Free Mosaic Crochet Blanket Pattern – House of Cards Blanket

Looking for a beginner mosaic crochet blanket pattern?  The House of Cards Blanket is a free overlay mosaic blanket pattern featuring something we have all used – playing cards.  Read on to find out more about the pattern and how to make your own House of Cards Blanket.

House of Cards Blanket inspiration

Some of the best ideas are born of necessity, and that is partly the case with this beginner mosaic crochet blanket pattern.  I’m currently designing for my book, It’s a Wrap and in need of a break from shawls.  In search of a fun project and in the middle of a very cold snap and cost of living crisis I decided that my fun project would be a lap blanket or throw for myself.

Looking around my craft room, I wanted to make something that used up as many of the balls of Aran that have been hanging around my office for months because they were not quite the shade I was hoping for when they arrived.  Although I love blankets that are made from the middle and granny square blankets I knew I didn’t want to make either of those myself, but I did want to do something that would introduce a new technique or skill to my blog.

Inspiration struck and I looked over the survey I had sent my followers earlier in the year and mosaic crochet stuck out as something they wanted to learn and that I might be interested in doing all I needed was an idea for the pattern.

Although I like the regularity of some of the patterns you generally find in mosaic crochet blanket patterns, I didn’t want to do something that involved myself straight away and I’m not sure what I was watching, but something caught my eye and the idea for mosaic crochet playing cards as a free blanket pattern crochet along was born.

My original idea was multiple motifs that were joined and that you could layout in whatever order you wanted to get a truly unique blanket.  Immediately I hit a snag.  There is nothing in this life that would make me deal with all the ends, join them all and then put a border on.  Plus I think it would feel weird in the middle between the squares once it’s completed.

The finished House of Cards Blanket is the compromise between the image I originally had in my mind and my laziness when it comes to ends and joining and things.  I hope you like it!

Mosaic Crochet Blanket yarn & materials 

To create all of my House of Card Blankets I have used Paintbox Simply Aran from Lovecrafts.  This is a 100% Acrylic yarn, available in xx colours from Lovecrafts.  For my original blanket I used Racing Green, Sage and Paper White. For my second I have a used a combination of Teals to make a smaller and more challenging version of this mosaic crochet blanket pattern – Washed Teal and Rich Teal. To find out more about the yarn check out the review post here.

This is pretty much my go to for acrylic yarns but as an alternative you can also try Stylecraft Special or Brava Worsted from Knit Picks.

There are a couple of ways to adjust the size of your blanket, the full instructions are included in the pdf pattern, but it is possible to make your House of Cards Blanket in DK or Fingering/Sport weight yarn if you choose, this will alter the size of your mosaic crochet blanket.

For a finer weights of yarn, in DK I would choose Paintbox Acrylic, or King Cole Cottonsoft as a 100% Cotton alternative. In fingering or sport weight I would choose Twister or Twister Solid to create this mosaic crochet blanket pattern. I think this would make a great choice for a baby blanket or for those who live in warmer climates than here in North Wales.

Free overlay mosaic crochet blanket pattern info & tips

The House of Cards Blanket is a beginner overlay mosaic crochet blanket pattern.  If you are a mosaic beginner, this technique uses front and back loop stitches to create your finished picture.  Because there are really only two stitches used throughout the technique, this is a great option for beginners and is very addictive once you understand the principles of how it works.

The House of Cards mosaic crochet blanket has multiple options for you to create your own mosaic crochet blanket. There are two sizes 5 x 5 and 4 x 4 plus there are 4 ways to use the cards to create your own unique crochet blanket masterpiece, all are included in the pdf pattern, the original designed with alternating cards across the rows will be available for free.  

I decided to do it this way because throughout making my overlay mosaic crochet blanket I kept changing my mind about the card layout, and I wanted you to be able to make as a unique a blanket as possible from the pattern without it being super challenging.

Type: Overlay Mosaic Crochet

Skill level: beginner

Terms: US crochet Terms

Type: written and chart

Yarn: 22 x Paintbox Simply Aran 100% Acrylic 184m/201yds, or the same amount of any Aran or Worsted Weight Yarn.

Hook: 5.5, 5 & 4.5mm

Stitches used:

• Chain
• Single Crochet
• Double Crochet
• Slip Stitch

House of Cards Blanket CAL 

Looking for a fun way to make a new project?  The House of Cards Blanket is coming to you as a CAL in 2023.  

What is a CAL?

A CAL is a Crochet A-long.  This is a virtual event where sections of a crochet pattern are released over a specified period of time and ‘we’ crochet along together to make the same project.

When.

The House of Cards Blanket CAL will start on January 17th 2023 and run for 7 weeks.  Every week for 6 weeks a new part of the pattern will be released, with a final week to finish up and share your work!

How does it work.

