Tuesday, May 4, 2010

May Day baby Blanket







This is a relatively easy blanket, which I think should be achievable by an advanced beginner. It takes a little practice to get proficient at the crossed doubles, (mostly just figuring out which is the next stitch to skip, since the crossed Dc pulls the stitches that they have been worked into, close together), but once you get it, they are easy.

This blanket can be adapted to be a full size afghan or it can be made smaller. See end of pattern for some ideas on how to change the size.


Gauge: unimportant

I crochet somewhat loosely. My blanket will be about 42 inches square.


Materials:

WW yarn, (I used 26-28 oz of yarn.)

Crochet hook size K

Yarn needle for weaving in ends

Any yarn will work, just use an appropriately sized hook, size will vary with yarn used.


Stitches used:

St-stitch

ch-chain

sc-single crochet

dc-double crochet

Crossed doubles

fpdc-Front post double crochet (instead of working into the top of the dc in the previous row, you work around the post of the stitch from the front of it)

bpdc-Back post double crochet (same as above, but you are working the stich from the back of the post of the dc from the previous row)

Front and back post stitches form what I call “fake cables” or ridges on the front of your work. I like them because they are an easy way to add some texture and interest to crocheted fabric.

Note that all rows will have 120 stitches in them. The afghan is made in one piece. However, I have divided the pattern into sections to make it a little easier to keep track of. Do not end off at the end of a section, keep crocheting onto the next one. The afghan is made as follows:

section 1, section 2, section 1, section 2, section 1.


Pattern:

Chain 121.


Section 1:

Row 1: sc in second chain from hook and in each chain across. (120 sc) this is the right side)

Row 2: ch 2 (always counts as first dc), dc in each stitch across.

Row 3: ch 2, bpdc in each st across until you reach the turning ch, dc into top of turning ch

Row 4: ch 2, fpdc in each st across until you reach the turning ch, dc into top of turning ch

Row 5: ch 2, dc in each st across, last stitch will be into the top of the turning ch

Row 6: Ch 2, * skip a stitch, dc into the next stitch. Now, working around the stitch you just made, dc into the skipped stitch. (your crochet hook will be in front of the dc you just made)* (These two stitches made one set of crossed doubles) repeat from * to * until you get to the turning chain. Dc into the top of the turning chain.

Row 7: Repeat row 2, finishing with a dc in the top of the turning chainrow)

Row 8: ch, sc in each st across, finishing with a sc in top of turning ch

Row 9. Repeat row 7. (it’s a DC row)

Row 10: Repeat row 6. (crossed doubles)

Row 11 –13: Repeat rows 7 to 9.

Row 14: Repeat row 6. (crossed doubles)

Row 15: Repeat row 8. (sc row)

Row 16: repeat row 2. (double crochet row)

Row 17: repeat row 3. (bpdc row)

Row 18: repeat row 4 (fpdc row)

Row 19: repeat row 8 (sc row)


Section 2:

Rows 20-32: ch 1, sc in first st, dc in next st, *sc in next st, dc in next st * repeat from * to * to end of row (end this section with a wrong side row)


The rest of the afghan is repeats of the previous sections.

Rows 33-51: repeat section 1

Row 52 to 64: repeat section 2

Rows 65-81: repeat section 1


Do not cut yarn. Work a sc border all around the blanket, placing 3 sc into each corner and spacing stitches evenly across the ends of the rows. I try to make the same number of stitches in each end, so that the finished blanket turns out nice and even. I finished with a row of reverse HDC. (*HDC in a stitch, ch 1, skip a stitch* and repeat from *to*) worked all around but from left to right, rather than the usual right to left. This makes a nice rope like border.


This blanket can easily be made larger or smaller. Start with an even number of sc in the first row.

To make the blanket narrower, you could subtract some rows from section 2, (making sure to end with a wrong side row), or leave out rows 11 to 13 in section 1. This would give you a panel with two rows of crossed doubles in between the fake cables created by the fpdc's and bpdc's.

To make it wider, you could either add panels, add more rows to section 2, add some extra rows into one of the panels, or make up additions of your own.


I purposely didn’t add any very lacy stitches, because I wanted the finished product to be suitable for either a boys or a girls blanket.





Pattern is untested, except by myself. Please let me know if something is unclear, or you find a mistake.
You may sell one or two items made from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern or publish it anywhere else. Please link to the pattern if you post a picture elsewhere.

28 comments:

  1. Once again, I've gotten foreign language comments that I don't want to publish because I don't know what they say. I'm really sorry for this, I don't mean to offend, but I want to be careful.

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  2. this pattern is sure is different! in a way it's different pattern from the others i ever looked and tried! thanks!

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  3. I've made this twice now, in two different weights, and it has come out beautifully. Thank you very much - I make many baby blankets as gifts and I was looking for a fresh pattern.

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  4. Thank you Sarah. I'm glad you like it.

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  5. Thank you so much for sharing this pattern. I'm making it for a relative's new baby. I've had several people comment on how pretty it looks.

    I do have one question about section 2: In the second row of that section, does one crochet the single crochets into the single crochets in the row below it? And the double crochets into the double crochet in the row below it? (I hope I'm describing this well. I'm a beginner and this is the most advanced pattern I've worked with.)

