Sooo I wanted a nice simple solid edge to bring together and compliment our finished Afghans whilst at the same time be usable to all you lovely crochet-alongers with varying end stitch counts – not an easy task I can tell you! But I finally came up with something that I think you will like!

Introducing the ‘Beaded Beauty Border’ which is our edging for our 2015 Crochet-Along Afghan – though I think it would make an attractive crochet edging on any blanket!

This is an easy pattern suitable for beginners looking to learn some new crochet techniques. Click here to add this pattern to your favourites / queue on Ravelry or scroll down for the pattern.

Beaded Beauty Border:

Use the same yarn and hook that you used to make your blanket. For my border I used up left overs of the colours and yarn that I used for my CAL (which I blogged about here).

Stitch Guidance:

UK Double Crochet/US Single Crochet (dc/sc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
UK Half Treble / US Half Double Crochet (htr/hdc): Yarn over, insert hook in next st and draw up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.
Bead Stitch: Insert hook and pull up a loop, * yarn over and pull through 1 loop on hook, * repeat from * to * twice more, yarn over and pull through two remaining loops on hook, making sure your ‘bead’ is facing the right side work 1 dc/sc in next st (see photo tutorial below).
Crab Stitch / Reverse Single Crochet: A reverse single crochet stitch is worked the same as for a regular single crochet — except in reverse. Instead of working from right to left, you work from left to right. Insert hook, from front to back, in the next st to the right and draw up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook. See my photo tutorial for crab stitch here.
[ ]: work all the sts in brackets into 1 st.

Pattern Guidance:

To set the blanket up for the border you need to be working in a multiple of 2 sts. For my first round I evened up my sides by working a htr/hdc in the 3rd loop (though you could work in the back loop if preferred) and decreased/increased where needed. In the corners I worked [1 htr/hdc, ch 2, 1 htr/hdc].

Pattern:

Rnd 1: Ch 2 (or use a standing htr/hdc) to start, then work 1 htr/hdc in each st around until end; working [1 htr/hdc, ch 2, 1 htr/hdc] in each corner, finish off and weave in ends.

Rnd 2: Starting in any corner ch 1 (or use a standing dc/sc), then work 1 bead stitch, continue working bead st around your blanket working, [1 dc/sc, bead st] in each corner, finish off if changing colour here and weave in ends (see below for photo tutorial).

Note: I used the same colour for rnd 3 and rnd 4 to finish off the border.

Rnd 3: Starting in any corner ch 1 (or use a standing dc/sc), work 1 dc/sc in each st around until end; working [3 dc/sc] in each corner.

Rnd 4: Work crab st in each st around, finish off and weave in ends.

And that’s it!

Bead Stitch Tutorial:

Insert your hook into your first st

2. Yarn over and pull up a loop

3. Yarn over

4. Pull through 1 loop on the hook only

5. Yarn over and pull through 1st loop on hook again

6. Yarn over and pull through 1st loop on hook again

7. Yarn over and pull through both loops on hook

8. Making sure your ‘bead’ is facing the right side, work 1 dc/sc in next st

If this edging is not to your taste have a look at some of these other suggestions here, here and here.

So that’s the border! I’m not going to show you the whole of my blanket yet…I’m saving it for the big tah-dah reveal on 16th December! I seriously can’t wait to see all your finished blankets!!!!