Around the world, Christians are being persecuted right now…today. It is nothing new. From the times right after Jesus’ crucifixion it has happened. In the 1500s and 1600s the Covenanters sought to separate themselves from the idea of the king being the head of the church. They signed multiple covenants declaring that Jesus was King over all the earth. Because of these beliefs, the “killing times” began when many Covenanters were killed for refusing to recant their beliefs.

During this time the Blue Banner appeared first as a battle flag declaring what they were fighting for: For Christ’s Crown and Covenant. Long after the killing times this banner continues as a symbol and reminder of Christ’s Mediatorial Kingship.

But what does this have to do with crochet?

Well, my church is the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) who are descended from the Covenanters. In churches across our country and in other parts of the world, you will find the Blue Banner.

My husband and I had the opportunity 15 years ago to visit Scotland and Ireland and saw many of the places where Christians were martyred. We heard their personal stories; we sang psalms on the bogs. It was an experience I will never forget.

It has been an idea of mine for a while now to make a Blue Banner crochet pattern, and I finally did it!

Introducing, in living color, the crocheted Blue Banner.

I’ve been really into the corner-to-corner (C2C) method lately because it is extremely versatile. It forms a great canvas and is easy to personalize. Being already worked in a diagonal, C2C was absolutely perfect for this project. Getting the bottom chevron right took some work, but I was able to write up the pattern with (hopefully) clear instructions.

I stuck with one of my favorite yarns Stylecraft Special DK in the Royal and Sunshine colorways. (How apropos that the yarn to make a banner declaring Christ’s Kingship is called Royal!) This yarn is light-weight (3-weight), but still works up quickly. And it’s SOFT! This is a favorite of mine for baby blankets and anything involving colorwork because there are a ton of colors. Also, it’s somewhat inexpensive. You can purchase all the yarn you need for this project for under $20.

This pattern is more than just a pattern though. It also contains a C2C primer, a guide on how to make tassels, and a connected-lettering tutorial. It is fun for me to transform a common method with new ideas. In this case new ideas from something very old.

This pattern can be purchased for $3.99 as a digital download here.

If you make the Blue Banner, I’d love to see some pictures. Tag me on Instagram or Facebook @thehazelnutskein. And if you’re making a Blue Banner, you may want some history to display with it. You can buy a frameable Banner of the Covenant here.