Work on a fast crochet blanket that may take about 5 to 6 hours, depending on your time. This is the Crochet Linen Stitch Palliative Care Blanket available in 3 sizes.
Michael and Karen worked to create a couple of these for our local cancer centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our local hospital, Valley Regional, and other caregiving facilities love this stuff, too.
Keep in mind that the length ensures the blankets don't hit the floor when a patient is in a wheelchair or a person sitting in a seated position.
Putting it bluntly, as there's no quick way to say it, the larger the person is, the wider the blanket needs to be to cover that person's surface area. For Mikey, a 32" wide is fine, but for someone larger, you may want to consider a 40" or 48" version.
Using Bernat Blanket makes these care giving blankets quick to make.
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Sizing
As per Queen Elizabeth II Cancer Centre, sizing should be as follows:
- 32” to 48” (81-122 cm) wide by 35” to 40” (89-102 cm) in length.
Yarn and Materials
Bernat Blanket - 300g / 10.5 oz, 201 meters / 220 yards
Beach Foam - 2.25 balls for 32” to 40” wide version. 3.25 balls for the 48” wide version.
There’s plenty of yarn to make it longer. The goal of palliative is not to make them too long that they drag on the floor in a seated position.
Hook Size: 10 mm / N/15
GAUGE = 8 sc and 7 rows = 4” [10 cm]
Abbreviations
- Approx = Approximately
- Beg = Beginning
- Ch = Chain(s)
- Rep = Repeat
- RS = Right side
- Sc = Single crochet
- Sk = Skip
- Sp(s) = Space(s)
- St(s) = Stitch(es)
- WS = Wrong side
Instructions
It was intentionally designed as one row of instructions, with an odd number as the starting chain. The ends of each row will have two single crochets.
Instructions for 32”. Instructions for (40”, 48”) wide in brackets.
Ch 69 (85, 101).
1st row: (RS). 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. *Ch 1, sk next ch, 1 sc in next. Rep from * across. 1 sc in last ch. Turn. 68 sts (84 sts, 100 sts).
2nd row: Ch 1, 1 sc in first st. *Ch 1, sk next sc, 1 sc in next ch-1 sp. Rep from * across. 1 sc in last sc. Turn. 68 sts (84 sts, 100 sts).
Rep 2nd row until the blanket is approx 38” (40”, 48”) long. Fasten off.
There is no border, but if you want one, just single crochet evenly around, placing 3 sc in each corner for the 90-degree turn.
Crochet Diagram
This crochet diagram is provided as a download if you get the free written instructions.
Tutorial
A tutorial is provided for odd-number moss, linen, granite, and woven stitch for this concept. Use the chain count numbers above and the hook size for the Palliative Care Blankets with Bernat Blanket.
Barbara Linebrink says
How can I adapt this to use regular yarn instead of blanket yarn. I have extra yarn and thought I would make some up for the nursing home that my brother lives in. Blanket yarn sometimes is heavy for the patients
Mikey says
Just change the hook to the suggested yarn size. The article has the multiples you need to adjust the starting chain and just go from there.
Joanne Ledlow says
Fabulous idea about palliative blankets! Did you contact your cancer center at the hospital? Just trying to figure out who to contact.
Mikey says
They actually contacted me but you can try contacting them. They seem really appreciative.
Dawn Cherie Walker says
Hey Mikey! What is the Beach Foam for?
Wendy Maruna says
That is the color name for the Bernat Blanket yarn used in Mikey’s sample.
Dawn Cherie Walker says
Never Mind!! That is the color! My bad! LOL!!
Wendy Maruna says
No worries- I had no idea myself until I went to check it out. I thought maybe he added a stress ball type item to the article. I actually went to Yarnspirations to confirm that the color is indeed named that ?