Pura Vida – Week 1

Welcome to Week 1 of my Pura Vida blanket crochet-along… it’s lovely to have you here and over the next 6 weeks we will crochet this fun, colourful and vibrant blanket together! 💚

A blanket inspired by the Costa Rican greeting ‘Pura Vida’!

Here’s a welcome introductory chat from me… I hope you enjoy it and learn more about the inspiration behind this blanket! 🙂

All the practical introductory information with yarn recommendations and more inspiration photos for this blanket can be found here: https://coastalcrochet.com/2025/09/26/pura-vida-crochet-along🦋/

The free pattern is further below – there’s also a printer friendly PDF pattern available to purchase on my Ravelry with versions in both UK and US crochet terms.

Pattern on Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pura-vida-blanket

You only pay once and each week the next instalment will be added to the pattern which you will have full access to. At the end of the 6 weeks you’ll have the full pattern to keep. It’s a lovely way to support my work… thank you! 

The Facebook Group ‘Coastal Crochet’ is a great place to ask questions, share progress and get to know each other or on Instagram you can share using the hashtags #puravidablanket and #coastalcrochetcal

And Iris from Een Mooi Gebaar is translating it into Dutch… https://eenmooigebaar.nl

This week we will be crocheting Parts 1 and 2 of the original crochet-along as it featured in the magazine.

All the photos I’ll be sharing from Costa Rica throughout the crochet along were taken by my son Morgan in 2022… they’re absolutely wonderful! Costa Rica looks so beautiful and one day I hope to take my blanket there… 😊🦋💚

In Week 1 we will be crocheting rows of gorgeous greens inspired by the vibrant colours of the rainforests…

And then we crochet rows of textured colours as we see flashes of red, yellow and blue as the macaws fly by!

We then use raised stitches to crochet tropical trees…

Before emerging from those trees onto beautiful sandy beaches and hearing the sounds of the ocean waves…

So here goes… I hope you love making this blanket as much as I loved designing and making it too!

ENJOY IT and Pura Vida… 💚🦋

Pattern Notes

The blanket is mainly crocheted in rows with the beautiful creatures crocheted separately and sewn on.

The turning chains count as a stitch throughout unless indicated otherwise. You may want to use a stitch marker in the top of the turning chains making it easier to identify them as the correct stitch to crochet into at the end of the subsequent row.

When changing colour join the new colour at the final yoh of the final stitch of a row when indicated.

The animal appliqués will benefit from blocking to help set the shape before sewing onto the blanket.

Abbreviations in UK Crochet Terminology.

blo: back loop only

BPtr: Back Post treble (see below)

ch: chain

ch-sp: chain space

dc: double crochet

dc2tog: double crochet 2 stitches together

dtr: double treble

FPdtr: Front post double treble (see below)

FPquadtr: Front Post quadruple treble (see below)

FPtr: Front Post treble (see below)

FPtrtr: Front Post triple treble (see below)

FPdtr3tog: Front post double treble 3 stitches together (see below)

FPtrtr2tog: Front post triple treble 2 stitches together (see below)

htr: half treble

mm: millimetres 

pompom bobble: (see below)

quintr: quintuple treble (see below)

RS: right side

sp: space

ss: slip stitch

st(s): stitch(es) 

tr: treble

tr4tog: treble 4 stitches together

WS: wrong side

yoh: yarn over hook

Back Post treble: complete a treble st as normal but insert hook around the stem of the st inserting hook from right to left going from the back to the front and then round to the back again.

Front post double treble: complete a double treble st as normal (the st starts by wrapping yarn around hook 2 times) but insert hook around the stem of the st inserting hook from right to left going from the front to the back and then round to the front again.

Front Post quadruple treble: complete a quadruple treble st as normal (the st starts by wrapping yarn around hook 4 times) but insert hook around the stem of the st inserting hook from right to left going from the front to the back and then round to the front again, (yoh, pull through 2 loops) and repeat until only one loop remains.

Front Post treble: complete a treble st as normal but insert hook around the stem of the st inserting hook from right to left going from the front to the back and then round to the front again.

