This pattern and blanket combo is our second joint Crafty Reason project that Jason and I collaborated on. My friend from college wanted us to re-create her son’s baby blanket because he would get upset whenever his beloved blanket needed to be washed. She sent us pictures and told us the blanket was roughly shaped to fit on top of a twin bed. Jason used the pictures to figure out a pattern that would replicate the open, “hole-y” feel of the original blanket. Her son likes to be able to twine his fingers in and around the blanket, which he finds soothing.
I tried the pattern Jason came up with out a few times and modified it here and there to improve on the feel–my goal was to make it similar to my friend’s son’s, but not to try to be exactly the same, since that would be impossible. I also did the pattern writing as I went along, which I like to think I am improving at, but I know there’s still lots of room for improvement.
One fun hitch along the way was that the variegated yarn we originally chose, which was really a great fit and looked quite similar to the original yarn, was discontinued about 1/3 of the way into the project, so we had to improvise. We found a solid color that matched one of the colors in the variegated yarn, and used that to frame the colorful print pattern.
I’ve named this blanket the “Runner Baby Blanket” because the shape reminds me of a table runner. It’s quite long and thin. But I am really pleased with the blanket overall, and I am grateful to have had this opportunity to make a third blanket (the first was a nine-months-late birthday gift to my dad). I tend to prefer smaller, quick little projects, and I don’t have the patience for longer, larger projects, so this was a good challenge and good practice for me.
Runner Baby Blanket Pattern
Terms/Abbreviations:
Ch: Chain
Sc: Single crochet
Hdc: Half double crochet
Tr: Treble crochet
St: Stitch
Sk: Skip
Sl st: Slip stitch
Rep: Repeat
FO: Finish off
You will need:
Size I-9/5.5mm crochet hook
Yarn A (Red Heart Soft Multicolor: Watercolor *discontinued*), 2 balls
Yarn B (Red Heart Soft: Seafoam), 2 balls
Yarn C (light gray border), 1 small ball
Yarn D (dark gray edge), small amount
yarn needle
scissors
Pattern Notes:
Foundation chain row will later be crocheted over to form the border.
V stitches will be done into chains/holes created by Ch2 from the chain row.
Post stitches go into stitches, not chain holes. I used the first stitch in post, looks kind of like the middle of the post, but as long as you’re consistent either stitch at the top of the post is fine.
You will be doing a single crochet around each side of the V’s and around the posts.
At the end of each row, your chain will become the squared edge of the blanket. You may need to chain more or fewer stitches, depending on how tight your gauge is, and you may choose to skip more or fewer stitches as well. You’ll want to chain as many as needed to make that square look, and skip as many as necessary to shape it correctly as the blanket grows.
I did 33 V+Post rows (12 each in the solid Seafoam color, and 11 in the multicolor Watercolor print). Finished blanket measured 51” x 29” including borders, which are approximately 1” around.
Basic Interior Pattern:
In Color B, chain to measure desired length not counting borders (for mine I went to 41”–it will stretch), make “Foundation Chain Row,” then alternate “Chain rows” and “V+Post rows” for 12 rows (you will use 1 ball of Seafoam yarn). Switch to Color A, alternate “Chain rows” and “V+Post rows” for 11 rows (you will use 2 balls of Watercolor yarn). Switch to Color B, alternate “Chain rows” and “V+Post rows” for 12 rows (you will use 1 ball of Seafoam yarn). End on chain row.
If using only 1 interior yarn color, chain to measure desired length not counting borders (for mine I went to 41”–it will stretch), make “Foundation Chain Row,” then alternate “Chain rows” and “V+Post rows” until blanket is desired length not counting the border. End on chain row.
Foundation Chain Row:
In 8th st from hook, sc, Ch2, Sc. *Ch4. Sk4. Sc. Ch4. Sk4. Sc, Ch2, sc. Rep from * until end of initial chain. Ch5, turn. You may need to add chain sts if your first V+Post row doesn’t end on a V, which I like for symmetry–the foundation chain row will be crocheted over later anyway by the border, so it’s ok if the chain needs lengthening or shortening after the fact.
V+Post row:
Make a V: In Ch2 sp from previous row, 2tr, sc around 2tr sts, 2tr, sc around 2tr sts.
Ch1
*Make a post: 2tr in sc at top of post in previous row, sc around 2tr sts.
Ch1
Make a V: In Ch1 sp from previous row, 2tr, sc around 2tr sts, 2tr, sc around 2tr sts.
Ch1
Rep from * to end of row. Ch3, sk2 (attach at end where it looks right), sc. Ch6, turn.
Chain row:
In space at the top of V from the previous row, sc, ch2, sc.
*Ch4, sc into top of post (first stitch, looks like the middle stitch) in previous row, ch4, sc into top of V (space made by sc around the first side of the V) in previous row, ch2, sc into top of same V space made by chain in previous row, ch4, sc into top of post in previous row.
Rep from * to end of row. Ch3, sc into last st in row, turn.
Border and Edge:
Border is 1” around.
R1: In Color C, sc around over foundation chain row and sides, lining up sts as much as possible and subtracting 1 st (ex. 3 sts over a ch4). I did this pretty loosely, because I found that the border curled easily. If you prefer a tighter, slightly wavy border, try for a 1:1 ratio of stitches. On short sides, I did 2 sts, then 1 st between the posts.
R2-7: Hdc around, inc in the st before, on, and after corners. Sl st at end of each row. Switch to Color D.
R8: Hdc around. FO, weave in ends.
Please feel free to sell the blankets you’ve made, but please credit Crafty Reason and link back to the pattern (http://craftyreason.com/2019/07/10/pattern-runner-baby-blanket/) if you do so. Please contact us at craftyreason@gmail.com for permission if you wish to reproduce this pattern. Also, send us a message if you notice anything wrong with the pattern. Happy crocheting!
~Crafty Reba
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