Just Pootling

♥ Baby Star Blanket ♥

With February chills still nipping at our heels my design for this week’s Crochet Club over at blog.lovecrochet.com  is all about keeping our tiny tots warm and toasty. This Baby Star Blanket is the perfect size to throw over the top of a baby car seat or pushchair, but could be made slightly bigger for a cot or crib.

With the main blanket worked in DC and the stars being hooked up separately and stitched on to the finished blanket, this is a beautiful and totally unique handmade accessory.

 

I used 7 x balls of Debbie Bliss Mia in Silver (22) for the main part of the blanket and 1 x ball of Debbie Bliss Mia in Light Pink (11) for the stars.

For the blanket I worked with a 4.5 mm hook for the main part and a 3.5mm hook for the finishing edge and border.

The stars are worked with a 2.5mm hook.

The finished blanket measures approx. 62cm x 52cm.

To make the blanket:

Chain 91.

Starting in the second chain from the hook work a row of DC, 90 sts.

At the end of the row chain 1 and turn. Keep working rows of DC until your work measures approx. 60cm, finishing on a RS row. Remember to chain 1 and turn at the end of each row.

Do not finish off at the end of your final row.

Edging:

Round 1: Switch to using a 3.5mm hook and work a round of DC all the way around all four edges of the blanket, working 2 or 3 stitches into each corner stitch to stop the blanket from becoming out of shape.

( I found it helped to keep the edges flat by working  1 DC in each stitch on the top and bottom edge and two stitches in every alternate stitch down each side. )

Round 2: Work a second round of DC , working 1 DC into each stitch all the way around, and two or three stitches into each corner stitch if needed.

Round 3: You are now going to work the Picot border as follows :* Sl St, chain 2, Sl St back in to the first stitch of the chain you have just worked, Sl St in to the next stitch.* Now repeat from * to * all the way around the edge of your blanket. Sl ST to join at the end, finish off and sew in the ends.

To make the stars:

I made a total of 23 stars for my blanket. Using the Light Pink and 2.5mm hook makes the stars as follows:

Round 1: Begin by making a Magic Ring and then work 5 DC in to the ring. Sl St to join.

Round 2: Work 2 DC in to each stitch from the first round. Sl St to join . Work a Sl St in to the next stitch and then * work a chain of 4.   

    

 

 

You are now going to create your first point by working back down the chain as follows: beginning in the second chain from the hook work a Sl St, followed by a DC, followed by a HTR. Now skip a stitch and Sl St the point back to the central circle*. Repeat from * to * until you have 5 points. Sl St to join, finish off and sew in the ends.

  

 

Once you have made the required number of stars lay out your blanket and position the stars as you want them. I pinned mine with safety pins to hold them in place whilst sewing each star in to its final position with a needle and thread. When sewing each star work your way all the way around the edge with small stitches to ensure that each star is held firmly in place. 

 

 

Happy baby snuggling ! 

♥