Christmas Countdown

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN | FIVE-COLOR CROCHET BLANKET

Christmas Countdown lettering crowns 25 numbered ornaments: bells, stockings, trees, gingerbread houses, baubles, mittens, gifts and hearts. Holly, bows and an ivory background bring the five-color design together.

PATTERN SPECIFICATIONS
Overlay Mosaic: 380 chart stitches x 570 rows.
Tapestry: 380 chart stitches x 570 rows.
Colors: A Christmas red; B forest green; C gingerbread brown; D gold; E ivory.
Picture: retaining all 216,600 original color positions, the full lettering and numbers 1-25.
A Christmas red: 28,420 picture cells.
B forest green: 24,744 picture cells.
C gingerbread brown: 5,091 picture cells.
D gold: 5,879 picture cells.
E ivory: 152,466 picture cells.
Add 2 E edge sc per side: 384 worked stitches per row. Foundation ch 385 in E.
English instructions, US crochet terms and right-handed directions.

TWO TECHNIQUES
Tapestry: chart stitches use BLO single crochet on both RS and WS.
Mosaic: a five-color tapestry-overlay hybrid. Change colors within rows and work anchored overlay DC only at AX/BX/CX/DX cells. Unmarked A/B/C/D/E cells are sc. X occurs on an odd RS row where the current cell and two cells below have the same color. The full stitch instructions and a visual reading example are included.
Mosaic CUT uses BLO sc. Mosaic NO-CUT uses BLO sc on odd RS rows and FLO sc on even WS rows. Overlay stitches occur only in marked odd-row positions.
Both techniques carry all five yarns through every row, enclosing the FOUR inactive strands in every stitch, including each DC anchoring loop. This produces a dense fabric; choose yarn and hook from a washed swatch with the drape you want.

CUT AND NO-CUT
Each technique contains separate setup and every written row for BOTH alternatives.
CUT: all rows right to left, with RS facing; fasten off all five colors each row.
NO-CUT: keep all five yarns attached and turn after EVERY row; odd rows right to left, even rows left to right.
Choose one method. Row 1 is at the bottom and column 1 on the right. Written sequences are already in working order. Complete all 380 picture stitches across page joins before moving up one row. Add edge stitches only at the two outside edges.

READABLE CHARTS
Each complete PDF includes 168 A4 sections in 12 columns x 14 bands. Each section has 31-32 columns and 40-41 rows. At 100% / Actual size, every cell is 5.5 mm square. Check the 10-cell / 55 mm ruler on each sheet.
Charts include color letters, stitch marks, row and column numbers, stronger lines every 10 cells and essential reading rules. Mosaic marks are 8.2 pt bold; Tapestry letters and coordinate labels are 9 pt. Written sequences use 10.3 pt text and visible direction arrows.
Two assembly-map pages show the left and right halves with exact section ranges. Matching large-format vector single-page charts are for screen zoom. Use the A4 sections for printing; fitting a whole chart to one A4 sheet reduces cell size.

YARN AND FINISHED SIZE
Use five smooth yarns of equal weight, a suitable hook, markers, scissors, a blunt needle, tape measure and scale. Make separate samples for the selected technique and CUT/NO-CUT method.
The 10-page yarn guide supplies complete sample rows, separate color weighing, edge and chain calibration, size formulas, illustrative calculations and two border options. The measuring panel approximates the picture's color and stitch proportions; sample additional motifs when tension varies.
The offline calculator starts with blank measurements. Enter all five color weights, washed gauge, individual yarn labels and ball sizes. It includes picture yarn, side edges, foundation and lifting chains, an adjustable E outside border (default 12%), CUT tails and reserve (default 10%). Each color is rounded up independently to whole balls.
At 15 cm per end, CUT tails add 171 meters PER COLOR. NO-CUT has no repeated-row tails.
Body width = 384 x washed 20-stitch width / 20.
Body height = 570 x washed 20-row height / 20.
For a 10 x 10 cm measured panel, the body is 192 x 285 cm before an outside border. At exactly 5 stitches and 5 rows per inch, the picture is 76 x 114 in and the body with side stitches is 76.8 x 114 in. These are gauge examples; use your own measurements. An outside border adds twice its width to each dimension.
Yarn quantities in the worked examples demonstrate arithmetic. Use personal sample measurements for purchasing yarn.

PACKAGE
Two complete pattern PDFs; two single-page vector charts; a 10-page yarn/size/finishing guide; five-color offline calculator; original cell PNG and CSV; full-picture preview; complete written-row CSV; English and Chinese product descriptions and start guides.
Digital pattern only. Yarn, tools and a finished blanket are not included. The numbered ornaments form one continuous picture; this pattern does not add separate pockets.

PAGE GUIDE
Mosaic: 272 pages. Enlarged charts 7-174 (168 sections).
CUT setup 175; written rows 176-223. NO-CUT setup 224; written rows 225-272.
Tapestry: 237 pages. Enlarged charts 6-173 (168 sections).
CUT setup 174; written rows 175-205. NO-CUT setup 206; written rows 207-237.