    Thanks so much in advance for your answer. This is going to be a gift, so I want it to be nice. Also, I had to use Anonymous as a profile, because I don't have an open or google ID. Sorry about that.

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  6. No, just the opposite. You are double crocheting onto the single crochets in the previous row and single crocheting into the double crochets of the previous row.
    This creates a beautiful textured look.
    Hope that this blanket works out for you. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have.
    (If you create a Google or Blogger ID, I think I can email you directly with answers.)

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  7. This is a beautiful blanket. I make a lot of baby blankets and this is a wonderful pattern. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I'm going to try it very soon. Eileen

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  8. thanks so much for this blanket. It's beautiful! I make blankets for the hospitals in our area. Iam about to deliver 150 afghans and crochet trimmed receiving blankets to 2 NICU at the hospital. Then I start on fleece blankets adn delivr them to peds hospital in the fall and the holidays. Thanks again.

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  9. Hi, Anonymous, you are very welcome. What a wonderful thing to do, to put all that time and effort into giving to others.

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  10. Hi there,

    I am on my 3rd Mayday afghan in 3 mos. The pattern is deliciously simple for such a classic blanket! I have 2 great-nieces and now a great-nephew. Must be something in the water here! Thanks for such a wonder pattern.

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  11. Thanks, Terry for your kind words. Glad that you like the pattern so much!

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  12. Can you give me an idea of how much yarn to buy?

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  13. I remember that I started with two 14 oz skeins of WW yarn. I did have a little left. The amount of yarn you will need will be somewhat dependent on how tightly you crochet. I would guess that you will need somewhere between 1400 and 1500 yards of WW yarn.

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  14. Love the pattern...but, I am not sure as to rows 65-81 (section 1). Do I end on row 17?

    Thanks in advance.

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  15. No you should do the entire section. I must have made an error in counting rows. My apologies.

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  16. This is a great pattern! Thanks so much for sharing!

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  17. I just realised that the instructions for this pattern are done from side to side and in the second photo as shown the sections would be done left to right. Is that correct? Thank you!! Great pattern!!

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  18. I am on my second section of section 1 and the when I crochet the bpdc and fpdc rows they come out on the wrong side. I already pulled it out once and tried again, but got the same results. I then tried to do the fpdc first and then the bpdc which now came out on the correct side h=but doesn't look right. I don't know what I am doing wrong. If you can help I would appreciate it. I love the pattern. Thank you!

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  19. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. I don't know where you are going wrong. It might be that you are doing the stitches wrong, and if you think that is the case, you can google post stitches and find quite a number of video links that show how to do the post stitches. 
      In this pattern the post stitches form double ridges on the front of the blanket and are used to divide the various stitch patterns. It's not the same raised stitch look that we usually associate with post stitches. 
      I could so easily show you in person, but it's hard to explain in words.
      Basically, you make your DC around the post of the stitch, rather than into the loop at the top of the stitch. This leaves the finished edge of the last row that you worked, exposed and above your work, creating the ridge. It's the lazy designers method of getting a sort of cable look without much effort. The raised stitch that we mostly associate with the post stitches will appear on the back of your work, and they will look kind of flat, and won't look very attractive, at least, I don't find them so.
      I hope you can figure it out, it's a very effective stitch to add texture or definition to your work. Its also very easy, once you figure it out. You could of course make the blanket without these stitches, but it would be a totally different look.

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  20. I do love this pattern! The body of the blanket has come out soo very nice! I am having difficulty with the edging... I guess I'm not sure what you mean by the right to left instead of the normal left to right... Please help! I'm just about done and need to finish this ASAP! =)

    Thank you!!

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    1. Actually the pattern says that normally you would crochet from left to right. I'm right handed and that is the direction I usually work in. In other words, each new stitch I make is to the left of the last stitch I made. For this border, I reversed the direction I worked in so that each new stitch is formed to the right of the previous stitch. When you do this, you are twisting the last stitch to get you hook under the next stitch to pull it through, and this creates the rope like effect. If you know how to do reverse sc, it's the same idea, just faster and easier on your hands.
      If you can't figure it out, just do a couple of rows of sc, or any stitch that you like. It won't look the same, but it will still look good.

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  21. Perfect for Spring.... Enjoy being you! Great hobbies, expresses love and warm.

    Julia
    Choofie – Onwer
    baby blanket

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  22. I love this pattern, and I am an experienced crocheted, but I am confused. if I count the turning chains as the first double, I end up with more stitches in the row than when I start. Usually I'm over by two stitches. Are you skipping the first stitch? I have worked this three times and can't seem to work this out, as the edges are getting longer.

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    1. I'm did count the turning chain as a stitch. It's been over three years since I worked this pattern, so my memory of it is a little fuzzy. I'm sorry it isn't working out for you.

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  23. Novena, if you are getting extra stitches in the post stitch rows, you may be working some stitches twice. Same with the cross stitch rows. I find that those stitches make it a little harder to keep track of your stitch count.
    I know my pattern writing skills are not the best, but quite a few people have made this blanket without any problems.

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  24. I admire you so much for making such a beautiful pattern. I can only imagine how hard it must be to translate into another language such as English but I am thankful you did. I have noticed when I try to translate into another language it rarely translates correctly. I can't speak another language. Thank you so much for doing this.

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