Blue and Gold Compass Motif Bed Cover Crochet Pattern

This bed cover looks like a map of the summer sea. Each motif has a small gold ring and cross in the center, like the heart of a compass, with four wedges pointing out to the four sides: sky blue at the top and bottom, royal blue at the left and right. Between the wedges, curved royal blue cords fill the corners in rings, like ripples spreading on water. A royal blue round frames it all, and a gold lace edge of little scallops finishes each motif. On the bed, the motifs join into rows with small gold stars in the gaps, and gold lace loops hang along the outer edge.

The motif is built in a few simple stages, which makes it a pleasure to work. First comes the gold center, three rounds that form a ring and four short arms. Then each arm grows into a wedge, worked in rows of double crochet that widen by two stitches every row. The top and bottom wedges are sky blue, worked in the back loops for a soft ridged texture, and the side wedges are royal blue, worked through both loops so they look smooth and rich. Each wedge is five rows and ends 15 stitches wide.

The corded arches are the clever part. In each corner, you join royal blue at the end of the first row of one wedge, chain across the gap to the matching row of the next wedge, then turn and work single crochet back over the chain. That makes a firm little cord, like a curved bar. You climb up one row and make a longer cord, and so on, five cords in each corner, each one longer than the last. The result is a fan of curved bars with open spaces between them that let the light shine through.

Once the arches are in, a round of royal blue single crochet goes all the way around, with exactly 30 stitches in each quarter of the motif. A gold round of chain loops follows, and then a gold round of small scallops with a picot at the top of each one. This last round is where you join each new motif to its neighbors, through the picots of two scallops on each shared side. Each finished motif is about 10.5 inches across.

The queen size uses 63 motifs in 7 columns and 9 rows and 48 little gold stars, one in every gap where four motifs meet. Two gold edge rounds of chain loops and picots run around the outside, giving the cover a soft, lacy finish. The finished cover measures about 75 by 96 inches. Because each motif is fairly large, there are fewer pieces to make than in many motif covers, and the project moves along nicely.

The stitches are chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet. What makes this pattern intermediate is working the corded arches between the wedges and keeping track of the joining round. Every step is simple on its own, and I give the stitch counts for every wedge row, every arch and every round, so you can always check your work.

The finished cover is bright, fresh and full of rhythm. The solid wedges, the open arches and the gold lace give it three different textures, and the three colors make it cheerful without being loud. Blue and gold look wonderful with white walls, natural wood, blue and white pottery and green plants. This cover suits a coastal bedroom, a sunny guest room or any space that needs a breath of summer all year round.

I love how this motif comes together like a little puzzle. First the gold center, then four wedges, then the arches, then the edge. Each stage takes only a short time, and each one changes the motif completely. It never feels repetitive, even after dozens of motifs, because there is always a new stage just around the corner. I often make a batch of centers one evening and a batch of wedges the next, and then enjoy a quiet afternoon working all the arches.

The corded arches are my favorite part. The first time I chained across the gap and worked back over the chain, I was amazed at how firm and neat the cord looked. Then the next cord, a little longer, curved just above it, and suddenly I had a fan of ripples. It is such a simple technique, and yet it looks so special. Friends who crochet always ask me how the arches are made, and they are always surprised by how easy it is.

The colors make me happy every day. Royal blue is deep and confident, sky blue is light and airy, and gold adds a touch of sunshine. Together they remind me of a summer afternoon at the seaside, with the sky above, the sea below and the sun sparkling on the water. On our guest bed, with a blue and white vase of hydrangeas on the nightstand, the cover makes the room feel fresh and welcoming all year long.

Here are the habits that made this project smooth for me:

• Make all the gold centers first, then all the wedges, then all the arches.
• Keep sky blue and royal blue wedges in separate bags so you never mix them up.
• Count the stitches of every wedge row: 7, 9, 11, 13 and then 15.
• Lay every finished motif with the sky blue wedges at the top before joining.

