Brick Stitch Afghan Pattern

It's funny how, in the world of crochet, you can learn a new stitch and work things with it for years and years and then find that there is another stitch out there with the same name but worked completely different.  I don't know which one is correct and I'm sure it happens all the time.  To me, the stitch used in this crochet pattern will always be the Brick Stitch (because I'm a creature of habit!)

I've made so many of these "Brick Stitch" afghans in the past 20 years and always love them!  I love the effect the stitch gives when striping the design and I love the finished afghans using a single color.  They all turn out wonderful and work up quickly.

I hope you enjoy this pattern as much as I have! Check out my product list below to make a blanket similar to mine.

**If you prefer a PDF pattern to easily print and ad free, you can purchase one for $2.95 on my website here.  The PDF version includes instructions for a squared off border (not included in this free post)**

Brick Stitch Afghan

Hook Size: I

Gauge: 6 DC & 3 Rows = 2"

Finished Size: Customizable

Materials: Qty will vary based on size working (about 30oz of

4WW yarn for 3'x3').  Caron Simply Soft was used in the photo shown above and is included in my list below.

Stitches:

     Ch - Chain

     Sp - Space

     St - Stitch

     Sl St - Slip Stitch

     SC - Single Crochet

     DC - Double Crochet

     BSt - Brick Stitch (SC, Ch 2, 3 DC) in same st/sp

Begin with a HDC Chainless Foundation in multiples of 3 + 1 to desired width/length - Chain of 73 is 24" with 1 Brick Stitch = 1"

The following photos should help you with a foundation chain if you are not familiar with it.  

Fun and Unique Afghan Crochet Patterns you MUST try. Autumn Sale

What was the very first thing you ever crocheted?  Mine was an afghan, but since I was only 10 yrs old when I learned to crochet, it was a small afghan for the Cabbage Patch doll that my mom made me for my birthday.  It was probably 12"-18" square (only it wasn't so square   lol)  and it worked.  

The 2nd one that I made by myself was this Twin size Red and White chevron afghan that I still have in the closet.  It's almost 30 years old and I still remember the feeling I had when I tied that last knot. Ahhh, Accomplished and that was fun!  :)

I've made close to 150 afghans during the past 30 years and most of them have been large in size as they have either been sold or given to my family.  I LOVE afghans!  It could be hot outside in the middle of summer and you could still find me with an afghan because they're comfy and comforting.

Afghan Crochet Pattern Collection by Crafting Friends Designs

  Here are just a handful of the blankets I've designed over the past few years.  To celebrate Autumn and the leaves starting to change where I live, I have all afghan crochet patterns on sale through August 31st in my Ravelry Shop. See below for details

CAL Section 12: A Zig and A Zag Afghan

A Zig and A Zag CAL

Section 12: Brick Stitch

Can you believe we only have 1 more section to go before the border?  I hope you are loving your project so far!  

This week, we are back to the Brick Stitch.  This is one of my favorite stitches and so fast to work up.  Enjoy your crochet time this week!

If you're just finding this CAL and would like to join, you can find all the details HERE in the very first post: http://craftingfriendsdesigns.blogspot.com/2017/06/a-zig-and-zag-afghan-crochet-long.html

Stitches/Abbreviations
     st(s) - stitch(es)
     ch - chain
     sc - single crochet
     hdc - half double crochet
     dc - double crochet
     Brick Stitch (Br St) - (sc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same st
     RS - Right Side of work

CAL Section Two: A Zig and A Zag Afghan

Welcome to week 2 of the "A Zig and A Zag" Afghan CAL.  I hope you had fun learning and working the Zig Zag stitch from section. If you're just finding this CAL and would like to join, you can find all the details HERE in the very first post: http://craftingfriendsdesigns.blogspot.com/2017/06/a-zig-and-zag-afghan-crochet-long.html


This week, we're going to work one of my favorite stitches to work.  I learned this as the "Brick Stitch" when I was young though I've seen it called by other names.  Because of the slant of this stitch, it makes a fun ziggy zaggy design when working multiple colors. 
This is also the stitch used for C2C afghans so you may have already worked this stitch but we are going to work it in straight rows for this design.  

Are you ready to have some fun with more color?  Grab your hook and yarn and let's get stitching!!!

CAL Section 3: Wave and Chevron Crochet Stitch

Wave & Chevron Crochet Stitch

A Zig and A Zag CAL week #3

Welcome to week 3 everyone!  I hope you had as much fun with the Brick Stitch as I do when working it.  It's kind of an addicting stitch!  Thank you to all those who are sharing your progress photos with me on Facebook and in projects on Ravelry.  The colors you've chosen are all looking great!

A Zig and A Zag CAL Section #3 - Wave & Chevron stitch

This week, we'll learn the Wave & Chevron stitch.  This stitch can form a couple of different looks when switching colors on different rows.  I wanted to show a simple chevron by using a darker color on the smaller stitch rows.  If you were to continue working more rows of this stitch on a different project, you could have a really fun wavy pattern by switching colors on different rows.  

