Fireside Christmas Sampler Pattern

"When I was designing this blanket, I hearkened back to when I was a child growing up in Northern Wisconsin. I remember Christmas as being cozy and warm and magical. From the crackling of the fire to the glow of the lights on the tree to the packages wrapped in brown paper…it is a core happy memory and I want to share it with you. I have included a full video tutorial, which you can find after the pattern, to help you through the tricky parts of the blanket. Using our favorite #4 worsted weight yarn and a #7/4.5mm hook, our story begins with a warm fire in the center creating a highly textured centerpiece for our creation. We will be using front and back post double crochet stitches throughout this section to create individual flames with an ombre effect. You can almost feel the warmth of the flames as you work each one. From the fire we will begin to create the rough bark of a pine tree with the Alpine Stitch and finish the look with the Spike Stitch to create the tops of the trees. I grew up with fresh pine trees for Christmas. We even went out in the middle of the woods to cut our tree down. The scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is very relatable to me. Pine is my favorite scent of the holiday season because it reminds me of the crisp scent of the woods on a snowy day. The next piece of our Christmas story is a burlap ribbon and buffalo plaid or gingham. I love a rustic Christmas tree that is decorated with handmade ornaments and burlap ribbons. On the floor underneath I imagine a buffalo plaid or gingham tree skirt. The burlap ribbon is softly textured and edged with a lace design that will repeat throughout the blanket. The buffalo plaid or gingham, whichever you choose, is created with Intarsia color blocking where we carry our yarn throughout the section for easy color changes. This is a great section to bring in your individual color aesthetic to the blanket. After the plaid section, we will create another layer of our pine tree and adorn it with beautiful glowing lights. The Diamond Granny Stitch is used to represent Christmas lights when you darken the room and sip your hot chocolate in the magic and peacefulness of its hazy glow. This is another great place in the blanket to show off your color style. Do you like lights with lots of color? Or are you a lover of crisp, clear lights? Once our lights are in place, we will finish our blanket by creating brown paper packages decorated with pine trees and polka dots, once again using Intarsia. I love the nostalgic look of gifts wrapped in simple papers. It’s classic and clean and takes me back to a simpler time in life. As we journey through this blanket together, I hope that each section is a chance for you to walk down memory lane and create a cozy Christmas you can wrap up in throughout the season ahead. "

Crochet Hook4.5 mm hook

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Finished Size52" x 52"