Royal and Sky Blue Window Granny Square Bedspread Crochet Pattern

This bedspread is made from one hundred and ten squares in two happy shades of blue: a deep royal blue and a soft, pale sky blue. Each square begins with a royal blue center full of little windows, a granny style motif with a ring of open spaces in the first round and two more openings along every side. The sky blue frame grows around it in four rounds of double crochet, with the corner spaces stacking up into a diagonal line of eyelets at each corner and one more eyelet in the middle of every side. A royal blue outline finishes the square, and in that outline round a single long spike stitch reaches down into each middle eyelet, leaving a neat royal blue dot in the center of every side.

The finished bedspread measures about 104 by 114 inches (264 by 290 cm) including the border. It is a grid of 10 squares across and 11 squares down, with each square measuring 10 inches after blocking, plus a royal blue picot shell edge. On a queen mattress that gives a drop of about 22 inches on each side and at the foot, so the scallops brush the floor and the bed underneath disappears completely. Every square is identical, so once you have made one, you know them all.

The stitches are chain, slip stitch, single crochet and double crochet, plus a spike single crochet and a simple decrease in the border. A spike stitch is simply a single crochet worked into a stitch several rounds below, so a long strand of the new color runs down over the earlier rounds. It sounds fancy, but it is one of the easiest ways to add a dot of color without changing yarn in the middle of a round. Each square has only two color changes, so you only weave in four ends.

The squares are joined with royal blue single crochet on the right side, worked through both squares at once. That makes a slim royal blue ridge between every square, and together the ridges form a crisp blue grid, like the leading in a stained glass window. Once all the seams are done, two rounds of single crochet steady the edge, a round of seven double crochet shells makes the scallops, and a final round adds a little picot to the top of every shell for a pretty, lacy finish.

In worsted weight cotton the bedspread has a lovely weight and drape, and it feels cool and smooth in summer. The royal blue centers have a little texture from the windows, while the sky blue frames lie flat and calm. Blue and blue together always feel fresh and peaceful, like a clear summer sky over the sea, or a kitchen shelf of old blue and white plates. The colors suit honey wood, white walls, jute, wicker and green plants, and they make a bedroom feel bright and airy even on a grey day.

I rate this pattern as beginner friendly. If you can make a basic granny square and count your stitches on each side, you can make this whole bedspread. The spike stitch is easy to learn, and I explain it step by step. It suits someone who enjoys repetition and wants a cheerful project to carry around in a small bag. It is a wonderful first big bedspread, and experienced makers will enjoy it as a relaxing project that almost works itself.

I grew up near the sea, and blue has always been my favorite color. When I want a project to lift my mood, I always reach for blue yarn. This bedspread started with two balls I bought on a whim, one deep royal and one pale sky, and the moment I put them side by side, I knew they belonged together. The first square I made looked like a window looking out over the ocean, and I have loved every square since.

I love the little royal blue windows in the center. They come together in just three short rounds, and when you hold the square up to the light, you can see right through them. Then the sky blue frame grows around them in calm rounds of double crochet, and the corner eyelets line up as if by magic. It is such a simple square, but it always looks crisp and clever when it is done.

My favorite little trick is the spike stitch in the last round. Just when you think the square is finished, you reach down with the royal blue into the eyelet three rounds below and pull up a long loop. It leaves a neat blue dot in the middle of every side, and it ties the outline to the center so beautifully. It is the kind of small detail that makes people lean in and ask how you did it.

Here is why this bedspread always makes me smile:

• Two shades of blue feel fresh and happy in any season.
• Only basic stitches and one easy spike stitch.
• Just two color changes and four ends per square.
• The royal blue seams make a crisp, tidy grid.
• The picot shell edge gives it a pretty finished look.

This bedspread changed our guest room completely. It was all white and beige before, with a honey wood bed and a jute rug, and it felt a bit plain. Now the blue squares bring the whole room to life, and the olive tree by the window and the white flowers on the nightstand look fresher than ever. Every guest who stays with us says it feels like waking up at the seaside.

Making it taught me a few small lessons. I learned to keep my spike stitches loose, so they lie flat instead of pulling the frame. I learned to count my eyelets after every round, because one missing eyelet throws off the dot in the outline. And I learned that weaving in the ends as soon as I finished each square made the final joining feel like a celebration instead of a chore.

Most of all, I love that this is a bedspread for everyday life. Cotton washes well and gets softer over the years, and blue never goes out of style. I like to imagine it on a grandchild's bed at a summer cottage someday, the windows open and the sea breeze coming in. That is the kind of memory I hope my crochet will be part of.

The easiest change is the color pair. Keep a deep shade for the center, the outline, the seams and the edge, and a pale shade of the same color for the frame, and the window effect will always show. Emerald with mint feels fresh and garden-like, while plum with lilac is soft and romantic. Deep coral with peach is warm and summery, and charcoal with silver is calm and modern. For a classic look, try navy with ivory.

You can change the size by changing the number of squares. Each square is 10 inches after blocking, and the border adds about 2 inches on every side. The sizes below include a drop on the sides and the foot. For a coverlet that sits only on top of the mattress, take away two or three squares in each direction.

• Twin: 7 by 9 squares (63), about 74 by 94 inches
• Full: 9 by 10 squares (90), about 94 by 104 inches
• Queen: 10 by 11 squares (110), about 104 by 114 inches
• King: 12 by 11 squares (132), about 124 by 114 inches

A sofa throw is a lovely smaller version. Make 5 by 6 squares, thirty in total, for a throw of about 54 by 64 inches with the border. It takes about thirty hours and uses roughly a quarter of the yarn. It is a cheerful way to brighten a neutral sofa, and it makes a thoughtful gift for a new home or a beach house. It is also a great way to practice the spike stitch before starting the full bedspread.

For a baby blanket, make 3 by 4 squares for about 34 by 44 inches, or 4 by 4 squares for a square blanket of about 44 inches. Use a soft baby cotton or cotton blend in the same weight. Pale blue with white is classic, and soft yellow with cream is gentle and sweet. For a baby, you may prefer to skip the picots and work three rounds of single crochet instead, for a firm edge with no loops to catch little fingers.

Matching pillows make the bed look finished. Join four squares in a 2 by 2 block for the front of a large sham, and make the back from four more squares or a plain panel of sky blue double crochet. Join front and back with royal blue single crochet on three sides, slip in the pillow and close the last side. Work the shell and picot rounds around it. For a lumbar pillow, join three squares in a row and add royal blue tassels at the ends.

The same square makes lovely small gifts. A single square with the shell edge makes a sweet table mat or a cushion for a kitchen chair. Four squares joined in a strip make a pretty table runner for a summer table. In a sturdy cotton, one square folded and seamed on two sides becomes a little pouch for crochet hooks. These are fun ways to use up leftover yarn.

If you would like a different edge, there are easy options. Work three rounds of single crochet and a round of reverse single crochet for a neat corded edge. For a deeper border, add a round of chain loops and a second round of shells before the picots. For a playful beach house look, add royal blue tassels at the four corners. Whatever you choose, keep the edge in the deeper blue so it frames the whole bed.

You can also play with the yarn weight. In DK cotton with a 4 mm hook, squares come out at about 8 inches, so you need more of them, but the bedspread is lighter and drapes more. In a bulky yarn with a 6.5 mm hook, squares grow to about 13 inches, and 8 by 9 squares cover a queen bed much faster. Acrylic or a cotton blend is lighter and warmer. Always make one test square in your new yarn and measure it before you buy the rest.