Under the Sea CAL Blanket

I’ve finished the 2024 Under the Sea Crochet-Along Blanket! My goal was to get this completed before the new year so I could start on other fun crochet projects and patterns in the new year. But don’t worry, you can work the Under the Sea squares at any time! The patterns will always be free and available for you right here on Repeat Crafter Me.

My finished blanket turned out to be approximately 40 inches wide x 54 inches long.

Is this your first time hearing about the 2024 Under the Sea Crochet-Along? Every month in 2024 I crocheted an adorable ocean creatures that fit on a crochet square that looks like a water bubble. The 12 squares can then be stitched together to make a blanket. Including 3 bonus patterns!

Make the water bubble squares: Get the Circle in a Square Water Bubble pattern HERE.

The links to all the patterns in this project are available in one spot HERE on the Under the Sea CAL Landing Page

I made two of each sea creature and stitched them onto both sides of my water bubble squares. That way the blanket is reversible! You could absolutely leave the backside blanket if you’d like.

This is the front of the squares:

This is the back of the squares:

If I would have planned it out better, I would have replaced some of the creatures on the back with my three bonus sea creatures (Walrus, Stingray, and Orca).

HOW TO JOIN YOUR SQUARES
I love the slip stitch join technique and I’ve used it on several blanket projects over the past few years. No need to prep your squares with an extra border, you can join the edges of your squares together with any color using your crochet hook (no tapestry needle needed!). Slip stitch on the edges of both sides of your granny squares to make a zigzag look. It creates a really beautiful patterned seam that is flat and even. I chose to use the same blue color as my bubble squares.

Here is a video tutorial on how to make the Slip Stitch Join:

UNDER THE SEA BLANKET BORDER:
Next you will want to create a border around the edge of your entire blanket.
I started by making a round of single crochet stitches and then proceeded to make a wavy edge with the light blue yarn to make it look like ocean waves.
Border Round 1: with blue yarn, SC in each stitch around make 2 SC + chain 2 + 2 SC in each corner, join, chain 1
Border Round 2: *SC, HDC, DC in next 2, HDC, SC, repeat from * around making the SC+HDC +2 DC+ HDC + SC in each corner. If you don’t have enough space for the 6 stitch sequence before each corner, go ahead and make extra SC stitches.
Join in light blue yarn, chain 1
Border Round 3-4: DC, HDC, SC in next 2, HDC, DC, repeat from * around making the DC + HDC + 2 SC + HDC + DC in each corner. Fasten off, weave in ends.