Tropical Box Blanket Squares
I’ve been a little bit obsessed with this blanket lately…
It started as one of those “I’ll just make a few squares and see how it looks” kind of projects… and before I knew it, I had a full blanket coming together on my lap.
When I designed the Tropical Yarn Box, I kept thinking about what kind of blanket would really let the colours shine, and I kept coming back to something simple. I much prefer working in the round than in long rows, so these little solid squares just made sense. The simplicity of them really lets the colours do all the talking.
I also wanted to design something that used up the entire box, so I could show just how much you can actually make with it. I think sometimes people underestimate how much yarn is in there, but this blanket turned out a little bigger than I was expecting, which was such a nice surprise.
I used all six colours from my Tropical Yarn Box for this one, and honestly, watching the colours come together as I went was half the fun. I didn’t follow a strict plan with placement, just made sure the same colours weren’t sitting too close to each other and it created this really soft, balanced mix across the whole blanket.
One thing I love about making squares is how portable it is. I can take a small ball of yarn with me and make a square pretty much anywhere, then when I get home I just join it straight onto the blanket. Easy!
Each square is only three rounds, which makes this a really relaxing project to pick up and put down when you’ve got a spare moment. Just one square at a time.
In this post, I’ll show you exactly how I made my blanket, including how I joined the squares as I go so everything comes together neatly without needing to sew at the end.
If you’ve been wanting a project that’s easy to get into, uses a beautiful range of colours, and grows steadily without feeling too big, this is such a good one to try. 💛
What You’ll Need
For this blanket, I used one Tropical Yarn Box (all six colours) and one extra cake of Olive Green for the border.
You’ll also need:
• A 3.5 mm crochet hook
• Scissors
• A yarn needle for sewing in ends
• Stitch markers (optional, but really helpful for keeping track of your corners)
A quick note on size
My finished blanket measures approximately 72 cm x 90 cm with the border, and is made up of 12 squares across and 15 squares down (180 squares in total).
This was the perfect amount to use up the entire yarn box, and a great way to see just how much you can make with it.
The Square
Each square is made in just three rounds and works up really quickly. Once you’ve made a couple, you’ll find a nice rhythm with them.
Start with a magic cirlce.
Round 1
Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch), Dc 1, Tc 1 (corner stitch)
(you may like to place a stitch marker in this stitch to help identify your corners)
Dc 3, tc 1
Dc 3, tc 1
Dc 3, tc 1
Dc 2
Sl st into the top of the first dc
(remember we are ignoring the starting ch 2)
Do not turn
Stitch count:
3 dc per side, with 1 Tc in each corner.
Round 2
Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch), Dc in the same stitch
Corner: (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2) into the Tc from the previous round, Dc 3,
Corner: (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2), Dc 3
Corner: (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2), Dc 3
Corner: (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2), Dc 2
Sl st into the top of the first dc
Do not turn
Stitch count:
3 dc per side, with corner stitches (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2)
Round 3
Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch)
Dc in the same stitch, Dc 2
Corner: (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2), Dc 7
Corner: (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2), Dc 7
Corner: (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2), Dc 7
Corner: (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2), Dc 5
Sl st into the top of the first dc
Fasten off for your first square
Stitch count:
7 dc per side, with corner stitches (Dc 2, Tc 1, Dc 2)
From here, you can either make all of your squares like this and join them together when you have all 180, or make the first square as above and join the rest of them as you go (this is the method I used, and I’ll walk you through that next).
Joining Your Squares As You Go
Once you’ve made your first square, the rest of your blanket is built by joining each new square as you complete Round 3.
Before we start, one little tip that makes a big difference is to try to keep all of your joins running in the same direction. It helps the blanket look really neat and consistent once it’s finished.
How to Join
Start your next square and work through Rounds 1 and 2 as normal.
Begin Round 3.
Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch)
Dc in the same stitch, Dc 2
Work your corner as follows:
Dc 2, Tc 1 (into the corner stitch)
Now we’re going to start joining.
Pull your working loop up slightly and remove your hook from the stitch.
Insert your hook into the top of the Tc stitch on the square you are joining to.
Pick up your working loop and pull it through that stitch.
You’re now joined.
Continue your corner.
Work the next dc in the corner as normal.
Pull your loop up slightly again, remove your hook, and insert it into the next stitch on the joining square.
Pull your loop through.
Work your final dc of the corner.
Again, pull your loop up and pull it through the next stitch on the joining square.
Now continue across the side, repeating this process.
Work your next stitch, then pull the loop through the corresponding stitch on the joining square.
Repeat this all the way across until you reach the tc stitch of the next corner.
At that point, you’ll stop joining and continue working the rest of Round 3 as normal.
Fasten off as usual.
Why This Method Works
By joining this way, you’re not creating any extra stitches, which keeps the join nice and flat.
Sometimes slip stitching can add a bit of bulk, but this method keeps everything smooth and seamless.
Final Thoughts
This has been such a fun blanket to make, and a really relaxing project to come back to again and again. I love how the colours all work together, and how something so simple can still look so effective.
If you give this one a go, I’d love to see your version. It’s always so interesting to see how different colour placements can completely change the look of the blanket.
I’ll be sharing the border pattern in my next post, so keep an eye out for that if you’d like to finish your blanket the same way.
If you’re interested, the yarn I used for this blanket is from my Tropical Yarn Box, and the border is made using one extra cake of Olive Green cotton yarn.