47 Picture Frame

47 Picture Frame by Tricia Crow

Project Overview

The 47 Picture Frame is an intermediate-level crochet blanket and throw designed by Tricia Crow. This finished piece measures 45 x 55 inches, making it an ideal size for displaying as a decorative throw or wall hanging. The design features a striking visual pattern created through the strategic placement of bobble stitches against a single crochet background, resulting in a textured, dimensional fabric suitable for framing or draping.

What Is Being Made

This project creates a rectangular crochet blanket featuring a charted picture design. The finished piece is large enough to function as a throw blanket or as a decorative wall hanging. The design uses a grid-based chart system where different stitches create the visual image, making it an excellent project for crafters interested in creating pictorial crochet work.

Techniques Used

The primary technique employed in this pattern is chart-based crochet construction. Crafters read a detailed chart from right to left on even rows and left to right on odd rows, working from the bottom of the chart toward the top. This method allows for precise placement of design elements. The pattern also incorporates bobble stitch placement, where textured stitches are strategically positioned to create contrast against the background. Additionally, the pattern uses even edge finishing, with single crochet worked evenly around the entire perimeter and three single crochets placed in each corner to maintain proper shaping.

Stitches Used

• Single Crochet (sc): Forms the foundation and background of the entire piece. Single crochet stitches are worked in each stitch across for the initial rows and final rows, and they fill all blank squares on the chart.
• Bobble Stitch: The signature textured stitch used to create the picture design. The bobble stitch is executed by completing five yarn-over and draw-through sequences in the same stitch, then drawing the yarn through all five loops on the hook simultaneously. These stitches are worked to the back of the piece, creating raised texture on the front surface.
• Chain Stitch (ch): Used to create the initial foundation chain of 184 stitches, with the first chain skipped and single crochet worked into the second chain from the hook and each remaining chain, resulting in 183 working stitches.
• Slip Stitch: Used to join the final round of edging stitches together.

Materials Required

This pattern calls for Red Heart Super Saver yarn in a total of 3400 yards. Red Heart Super Saver is an aran-weight yarn, providing good stitch definition and durability for a large project of this scale. A size G crochet hook is used throughout the entire project, maintaining consistent stitch size and fabric density across all 243 rows and 183 stitches per row.

Pattern Structure

The pattern follows a specific construction sequence: Rows 1–3 establish the foundation with basic single crochet stitches. Rows 4–240 follow the detailed chart, where each square represents either a blank square (worked in single crochet) or a black square (worked in bobble stitch). Rows 241–243 return to basic single crochet to finish the top edge. Once the main body is complete, a final round of single crochet is worked evenly around the entire perimeter with three single crochets in each corner for proper shaping, then joined with a slip stitch and fastened off.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. While it requires familiarity with basic crochet stitches and the ability to read a chart, the techniques themselves are straightforward. The main challenge lies in maintaining consistent tension over a large project spanning 243 rows and accurately following the chart pattern for 237 rows. Crafters should be comfortable with chart reading and have experience completing larger projects before attempting this design.