Free Crochet Pattern: "Join As You Go" (JAYG) Hedgehog C2C Square | The 3.rd C2C Block of the "JAYG C2C Forest Animal Blanket CAL"

We are continuing our "Join As You Go (JAYG) C2C Forest Animal Blanket CAL" with the 3rd. Animal Block, the Hedgehog!

*Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links and at no additional cost to you, I might earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through these links. Thank you!

We have already worked the first two animal blocks, the Rabbit C2C Block (as an individual c2c square) and the Jayg C2C Deer Block built with the "Join as you Go Method" into the left side of the Rabbit block!

Now we are building the JAYG C2C Hedgehog Block into the left side of the Deer Block! This block is the most challeges one, regarding color changes! I have tried to work over my yarn tails as much as I could!

You can find all the info about this CAL, including the links to the new JAYG Animal Blocks as they get published on the Join As You Go (JAYG) C2C Forest Animals Blanket CAL Page!

Jayg C2C Hedgehog Block | The Third C2C Block of the "Join As You Go (JAYG) C2C Forest Animal Blanket CAL"

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This free C2C JAYG Hedgehog Block crochet pattern includes detailed instructions regarding the JAYG Method, a Video Tutorial, written row by row instructions for color counts, telling you how many c2c box stitches to make of each color and in what order.


Sure, you can also crochet this Corner to Corner Deer Square in the traditional way, as an individual piece (not joining as you go) using the written row by row color count and the graph. But once you learn the Jayg Method, you will not go back! :)

A link to download the free Hedgehog Picture Graph can be found below the written instruction!

Below is my two color background version, made for the tutorial, so you can better see the joining!

GAUGE:

6 C2C tiles = 10 x 10 cm (4 inches x 4 inches)

SIZE:

the square is 25 tiles x 25 tiles and approx. measures approx. 15.5 inches X 15.5 inches (39 cm x 39 cm)

SUPPLIES:

For the background color you can either use one single color for the entire blanket (for all jayg animal blocks), or you can use two /more different colors.

I have crocheted both options, as you will see in the pictures, one with purple background for all animal blocks (the entire blanket) and one version were I have alternated 2 colors (Red Heart Super Saver-Light Blue and Red Heart Super Saver-Frosty Green) from one block to another!
The written instructions and charts are all using the one color background for the entire blanket!

• yarn: Red Heart Super Saver ( yarn weight: Medium 4), 7 oz (198g)/ skein in following 6 colors:
(Add a bit more inches for color changes and yarn tails!)
1. purple: Red Heart Super Saver - Lavender for the background, approx. 60.72 g ( approx. 11.63 yds )
2. brown: Red Heart Super Saver - Cafe Latte approx. 130 g, approx. 240 yds)
3. black: Red Heart Super Saver - Black approx. 4 g; approx. 7.35 yards)
4. beige: Red Heart Super Saver - Buff approx. 24 g; approx. 44.12 yds)
5. dark brown: Red Heart Super Saver - Coffee approx. 5 g, approx. 9.2 yds
6. white: Red Heart Super Saver - White approx. 15.9 g, approx. 29.23 yds
• 5.5 mm crochet hook (My hook is a Furls Wooden Hook)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

STITCHES, TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS:

(I'm using US TERMS in all my patterns!)
- ch : chain
- hdc: half double crochet
- c2c: corner to corner crochet
- slst : slip stitch
- RS: right side
- WS: wrong side
- ch2sp: chain two space

CROCHET METHOD C2C WITH THE HALF DOUBLE CROCHET AND JOIN AS YOU GO METHOD (JAYG C2C SQUARES) :

• You will use the C2C with the hdc, working the square on the diagonal starting from bottom right corner to top left.
• Each box stitch/block is made of ch2 and 3 hdc.
• While the increases at the end of the rows where the pieces are not connected are made as usual (with ch5, hdc into the 3rd, 4th and 5th ch from hook),
  the increases at the other end of rows will be made with the JAYG Method into the left side of the second animal block, explained in the pattern below.
• You will "join-as-you-go" while crocheting the increase rows only!
• The decrease row will be worked as usual (without any joining!).

If you are new to c2c crochet, you can watch my YouTube Video Tutorial featuring the previous version of my Rabbit C2C Square!

NOTES:

1. When crocheting on the Wrong Side (WS) of work place the yarns to the front of the work!

2. When crocheting on the Right Side (RS) you will place the yarns to the back of the work!

3. For the JAYG Method you will read the Graph in a certain way for the even numbered animal blocks and the opposed way for the uneven numbered animal blocks!

For this block (block 3) and all Uneven Numbered Animal Blocks: the 1st, the 5th, 7.th and 9.th animal graphs (with horizontal corners) you will read the graph this way:

• ↗ Uneven rows will be on the wrong side of work from bottom to top ↗. (So the 1st block st will be a vertical one!)

• ↙ Even rows will be worked on the right side of work from top to bottom ↙.

The direction of work for each animal block will be from bottom right to top left!

