Blanket with Coloured Catherine Wheels in Adriafil Merino - Downloadable PDF

Blanket with Coloured Catherine Wheels in Adriafil Merino – Free Crochet Pattern (Downloadable PDF)

This free downloadable crochet pattern from Adriafil guides you through creating a stunning Catherine Wheel blanket measuring 65 x 104 cm, worked entirely in Adriafil Merino DK weight yarn. The finished throw is a beautiful riot of colour, built from 40 individual wheel-shaped motifs joined together into a cohesive, heirloom-quality piece. The Catherine Wheel design — sometimes called a Starburst or Pinwheel motif — is a classic crochet construction that produces a bold, graphic, circular pattern with a satisfying three-dimensional texture, making this blanket as visually striking as it is cosy.

What Is Being Made

The project is a multicolour crochet blanket or throw constructed from 40 wheel-shaped sections, each measuring 13 x 13 cm. Every individual motif is worked in the round from a central loop outward, divided into 6 segments and further subdivided into 8 colour sections per wheel. The result is a patchwork-style blanket with a rich, kaleidoscopic appearance, where each circular motif radiates outward in multiple colours before the sections are assembled into the final rectangular throw.

Design and Colourwork

The palette used in this pattern is deliberately soft and harmonious. The five colours specified are all shades of Adriafil Merino yarn:

• Cream No. 44
• Green No. 46
• Grey Green No. 82
• Pink No. 27
• Lilac No. 93

Each colour is used in equal proportion — 100 g per colour — for a total of 500 g of yarn. The combination of muted, nature-inspired tones gives the blanket a vintage, artisan feel that suits both contemporary and traditional interiors. The multicolour Catherine Wheel construction means that colour changes are built naturally into the motif structure, making the colourwork approachable even for crocheters who are newer to working with multiple yarns.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs a motif-based construction technique, meaning the blanket is not worked in one continuous piece but rather assembled from individually crocheted wheel sections. Each motif is begun with a magic ring or foundation chain loop — specifically, a cast-on of 5 chains joined with a single crochet to form the central loop — and then worked outward in rounds. This approach allows for easy portability, as you can work one motif at a time, and also makes colour management straightforward since each new colour section can be introduced at the start of a new segment.

The in-the-round construction is a fundamental crochet technique where work progresses in continuous or joined circles rather than rows, producing a flat, circular fabric that grows outward from the centre. The Catherine Wheel or Pinwheel effect is achieved by working increases and directional stitches that create the characteristic spoke-like segments radiating from the centre point.

A tapestry needle with a rounded tip is used for finishing — weaving in the many yarn ends that naturally result from a multicolour, multi-motif project, and for seaming or joining the 40 individual sections into the completed blanket.

Stitches Used

The pattern makes use of a small, carefully chosen set of crochet stitches that combine to create the distinctive Catherine Wheel texture:

• Chain stitch (chn.) — used for the foundation, for creating loops within the motif rows, and as part of the bobble construction
• Single crochet (sc) — the primary flat stitch used throughout the motif rows to anchor loops and build the fabric
• Double crochet (dc) — worked in the first round of each motif (12 dc into the central loop) to establish the wheel's initial structure and height
• Slip stitch — used within the chain loop sequences to create the characteristic pulled-back, scalloped effect of the Catherine Wheel pattern
• Single Crochet Bobble