Crochet Baby Blanket - 1st 2014 completed project....

Do you believe it!! I started and finished a project in the first few weeks of the new year.

I had bought the yarn earlier in the year as I knew I wanted to make a baby blanket for my sister in law when the baby was born. But then I got a baby shower invite and wanted to make it for the shower. I was really busy with organising Christmas as the whole family was coming to our place for Christmas Lunch. That I had no time to start a new project. By the time I got to sit down at night I was exhausted. 

It was then the 29th December and thought oh no I have 14 days to the baby shower and I have not started anything. I remembered a pattern I saw on a blog once. Well I couldn't find it again so I went with what I remembered. And it just came out beautiful.

I had many late nights.......

Cramped fingers and wrists.....

But I was determined to get this finished on time. The day before the baby shower I started the border and was not going to bed that night until it was completely finished.

It was very late that night when it was completely finished, so I took some photos of the finished blanket in the morning. I didn't have time to block it, but it was fine, it didn't really need it.

And here is it ready to go with a gorgeous little doll I got from a little local shop in town.

And here is my Sister in Law with her gift.

So here are some instructions on how I made this blanket.

I used 4 ply Heirloom Cotton and a 3.5mm hook.

I just did random stripes. I didn't want to count and keep track of the stripes so I just changed colours when I got tired of working a colour.

UK Terms

Chain 225 if you are using a thicker yarn you may want to do less. Do groups of 7 +3

Row 1: Work 2 tr in the 4th chain from the end. *Skip 3 chains and dc in the next chain. Chain 3 and then complete a tr in each of the next 3 chains.  Repeat from the * until you get to the end. You should finish with a dc in the last stitch. (if I have ever counted wrong and have more chains left at the end I carefully undo the chains and fasten it at the end)

Row 2: Turn your work, chain 3, work 2 tr in the first dc. *Skip 3 tr's, dc in the first chain of the ch3, chain 3 and then complete a tr in each of the next 2 chains. Tr in the dc. Repeat from the * until you reach the end. Complete a dc on top of the turning chain.

Continue doing row 2 and changing colours where you like until you have reached the size you are after.

Fasten and weave in all ends.

Border: I completed a round in dc first. (white), 2 rows of tr's (light pink), 1 row of tr's (dark pink). I then worked my scallops onto this row. To make the scallops - Starting where you finished the previous row, chain 1, *skip 2 chains and work 5 tr's into the next stitch. (I do these in between the the 2 tr's, not in the chain) skip 2 chains work 1 dc. repeat from * until you get right around.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Hope you have fun trying this pattern. Working in the chain gives a more lacy and delicate pattern. You could work the tr's in the 3 chain space if it easier. I did find it hard, had to really concentrate and had to have good light to get the tr's into each of the chains.

(just a note: I did not design this stitch/pattern)

Ask questions if something is not clear and I will try my best to answer all questions.

Filomena xx