If Ed Wood had a crochet hook, we’re pretty sure this is the blanket he’d make. Welcome to Plan 9 From Outer Stitch, where vintage sci-fi meets warm yarny chaos, and comfort is light-years ahead of fashion. Inspired by the glorious weirdness of 1950s B-movies, this post is for every hook-wielding earthling who’s ever wondered, “Do aliens get cold?” (Spoiler: they absolutely do.)

This post is part of our Movie Madness series, specifically the B-Movie Blankets category. These projects are oversized, over-the-top, and over-the-moon cozy. If you’ve ever wanted your crochet to look like it crash-landed at Roswell with a pile of glow-in-the-dark granny squares, you’re in the right galaxy.

👽 Why B-Movies Make the Best Blanket Vibes

There’s something wildly comforting about the unpolished charm of retro sci-fi films. The cardboard spaceships. The tinfoil hats. The dramatic lighting and ridiculous plots. It’s a genre that didn’t take itself too seriously, and neither do we. That’s why B-movie blankets are the perfect creative playground for bold colors, goofy motifs, and experimental textures. Crochet is supposed to be fun, remember?

And hey, these aren’t just for movie nights. They’re conversation starters, couch centerpieces, and comfort objects all rolled into one squishy masterpiece. Plus, if you’ve got a yarn stash that could rival Area 51’s secrecy, this is the time to let it fly.

🧶 What Makes an "Outer Stitch" Blanket?

Anything that feels like it was beamed straight from the imagination of a sleep-deprived special effects artist in 1958. Think rayguns, UFOs, glitched-out granny squares, slime blobs, and intergalactic color palettes. Sparkle yarn? Yes. Glow-in-the-dark accents? Absolutely. Tacky novelty shapes? Please and thank you.

Some of these blankets are clever twists on traditional techniques, like turning ripple stitches into meteor showers. Others are unapologetically weird. Like, “Is this a crop circle or a mandala?” kind of weird. The point isn’t perfection. It’s delight.

🧪 "Plan 9 From Outer Stitch" Crochet Project Ideas

1. UFO Granny Square Blanket 👽
   Granny squares stitched in metallics, greens, and galaxy blues ... with a few “abduction beam” squares using puff stitches to simulate light rays.
2. Alien Abduction Lapghan 🛸
   A triangle or chevron-based lap blanket that narrows toward one edge like a light beam pulling you into the ship. Bonus points for glow-in-the-dark yarn!
3. Meteor Shower Throw ☄️
   Circular motif blanket with textured bobbles and post stitches to resemble craters and meteor impact zones.
4. Area 51-Inspired Hexagon Blanket 🔻
   Classic hexes worked in dusty desert tones with random “glitched” or neon-edged hexes as secret UFO evidence.
5. Retro Raygun Ripple Blanket 🔫
   Think 1950s sci-fi rayguns, turned into a ripple blanket with zap-like zigzags in pop-art colors.
6. Galactic Blob Throw 🧶
   Inspired by your Blob-tastic concept, oversized, shapeless and oozing comfort. Maybe using spirals, scrumbles, or freeform crochet.
7. Crop Circle Mandala Throw 🌾
   Intricate circular motif with spirals, spikes, and back-loop magic for that mystery-in-the-fields vibe.
8. "Take Me to Your Leader" Alien Plushie Blanket 👾
   Combine simple alien amigurumi squares with plain blanket blocks for an intergalactic cuddle-fest.
9. Static Signal TV Blanket 📺
   Black, white, and grey noise-style striped blanket with a little “technical difficulty” twist using pixel stitch glitches or misaligned rows.
10. Warp Drive C2C (Corner-to-Corner) Throw 🚀
    Use the diagonal C2C method to show a spaceship zipping across stars, or a hyperspace visual effect using stars and streaks.

🛸 Projects Beaming Down to Earth

Ready to stitch something out of this world? As projects are created, this space will update with free patterns, paid PDFs, and intergalactic inspo from the Laughing Yarns mothership. Keep checking back, or better yet, join the email list to get notified when new crochet chaos drops!

🧵 Suggested Supplies for Interstellar Stitching

If you’re planning to start your own B-movie blanket, here are some tools and supplies that pair perfectly with alien adventures:

• ✨ Metallic and glow-in-the-dark yarns for that space-age shimmer
• 🌈 Neon and blacklight-reactive colors for retro UFO energy
• 🔲 Graph paper or C2C charts for pixel-style aliens, TV static, or crop circles
• 🔭 Safety eyes, novelty buttons, and yarn scraps for finishing details

Most of these projects are stash-friendly and modular, perfect for experimenting without committing to a giant build like the Fourth Doctor Scarf (which, let’s be honest, is basically time travel in yarn form anyway).

📡 Beam Us Your WIPs

Have you made a blanket that feels just a little… unearthly? A granny square that glows like radioactive cheese? Tag your projects #OuterStitch on Instagram or Facebook so we can see your spacey makes and feature them on the site!

