All Aboard Blanket - Free Crochet Pattern For Home in Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Chunky

All Aboard Blanket – Free Crochet Pattern by Paintbox Yarns

The All Aboard Blanket is a striking, generously sized crochet blanket designed for the home, measuring 130 cm (51¼ in) wide and 162 cm (63¾ in) long. Released as a free downloadable PDF pattern by Paintbox Yarns, this project is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an excellent next step for crocheters who are comfortable with the basics and ready to explore structured stitch patterns and bold colour work. The finished blanket is a substantial, cosy piece that would make a wonderful addition to any living space or a thoughtful handmade gift.

Design Overview

The blanket is worked flat across 140 stitches in a 4-row repeat pattern, creating a rhythmic, textured fabric that builds up satisfyingly with each stripe sequence. Once the main body is complete, a border is crocheted around the entire blanket, giving it a neat, polished finish. The combination of a bold navy base, a crisp neutral, and a vivid red accent gives the design a classic, timeless appeal reminiscent of vintage railway aesthetics — perfectly in keeping with the pattern's name.

Colourway and Yarn

The pattern is designed specifically for Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Chunky, a 100g ball yarn that combines the warmth and natural feel of wool with practical durability. Three colours are used:

• Midnight Blue (Colour A) – 13 × 100g balls
• Champagne White (Colour B) – 10 × 100g balls
• Pillar Red (Colour C) – 1 × 100g ball

The dominant Midnight Blue forms the body of the blanket, while Champagne White creates bold stripe contrast and is also used for the border. The single ball of Pillar Red provides a vivid accent detail that ties the whole design together. Paintbox Yarns notes that yarn quantities are based on average requirements and are approximate, and that they cannot accept responsibility for the finished item if any yarn other than the recommended yarn is used — so sticking with Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Chunky is strongly advised for best results.

Hook and Additional Materials

• 7.00mm crochet hook (UK size 2 / US size K/10½)
• 2 safety pins (used as stitch markers during construction)

The chunky weight yarn combined with a 7mm hook means this blanket works up relatively quickly compared to finer-weight projects, making it a rewarding make despite its large dimensions.

Techniques Used

This pattern is worked flat from side to side or end to end, building the blanket in rows rather than rounds. Key techniques include:

• Stripes – Colour changes are made at regular intervals to create the characteristic striped layout. Managing yarn ends and clean colour joins is an important skill practised throughout this project.
• Worked flat – All rows are turned, meaning crocheters work on both right-side (RS) and wrong-side (WS) rows, which is typical of flat blanket construction.
• Border construction – A crocheted border is added around all four edges of the finished blanket, requiring the crocheter to work into row ends along the sides as well as into stitches along the cast-on and final rows.

Stitches Used

The pattern is written in UK crochet terminology, with US equivalents provided in brackets throughout. The stitches featured include:

• Chain (ch) – Used for foundation and turning chains
• Slip stitch (ss) – Used for joining and finishing
• Double crochet (dc) / US: Single crochet (sc) – A short, dense stitch that forms part of the stitch pattern
• Treble (tr) / US: Double crochet (dc) – A taller stitch that adds height and texture