Circles, Stripes & Squares
Baby Blanket

with

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:

Blanket measures approximately 36"/91.5 cm wide x 36"/91.5 cm long, including edging

MATERIALS

Caron International's Simply Soft Eco (80% Acrylic, 20% NatureSpun™ Polyester):

11 oz (A), 3 oz (B), 4 oz (C), 2 1/2 oz (D), 1 1/2 oz (E)

Shown in: #0014 Sundrop (A); #0007 Baby Blush (B); #0028 Lilac Bud (C); #0015 Aqua Mist (D); #0001 Soft White (E)

One size US J-10 (6 mm) crochet hook, or size to obtain gauge.

Yarn needle

GAUGE

Small Motif = 5 1/2"/14 cm measured along one side.

Exact gauge is not critical for this project.

STITCHES USED

Chain (ch), single crochet (sc), double crochet (dc), slip stitch (slip st)

NOTES

1. Each motif is worked, with RS facing, in the round.

2. Change colors when joining with slip stitch at end of rounds, as follows: insert hook in indicated stitch at beginning of round, yarn over with new color and draw through all loops on hook. Continue working with new color. Fasten off old color or carry old color carefully up wrong side of work for next color change.

SMALL MOTIF (make 16 – 4 in each color sequence)

Color Sequence #1: A, B, C.

Color Sequence #2: B, C, D.

Color Sequence #3: C, D, A.

Color Sequence #4: D, A, B.

With first color, chain 4; join with slip st in first ch to form a ring.

Round 1: With first color, chain 4 (last 3 ch counts as first dc), work 11 dc in 4th ch from hook; change to second color and join with slip st in top of beginning ch—12 dc.

Round 2: With second color, ch 1, 2 sc in first 3 dc, ch 3, *2 sc in next 3 dc, ch 3; repeat from * 2 more times; change to third color and join with slip st in first sc—24 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Round 3: With third color, ch 1, sc in first 6 sc, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next ch-3 sp, *sc in next 6 sc, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next ch-3 sp; repeat from * 2 more times; change to second color and join with slip st in first sc—32 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Round 4: With second color, ch 1, *sc in each sc to next ch-3 sp, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next ch-3 sp; repeat from * 3 more times, sc in each remaining sc to end; change to third color and join with slip st in first sc—40 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Round 5: With third color, ch 1, *sc in each sc to next ch-3 sp, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next ch-3 sp; repeat from * 3 more times, sc in each remaining sc to end; change to second color and join with slip st in first sc—48 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Rounds 6 and 7: Repeat Rounds 4 and 5—64 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Round 8: With second color, ch 1 *sc in each sc to next ch-3 sp, 3 sc in ch-3 sp; repeat from * 3 more times, sc in each remaining sc to end—76 sc. Fasten off.

LARGE MOTIF (make 5)

Rounds 1–6: With A only (make no color changes), work Rounds 1-6 of small motif; change to D in join of Round 6—56 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Round 7: With D, work Round 7 of small motif; change to A in join of round—64 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Rounds 8–10: With A only (make no color changes),repeat Round 7 of small motif 3 times; change to C in join of Round 10—88 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Round 11: With C, work Round 7 of small motif; change to A in join of round—96 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Rounds 12–14: With A only (make no color changes),work Round 7 of small motif 3 times; change to B in join of Round 14—120 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Round 15: With B, work Round 7 of small motif; change to A in join of round—128 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Rounds 16 and 17: With A only (make no color changes),work Round 7 of small motif 2 times—144 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps—144 sc, and 4 ch-3 sps.

Round 18: With A, ch 1 *sc in each sc to next ch-3 sp, 3 sc in ch-3 sp; repeat from * 3 more times, sc in each remaining sc to end—156 sc. Fasten off.

FINISHING

Arrange the squares according to the assembly diagram. With RS facing you (WS of motifs together) and E, working in back loops only, slip st sides of neighboring squares together (do not slip st along sides of squares that form outer edge of blanket)

Edging

With RS facing, join E with slip st in center sc of corner 3-sc group of any large motif.

Round 1: Ch 1, 3 sc in same sc as join, work 39 sc evenly along edge of large motif, [work 20 sc evenly along edge of next small motif] twice, work 39 sc evenly along edge of next large motif, *3 sc in center sc of corner 3-sc group, work 39 sc along next edge of large motif, [work 20 sc evenly along edge of next small motif] twice, work 39 sc evenly along edge of next large motif; repeat from * 2 more times; change to C and join with slip st in first sc—484 sc..

Round 2: With C, ch 3 (counts as dc), 3 dc in next sc, dc in each sc around, working 3 dc in center sc of each 3-sc corner; change to A and join with slip st in top of beginning ch—492 sc.

Round 3: With A, ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in each dc around, working 3 sc in center dc of each 3-dc corner; join with slip st in first sc—500 sc.