Or better yet, drop by Ko-fi and show off what you're working on, there may be exclusive printables and project labels for your next alien afghan.

🚀 Final Transmission

“Plan 9 From Outer Stitch” isn’t just a tongue-in-cheek title, it’s a declaration. That your crochet can be weird and whimsical and wonderful. That you don’t have to follow the same patterns everyone else is making. That even a poorly scripted yarn mess can be a cozy masterpiece. So grab your hook, cue up the sci-fi, and get weird with your stitches.

Because even aliens get cold. 🛸🧶

💬 Questions? Ideas? Found a vintage movie that deserves its own blanket? Leave a comment or beam a message through our contact page.

🛸 Even aliens get chilly, so they’re beaming down granny squares! Cozy meets cosmic in this retro sci-fi crochet adventure.

Here we are — the final three squares of the 31 Days of Squares challenge. We’ve stitched our way through texture, tradition, chaos, comfort, and creativity. These last three brought whimsy, structure, and a floral finish worthy of a grand finale.

🧺 Day 29: Crochet Puff Quilt from Sass & Stitch

Stitches used: Puff stitch clusters
Vibe: Cloud-like comfort and pure squish.
This square is all about volume — lofty puff stitches that give off instant “quilted” energy. Perfect for anyone who wants their blanket to double as a squishy pillow.

Read the full post →

🐉 Day 30: Dragonflies, But Make It Crochet

Stitches used: Openwork + shaped motifs
Vibe: Light, lacy, and a little bit magical.
A whimsical lace motif that dances across your hook like dragonflies over a pond. This square brings air and openness — and might be the most poetic one of the month.

Read the full post →

🌸 Day 31: A Floral Finish

Stitches used: Raised flower motif, layered texture
Vibe: Sentimental, celebratory, and soft.
The final square wraps it all up with petals and purpose. Floral, dimensional, and crafted with care — this one is the gentle exhale at the end of a beautiful creative month.

Read the full post →

🧶 Final Thoughts

31 squares. 31 days. Endless stitches, surprises, restarts, and “well this turned out cuter than I thought” moments. Whether you followed along daily or just dipped in here and there, thank you for being part of this crochet journey.

This challenge reminded me that creativity isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence. About showing up, yarn in hand, even when the square turns out weird (looking at you, Waffle-ish Stitch™).

So here’s to the squares. And to all the stories we stitched along the way. 💛

📌 Revisit any square in the full 31 Days of Squares archive here.

I’ve been working on a limited-run podcast. Just a few episodes. Nothing huge. Something quiet, thoughtful, handmade. I wrote the scripts. I recorded the audio. I designed the graphics and drafted the blog posts. It felt so right while I was doing it. The kind of creative flow that makes you grin at your laptop and think, “This is going to be something special.” 🧶🎤

But then this morning, I opened the files again. Looked at all the pieces I’d put together. And I felt... uncertain. Not a little hesitant. Full-on creative stage fright.

What if no one listens?

What if it’s boring?

What if it’s just me talking into the void, like a squirrel on a soapbox? 🐿️

☕ Welcome to the Wobble

This happens more often than people admit. You work so hard on something, fueled by excitement and vision. You plan it all out, make it cute, stitch the pieces together. Then right before it goes live, the doubts sneak in wearing yesterday’s hoodie and holding a bowl of cereal. Suddenly your brilliant idea starts to look like a big ol’ “never mind.”

You start thinking about quietly scrapping the whole thing. Just not posting. Pretending it never happened. “Maybe I’ll revisit it later,” you tell yourself, which we all know is code for “shove it in the back of the craft closet and never speak of it again.”

I’m in that place right now. Right this very second. The project is done. The pieces are ready. But I haven’t shared it yet. Because instead of feeling bold and brave, I feel like maybe no one will care.

🎧 Let’s Be Real About It

This isn’t a post about overcoming it. I haven’t. Not yet. This is a post about sitting in that in-between place where the project is finished but unpublished. That weird waiting room of creativity, where the walls are lined with second-guesses and half-eaten snacks.

It’s that part of the creative process where your brain becomes both critic and crowd. You imagine every possible reaction, most of them negative, and talk yourself into staying small.

But here’s the truth I keep circling back to: I made this because I wanted to. Not because anyone asked for it. Not because it fits a trend. I made it because I felt something spark and followed it. And I know that matters. Even if it never gets a single download.

🧶 What I Know (Even If I Don’t Feel It Yet)

• The panic before posting is part of the process. It doesn’t mean your project is bad. It just means your heart is involved.
• Perfection is a moving target. If you wait until it’s flawless, it’ll never see the light of day. Progress beats polish, every time.
• Your audience doesn’t have to be massive to be meaningful. Even one person connecting with your work is a win.
• You don’t have to feel confident to be courageous. You can be scared and still show up.

