133 TLC Designs Spirit

133 TLC Designs Spirit Crochet Blanket by Tricia Crow

Project Overview

The 133 TLC Designs Spirit is an intermediate-level crochet blanket designed by Tricia Crow. This finished throw measures 48 x 62 inches, making it an ideal size for a cozy lap blanket or decorative throw for a bed or sofa. The project combines basic single crochet with decorative bobble stitches to create a textured, patterned surface.

What Is Being Made

This is a rectangular crochet blanket featuring a charted design that incorporates single crochet and bobble stitch elements. The pattern creates a visually interesting texture through the strategic placement of bobble stitches against a single crochet background, resulting in a blanket with dimensional appeal and tactile interest.

Yarn and Materials

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in an aran weight, requiring 14 skeins totaling approximately 4,400 yards. This yarn choice provides a soft, durable fabric suitable for a blanket that will be frequently used and washed.

Hook: Size 7 (4.5mm) crochet hook, which is the appropriate size for working with aran weight yarn to achieve proper fabric drape and stitch definition.

Crochet Techniques and Stitches

The 133 TLC Designs Spirit employs two primary crochet stitches:

• Single Crochet (sc): The foundation stitch used throughout the blanket. Single crochet creates a dense, sturdy fabric and forms the base of all odd-numbered rows as well as the border finish.
• Bobble Stitch: A decorative, textured stitch that adds dimension to the design. The bobble stitch is created by working multiple yarn overs and loops within a single stitch, then drawing the yarn through all loops on the hook simultaneously. This creates a raised, bulbous element. In this pattern, bobble stitches are intentionally worked toward the back of the piece, creating texture on the reverse side while maintaining a smoother appearance on the front.

Pattern Construction Details

The blanket is constructed using a charted pattern system. The beginning chain consists of 206 chains, which creates a foundation of 205 single crochet stitches. The pattern spans 289 total rows, with the main charted design occupying rows 4 through 286. This leaves three rows of solid single crochet at the top and bottom of the blanket for a clean, finished edge.

The chart is read from left to right on even-numbered rows, and all odd-numbered rows are worked entirely in single crochet across all 205 stitches. The chart uses white squares to represent single crochet stitches and black squares to represent bobble stitches. Numbers on the chart indicate the quantity of single crochet stitches between bobble stitch elements when three or more consecutive single crochets appear.

Upon completion of the main pattern, the blanket is finished with single crochet worked evenly around the entire perimeter, providing a polished border that frames the design.

Skill Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, this project requires familiarity with basic crochet stitches and the ability to read a stitch chart. Crocheters should be comfortable maintaining consistent tension and stitch count across nearly 300 rows, as well as executing the bobble stitch technique accurately.