Crochet Color Chaos Blanket Pattern + Tutorials

Choosing the Right Yarn

You will want to choose a yarn with a distinct color change. Slowly transitioning coloring and short variegated changes will not work for this concept. The length of Caron Cakes' coloring is too long for this concept to work effectively.

Caron Anniversary Cakes has the colors approximately for 12 feet in the ball before changing to a new color. It's long enough to capture the stitching and texture effects, and short enough to keep you mentally engaged, creating an addiction to see what comes next.

Have you ever wondered how this yarn is dyed? See the video below. It's pretty cool.

With Caron Anniversary Cakes and an 8 mm/L/11 crochet hook, I wanted a lapghan-sized blanket in this technique. While some stitches have more tension than others, the stitch length concept keeps the blanket looking consistent.

Below is an example of a stitch diagram that uses all eight stitches. However, it's just a layout, because the stitches are assigned by color, and it's anyone's guess how it will work out.

Prototype Disaster

In choosing the stitches, I was trying to balance them, and just a few rows into the project, I had added 15 stitches because I was struggling to see when the chain-one spaces were being used and was putting stitches where there shouldn't be any. The cluster, bean, and double crochet 2-together stitches can create the illusion of a space that technically isn't there. The project had to be re-imagined and made consistent to make it much easier to follow. I came up with 5 self-made rules, so when I restarted, I had consistency.

5 Rules To Keep The Stitch Counts Intact

Stop the color pooling so the blanket doesn't end up with a northern lights flow look. This required me to look at the stitches more carefully, as some stitches use more yarn than others.

Rule #1 - Stop the Color Pooling

The stitches below are worked in a row, and you will continue stitching until the color runs out. Even though there are front and back posts, you keep alternating between them and stop when the color runs out. The last stitch can be either a back post or a front post double crochet, and it won't matter. Same for the faux popcorn, and double crochet is a solo stitch anyway.

Rule #2 - Always Stitched Together

These stitches are used and finished as two stitches. They always start in the same order when you change the color.

Example: You will always do the bean stitch as a ch 1, sk next stitch or space, bean stitch the next space or stitch. You will keep repeating that until the color runs out. This means the bean stitch is the last stitch of that color, not a chain 1 space. When you go back across the row and see the color change, you know the bean stitch is the first stitch of that color, not a chain-1 space.

FYI: I was accidentally adding extra stitches because the bean stitch, cluster,, and double crochet 2 together stitches appear to have a chain 1 before they start.

Rule #3 - Chain 1 Spaces Are Counted As A Stitch

Sometimes, the row below will have chain-1 spaces. Crochet stitches like faux popcorn, back- and front-post double crochet, v-sts, and double crochets may use a chain-1 space.

It is not consistent that stitches like criss-crosses will always have the first leg into a stitch or space. It depends on what is below. It's random.

Like the V-stitches below, it could be in a stitch or in a space, depending on the sequence of the row.

Rule #4 - First Two and Last Two Stitches of Rows

To make it easier, the first and last two stitches of the rows need to be double crochet. This will keep the edging looking consistent.

Sometimes, especially with stitches used like Rule #2, the 3rd stitch will not finish before the end of the row. Shown below with a RED double crochet, the criss-cross didn't finish on that stitch. So you will toss a double crochet to fill in a stitch if that happens. This can happen on any stitch.

You will want to pay the most attention to the stitches used together, as shown in Rule #2. Rule #1: stitches just keep alternating, and you stop that stitch on the 3rd stitch before the end, then automatically double crochet the final two.

Rule #5 - Start A New Section Always the Same

What was throwing off my counts was the inconsistency in the stitches used in pairs with a chain-1 space.

Chain 1 always starts a new section for the clusters, bean stitches, and double crochet 2 together. Skip the stitch below and apply one of the three stitches into the next stitch.

Why did this have to be done? When you go back across the row and see the color change, you will know for sure the first stitch of that color change is a real stitch to use, not a chain 1.

If your counts are going out of sync, use the faux popcorn stitch to add or subtract stitches. If you need to add a stitch, keep the stitch pattern consistent; for example, if a single crochet and treble share the same stitch, make the next stitch a single crochet to keep the look the same. Do it randomly in that section. If you are trying to make up 2 more stitches, don't do them back-to-back, as it will look off.

If you need to decrease a stitch, work single crochet 2 together over two stitches to eliminate one stitch, then continue the sequence with the treble next. Again, if you need to decrease, space it out within the section; don't do it back-to-back.

