My husband and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in Douthat State Park in western Virginia. Years later, as I planned my husbands birthday gift, I wanted to make him something that would feel masculine, but still remind him of us and the first few years of our marriage. The name and the look that that red and black flannel pattern seemed to fit perfectly.

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Loops and Threads Woolike
Gauge: 14 stitches x 8 rows in 4”x4”
Hook size: H8 & I9

Colors:
Caron Red (945 yards)
Caron Black (1260 yards)
Blend (150 yards)
Woolike Red (300 yards)
Woolike Black (300 yards)
Total = 2,805 yards
Color Key:
Color 1: Red
Color 2: Black
Color 3: Blend
Color 4: Red Caron w/ Black Woolike
Color 5: Black Caron w/ Red Woolike

Abbreviations:
Ch: chain stitch
DC: double crochet
p/u1: Pick Up 1
p/u2: Pick Up 2
SC: single crochet
SL ST: slip stitch

Notes:
• The squares of this project are worked in rows.
• Ch3 counts as 1 DC throughout.
• In order to have the plaid effect I wanted it was important to use a finer yarn mixed with a base yarn for Color 4 and Color 5 so there could be differentiating base color and accent colors. If you are choosing to use different colors please be sure to follow this method in order to get the same effect. Color 3 can be any blend that works with your color palette.
• The larger hook is used for the beginning chain stitches to make sure they are large enough for easily sewing the squares together later.
Special Stitches:
• p/u1 (Pick Up 1): (This stitch will appear in the middle of the row when making the vertical stripe) Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull through, (3 loops on hook) drop working yarn, pick up indicated color with a yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through 2 loops.
• p/u2 (Pick Up2): (This stitch will appear at the end of the row when picking up the yarn color for the next row) Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through 2 loops, drop working yarn, pick up indicated color with a yarn over, pull through 2 loops