Burgundy Puff and Cream Scallop Bedspread Crochet Pattern

This bedspread is worked in one piece, row by row, in a deep burgundy and a warm cream chunky yarn. Every burgundy row is full of plump puff stitches, and every cream row lays a little chain arch over each puff, then fills it with single crochet. The arches curve over the puffs like the edges of fish scales or roof tiles, and because each new row of puffs is shifted halfway along, the scales nest neatly into each other. From a distance, the whole bed looks covered in rich burgundy berries tucked into cream shells. Up close, every puff is soft and squishy, and every arch stands up in a raised cream ridge.

The finished bedspread measures about 103 by 115 inches (262 by 292 cm) including the border. It is worked over 201 stitches, which gives fifty puffs across the first puff row, and the six-row pattern repeats thirty-two times. On a queen mattress that gives a drop of about 21 inches on each side and at the foot, so the heavy chunky fabric falls toward the floor in deep, cozy folds. Three rounds of cream border frame the whole piece with a thick, rope-like edge.

The stitches are chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, reverse single crochet and the puff stitch. The puff stitch is four loops pulled up in the same stitch and closed together, with a chain to lock it. The arches are just five chains worked from one single crochet to the next, held on the right side of the work so they lie over the puffs. Then three single crochet go into each arch to make the solid cream scallop. Once you have worked the six rows twice, you will know the pattern by heart.

Because the bedspread is worked in one piece, there is nothing to join at the end. You start with a long foundation chain and simply keep going. The burgundy rows are only two of every six, so most of your time is spent on easy cream single crochet, with the fun puff rows coming along regularly to keep things interesting. When the last row is done, the border goes around in one sitting, and the bedspread is ready for the bed.

In chunky yarn the bedspread is thick, warm and wonderfully heavy, the kind of cover that makes you want to stay in bed on a winter morning. The puffs give it a deep, three-dimensional texture, and the cream arches catch the light like little rims of frost. Burgundy and cream together feel rich, warm and a little festive, perfect for the colder months and lovely at Christmas. They suit walnut wood, brass lamps, white hydrangeas and soft gray rugs, and they make any bedroom feel like a cozy country inn.

I rate this pattern as intermediate. The stitches are easy, but the rows are long and the color changes need care, and you need to keep the puffs even across a whole row. It suits a maker who enjoys a big, steady project and likes seeing a finished piece grow on their lap. Before you start, I ask you to make the small gauge swatch in the first pattern section. It teaches you the whole six-row repeat in miniature, and it checks your size before you commit to the long rows.

I fell in love with this stitch on a cold November evening, when I was playing with leftover burgundy and cream yarn and a big hook. I made a little swatch just to see what would happen if I laid chain arches over puff stitches, and the result looked like a bowl of cranberries in cream. I could not put it down. By the end of the week, the swatch had become a scarf, and by the end of the winter, it had become this bedspread.

I love how the pattern feels in my hands. The puff rows are soft and squishy, and every puff gives a satisfying little pop as you close it. The cream rows that follow are calm and simple, just chains and single crochet, so I can rest my mind after the puffs. That rhythm of busy and calm, busy and calm, makes the long rows go by surprisingly quickly. It is the perfect project for listening to an audiobook or chatting with friends.

I also love that there is no joining. I have made many motif bedspreads over the years, and I always dread the sewing at the end. With this one, every row adds directly to the finished piece. Watching it grow across my lap, getting heavier and warmer with each row, is one of the coziest feelings I know. By the time it reached the floor, it was keeping my legs warm through the whole winter.

Here is why this bedspread is such a favorite of mine:

• Chunky yarn and a big hook make fast progress.
• The puffs are soft, squishy and fun to make.
• The cream arches turn simple rows into a beautiful scale pattern.
• It is worked in one piece, with no joining at the end.
• It is warm and heavy, perfect for winter nights.

This bedspread changed our bedroom for the colder months. Our room is mostly cream and walnut, with brass lamps and white flowers, and it can feel a little cool in winter. Now the deep burgundy brings warmth to the whole space, and it looks wonderful with candles and a few sprigs of eucalyptus. At Christmas it makes the room feel festive without a single decoration. My grandchildren love to burrow under it and count the puffs.

