Bessie

Bessie Crochet Blanket by Melissa Green

Project Overview

Bessie is a beginner-friendly crochet blanket and throw designed by Melissa Green. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a colorful modular blanket constructed from 9-inch crochet blocks that can be joined together to achieve your desired finished size. The design uses a classic granny square-inspired construction with vibrant color changes, making it an ideal project for crocheters learning to work with multiple yarn colors and joining techniques.

What Is Being Made

Bessie is a blanket or throw composed of individual 9-inch crochet blocks. Each block serves as a modular unit that can be repeated and sewn or crocheted together to create a larger blanket. The modular approach allows crafters to customize the final dimensions by adjusting the number of blocks used, making this pattern versatile for various project sizes from lap throws to full-sized bed blankets.

Crochet Techniques Used

This pattern employs fundamental crochet techniques suitable for beginners while introducing slightly more advanced elements. The construction begins with a magic ring (or alternative chain ring method) and works outward in joined rounds. Color changes are incorporated throughout the pattern, requiring crafters to switch between yarn colors at designated points. The pattern includes techniques for starting new rounds with slip stitches and managing yarn joins between color sections.

Stitches and Special Stitches

• Single Crochet (sc): A basic short stitch used for joining and finishing edges
• Half Double Crochet (hdc): A medium-height stitch providing structure and drape
• Double Crochet (dc): A taller stitch that forms the primary fabric of the blocks
• Triple Crochet (tr): An extra-tall stitch used for creating open, lacy sections
• Chain (ch): The foundation stitch used to create spaces and height between stitches
• Slip Stitch (sl st): Used to join rounds and create seamless transitions
• V-Stitch (V-st): A special stitch defined as double crochet, chain 1, double crochet in the same stitch, creating a decorative V shape
• Popcorn (pc): A textured stitch created by working 5 double crochets in the same stitch, dropping the loop, inserting the hook through the top of the first double crochet, and pulling the dropped loop through to create a dimensional popcorn effect
• Beginning Popcorn (Beg Pc): A variation of the popcorn stitch that starts with a chain 3 and 4 double crochets, used at the beginning of rounds

Additional abbreviations include skip (sk), space (sp), round (Rnd), repeat (Rep), and beginning (Beg). The pattern uses these stitches in combination to create textured, dimensional blocks with visual interest.

Materials and Yarn Weight

Bessie is designed to be worked with worsted weight and aran weight yarn, providing a medium-weight fabric suitable for blankets and throws. The pattern calls for a Size I (5.5mm) crochet hook, which is the appropriate hook size for these yarn weights. The original design uses Red Heart With Love yarn in three colors: White (CA), Peacock (CB), and Daffodil (CC). This acrylic yarn choice makes the project economical and easy to care for, ideal for blankets that require regular washing.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as beginner-friendly, making it accessible to crocheters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to explore color work and modular construction. While beginners will encounter techniques like popcorn stitches and V-stitches that require slightly more precision, the repetitive nature of working blocks and the clear stitch abbreviations provided make the pattern manageable for those with foundational crochet knowledge.