💡 Maybe I’ll Post It. Maybe Not.

And honestly? That’s okay too. There’s no rulebook that says you must publish every idea you bring to life. You can make things just for you. You can let projects sit until you’re ready. You can take your time. Creativity isn’t a race. There’s no glittery prize for being the first or the fastest or the most fearless.

But if you do decide to share it, even quietly and imperfectly, that’s something worth celebrating.

Because sharing something you’ve made, knowing full well it might flop or fizzle, is incredibly brave. And I think that bravery deserves applause, even if it’s just from the peanut gallery in your head wearing a yarn crown. 👑🧵

📣 If You’re in the Same Boat

This post is for you, too. If you’ve ever finished a creative project and then immediately felt like tossing it into the void, I see you. If you’ve ever written, recorded, painted, crocheted, or dreamed up something and then got stuck in that “to share or not to share” moment, I’ve got a blanket and some tea with your name on it.

There’s no easy answer. There’s no magical moment where all the doubts vanish and you’re suddenly confident and radiant and ready to go viral. Most of the time, it’s just you. And the thing you made. And the choice to either put it out there or tuck it away.

And either choice is valid.

✨ Call to Action: Speak Now or... Keep Stitching

If you're holding something close to your chest right now, whether it’s a project, a plan, a post, or a pattern, tell me about it. Not because you have to share it with the world. But because saying it out loud (or typing it in a comment) can help take the edge off the fear. 🎉💗

You’re not alone in the quiet before the launch. You’re not the only one who doubts, who hesitates, who triple-checks the publish button before walking away. That space is sacred. And what you do with it? That’s your call.

So here I am, podcast in hand, second-guessing everything... and maybe, just maybe, getting ready to hit publish anyway. 🧶💻

That moment when your handmade podcast meets a wall of second-guessing — but the yarn, like your voice, is ready to unravel something beautiful. 🎙️🧶

Make a scrap project, of course! After finishing my most recent (still unnamed) blanket, I realized I had more yarn left over than expected. Not enough for a whole new throw, but definitely too much to let it collect dust in the stash pile.

Instead of letting it haunt my yarn basket, I decided to turn those scraps into something wearable and whimsical—a **cocoon sweater** made entirely from leftovers. It’s squishy. It’s dramatic. It’s everything a yarn hug should be. And best of all? It’s stashbusting magic.

This post isn’t a full pattern, but more of a gentle how-to. Think of it as a creative roadmap for making your own version—one that reflects your scraps, your stitches, and your style.

🧥 What Is a Cocoon Sweater?

A cocoon sweater is basically a rectangle folded into a shrug-like shape that wraps around you in the coziest way possible. No sleeves to set in, no shaping headaches—just smart folding and some well-placed seams.

For my version, I’m taking inspiration from the Essentially Fall Crochet Cardigan by Taylor Lynn Crochet, but with a twist: **puff stitches** and **scrappy flair** instead of a solid square. I also love the idea of starting with a square or motif and building out with panels or borders until you get the size you want.

🧵 Choosing Your Stitches

Here’s the fun part: you can use any stitches you love. Granny squares, fisherman’s ring, mandalas, corner-to-corner, moss stitch—you name it. Your sweater, your rules.

I chose a puff/granny hybrid square to begin mine. I like the texture of the puff stitches mixed with the nostalgic ease of the granny stitch. I’ll build outward with alternating rows of solid and openwork, playing with color placement as I go.

Scrappy tip: If your scraps are all different weights, consider holding two strands of lighter yarns together to match the bulk of your heavier ones.

🪡 Shaping It Into a Sweater

Once your base panel is the size you like (think from upper thigh to upper arm), it’s time to do the magic fold. Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise, then seam the short ends from the outside in—leave space in the middle for armholes.

Optional: Add ribbing around the edges with single crochet or front/back post double crochet for a more finished look. Or keep it simple and let the edges roll for a slouchy vibe.

🎨 Make It Yours

• Add a hood by building up the top back with extra rows.
• Attach buttons just for show (or actually use them!)
• Frame it with fringe, tassels, or pompoms.
• Keep going until it’s a full duster-length robe!

This is one of those joyful makes where the journey is half the fun. It’s scrappy, it’s slow, and it’s a perfect “watch a spooky movie while stitching” kind of project.

📣 Share Your Scrappy Style

Are you diving into your leftover yarn stash too? I’d love to see your cocoon sweaters, rectangles-in-progress, and colorful chaos! Tag your makes with #LaughingYarns and #ScrappyCocoonSweater so we can all ooh and ahh together. 💬

📬 Want More Cozy Ideas?

Sign up for the Laughing Yarns newsletter and get fresh projects, stashbuster prompts, and cozy content right to your inbox. 💌

Got leftover yarn? Turn those scraps into a cozy, colorful cocoon sweater! This stash-busting idea from Laughing Yarns is perfect for creative crochet comfort.