Front Post triple treble: complete a triple treble st as normal (the st starts by wrapping yarn around hook 3 times) but insert hook around the stem of the st inserting hook from right to left going from the front to the back and then round to the front again, (yoh, pull through 2 loops) and repeat until only one loop remains.

FPdtr3tog: Front Post double treble three stitches together: *complete a double treble st as normal (the stitch starts by wrapping yarn around hook 2 times) but insert hook around the stem of the st inserting hook from right to left going from the front to the back and then round to the front again, stop at last yoh when there are only 2 loops left on hook, repeat from * around the same st or the next st as indicated twice more, (there should now be 4 loops left on the hook), yoh and pull through all the loops on hook.

FPtrtr2tog: Front post triple treble 2 stitches together: *complete a triple treble st as normal (the st starts by wrapping yarn around hook 3 times) but insert hook around the stem of the first st inserting hook from right to left going from the front to the back and then round to the front again, stop at last yoh when there are only 2 loops left, repeat from * around stem of next st, (there should now be 3 loops left on the hook), yoh and pull through all the loops on hook.

Pompom Bobble: Make 4ch, tr4tog in third ch from hook going under both top and back strands of the chain, 3ch, tr4tog in third ch from hook going under both top and back strands, ss to first ch of beginning 4 ch going under both top and back strands, make 1ch.

quintr: quintuple treble: the st starts by wrapping yarn around hook 5 times, (yoh, pull through 2 loops) and repeat until only one loop remains.

To Work

Part 1

Gorgeous greens in the rainforests… and a flash of colour as the macaws fly by!

Using Yarn A make 147ch (alternatively start with 145 foundation trebles and then go to Row 2).

Row 1 (RS) 1tr in 4th ch from hook (the 3 missed ch count as first tr), 1tr in each ch to end, turn. [145 sts]

Row 2 (WS) 3ch (counts as first tr here and throughout), 1tr in next st and each st to end, join with Yarn B at end of final st, turn.

Row 3 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, join with Yarn C at end of final st (do not cut Yarn B, leave it attached ready to be re-joined later), turn. [145 sts]

Row 4 No turning chain, 1ss in first st, (1tr in next st, 1ss in next st) to end, fasten off Yarn C, do not turn.

Row 5 (WS) Go back to beginning of Row 4, insert hook into first ss and pick up Yarn B, 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, turn. [145 sts]

Row 6 (RS) 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, join with Yarn D at end of final st, turn.

Row 7 1ch (does not count as st), 1dc in first st, (1dtr in next st, 1dc in next st) to end, join with Yarn E at end of final st, turn.

Row 8 3ch, (1htr in next st, 1tr in next st) to end, join with Yarn F at end of final st, turn.

Row 9 1ch (does not count as st), 1dc in first st, (1dtr in next st, 1dc in next st) to end, join with Yarn G at end of final st, turn.

Row 10 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, turn.

Row 11 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, join with Yarn H at end of final st, turn.

Row 12 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, turn.

Row 13 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, join with Yarn I at end of final st, turn.

Part 2

A walk amongst the trees and hearing the sounds of the ocean waves before emerging onto the beautiful sandy beaches…

Row 14 (RS) 1ch (does not count as st here and throughout), 1dc in each of first 5 sts, miss next st instead working 1FPquadtr around the 9^th tr in from the right three rows below in Row 11, 1dc in each of next 5 sts, miss next st instead working 1FPquadtr around the same tr just worked around, *1dc in each of next 4 sts, miss next st instead working 1FPtrtr around the 8^th tr along from previous tr worked around three rows below, 1dc in each of next 4 sts, miss next st instead working 1FPquadtr around the 8^th tr along from previous tr worked around three rows below, 1dc in each of next 5 sts, miss next st instead working 1FPquadtr around the same tr just worked around, repeat from * 7 times more, 1dc in each of final 5 sts, join with Yarn H at end of final st, turn. [145 sts with 26 raised sts]

Row 15 (WS) 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, join with Yarn J at end of final st, turn.

