Welcome, my crochet friends! This week, we’re kicking off something incredibly special—the Navigator Lapghan project! I’ve teamed up with the one and only Bonnie Barker, an absolute crochet wizard when it comes to Celtic Crochet Stitches. I’ve admired her work for years, so getting to collaborate on this meaningful project is such a treat!
This lapghan is dedicated to all U.S. Veterans—a way for us to stitch up warmth, comfort, and appreciation. It’s beginner-friendly, fun to make, and absolutely gorgeous. We chose a blue color palette to represent the cause, but don’t feel tied down—go wild with your own color choices and make it personal!
Each week, both Bonnie and I will be releasing new tutorials, and you’ll need to hop between our channels to get the full lapghan completed. This week, I’m covering the Sc Cross Stitch Panel, while Bonnie is showing her first panel over on her channel. Make sure you check out both videos so you don’t miss a stitch!
What to Expect with This Panel
This week, we’re making the Sc Cross Stitch Panel—a beautifully textured panel that creates an elegant but sturdy design. The best part? It looks much more intricate than it actually is (gotta love a good stitch hack, right?).
Our goal for each panel in this project is to reach a final measurement of 44 inches wide by 8 inches long. Now, here’s the thing—since every panel has a different stitch pattern, the stitch count might not be identical across all four. And guess what? That’s totally okay! We’re focusing on dimensions, not identical stitch numbers. So grab your tape measure—it’s going to be your best friend throughout this project.
If your panel ends up a bit too narrow or too wide, don’t panic. Each stitch pattern has a multiple stitch count, meaning you can easily adjust your starting stitch count while keeping the pattern intact. If you’re not sure how to do this, no worries! Reach out, and I’ll be happy to help. Just remember, we’re not adjusting the blanket to different sizes for this project—that’s an advanced-level tweak. If you’re curious about how to do that, I have an entire swatch series that teaches you exactly how to resize projects like a pro.
Materials You’ll Need
For this project, we’ve chosen Paintbox Yarn from LoveCrafts because it’s budget-friendly, soft, and works up beautifully.
2 skeins of the Cerulean Blue
1 skein for the Deep Sea Blue (You will only use a small amount but continue to use this same skein for the border of other sections)
If you’d like to make a substitution, any size 4 weight yarn with a 9 WPI will work great! A few alternatives include:
Vanna’s Choice
Red Heart Soft
Brava Worsted
You’ll also need:
A crochet hook H/8-5.00mm
Tape measure (super important for getting the right dimensions!)
Stitch Markers (to both help you stay on count AND keep your sides straight)
Scissors
Yarn needle for weaving in ends
I’ll go over all of this in the video, so don’t stress about gathering everything just yet.
Stitching Up Success – Tips for This Panel
Keep an eye on your tension! The Sc Cross Stitch can tighten up a bit, so if your panel feels too stiff, try loosening your grip slightly.
Measure as you go. Seriously, tape measures are life-savers. Check your width early on, and adjust if needed before getting too far in.
Don’t worry about the stitch count. Just focus on hitting that 44-inch width and 8-inch height.
Need help? You can always reach out in the comments of the video or in my Crochet Club community for guidance!
Stitch Abbreviations
ch / Chain
st(s)/ Stitch(es)
sk/ Skip
sc/ Single Crochet
sl st/ Slip Stitch
*. / Asterisk means repeat everything
after until you reach the next asterisk
Where to Watch the Video Tutorial
Want to crochet along with me? You can watch the full step-by-step tutorial for the Sc Cross Stitch Panel on my YouTube channel! Click the link below to get started:
Want The Left-Handed Version?
↓ Check this video out ↓
Check Out Bonnie's Videos
Right-Handed Version: https://youtu.be/EODYhPShDYo?si=2Isfl-l4haFZKGns
Left-Handed Version: https://youtu.be/qh72OrBX0SU?si=Y9BgTkeHbhO-PBHP
Instructions -
Multiple Stitch Count Requirement 2 + 1
Starting with the Cerulean Blue color.
Ch 145
Row 1: sc in the second ch from hook and in each ch across row. (Total 144 sts)
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in the first sc,
*skip the next st, sc in the following st,
then, working loosely around the sc st you just made, sc into the skipped st.*
Repeat * to * across row ending the row with one sc in the very last st.
Row 3 & 23: Repeat Row 2. (Total 144 sts)
Once you finish Row 23, Tie Off your work and weave in your ends.
Next, grab the dark blue “Deep Sea Blue” color so we can work the border.
BORDER
sl st into the upper corner of the rectangular section to attach the new yarn color.
Ch 1, and sc in that first st you just sl st into. Make one sc in each stitch across the top of the section.
Corner 1: In the very last st of the top you will make 3 sc stitches in that same st.
First sc = last st for this side
Second sc = turning st
Third sc = first st for the next side
Rotate your project.
Side 2: make one sc in the side of each row. We made 23 rows so you should have 23 sc on this side
including the third st of Corner 1 and the first st of Corner 2.
Corner 2: Last row worked on this side make 3 sc. Rotate you project.
Now looking at the bottom of the rectangular section where the foundation row would be.
Make one sc between each sc stitch made from row 1. Count your stitches! You want a total of 144 sc across the bottom including the 2 corner sts.
Corner 3: in the last st of the bottom make 3 sc. Rotate project.
Now working the last side. Repeat what we did for side 2.
When you reach the last row you will only make 2 sc in this st because there is already one sc in this st. The one we began the whole border with. Which will equal 3 total sts in this st for your corner.
After making your 2 sc sts in this st, sl st into the top of the first sc to close the border.
Tie off your project and sew in your ends.
Project Complete!
Great Job!
(Optional: Blocking section for easier joining)
Where to Get the Pattern
You can find the full pattern for The Navigator Lapghan on my website! Click the link below to access it:
Don’t Miss Next Week!
We’re just getting started! Next week, I’ll be showing you how to make the Textured Stitch Panel, while Bonnie will be releasing her second panel. And then, in Week 3, I’ll walk you through how to join all four panels together using the Crab Stitch Join Method. Meanwhile, Bonnie will be wrapping up the lapghan with a stunning border!
If you’re loving this project, make sure to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to check out Bonnie’s video for her first panel. We can’t wait to see your progress—so share your photos and tag us on social media! #NavigatorLapghan
Happy crocheting, my friends! Let’s make something beautiful together. 💙🧶