Speedy Train

No matter how fast your crochet, you can create your own large throw blanket! This train is speeding down the track with a cloud of exhaust above it.

Interlocking & Mosaic

As with all of my designs, this blanket can be made using your choice of two colorwork techniques: interlocking crochet or overlay mosaic crochet.

There are two mosaic crochet files included because one uses the original interlocking crochet chart and the other uses an adjusted chart.

Adjusted Overlay Mosaic Crochet

The adjusted overlay mosaic crochet option is where I’ve taken the interlocking crochet chart and removed the unnecessary extra border lines and all the interlocking mesh dots. This adjusted option is actually solid in the areas that should be solid.

Both overlay mosaic crochet options use the same crocheting technique, but the results will create a blanket that either looks more similar to the interlocking crochet option or looks smooth and solid.

Size

This large throw blanket fits in my blankets category.

The original chart (used for interlocking crochet and the original overlay mosaic crochet options) is 241 x 241 and finishes to just over 60″ square.

The adjusted overlay mosaic chart (the solid option) is 237 x 237 and finishes to 68” x 63”.

See more size details below.

Background image attribution: Kabelleger / David Gubler, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Original

Speedy Train was originally published in August 2020. There is no original blog entry on my website because my blog didn’t exist yet!

Update

If you previously purchased Speedy Train on Ravelry, you will now have an update waiting for you! I have added a third file: the adjusted mosaic crochet option.

Etsy users will need to email me with their transaction number to receive this new file.

What’s New?

This new file is a second overlay mosaic crochet option that uses an adjusted chart where the interlocking mesh dots have been removed.

Why are there three files?

Originally, I published an interlocking crochet pattern and an overlay mosaic crochet pattern that used the same chart. That means the mosaic version had the interlocking mesh dots all over it.

These two files have not been removed.

A third file has been added. This third file uses the overlay mosaic technique as well, but it uses an adjusted chart. I have removed the unnecessary border lines and the interlocking mesh dots.

To get into a deeper explanation of the three options, please see this page: https://ashleeslint.com/tutorials/interlocking-and-mosaic-crochet/

To Recap

All three files contain the full written pattern and chart for you to create your own Speedy Train blanket.

The mosaic options both use overlay mosaic crochet (where you cut your yarn at the end of every row) and have X’s marked on the charts.

The new adjusted mosaic crochet option does not have the interlocking mesh dots, so the solid areas are actually solid.

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Interlocking Crochet

Interlocking crochet is a colorwork technique where you create two layers of mesh locked together. You work one row at a time, alternating between the two contrasting colors.

Interlocking crochet / LFM crochet file includes:

  • line-by-line written pattern
  • instructions on reading a chart
  • a one-page chart

Details

  • Chart is 241 x 241
  • Gauge: 16 stitches x 8 rows = 4”
  • 60″ x 60″ / 152cm x 152cm
  • 4.5 mm hook (US7)
  • Worsted weight yarn (4110 yards total)
    • Main color (MC) (the train) – 2035 yards plus 40 for optional border
    • Accent color (AC) (background) – 2035 yards

Original Overlay Mosaic Crochet

There are two overlay mosaic crochet files included with “Speedy Train”.

Originally (in August 2020) I used the same chart for both the interlocking crochet option and the overlay mosaic crochet option. With this colorwork option you can see the interlocking mesh dots even when you use the overlay mosaic crochet technqiue.

Read more about these techniques at https://ashleeslint.com/tutorials/interlocking-and-mosaic-crochet/.

You’ll receive both a single-page chart and a multi-page chart along with the fully written pattern. Mosaic crochet charts have x’s marked on them for the dropped double crochets.

Mosaic Crochet file includes:

  • line-by-line written pattern
  • instructions on reading a chart
  • a one-page chart marked with X’s (good for viewing on a screen)
  • a four-page chart marked with X’s (better for printing)

Details

  • Chart is 241 x 241
  • Gauge: 16 sc blo stitches x 16 rows = 4”
  • 60″ x 60″ / 152cm x 152cm
  • 5 mm hook (H-8)
  • Worsted weight yarn (4750 yards)
    • Main color (train) – 2325 yards
    • Contrasting color (background) – 2325 yards
    • Optional envelope border – 100 yards

Sherry Shaffer did an amazing job crocheting Speedy Train. She used the overlay mosaic crochet technique (and if you look very closely you can see that she used the original chart).

Adjusted Overlay Mosaic Crochet

In June 2023 I added a third file: the adjusted overlay mosaic crochet option.

 The overlay mosaic crochet technique does not require the interlocking mesh dots so in this option I have removed them.

You’ll still receive multiple x-marked charts along with a fully written pattern.

Adjusted Mosaic Crochet file includes:

  • line-by-line written pattern
  • instructions on reading a chart
  • a one-page chart marked with X’s (good for viewing on a screen)
  • a four-page chart marked with X’s (better for printing)

Details

  • Chart is 237 x 237
  • Gauge: 14 sc blo stitches x 15 rows = 4”
  • 68″ x 63″ / 172cm x 160.5cm
  • 5 mm hook (H-8)
  • Worsted weight yarn (5180 – 5880 yards)
    • Main color (train) – 2160 yards
    • Contrasting color (background) – 3020 yards
    • Optional envelope border – 700 yards

Photo

In Sherry Shaffer’s sample (shown above) she used the original overlay mosaic crochet pattern.

You can see the wrong side peeking out at the top left corner; the back is striped when you use the overlay mosaic crochet technique.

If you look closely at the “solid” white background you will see that there are actually dots all over – this is from using the original interlocking crochet chart (where those dots are a natural byproduct of the mesh).

In all three options you will begin with the Main Color (MC) which is the color of the train drawing. The second color used will be the background color.

Yardage

Using this new, adjusted, solid overlay mosaic crochet option will mean you’ll need more yarn. Some people actually prefer the “mesh-y” mosaic option because it keeps the blanket lighter, uses less yarn, and tends to be less stiff.

You can go up a hook size to keep it from being stiff but this will use more yarn as well.

What’s Next?

I will continue to update older patterns with these adjusted, solid mosaic crochet options as time allows. Thank you for your patience and support!