I love the gold lace edge on each motif too. After the strong blues, the gold scallops feel light and delicate, like a frame of sunlight. Joining the motifs through the picots is so satisfying, because each little loop catches its neighbor and the cover grows into one piece without any sewing. When the gold stars go into the gaps, the whole cover suddenly sparkles.

I also love how practical this cover is for such a pretty piece. The wedges are solid and sturdy, the joins are strong, and cotton washes beautifully. It is the kind of cover you can use every day, on a guest bed, on a child's bed or folded on a sofa in winter. It holds its shape and its color, and it looks just as lovely after many washes as on the first day.

Finally, I love what the compass means. It is a symbol of finding your way and coming home, and I think that is a lovely thing to have on a bed. I made my first one for a niece who was moving to a new city, and she says it makes her new bedroom feel like home. If you make it, I hope it brings that same feeling of warmth and belonging to your home.

Choose a new color trio. The three-part motif looks wonderful in many palettes. Emerald, mint and cream feel fresh and green, burgundy, dusty rose and gold look warm and rich, and navy, gray and white are calm and modern. For a sunny look, try orange, yellow and white. Keep the center and lace edge in the lightest or brightest color, the arches and side wedges in the deepest one and the top and bottom wedges in the middle shade.

Make it for any bed. Each motif is about 10.5 inches across, so new sizes are easy to plan. Add or remove columns for the width and rows for the length. The number of stars is always one less than the columns times one less than the rows. These sizes are before the edge rounds:

• Twin: 5 by 9 motifs, 45 motifs and 32 stars, about 53 by 95 inches
• Full: 6 by 9 motifs, 54 motifs and 40 stars, about 63 by 95 inches
• Queen: 7 by 9 motifs, 63 motifs and 48 stars, about 74 by 95 inches
• King: 9 by 9 motifs, 81 motifs and 64 stars, about 95 by 95 inches

The edge rounds follow the free scallops of the outer motifs, so they work for any size.

Make a sofa throw. Four columns by five rows, 20 motifs and 12 stars, makes a throw of about 43 by 53 inches. It uses about a third of the yarn and is a lovely way to try the corded arches before a full bed. It brightens a sofa or a reading chair beautifully, and in blue and gold it makes a cheerful gift for someone who loves the sea.

Make a baby blanket. Three by four motifs, 12 in all with 6 stars, gives a blanket of about 32 by 43 inches. For a baby, choose soft pastels, such as mint, pale blue and butter yellow, and use a soft, washable cotton blend. The corded arches leave open spaces, so add a second gold round of single crochet around each arch area if you want a closed fabric, and weave in every end securely.

Add matching pillows. One motif sewn to the center of a royal blue pillow cover makes a lovely sham like the ones in my photos. Four motifs joined 2 by 2 with one gold star in the middle make a bigger cushion of about 21 inches. For a small accent pillow, work a sky blue square in rows of half double crochet and finish it with the gold lace edge of the motifs.

Rearrange the colors. You can play with where each color goes. Make all four wedges sky blue for a lighter, airier cover, or alternate motifs with sky blue top wedges and motifs with royal blue top wedges for a checkerboard effect. You can also turn every other motif a quarter turn, so the sky blue wedges point sideways, which creates a lovely woven pattern across the bed. Lay out a few motifs before you decide.

Change the edge. The gold lace loops are delicate and pretty. For a bolder finish, work a round of gold shells into each edge loop instead of single crochet and picots. For a cleaner look, work two rounds of royal blue single crochet around the outer scallops instead. You could also add small gold lace points to the outer motifs along the foot of the bed, as I sometimes do for a more dramatic drape.

Change the yarn weight. In DK cotton with a 4 mm hook, each motif comes out about 8.5 inches, and a queen needs about 9 by 11 motifs. In bulky yarn with a 6.5 mm hook, the motifs grow to about 13.5 inches, so a queen needs only 5 by 7 motifs. Always make one complete motif first, block it and measure it before you plan the layout and buy yarn.