Let's get started hooking!If you're just finding this CAL and would like to join, you can find all the details HERE in the very first post: http://craftingfriendsdesigns.blogspot.com/2017/06/a-zig-and-zag-afghan-crochet-long.html

We Live and we Learn, We Learn and we Grow. Crochet Pattern updates and new additions

Shell Brook Afghan

**This post contains affiliate links**
4 years ago,  I started writing patterns and designing some of my own crochet things.  2 very different things.  I wrote some patterns for afghans using basic crochet stitches such as my Brick Stitch Afghan and my Shell Brook Afghan.  I didn't really "Design" them because they were just the stitches in straight rows and I just figured out the sizing and wrote the directions down.  They are very pretty afghans and I've made MANY of each of them. 

 Then,  I decided that I wanted to actually design my own crochet baby dress patterns.  I'm not fond of the really frilly, old fashioned style dresses that are out there.  I like simple, clean looks and that's the direction I took when designing my first 6 Basic Infant Dresses:
Baby Tay, Shell Brook, Diamond, Ribbon & Lace, Oh Snap and Snap Dragon.  I wanted everyone (even beginners) to feel accomplished by being able to make their own crocheted clothing. 

Basic Infant Dress pkg by Crafting Friends Designs

I posted some photos of just the dresses on FaceBook and the Ribbon & Lace dress (the peach one on the far left) was shared by AllFreeCrochet because they really liked it and I was blown away by how many people were interested in the patterns.  It was a long few months of actually writing up the instructions for others to be able to follow, having around 20 wonderful ladies test 4 different sizes in all 6 designs.  The patterns worked!!!  The dresses others made using my instructions were really pretty and I was so happy to have such a great response!

Fast forward 3 more years and WOW have I learned a LOT!  I've changed my writing style some and have worked with 4 amazing Professional Photographers in order to show my work at it's best. I owe a HUGE thanks to Nicole Nelson Photography, Ash & Co, Violet Lufkin Photography and Two Color Photography for working with me and their beautiful talent.

Ribbon & Lace Infant Dress & Afghan Set Crochet Pattern

Baby Tay Infant Dress & Afghan Set

Ribbon & Lace Infant Dress Set

As I looked back at these 6 original designs, I knew I needed to update them.  I dreaded it for a while because I remembered working up each size dress myself along with the ladies testing.  I had SO many dresses around my house (they are addicting!). However, once I jumped in to start the updates, I found it refreshing and fun and inspiring.  I decided I wanted to do more than just update the dress. I wanted to improve the value of each design so I added new flowers to some and coordinating afghans for each one.
I use Caron Simply Soft yarn for my dresses though you can use other similar yarns such as I Love This Cotton.  I also use Boye crochet hooks, so keep this in mind when working your swatch for the gauge.  Different hook brands can alter your finished size if gauge is not met first.



Now that they are all complete, I couldn't be more happy and in love with how simple yet beautiful each one is.  I hope that you will enjoy them even more than before!  They are fantastic gifts for Baby Showers and each afghan (except the Flower afghan) has instructions to make in your desired size and is not set specifically for infants.  I'm sure that there are brothers and sisters to those cute little newborn babies who would love to have a matching blanket.  

Diamond Infant Dress & Afghan Set

Oh Snap Infant Dress & Afghan Set

Snap Dragon Infant Dress & Afghan Set

Shell Brook Infant Dress & Afghan Set

What do you think?  Aren't they fun!!?  This collection is great to have on hand to whip up some amazing handmade Baby Shower Gifts or to make as service projects.  

New Pattern: Ribbon Candy V Scarf

Every now and then,  I like to offer patterns for free and this is one that I designed specifically with that in mind.

The Ribbon Candy V Scarf is really easy to work up and can be made in any size.  Instructions are given for an 18" doll sized scarf also to give girls a "mommy & Me" set. A photo is shown at the very bottom of this post as an example.
AND - if you keep going on the repeat rows, it would make an AWESOME afghan!

**Affiliate Link**

I hope you enjoy this pattern and I would love to see photos if you make something with it.  Feel free to post it on my  Facebook page. 
If you would like a PDF ready version, it's available for purchase here: http://www.craftingfriendsdesigns.com/store/p195/Pattern%3A_Ribbon_Candy_V_Scarf.html

Ribbon Candy V Scarf

Ribbon Candy V Scarf by Crafting Friends Designs

**This post contains affiliate links**

Red Heart Soft on Amazon

Size:  18” Doll (3’, 4’, 5’, 6’)                          

Gauge: 4 SC & 4 Rows = 1”                                              
Hook: Size H or size to match gauge                                   

Materials: Red Heart Soft 4ww
 5-8oz Main Color (A)
 2-6oz Striping Color (B)

June Giveaway afghan completed

My 100th afghan is complete! Shanna Cunning was the winner of this afghan and she chose to have a solid cream color using the brick stitch pattern. I used Caron's Simply Soft Vanilla yarn and love how it turned out. 

#103 Afghan

The last 2 days I have been working on a baby afghan for a friends grandson.  I finished it last night and am quite happy with how it turned out.  It is made with the Brick Stitch pattern and Caron's Simply soft yarn (Bone, White & Blueberry)  I love these colors together and I think I will make another baby afghan using them, but a different pattern.  I also think the Blueberry and White would be really pretty with yellow, so I may give that a try also.  This is where I find myself in a dilema...I love choosing new color combinations and don't have enough time to make them all!

#104 Afghan

I finished afghan #104 today.  It is made using the Brick Stitch pattern and Red Hearts colors Black, Grey and Heather.  It is 5'x3'8".  This one is for sale on the right side of the page for $70 (shipping within the Cont. US is included in the cost)