Midnight Scream

Ghostface Halloween Chunky Blanket

Skill level: Intermediate
Construction: Hand-crocheted flat, bottom-up, in one piece, with a joined border
Finished size: About 52 × 60 in (132 × 152 cm), including border
Body size (before border): 48 × 56 in (122 × 142 cm)

A bold, couch-distance Ghostface mask on a black hood, worked in bulky yarn so the scream reads clearly from across the room. White mask, black eye hollows, and a wide screaming mouth sit on a field of half double crochet; bobbles raise the hood fabric; a ribbed frame and blood-drip edging finish the Halloween look.

Materials

Yarn: Bulky weight (#5), acrylic or wool-blend (easy-care throw)

Suggested yarns: Lion Brand Hue + Me, Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky, or any bulky that matches gauge.

Hook: US L/11 (8 mm), or size needed to obtain gauge
(Optional: US M/13 / 9 mm for the foundation chain only, so the bottom edge does not pull in.)

Notions:

• 4 stitch markers
• Yarn needle
• Scissors
• Extra MC bobbins (optional, for intarsia)
• Blocking pins and a steam iron

Gauge

10 hdc and 8 rows = 4 × 4 in (10 × 10 cm) in hdc, with US L/11 (8 mm), unblocked.

Work a 6 × 6 in (15 × 15 cm) swatch: ch 17, hdc in 3rd ch from hook and across (15 hdc). Work 12 rows. The center 10 sts × 8 rows should measure 4 in (10 cm). Change hook size if needed. Textured bobble rows are slightly denser; do not change hook for those rows.

Abbreviations (US)

Special Stitches

Bobble (bo): Yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, draw through 2 loops (2 loops on hook). Rep from * 3 more times in the same st (5 loops on hook). Yo, draw through all 5 loops. Ch 1 to close. Do not work into the ch-1; the bobble counts as 1 stitch. (Worked on WS so the bobble pops to the RS.)

Tapestry/intarsia hdc: Change color on the last yo of the stitch before the new color. For the large white mask, use a separate ball of CC and two balls (or both ends) of MC — left hood and right hood — so you are not carrying white across the full black width. Through the eyes and mouth, carry the unused color along the WS and encase it inside the hdc for short runs only. Do not pull carried yarn tight.

Blood drip: Ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, tr in each of last 2 ch, sl st in the same border st as the drip’s base. The drip hangs toward the WS while you work, then falls to the RS when the blanket is turned right-way-down.

Surface slip stitch (optional): With yarn on the WS, insert hook from RS to WS, yo, pull up a loop, *insert hook in next st, yo, pull through fabric and through loop on hook; rep from * along the line.

Pattern Notes

1. This blanket is hand-crocheted with a large hook and bulky yarn. The fabric is dense and warm; take breaks. Tapestry work in bulky yarn is hard on the hands — a light grip and a hook with a comfortable handle help.
2. Worked in turned rows. Odd-numbered rows are RS; even-numbered rows are WS.
3. Ch 2 at the start of every row does not count as a stitch. Hdc in the first st of every row. Stitch count remains 120 on every row.
4. The mask is horizontally symmetric. Each color sequence is a palindrome, so RS and WS rows are written the same way — work the sequence in the order given, from the start of the row.
5. Place markers in sts 28 and 93 when the face is at full width (27 MC on each side) to catch drift early.
6. Count stitches at the end of every colorwork row: (blocks must total 120 ✓).
7. Keep carried yarn loose. Tight carries will cinch the mask and warp the rectangle.
8. Weave in tails as you go where possible; bulky colorwork creates many ends.

Schematic (not to scale)

Width 52 in (132 cm) including border
+--------------------------------------------------+
|  AC blood-drip edging around all four sides      |
|  +--------------------------------------------+  |
|  | MC black hood + bobbles          8 in      |  |
|  |      +------------------------------+      |  |
|  |      | CC forehead / crown          |      |  |
|  |      |  MC  MC     eyes     MC  MC  |      |  |
|  |      |  left        bridge    right |      |  |
|  |      |         CC midface           |      |  |
|  |      |      MC screaming mouth      |      |  |
|  |      |           CC chin            |      |  |
|  |      +------------------------------+      |  |
|  |      mask panel ~ 26 × 40 in               |  |
|  | MC black hood + bobbles          8 in      |  |
|  +--------------------------------------------+  |
|              body 48 × 56 in                     |
+--------------------------------------------------+
Length 60 in (152 cm) including border

Mask panel (body): about 26 in (66 cm) wide at the cheeks × 40 in (102 cm) tall, centered on 48 in (122 cm).

Color Legend

Motif Chart (written chart is the source of truth)

Read each line as one row group. One character ≈ 2 stitches. ■ = MC, □ = CC. Use the written row instructions for exact counts.

