Hayfield Day Tripper CAL Week 3 - Spotty Dotty - 10637P - Downloadable PDF

Hayfield Day Tripper CAL Week 3 - Spotty Dotty Crochet Blanket

What is Being Made

The Spotty Dotty design is Week 3 of the Hayfield Day Tripper Picnic Blanket Crochet Along (CAL). This downloadable PDF pattern guides crocheters through creating a bonus DK weight blanket using modular square motifs. The project builds progressively throughout the CAL series, with this week introducing techniques for transforming circular motifs into squared shapes through strategic stitch placement and shaping.

Techniques Used

Week 3 focuses on advancing crochet skills by introducing double trebles and half trebles as shaping tools. The pattern teaches how to work circles in the round with increasing stitches to create bold striped spots at the motif centers. A key technique involves squaring off circular motifs using clusters of varying stitch heights—specifically double treble, treble, and half treble clusters—to transition the organic round shape into geometric squares. This week takes the difficulty up a notch from previous weeks, making it suitable for intermediate-level crocheters who have mastered basic stitches.

Stitches Used

• Chain (ch) - foundational stitch for starting rows and creating spaces
• Double treble (dtr) - tall stitch used in clusters for shaping
• Treble - medium-height stitch incorporated into cluster groups
• Half treble - shorter stitch used in clusters for graduated shaping
• Cluster (cl) - a group of 3 stitches all worked into the same place, creating textured, dimensional elements
• Cluster space (cl sp) - the space between the last stitch of one cluster and the first stitch of the next cluster

Materials

This pattern is designed to work with Sirdar yarns in DK weight. The project requires a crochet hook appropriate for DK yarn (typically a 3.5-4mm hook, though specific hook size should be confirmed in the full pattern). The pattern uses UK crochet terminology throughout, with US crochet terms provided in square brackets for international crocheters. Measurements are given in centimetres (cm).

Pattern Structure

Each completed motif consists of 4 squares per motif. The construction method begins with working the center in the round to establish the bold striped spot, then progresses to the squaring-off phase using clusters of different stitch heights. This modular approach allows crocheters to build the blanket square by square, making it ideal for a structured Crochet Along experience where participants complete one week's worth of motifs before moving to the next week's instructions.

Designed by Katie Jones for Hayfield, this intermediate-level project is provided as a free downloadable PDF, making it accessible for crocheters looking to expand their skills while creating a practical picnic blanket through a guided, week-by-week progression.