Starting 17th January a new section of the CAL will be released every Tuesday and a chart will be available to view for free on my blog.  As there are two ‘easier’ options each of these charts will be available ALSO – filled and line drawing options, giving you three choices for your blanket.

Where

For hints and tips, to share your work and join in the fun in my Facebook Group.  I’ll be hanging out there eager to see your work and will be live once a week to stitch along with you.

Get the House of Cards Mosaic Crochet Blanket Pattern

Get the FULL House of Cards overlay mosaic crochet blanket pdf pattern, including written instructions and charts for all versions of the blanket via your favourite pattern store below

House of Cards Blanket FREE Pattern

To get ready for the CAL you will need:

Yarn: – 16 – 22 x Paintbox Simply Aran OR the same amount of any Aran or Worsted Weight (4) yarn in 2 or more colours as follows

5 x 5 blanket – 22 balls, 9 in main/background colour, 13 in design or contrast colour and border

4 x 4 blanket – 16 balls, 7 in main, 9 in contrast.

Hook: I used 3 hooks to make this blanket – 5.5mm, 5mm and 4.5mm. You will need at least the 5 and 4.5mm hooks

Other materials: stitch markers, ruler, scissors, darning needle

House of Cards Blanket CAL Part One

Start

Using Colour A Chain

• ch183 for 5×5 Blanket
• ch150 for 4 x4 Blanket

Then follow the chart below from Row 1

Hooking Diamonds Part One

Hooking Diamonds is the first section of this mosaic crochet blanket pattern. If you would like to make a blanket with a single motif, please head over to the Hooking Diamonds blog post for the individual charts here.

Hooking Spades Part Two

For individual silhouette and solid Spades mosaic crochet charts, check out the blog post here.

Hooking Crowns – Part Three

For individual silhouette and solid Crown mosaic crochet charts, check out the blog post here.

Hooking Clubs – Part Four

For individual silhouette and solid Clubs mosaic crochet charts, check out the blog post here.

Hooking Hearts – Part Five

For individual silhouette and solid Hooking Hearts overlay mosaic crochet pattern charts, check out the blog post here.

At the end of this section, you MUST carefully tighten the ends of each row with a tug on the knot already there. Then tie two rows together in a further knot. Take care not to pull too tightly. Once you have completed this on both sides of your blanket, trim ALL your ends until they are approximately 1 inch in length.

This is a mammoth task, so there will NOT be an update to the CAL next week to give you time to finish your blanket and deal with all the ends! See you in two weeks for the border

Ends

If you haven’t already then you will need to complete this section before you can begin the border.

Before you start the next section of the pattern, you MUST tighten the knots on both sides of your blanket taking care not to pull too tightly.

Then tie a knot in two rows further securing them and repeat that until you have secured all the ends on BOTH sides of your blanket so far.  

Be careful not to pull it too tight.  Once you have secured the knots on both sides of your blanket, trim them down until they are approximately 1 inch in length.

Border Foundation Row

Hook – 5.5/6mm 

For this part of the border it is easier to use a larger hook to create the foundation of the border as the stitches will be hard to see AND work into.

Using your chosen border colour, place a slip knot on your hook and join into the front loop only any stitch on either short end of your blanket.  

Ch1, sl-st into this st and every st to the corner, place a sl-st into the corner, rotate your work and continue working down the side of your blanket placing 2 sl-st into the side of every row.  

You will continue around to the beginning, placing 1 sl-st into each stitch on the short sides, and 2 sl-sts into each stitch on the long sides of your blanket.  When you get back to the beginning, join into the beginning sl-st.

Then turn your blanket over and repeat on the REVERSE side.

4.5mm hook

Note.  When you are working on the reverse of your blanket you will need to start with the right side facing you, for the right side, the wrong side should be facing you.

Row 1:

Join with a sl-st into any st on the short side of your blanket, (counts as a dc), dc into every st to the corner, *(dc, ch1, dc) into the corner, dc in every st to the next corner*, repeat round to the last corner, dc in every st.  Join with a sl-st into the top of the beg ch3.  Turn

Rows 2 – 3:

Ch3, *dc in every st to the corner, (dc, ch1, dc) in the corner*, repeat around to the last corner, dc in every st.  Tie off.

Repeat on the opposite side.

To seal the border, using the same hook, join with a sl-st through the dc on BOTH sides of the blanket, *sl-st in every st to the corner, 3 sl-st into the corner*, repeat around to the last corner, sl-st in every st.  Join with a sl-st into the first st.  

Tie off and secure final ends.

I hope you enjoyed the post and look forward to seeing your House of Cards Blankets!

Looking for blanket pattern inspiration while you wait for the CAL? Check out the Marian Bay Throw or the easy free crochet blanket pattern round up for your next project.

Pop into the Facebook Group and let me know what colour you plan to make your wrap in and share your progress.

Bye for now,

B x