Rows 1–16   ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■   (bobbles on 4, 8, 12, 16)
17–18       ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■□□□■■■■■■■■■■■■■
19–20       ■■■■■■■■■■■■□□□□□■■■■■■■■■■■■■
21–22       ■■■■■■■■■■□□□□□□□■■■■■■■■■■■■■
23–24       ■■■■■■■■■□□□□□□□□■■■■■■■■■■■■
25–26       ■■■■■■■■□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■■■■■■
27–28       ■■■■■■■□□□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■■■■■
29–30       ■■■■■■□□□□□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■■■■
31–32       ■■■■■□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■■■
33–34       ■■■■■□□□□■mouth■□□□□■■■■■■■■     (black mouth opens)
35–42       ■■■■□□□□■■■■mouth■■■■□□□□■■■■
43–46       ■■■■□□□□□■mouth■□□□□□■■■■■■■     (mouth closing)
47          ■■■■□□□□□□■□□□□□□■■■■■■■■■■
48–54       ■■■■□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■     (white midface)
55–74       ■■■■□□■eye■□□bridge□□■eye■□□■■■■
75–80       ■■■■□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■     (forehead)
81–88       ■■■■■□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□■■■■■■■     (crown tapers)
89–96       ■■■■■■■■■□□□□□□■■■■■■■■■■■■■
97–112      ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■   (bobbles on 100, 104, 108, 112)

Blanket Body

With MC and L/11 (8 mm) hook, chain 122 loosely.

Foundation row (WS): Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.
(Skipped ch-2 does not count as a stitch. 122 − 2 = 120 ✓)

Lower hood (Rows 1–16) — all MC

Rows 1–3: Hdc in each st across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.

Row 4 (WS, bobble row): *4 hdc, bo in next st; rep from * across.
(5-st repeat × 24 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 5–7: Hdc in each st across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.

Row 8 (WS, bobble row): Rep Row 4.

Rows 9–11: Hdc in each st across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.

Row 12 (WS, bobble row): Rep Row 4.

Rows 13–15: Hdc in each st across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.

Row 16 (WS, bobble row): Rep Row 4. Ch 2, turn.

Mask — chin (Rows 17–32)

Join CC when first needed. Use a second ball of MC for the far side of the mask.

Rows 17–18: 55 MC, 10 CC, 55 MC.
(55 + 10 + 55 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 19–20: 51 MC, 18 CC, 51 MC.
(51 + 18 + 51 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 21–22: 47 MC, 26 CC, 47 MC.
(47 + 26 + 47 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 23–24: 43 MC, 34 CC, 43 MC.
(43 + 34 + 43 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 25–26: 39 MC, 42 CC, 39 MC.
(39 + 42 + 39 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 27–28: 35 MC, 50 CC, 35 MC.
(35 + 50 + 35 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 29–30: 32 MC, 56 CC, 32 MC.
(32 + 56 + 32 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 31–32: 29 MC, 62 CC, 29 MC.
(29 + 62 + 29 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Mask — screaming mouth (Rows 33–47)

The center MC block is the mouth (same black as the hood). Keep CC attached on both cheeks.

Rows 33–34: 29 MC, 14 CC, 34 MC, 14 CC, 29 MC.
(29 + 14 + 34 + 14 + 29 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 35–42: 27 MC, 16 CC, 34 MC, 16 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 16 + 34 + 16 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.
Mark sts 28 and 93 (first and last CC of the full-width face).

Rows 43–44: 27 MC, 20 CC, 26 MC, 20 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 20 + 26 + 20 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 45–46: 27 MC, 24 CC, 18 MC, 24 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 24 + 18 + 24 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Row 47: 27 MC, 28 CC, 10 MC, 28 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 28 + 10 + 28 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Mask — midface (Rows 48–54)

Rows 48–54: 27 MC, 66 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 66 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Mask — eyes (Rows 55–74)

Center CC is the bridge of the nose; the two MC blocks are the eye hollows.

Rows 55–56: 27 MC, 10 CC, 8 MC, 30 CC, 8 MC, 10 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 10 + 8 + 30 + 8 + 10 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 57–58: 27 MC, 7 CC, 14 MC, 24 CC, 14 MC, 7 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 7 + 14 + 24 + 14 + 7 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 59–68: 27 MC, 5 CC, 18 MC, 20 CC, 18 MC, 5 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 5 + 18 + 20 + 18 + 5 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 69–70: 27 MC, 7 CC, 14 MC, 24 CC, 14 MC, 7 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 7 + 14 + 24 + 14 + 7 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 71–72: 27 MC, 10 CC, 8 MC, 30 CC, 8 MC, 10 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 10 + 8 + 30 + 8 + 10 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 73–74: 27 MC, 12 CC, 4 MC, 34 CC, 4 MC, 12 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 12 + 4 + 34 + 4 + 12 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Mask — forehead and crown (Rows 75–96)

Rows 75–80: 27 MC, 66 CC, 27 MC.
(27 + 66 + 27 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 81–82: 29 MC, 62 CC, 29 MC.
(29 + 62 + 29 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 83–84: 32 MC, 56 CC, 32 MC.
(32 + 56 + 32 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 85–86: 36 MC, 48 CC, 36 MC.
(36 + 48 + 36 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 87–88: 40 MC, 40 CC, 40 MC.
(40 + 40 + 40 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 89–90: 45 MC, 30 CC, 45 MC.
(45 + 30 + 45 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 91–92: 50 MC, 20 CC, 50 MC.
(50 + 20 + 50 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 93–94: 54 MC, 12 CC, 54 MC.
(54 + 12 + 54 = 120 ✓) Ch 2, turn.

