4 Quick and Easy Ways to Crochet on Fleece
You know how it feels when you get to combine two things you really love into one? Well, that’s what we are doing today —-we are going to marry cozy fleece and fun yarns by using crochet on fleece
I learned this simple technique a few years ago. By crocheting around the perimeter of a piece of fleece, it gives an already cute fleece design just a bit more character and charm.
Prepping to Crochet on Fleece
You start with a piece of fleece. For a blanket, I would recommend at least a 1-yard piece, and really anything up to a 2-yard piece.
After cutting off the selvages, straightening up the ends, and squaring it up, I use this rotary blade to “hole” the fleece. I believe I bought mine on Etsy.
This blade perforates the fleece. I measure in about ¾”-1” from each edge and run the blade over the fleece. This creates the holes you’ll use to insert your crochet hook and yarn in order to crochet around the blanket. You will do this on each of the 4 sides.
Picking yarn
Next, I find a complementary yarn (or in some cases, yarns) and begin crocheting around the entire perimeter of the fleece. I usually use an I-sized hook in order for it to fit through the small holes pretty easily. I crochet with the right side of the fleece facing me, although sometimes you can’t tell the difference between the right side and the wrong side, and I just pick one and get to crocheting!
Crochet on Fleece
The hook goes into the hole and I usually do
For the corners, I usually try to work one single crochet in the corner hole, chain 2 or 3, and then single crochet again in the same corner hole, before moving on to the upcoming side.
The fleece is folded over and it pretty much makes a nice “hem” by itself.
Once I come back around to where I started, I slip stitch to the first chain/stitch. And at that point, you can end it and be done, OR you can do another row, or 2, or 3, or really whatever your little heart desires.
Any loose ends I tuck under the fleece hem. Since I’m not weaving them in and out of stitches, I usually keep the ends a little longer than usual, say 8+ inches.
A fleece in a solid color with a complementary variegated yarn turns into a beauty. Or, you can use a fleece with a design, and pick 1 or 2 complementary colors to crochet around it. The options are just endless!
Piecing a fleece blanket
Additionally, you could cut the fleece into squares, say 10 x10 inches — and this size could vary, as long as all of your squares in the blanket are the same size. You crochet around each of the squares and then join the squares like you would a crocheted blanket. From there you can add a border. Here are a few different examples.
Notice in the raspberry and gray example, I crocheted around each square in gray, but when I joined them, I did it in the complementary raspberry color for a nice pop of color.
As you can see, you can do any width of bordering…it’s totally up to you. This size could be used as a baby blanket or a lap blanket. Make the piece of fleece big enough and it could fit an actual bed.
3 more ideas to crochet on fleece:
1) Scarves
- You could cut smaller squares, maybe in the 5-8” range, crochet around them, and then join them. Just do 2 rows of say 10 squares each,
OR
- You could just cut a long rectangle and crochet around it. Maybe add a bit of fringe to the ends….mmmmhhhmmm
2) Prayer Shawls – similar to a scarf, just wider
3) Shawl/Poncho – use a general poncho pattern to cut out the fleece, crochet around it, and voila!
And there you have it. A happy marriage of fleece and yarn, with loads of combinations and some extra fun projects. Just think, you could make something for every member of your family just using this one technique! A scarf for Dad, a blankie for a niece/nephew, a prayer shawl for Grandma, a poncho for a young girl (or boy), or maybe an “old” girl (or boy)…..because I’m thinking I would definitely wear one!
Looking for a service project? Or maybe just a good reason to buy some of the cheery fleece on sale? Even when the weather is warmer, lap-size blankets are great service projects to donate to nursing homes.
So what do you think? Which combination of fleece and yarn are you going to marry today? Post a comment below. I would absolutely L.O.V.E. to hear it!
Happy crocheting!