Making it taught me a few useful lessons. I learned to work my puffs to the same height every time, by pulling each loop up to the length of my fingertip. I learned to work over the color tails as I go, so there are very few ends to weave in at the end. And I learned to measure the width every ten rows, because chunky fabric is heavy and can stretch as it grows. Those small habits made the long project calm and enjoyable.

Most of all, I love that this is a bedspread for real life. It is warm, sturdy and washable, and it does not need to be saved for special occasions. I hope it will be pulled over sleepy children on winter mornings and wrapped around shoulders on the sofa for many years. A blanket that gets used and loved is the best kind of heirloom there is.

The easiest change is the color pair. Keep the arches in cream and choose a new color for the puffs, and the whole bedspread changes character. Forest green with cream looks like holly in snow, and navy with cream feels crisp and nautical. Mustard with oatmeal is warm and autumnal, while dusty rose with ivory is soft and romantic. For a calm, modern look, try charcoal puffs with light gray arches.

You can change the size by changing the number of stitches and rows. The pattern is worked over a multiple of 4 stitches plus 1, so the foundation chain is a multiple of 4 plus 2. Every 4 stitches add about 2 inches of width, and every 6-row repeat adds about 3.5 inches of length. Here are some sizes that include a drop on the sides and foot.

• Twin: chain 150 for 149 stitches and 37 puffs, 26 repeats, about 77 by 95 inches
• Full: chain 182 for 181 stitches and 45 puffs, 29 repeats, about 93 by 105 inches
• Queen: chain 202 for 201 stitches and 50 puffs, 32 repeats, about 103 by 115 inches
• King: chain 242 for 241 stitches and 60 puffs, 32 repeats, about 123 by 115 inches

A sofa throw is a lovely smaller version. Chain 102 for 101 stitches and work 16 repeats, for a throw of about 53 by 60 inches with the border. It takes about twenty-five to thirty hours and uses about a quarter of the yarn. It is perfect for curling up on the sofa with a book, and it makes a wonderful Christmas gift. It is also the best way to practice before you begin the full bedspread.

For a baby blanket, use a soft chunky baby yarn and a 6 mm hook, and chain 62 for 61 stitches and about 12 repeats, for a blanket of about 32 by 44 inches. Pale pink puffs with white arches, or soft sage with cream, are lovely for a nursery. The puffs are firmly closed and the fabric is solid, but always use it with an adult nearby and keep heavy blankets out of the crib for young babies.

Matching pillows make the bed look finished. Make a panel of 41 stitches and 7 repeats, about 20 by 25 inches, for the front of a sham, and back it with a panel of plain cream single crochet. Join the two with cream single crochet on three sides, slip in the pillow and close the last side. For a lumbar pillow, make a long strip with just two repeats and wrap it around a cream cushion, so a single row of burgundy scales runs across the front.

The same stitch makes beautiful accessories too. A long strip of 21 stitches makes a cozy scarf, and a panel of 41 stitches sewn into a tube makes a lovely cushion cover or a bench pad. In a smaller yarn, the stitch is pretty on a tote bag or a basket liner. These are wonderful ways to use up the leftover yarn from the bedspread, and they make thoughtful handmade gifts.

If you would like a different edge, there are easy options. For a softer look, replace the reverse single crochet round with a round of small cream shells. For a bolder frame, work the first border round in burgundy and the next two in cream. For a cabin feel, add chunky burgundy tassels at the four corners, or a short cream fringe along the bottom edge. Whatever you choose, keep the border wide enough to balance the heavy fabric.

You can also play with the yarn weight. In worsted yarn with a 5 mm hook, the scales are smaller and the bedspread lighter, so chain about 302 for the same width and work about 48 repeats. In super bulky yarn with a 9 mm hook, the scales are big and dramatic, and you need far fewer stitches and rows. Acrylic and wool blends are lighter and warmer than cotton, which can be very heavy in chunky weights. Always make the gauge swatch in your chosen yarn before you begin.