Rows 95–96: 57 MC, 6 CC, 57 MC.
(57 + 6 + 57 = 120 ✓) Fasten off CC. Ch 2, turn.

(Mask rows 17–96 = 80 rows = 40 in / 102 cm at gauge ✓)
(Lower hood 16 + mask 80 = 96 rows ✓)

Upper hood (Rows 97–112) — all MC

Rows 97–99: Hdc in each st across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.

Row 100 (WS, bobble row): Rep Row 4. Ch 2, turn.

Rows 101–103: Hdc in each st across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.

Row 104 (WS, bobble row): Rep Row 4. Ch 2, turn.

Rows 105–107: Hdc in each st across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.

Row 108 (WS, bobble row): Rep Row 4. Ch 2, turn.

Rows 109–111: Hdc in each st across. 120 hdc. Ch 2, turn.

Row 112 (WS, bobble row): Rep Row 4. Do not turn. Do not fasten off MC.

(Upper hood 16 rows; 96 + 16 = 112 body rows = 56 in / 142 cm ✓)

Border

Work with RS facing. Rotate the blanket as you go. Do not count the side-edge stitches obsessively — ease them so the edge lies flat. On hdc row-ends, 3 sc per 2 row-ends is the target rate (112 row-ends × 3/2 = 168 sc per long side ✓).

Rnd 1 (MC, sc frame): Ch 1. Work sc evenly around all four sides, placing 3 sc in each corner. On the top edge, 1 sc in each of the 120 hdc. On the bottom edge (foundation), 1 sc in each of the 120 ch. On each side, work 3 sc per 2 row-ends. Sl st to first sc. Do not turn.

Rnd 2 (MC, post-stitch rib): Ch 2 (does not count as a st). *Fphdc around next st, bphdc around next st; rep from * around, working (fphdc, hdc, fphdc) in each corner sc (the center sc of the 3-sc corner). If the last pair does not land evenly, end with a fphdc and sl st to the first fphdc — a one-stitch fudge on a bulky throw will not show. Sl st to join. Fasten off MC.

Rnd 3 (AC, blood drips): Join AC with sl st in any st along the bottom edge, a little in from one corner. Ch 1.

Work this round as sc in each st, with 3 sc in each corner st, and place drips as follows:

• Bottom edge (heaviest): *Sc in next 4 sts, blood drip in next st; rep from * across, skipping the drip at the two corner sts.
• Side edges (medium): *Sc in next 8 sts, blood drip in next st; rep from *, skipping drips in the corner sts.
• Top edge (lightest): *Sc in next 12 sts, blood drip in next st; rep from *, skipping drips in the corner sts.

If a repeat does not land exactly, sc to the next corner rather than crowding a drip into the corner. Sl st to first sc. Fasten off AC.

Drips hang off the edge. If a drip twists, a single steam pass (see Blocking) sets it.

Optional surface definition (intermediate plus)

With a long strand of MC and RS facing, surface slip stitch around:

1. The outer oval of the white mask
2. Each eye hollow
3. The mouth oval

Keep the surface chain slightly looser than the fabric or the mask will pucker. Fasten off and pull ends to the WS.

For a bloodied-mouth variant, surface-sl-st a short AC trickle from one corner of the mouth down onto the chin, 4–8 sts long.

Finishing

1. Weave in all ends securely on the WS. Bulky color changes hide best if you split the ply and weave each half in a different direction.
2. Trim drip-end tails so they do not peek through the red round.

Blocking

Steam block — do not wet-block the bobbles flat.

1. Pin the blanket RS up to 52 × 60 in (132 × 152 cm), squaring the corners.
2. Hover a steam iron 1 in (2.5 cm) above the fabric. Do not rest the iron on the bobbles or drips.
3. Steam the mask area enough to even the color-change columns.
4. Let dry fully before unpinning.
5. If drips curl, steam them and pin each tip straight until cool.

Care

Follow the yarn label. Acrylic: machine wash cold, gentle; tumble low or lay flat. Wool blend: hand wash, lay flat. Do not iron directly. Store folded, not hanging, so the bulky fabric does not stretch.

Stitch diagrams

Bobble (WS; pops to RS)

     5 loops on hook → yo, draw through all 5, ch 1
        / | | | \
       dc dc dc dc   (4 incomplete dc in SAME st)
              |
           next st

Blood drip

   ch-6 chain standing out from the edge
   tip: sc
        hdc
         dc
          tr
           tr
            \ sl st back into the same border st

Post-stitch rib (Rnd 2)

RS:  fphdc around post, bphdc around next post, repeat
Corner: (fphdc, hdc, fphdc) in center corner st

Size and count recap

Every body row: 120 stitches.
Bobble rows: 24 bobbles × 5 sts = 120 ✓
Total body rows: 16 + 80 + 16 = 112 ✓