Step #1 to Start

Examine your Caron Anniversary Cake and observe its colors. You will see there are approximately 8 colors. On a piece of paper, write the numbers 1 to 8 and write beside each one the color you think it is.

The blanket is given in a lapghan size across. You may want it wider; not a big deal. You will chain an odd number across. In the example I have, I chained 101. When I completed the first row, I had an even number of stitches. I am looking for an even number of stitches.

Caron Anniversary Cakes. 1000 g / 35.3 oz, 941 metres / 1029 yards.

• 1 Ball - Plum-azing

Hook: 8 mm / L/11 

Gauge: 10 sc and 11 rows = 4” [10 cm]

Size: 40” wide x ? Long.

Instructions

With A, chain 101. Every 30 chains = 1 foot wide.

1st row: 1 dc, 3rd ch from hook (counts as 2 dc). 1 dc in each ch across. Turn. 100 sts.

Whatever color you are currently on, after you turn, assign it to any one of the eight stitches we have. That color will always be that stitch. Add it to your notes.

2nd row: Ch 1 (doesn't count as a st). 1 dc in the first 2 dc. Start doing the chaos coloring technique and use the stitch assignment. As you hit the next color, record which stitch it will be, then do it. Keep doing that across; the last 2 stitches will be 1 dc each. Turn. 100 sts.

3rd row: Ch 1, 1 dc in first 2 dc. Color chaos across. Turn. 100 sts.

Keep repeating the 3rd row until the blanket is long enough and/or you have enough yarn on the ball to finish the last row.

Last row: Ch 1. 1 dc in each st or sp across. Fasten off.

You will quickly see when the colors begin repeating, and you can look back at your blanket to see which stitch you used and repeat it.

Stitches Used for Chaos Blanket

These are in no particular order. I would assign the stitches as you begin the first time of the coloring to see what you are in the mood for and what would be best compared to the last stitch used. Once all of the colors are assigned, you will just put your hook into the yarn and do it.

There is a small bleed between colors. You have some stitches where part of the last stitch is the start of the next color. No big deal.

Stitch #1 - Criss Cross

Always start off the same way. *Cross-st across until the color changes to the next stitch assignment. Always finish a cross stitch completely.

Cross-st (cross-stitch) = Skip next sc, dc in space between skipped sc and next shell, ch 1, working over dc just made, dc in space between shell previously made and skipped sc.

Tutorial

Stitch #2 - Bean Stitch

Always start off the same way. *Ch 1, sk next st. 1 bean stitch in next st or sp. Repeat from * across until the color changes to the next stitch assignment. Always end with the bean stitch.

Bean stitch = Insert hook in next st or sp, YO and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), YO in same stitch and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), YO in same stitch once more and pull up a loop (6 loops on hook), YO and pull through 5 loops only. YO and pull through the last two loops.

Tutorial

Stitch #3 - V-stitch

Always start off the same way. *Ch 1, sk next st. 2 dc (v-st) in next st or sp. Repeat from * across until the color changes to the next stitch assignment. Always end with the v-st as the last stitch.

Tutorial

Stitch #4 - Double Crochet 2 Together

Always start off the same way. *Ch 1, sk next st. 1 dc2tog in next in next st or sp. Rep from * across until color changes to the next stitch assignment. Always end with the dc2tog as the last stitch.

Tutorial

Stitch #5 - Double Crochet

1 double crochet in each stitch or space. Change to the next stitch when the color changes.

Tutorial

Stitch #6 - Faux Popcorn

Always start off the same way. *1 sc in next st or sp, 1 tr in next st or sp. Rep from * across. Keep alternating between these two stitches until the color changes; your last stitch could be a single crochet.

Tutorial

Stitch #7 - Cluster

Always start off the same way. *Ch 1, sk next st. 1 cluster stitch in next st or sp. Repeat from * across until the color changes to the next stitch assignment. Always end with the cluster as the last stitch.

Dc cluster = Dc3tog, or Double Crochet 3 together using the same stitch.

Tutorial

Stitch #8 - Front Post & Back Post Double Crochet

Note: This uses stitches below; if there is a chain 1 space directly below, substitute that one stitch for a double crochet in the space instead. Keep the sequence the same. Your first dcfp may be in a space, and your second stitch may be around the next stitch. It could be the other way around, depending on what's below.

Always start off the same way. *Dcfp around next stitch, dcbp around the next st. Rep from * across. Keep alternating between these stitches until the color runs out; your last stitch could be a dcfp.

Tutorial