Belcrest Baby Blanket
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
40 inches wide x 45 inches long
MATERIALS
• Red Heart Baby Hugs Light light (DK) weight acrylic yarn (41/2 oz/ 318 yds/127g per ball): 2 balls each #3410 dolphin, #3001 frosting and #3724 pinkie • Size J/10/6mm Tunisian crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge • Size I/9/5.5mm standard crochet
hook for edging • Tapestry needle
GAUGE
Size J Tunisian hook: 17 sts = 4 inches; 12 rows = 4 inches
PATTERN NOTES
Tunisian crochet is worked with right side facing at all times; do not turn at the end of a row unless otherwise stated. Each row consists of a Forward Pass in which loops are picked up on the hook, and a Reverse Pass in which loops are worked off the hook. Always skip the first vertical bar when working the Forward Pass. Insert the hook into the 2nd vertical bar at the beginning of the row. In end stitch, always work from front to back through 2 vertical strands. Weave in loose ends as work progresses. Color changes are made at the beginning of the Return Pass. In order to create a stable left edge, carry and lock color(s) not in use along side edge as follows: drape color(s) not in use over top of hook from front to back to left of stitches, draw new color through first 2 loops on hook, chain 1 to lock dropped color in place, then continue with Return Pass as written. Join with slip stitch as indicated unless otherwise stated. Chain-5 at beginning of round counts as first double crochet and chain-2 unless otherwise stated. Chain-3 at beginning of round counts as first double crochet unless otherwise stated.
SPECIAL STITCHES
Tunisian simple stitch 2 together (Tss2tog): With yarn in back, insert hook under next 2 vertical bars, yo and pull up a lp. End stitch (end st): Insert hook through both vertical bars of last st in row, yo, pull up a lp. Bind off single crochet (bind
off sc): With yarn in back, insert hook under next 2 vertical bars from side to side, yo, draw up a lp, yo, draw through both lps on hook. Single crochet join (sc join): Place slip knot on hook, insert hook in indicated st, yo and pull up a lp, yo and draw through both lps on hook.
BLANKET
Row 1:
Forward Pass (RS): With dolphin, ch 158, pick up lp in
back bar (see illustration) of 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, *pick up lp in back bar of next ch, ch 1, rep from * across. (158 sts) Return Pass: With frosting, yo, draw through 2 lps on hook, *ch 1 (see Pattern Notes), yo, draw through 3 lps on hook, rep from * until 1 lp rem on hook. Row 2: Forward Pass: ing, * With (see Special frost
Tss2tog Stitches), 1 st rem, yo, yo, end rep from st (see * until Special Stitches). (158 sts) Return Pass: With pinkie, rep row 1 Return Pass. Row 3: Forward Pass: With pinkie, rep row 2 Forward Pass. Return Pass: With dolphin, rep row 1 Return Pass. Row 4: Forward Pass: With dolphin, rep row 2 Forward Pass. Return Pass: With pinkie, rep row 1 Return Pass. Row 5: Forward Pass: With pinkie, rep row 2 Forward Pass. Return Pass: With frosting, rep row 1 Return Pass. Row 6: Forward Pass: Rep row 2 Forward Pass. Return Pass: With dolphin, rep row 1 Return Pass. Row 7: Forward Pass: Rep row 4 Forward Pass. Return Pass: With frosting, rep row 1 Return Pass. Rows 8–121: Rep rows 2–7. Rows 122–126: Rep rows 2–6, at end of last row, fasten off all colors except dolphin. Row 127: Forward Pass: Rep row 4 Forward Pass. Return Pass: With dolphin, rep Row 1 Return Pass.
Bind Off Row: Ch 1, * bind off
sc (see Special Stitches), sc in horizontal bar at top of next st, rep from * until 1 st rem, sc as if to end st, transfer final lp on hook to size I hook for side edging. (157 sc)
EDGING
First Side Edging: Ch 1, rotate so side edge is at top, working in ends of rows, 2 hdc in row 127, hdc in each row across, fasten off. (128 hdc)
2nd Side Edging: With RS facing and working in ends of rows of other side edge, join (see
Pattern Notes) dolphin in row 1, ch 1, hdc in each row across, ending with 2 hdc in row 127. Do not fasten off. (128 hdc)
BORDER
Rnd 1: Ch 5 (see Pattern Notes), dc in first st of row 127, *[ dc
dec (see Stitch Guide) in next 2 sts, dc in each of next 2 sts] 38 times, [dc dec in next 2 sts] twice, dc in next st, working across side edge, (dc, ch 2, dc) in first st, dc dec in next 2 sts, dc in each st across** to last st, (dc, ch 2, dc) in last st, working in opposite side of foundation ch, rep from * to **, ending with join in 3rd ch of beg ch-5, fasten off. (119 dc between ch-2 sps on short sides, 127 dc between ch-2 sps on long sides, 4 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 2: Sc join (see Special
Stitches) frosting in any ch-2 sp, ch 3, sc in same sp, *ch 2, sk 1 st, sc in next st, rep from * to 1 st before next corner, ch 2, sk next st**, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next ch-2 sp, rep from * around, ending final rep at **, join in beg sc, fasten off. (61 sc, 60 ch-2 sps on short sides, 65 sc, 64 ch-2 sps on long sides, 4 ch-3 sps)
Rnd 3: Sc join pinkie in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in same sp, *ch 2, sk 1 st, working over ch-2 sp, sc in sk st below, rep from * to 1 st before next corner, ch 2, sk next st**, (sc, ch 3, sc) in ch-3 sp, rep from * around, ending final rep at **, join in beg sc, fasten off. (62 sc, 61 ch-2 sps on short sides, 66 sc, 65 ch-2 sps on long sides, 4 ch-3 sps)
Rnd 4: Sc join frosting in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in same sp, ch 1, sk 1 st, working over ch-2 sp, sc in next sc of rnd 2 below, *ch 2, sk 1 st, working over ch-2 sp, sc in next sc of rnd 2 below, rep from * to 1 st from corner, ch 1, sk next st**, (sc, ch 3, sc) in
ch-3 sp, rep from * around, ending final rep at **, join in beg sc, fasten off. (63 sc, 60 ch-2 sps, 2 ch-1 sps on short side, 67 sc, 64 ch-2 sps, 2 ch-1 sps on long sides, 4 ch-3 sps)
Rnd 5: Join dolphin in any ch-3 sp, ch 3 (see Pattern Notes), 4 dc in same st as base of beg ch-3, 1 dc in each ch-1 sp, 2 dc in each ch-2 sp, 5 dc in each ch-3 sp, ending with join in top of beg ch-3, fasten off.
FINISHING
Block to finished measurements.