Here is our take on the famous Hudson's Bay Blanket, which we made for Canada Day 2015. It's one of those simple designs that no matter what rendition you make, it always looks good.

MATERIALS YOU'LL NEED:

5 skeins of DK weight cotton yarn (1 blue, 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 green, 1 off white). We used DROPS Design Muskat (50g/100m per ball)
3.75 mm hook
Sewing needle & off white thread
Purse chain

ABBREVIATIONS: (US Terminology)
sc = single crochet st (s) = stitch (es)

TECHNIQUES:

You’ll need to know how to crochet in the round and change colors. The entire bag is made using a single crochet stitch. If you’re new to crochet, Wool and the Gang has great tutorials for beginners.

PATTERN:

Note: Every color change is worked for 3 rows (except for the initial row)

4 rows in off white
3 rows in blue
3 rows in off white
3 rows in yellow
3 rows in off white
3 rows in red
3 rows in off white
3 rows in green

Step 1: Make the Foundation Chain

Chain 75 in the off-white colored yarn, joining the ring with a sc. This is the foundation row for the bag.

Step 2: Work 4 Rows

Work 4 rows in sc, using the off-white color.

TIP: Refer to the step 2 image above for a tip on how to identify a new row at the end of each round.

Step 3: Change to Blue

At the end of the last stitch from the 4th row, change to blue yarn.

Step 4: Work 3 Rows in Blue

TIP: Once you start changing colors, you'll notice that the last row looks higher than the next. DON'T WORRY, it looks like that because you're crocheting in the round. Once you sew the bottom of bag at the end, those rows will be on the corners of each bag and won't be as noticeable.

Step 5: Repeat Step 4 for Each Color

After you’ve completed 3 rows in blue, change back to off-white to work for another 3 rows. Continue with the pattern by changing colors every three rows, until you’ve reached the end of row 3 in green.

Step 6: Make a Chain Space

Crochet 2 rows in off-white, until you’ve reached the last 4 stitches in the 2nd row. Here is where you’ll be making a chain space for the purse handle [ *sc 1 st, chain 2, sc 1 st*, sc 36 sts, repeat between * * ]

Continue with the sc across to the first chain space. Once you’ve reached the chain 2 space, sc 2 stitches in the chain space made to reinforce the stitch. Crochet around to the end of the row, and finish with a slip stitch.