for each side of the blanket.

Round 5:

Chain 5 and single crochet into the last space before your previous round's chain-3.
Slip stitch into the first chain-5 space and chain 3.
Place 9 double crochet into the chain-5 space (you will have a total of 10 double crochet in this space including the chain-3 which counts as a double crochet).
Single crochet into the next chain-3 space, chain 3, single crochet into the next chain-3 space. Repeat from to for the other spaces.
[Continue placing 10 double crochet into each corner chain-5 space and chain-3 spaces sequence as above.]

After Round 6:

Slip stitch to join and chain 3.
Double crochet in each double crochet from the previous round.
Single crochet into the first chain-3 space, chain 3, single crochet into the next chain-3 space, and continue this pattern.
[Continue with one double crochet in each double crochet and chain-3 spaces sequences.]

Round 7 - 11:

Repeat the given pattern for each round. Row 7 is like Row 3, where you double crochet, chain 1 in each double crochet around the corner and skip the chain-3 spaces.
[Create arches and work your chain-3 space sequences as established in previous rounds. Continue these patterns, building out each row as you progress.]

Additional Notes:

You can change colors every four rows or as desired for a striped effect.
Make sure not to include the chain space as a stitch when counting your double crochets.
The pattern repeats the established sequences, alternating between loopy rows (like Rows 4 and 8) and solid rows (like Rows 5 and 10).
To continue the blanket, you will alternate between creating new arches and working solid rows, adjusting the pattern as necessary to fit the blanket's increasing size.