Starting 3rd Animal Block with the JOIN AS YOU GO (JAYG) C2C METHOD

We are building the 3rd. animal block into the left side of the 2nd. animal block, starting the join into the left bottom corner of the Deer Block!
Take a look at that corner stitch! It is a horizontal box stitch worked on the right side!
To keep the pattern alternating horizontal and vertical box stitches, we need to start the 3rd animal block with a vertical box stitch and the finished block will have in all 4 corners vertical c2c box sts.

You will use the JAYG Method as written below AND at the same time you will follow the Written Row by Row Color Counts below (or the downloadable Graph)!!
The first color changes are made in Row 11, an uneven row worked here on the wrong side from bottom to top! So you will work the first 10 rows in main color only!

Row 1 of the 3rd animal block (see the photo collage below!):
Holding your crochet piece with the JAYG animals on Right Side, join yarn into the left bottom corner of the 2nd animal block (Deer Block).
For this, turn the Deer Block clockwise 90° (picture 1);
join background color yarn with slst into the last hdc of the left corner box st;
now ch5 (picture 2);
work a box stitch as usual with 1 hdc into the 3rd ch from hook and 1 hdc in each of next 2 chains! (picture 3) (Note: Your first box st will be a vertical box st!)
Connect this first box st with the first box st on the Deer Edge with the JAYG Method by slip stitching in between the first and second box st on the Deer Edge! (picture 4)

Row 2 (RS): start with a JAYG Increase on Deer Edge: ch2 and slst in between the next 2 box sts on Deer Edge, ch 2 again (picture 2) and turn to work row 2 on the right side from top to bottom! (picture 3)
Work the first box st of row 2: into the ch2sp just made on Deer Edge work 3 hdc;
continue with the 2nd box st of row 2 as usual: slst into ch2 of next box st, ch2 and work 3hdc into same ch2sp. (picture 4)

Row 3 (WS): start with a normal c2c increase with ch 5, then work the first box of this row as usual: 1 hdc into 3rd ch from hook and 1 hdc in each of next 2 chains.
Turn to work on the wrong side the next 2 box sts of row 3, worked as usual with slst into ch2sp of next box st, ch2 and work 3 hdc into same ch2sp.
For row 3 you have 3 box sts; now you need to connect the 3rd box st with the 3rd box st on Deer Edge. To connect, slst in between the 3rd and 4th box st on Deer Edge!
Then continue with the increase for row 4 with the Jayg Method on the side of the 2nd animal block: ch2 and slst in between the next 2 box sts on Deer Edge, ch 2 again,as seen in the picture below

Continue increasing from Row 4 to Row 25 in the same manner as for Rows 2 and 3; increasing on the side of Deer Block with the JAYG Method as written above and increasing as usual on the bottom side; at the same time following the chart or written row by row color counts!

At the end of Row 25 (the Corner Row), worked on WS from bottom to top, after finishing the last box st of the row, slst into the ch2sp of the (left) corner box st of the Deer Block, as seen in the photo collage below! This will be the last "join as you go" of these two blocks!

Now turn and start the decrease rows from row 26-49!

VIDEO TUTORIAL:

In the video tutorial below I'm showing you "How to join as you go (JAYG) the Hedgehog C2C Crochet Block

If you can't see the video, you can watch it on YouTube here!

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WRITTEN ROW BY ROW COLOR COUNTS

↗ Row 1: purple x 1 (1 square)

↙ Row 2: purple x 2 (2 squares)

↗ Row 3: purple x 3 (3 squares)

↙ Row 4: purple x 4 (4 squares)

↗ Row 5: purple x 5 (5 squares)

↙ Row 6: purple x 6 (6 squares)

↗ Row 7: purple x 7 (7 squares)

↙ Row 8: purple x 8 (8 squares)

↗ Row 9: purple x 9 (9 squares)

↙ Row 10: purple x 10 (10 squares)

↗ Row 11: purple x 6, (dark brown) x 3, purple x 2 (11 squares)

↙ Row 12: purple x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, white x 5, purple x 3 (12 squares)

↗ Row 13: purple x 2, white x 7, (dark brown) x 2, purple x 2 (13 squares)

↙ Row 14: purple x 1, (dark brown) x 3, white x 3, beige x 4, white x 1, purple x 2 (14 squares)

↗ Row 15: purple x 2, white x 1, black x 1, brown x 2, beige x 3, white x 2, (dark brown) x 2, purple x 2 (15 squares)

↙ Row 16: purple x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 3, white x 1, beige x 3, brown x 3, black x 1, white x 1, purple x 2 (16 squares)

↗ Row 17: purple x 2, white x 1, black x 1, brown x 1, black x 1, brown x 1, beige x 3, white x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, purple x 2 (17 squares)

↙ Row 18: purple x 1, (dark brown) x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, white x 1, beige x 3, brown x 1, black x 2, brown x 1, beige x 1, purple x 3 (18 squares)

↗ Row 19: purple x 3, white x 1, brown x 1, black x 2, brown x 1, beige x 2, black x 1, white x 2, (dark brown) x 4, purple x 2 (19 squares)

