INTRODUCTION

Hefty Caramel Weighted Blanket

by Dana Nield

It's time to bust that yarn stash! Hold three strands of yarn together to work up the Hefty Caramel weighted blanket. This blanket is a great way to use up a lot of yarn from one's stash in one fell swoop, producing an eclectic and colorful blanket with a comforting heft and warmth! So many neurodivergent people (those with ADHD, Autism or a combination of the two) find the weight of a heavy blanket comforting and calming. It's even better when it's made with love!

The caramel stitch is a cluster spike stitch with a gorgeous, luxurious appearance. Though the stitch definition is muted slightly when you hold so many strands together, the spiked stitches add a fun pop of texture and interest to all the color changes featured in this blanket! If you have yarn in a color or colors that you don't necessarily love anymore, blending it with others can give it new life.

The pattern is finished with a simple single crochet border worked in turned rounds so it lays perfectly flat.

The sample shown uses two worsted weight yarns and one super fine weight yarn held together for a total of three strands. Using the yarns you have on hand, the effect created from mixing yarn weights adds dimension and interest to the finished project!

photos: Dana Nield

SIZE

Throw

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Width: 50 inches/127 cm
Length: 60 inches/152 cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
5,000 yds/4,550 m of Worsted weight/#4 Medium
2,400 yds/1,850 m Sock-weight/#1 Super-Fine


Yarn Characteristics
The sample shown uses two worsted weight yarns and one super fine weight yarn held together. Washable yarn such as acrylic, cotton, or superwash wool are recommended so the blanket is easy to care for. If you're planning to donate your finished item, check the charity's requirements before beginning. For example, some charities require acrylic only. Smooth or textural/novelty yarns could both work well and add to the eclectic charm of this project. The sample incorporated some variegated yarns for added interest, but if you would prefer to control the colors more carefully, you may wish to stick with solids.

Recommended hook size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #L-11/8mm hook

Notions
stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

7.5 sts/10 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in single crochet worked with 2 strands of worsted weight and one strand of sock weight held together

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Construction method: Blanket is worked from the bottom up, Border is worked in turned rounds.

Color Changes
To plan your color changes, lay out your yarn in your preferred order and take a photo so you know which color to grab next!

Caramel stitch:
Make a yo; insert your hook in the next st, yo, and pull up a loop. 3 loops on hook. Yo, insert your hook beneath the st you'd just worked into (the top of the st from two rows back). Yo and pull up a loop. 5 loops on hook. Yo, insert your hook beneath the st you'd just worked into (the top of the st from three rows back). Yo and pull up a loop. 7 loops on hook. Yo and pull through all 7 loops on hook. Tutorial here.

Adjusting the Size
To adjust the width of this blanket, ch any even number; Row 1 needs an odd number of stitches, and the final ch is not worked. Work as many repeats of the pattern as you wish, always ending the center section after 3 sc rows.

DIRECTIONS

Holding two strands of Worsted Weight and one strand of Sock Weight together, ch 80.
Row 1 [WS]: Sc in the second ch from hook and in each st across, turn. 79 sts.
Rows 2-5: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.
Row 6 [RS]: Ch 1, sc in the first st, *Caramel St in the next st, sc in the next st; rep from * across, turn. 40 scs, 39 caramel sts.
Rows 7-11: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. 79 scs.
Rep Rows 6-11 19 more times, then work Rows 6-9 once more, changing colors whenever you run out of the working yarn and always adding in the same yarn weight you just finished with.

Cut yarn and fasten off.

Border
For the best appearance and a good contrast, use a unique color combination for the border that hasn't been used in the body of the blanket.

Border is worked in turned rounds.

Rnd 1 [RS]: Using your three strands of yarn as though they are one, join and pull up a loop of yarn in the upper right-hand corner of the blanket, in the same corner, work (ch 1, sc, place a marker on this stitch, sc), sc in each st across the top edge; in the corner, work 3 scs, placing a marker on the middle sc. Work down the side edge, placing about 3 sc sts for every 4 row-ends. In the corner, work 3 scs, placing a marker in the middle of these 3 sts. Work across the bottom edge, working 1 sc in every st of the ch. In next corner, work 3 scs, placing a marker in the middle of these three sts. Work up the second side edge, as before. In the last corner, work 1 sc then sl st to the first marked st of the round.

Rnd 2 [WS]: Ch 1, sc in the marked corner st, remove and replace marker in this stitch, sc again in the same marked corner st, [sc in each st to the marked st, work (3 scs, placing marker on the middle sc)] 3 times, work sc across to starting corner, work 1 sc and sl to marked first st of the round. Turn. 2 sts added per side.

Rep Rnd 2 8 more times, ending with a WS rnd.

FINISHING

Cut yarn, fasten off. To block, wash the blanket and dry flat. Do not stretch or pin. Weave in ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Dana Nield designs easy-to-memorize crochet blanket patterns that you can work up while spending time with loved ones.

Her website is dananield.com

Pattern & images © 2025 Dana Nield