Row 16 1ch, 1dc in each of first 4 sts, *miss next st instead working 1FPdtr around the next raised st two rows below in Row 14, 1dc in next st, miss next st instead working 1FPdtr around the same st just worked around, 1dc in each of next 3 sts, miss next st instead working 1FPdtr around the next raised st below in Row 14, 1dc in next st, miss next st instead working 1FPdtr around the same st just worked around, 1dc in each of next 2 sts**, miss next 3 sts instead working (1FPdtr, 1FPtr, 1FPdtr) all around next raised st directly below in Row 14, 1dc in each of next 2 sts, repeat from * 8 times ending final repeat at **, 1dc in each of final 2 sts, join with Yarn H at end of final st, turn. [145 sts with 60 raised sts]

Row 17 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, join with Yarn J at end of final st (do not cut Yarn H, leave it attached ready to be re-joined later), turn.

Row 18 1ch, 1ss in each of first 3 sts, *(miss next 2 sts instead working 2FPdtr around the next raised st two rows below in Row 16, 1ss in next st) 4 times**, 1ss in next st, miss next st instead working FPdtr3tog around the 3 raised sts below in Row 16, 1ss in each of next 2 sts, repeat from * 8 times ending final repeat at **, 1ss in each of final 2 sts, fasten off, do not turn. [145 sts with 80 raised sts]

In Row 19 the sts are worked into the sts of Row 17 so that the sts from Row 18 are encased. Ensure your hook goes under any sts from Row 18 to neaten and hide the tops of the sts.

Row 19 (RS) Go back to beginning of Row 18, insert hook into first st of Row 17 below and pick up Yarn H, 1ch (does not count as st), 1dc in each of first 3 sts in Row 17, 1dc in next missed st in Row 17 encasing the top of the raised stitch in Row 18, insert hook in-between the two raised stitches into the next missed st in Row 17 encasing the top of the raised stitch in Row 18 and work 1dc, continue with 1dc in each st in Row 17 encasing the tops of the sts in Row 18, turn. [145 sts]

Row 20 (WS) 3ch, 1tr in next st and each st to end, turn.

Row 21 1ch, 1dc in each st to end, fasten off Yarn H, do not turn.

Row 22 (RS) Go back to beginning of Row 21, insert hook into first st and join Yarn A, 3ch, 1tr in next st, miss 1 st, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) all in next st, *miss 2 sts, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) all in next st, repeat from * to final 3 sts, miss next st, 1tr in each of final 2 sts, join with Yarn C at end of final st, turn.

Row 23 3ch, 1tr in next st, miss 1 st, 3tr in next 1-ch-sp, *miss 2 sts, 3tr in next 1-ch-sp, repeat from * until final 1-ch-sp, miss next st, 1tr in each of final 2 sts, join with Yarn B at end of final st, turn.

Row 24 4ch (counts as first dtr), 1dtr in next st, *1tr in each of next 2 sts, 1htr in next st, 1dc in each of next 3 sts, 1htr in next st, 1tr in each of next 2 sts, 1dtr in each of next 3 sts, repeat from * to end (the final repeat will end with 1dtr in each of the final 2 sts), turn. [145 sts] 

Row 25 1ch, 1dc in each st to end, join with Yarn I at end of final st, turn. 

Row 26 1ch, 1dc in each of first 2 sts, *1htr in each of next 2 sts, 1tr in next st, 1dtr in each of next 3 sts, 1tr in next st, 1htr in each of next 2 sts, 1dc in each of next 3 sts, repeat from * to end (the final repeat will end with 1dc in each of the final 2 sts), turn. 

Row 27 1ch (does not count as st), 1dc in each st to end, join with Yarn D at end of final st, turn. 

Rows 28 – 29 Repeat Rows 24 – 25 joining with Yarn H at end of Row 29.

Rows 30 – 31 Repeat Rows 26 – 27 joining with Yarn G at end of Row 31.

Pura Vida and Happy Crocheting… 💚