↙ Row 20: purple x 3, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, white x 1, black x 2, beige x 1, brown x 2, black x 1, brown x 1, beige x 1, white x 1, purple x 3 (20 squares)

↗ Row 21: purple x 4, white x 1, brown x 4, beige x 2, black x 1, white x 1, beige x 2, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, purple x 2 (21 squares)

↙ Row 22: purple x 3, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 3, white x 4, beige x 1, brown x 3, beige x 1, white x 1, purple x 4 (22 squares)

↗ Row 23: purple x 5, white x 1, beige x 4, white x 4, (dark brown) x 5, purple x 4 (23 squares)

↙ Row 24: purple x 4, (dark brown) x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 4, white x 2, beige x 4, white x 1, purple x 5 (24 squares)

↗ Row 25: purple x 6, white x 1, beige x 4, white x 1, (dark brown) x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, purple x 4 (25 squares)

Corner: Start decreasing on both ends

↙ Row 26: purple x 4, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, white x 1, black x 1, beige x 2, white x 2, purple x 5 (24 squares)

↗ Row 27: purple x 4, (dark brown) x 1, white x 1, beige x 2, black x 2, white x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 3, beige x 1, purple x 3 (23 squares)

↙ Row 28: purple x 4, (dark brown) x 8, white x 1, black x 1, beige x 2, white x 2, purple x 4 (22 squares)

↗ Row 29: purple x 3, (dark brown) x 1, white x 6, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, purple x 3 (21 squares)

↙ Row 30: purple x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 3, white x 5, (dark brown) x 1, purple x 3 (20 squares)

↗ Row 31: purple x 2, (dark brown) x 2, white x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, purple x 2 (19 squares)

↙ Row 32: purple x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 4, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 7, purple x 2 (18 squares)

↗ Row 33: purple x 2, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, purple x 3 (17 squares)

↙ Row 34: purple x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 2, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, purple x 1 (16 squares)

↗ Row 35: purple x 2, (dark brown) x 5, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, purple x 2 (15 squares)

↙ Row 36: purple x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 6, purple x 1 (14 squares)

↗ Row 37: purple x 2, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 1, purple x 3 (13 squares)

↙ Row 38: purple x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, purple x 1 (12 squares)

↗ Row 39: purple x 2, (dark brown) x 3, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, beige x 1, purple x 2 (11 squares)

↙ Row 40: purple x 4, beige x 1, (dark brown) x 2, purple x 1, (dark brown) x 1, purple x 1 (10 squares)

↗ Row 41: purple x 2, beige x 1, purple x 1, (dark brown) x 1, beige x 1, purple x 3 (9 squares)

↙ Row 42: purple x 8 (8 squares)

↗ Row 43: purple x 7 (7 squares)

↙ Row 44: purple x 6 (6 squares)

↗ Row 45: purple x 5 (5 squares)

↙ Row 46: purple x 4 (4 squares)

↗ Row 47: purple x 3 (3 squares)

↙ Row 48: purple x 2 (2 squares)

↗ Row 49: purple x 1 (1 square)

Total: purple x 264, white x 69, (dark brown) x 151, black x 17, beige x 103, brown x 21

Hedgehog C2C GRAPH

The graph can be downloaded in the link below and it's for personal use only ! This Graph is my own creation, my own original pixel drawing!
Please respect my copyright and do not repost, recreate or share this graph! Thank you!

Download here the FREE HEDGEHOG GRAPH!

HOW TO READ THE GRAPH:

1. Direction:: read graph from bottom left to top right!
2. Start Row 1 with a vertical box stitch!
3. ↗ UNEVEN ROWS on WS from bottom to top (vertical box sts)
4. ↙ EVEN ROWS on RS from top to bottom (horizontal box sts)

And below is a Pin for your Crochet board on Pinterest! Share and enjoy! :)

After finishing the Hedgehog, the 3rd c2c animal block, the buttom pannel of the blanket is completed! We will continue the JAYG Forest Animals Blanket CAL with the second pannel using the Join-as-you-go Method starting with the 4th animal, the Racoon!

I hope you enjoy this pattern!
Please share your pictures on social media using hashtag #c2cJAYGanimalblanket. I would love to see what you make!

Follow along with this CAL to not miss any of the next animals of this CAL!
-->Bookmark the JAYG Forest Animal Blanket CAL Page for all the next JAYG C2C Animal Blocks, free crochet pattern links!

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Join as you Go C2C Hedgehog Block| JAYG Forest Animals Blanket CAL
Written Instructions, Pictures and Pixel Drawing/Graph
Copyright © March 2025 Kinga Erdem
This pattern is free for your own personal use. No mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind! You can sell the products of your work, a link back to my blog would be appreciated.
Do not use my photos for selling purposes or modify them in any way.
Please don't repost the pattern itself, nor graph, to any other sites but please share the link to the pattern if you want to share the pattern with your crochet friends.
You may not give away copies of this pattern.
Do not make video tutorials or translate my pattern in other languages without my written consent!
Kinga