April Preemie Blanket - CAL Day 30 Finale

Welcome lovelies. Today, is the last day for our preemie blanket crochet along. It's been an incredible month, and I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every photo you have shared with me along the way. I am so happy that so many of you joined in and make these wee little blankets, played with stitches and had fun with colours.

A word about upsizing. This pattern, is made in multiples of 12 (+2 for starting) so if you wanted to make it larger, you could add more chains to the start. All of the solid sc/hdc/dc rows go back to 60 stitches, the entire pattern through. If you were to start with 132 stitches, then all of the sc/hdc/dc rows would also be 132. From here you can easily add length by picking the decorative stitch areas you like and putting them in between the solid rows.

Let's get onto the last row, and then talk about blocking.

You will need:

4.5mm hook

DK/8ply/light worsted weight yarn in minimum of 6 colours.

Yarn Note: I did not start with complete balls. All 6 of my balls were originally 100g balls with a little of each used. They are a mix of Stylecraft Special DK, King Cole Pricewise and Moda Vera Marvel 8ply for my 6 colours. You could choose 6 colours and follow my colour changes, or you could make every line a different colour (excellent way to use scraps) or you could even use some self striping yarn, or a solid colour.

Colour Changes: I change my colours by completing the last yarn over and pull through of the last stitch in the row with the new colour for the next row, so I don't have to join with slip stitches. Of course, this means you'll have to redo that one last stitch each day as you won't know what colour is next, but the finished piece will be much neater this way.

My Colours are

A - Beige

B - Blue

C - Dark Blue

D - Tan

E - Mint/Turquoise

F - Dark Grey

Day 30

With A

45: Ch1, reverse sc (crab stitch) in each stitch around. Join to the first sc with a slst. End off and weave in all tails.

Blocking:

I completely wet blocked my blanket. This is a must, because all the differing stitches pull the blanket in different ways. I blocked my piece to 50x53 cm, however the finished size will shrink back down slightly.

If you need to know how to block your piece, and have used acrylic yarn like I have, you can find some wonderful tutorials on Youtube. The one I first followed can be found here 

Guys, this is it! That is the last step! Once your blanket is dry (mine took 2 days, sitting inside the porch) you can unpin it, and your blanket is finished and ready to be used.

Like I mentioned at the start of this, my blanket is being sent to Chance's Clothes Project to be added to the bereavement packs they post to hospitals Australia wide. Maybe you'd like to send yours there too?

I hope everyone had a blast making their blankets. Do you want to see more crochet along's in the future? What kind? Let me know, because I had a lot of fun putting this one together for everyone, and would love to do some more!

Lastly, don't forget to share photos of your completed blankets on Facebook, Tag them on Instagram as #AprilPreemieCAL or add them to Ravelry Or, you could do all 3!

That's it peeps. Next month, we'll be back to our regular crafting program! Love ya's! 

Complete Pattern:

You will need:

4.5mm hook

DK weight yarn. I've picked 6 colours for my blanket, but you can use any amount of colours you like. For this pattern I'll note my colour changes 'A through to F'

A - Cream

B - Blue

C - Dark Blue

D - Tan

E - Green

F - Grey

With A

1: Ch62, dc in the 3rd chain from hook and each chain across

With B

2: Ch1, turn, sc in each stitch across

With A

3: Ch3, turn, dc in each stitch across.

With A

4: Ch4, turn, skip 3, sc in the next stitch. *ch3, skip 3, sc in the next stitch*, repeat across.

With C

5: Ch3, turn, 3dc in each ch3 space across, dc in the last stitch (first ch from the ch4)

With A

6: Ch4 (counts as turning ch and ch3), turn, skip 3, sc in the space between the next 2 stitches. *ch3, skip 3, sc in the space between the next 2 stitches*, repeat across. (The last sc will be between the last dc from the previous row and the ch3 at the end of the row)

With C

7: Ch3, turn, 3dc in each ch3 space across, dc in the last stitch (first ch from the ch4)

With F

8: Ch3, turn, dc in the first stitch, dc in the next 3 stitches, *dc in the space between the next 2 stitches, dc in the next 3 stitches* repeat across. -60

9: Ch2, turn, hdc in each stitch across. -60 

With D

To make a small puff: yo, insert hook into stitch, yo, pull through, yo, insert in same, yo, pull through, yo, insert hook in same stitch, yo, pull through, 7 loops on hook, yo, pull through all loops.

10: Ch2, turn, hdc in the first stitch, ch1, skip 1, small puff in the next, *ch1, skip 1, puff in the next stitch* repeat across, hdc in the last stitch.

With B

11: Ch2, turn, hdc in the first stitch, ch1, skip 1, small puff in the space between the first 2 puffs, *ch1, skip 1, puff in the space between the next 2 puffs* repeat across, hdc in the last stitch.

With D

12: Repeat row 11.

With C

13: Ch1, turn, sc in each stitch and chain across. - 60

With C

14: Ch1, turn, sc in the first stitch, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next 2 stitches, hdc in the next stitch, sc in the next stitch, *sc in the next stitch, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next 2 stitches, hdc in the next stitch, sc in the next stitch* repeat across

With E

15: Ch1, turn, sc in each stitch across. - 60

With A

16: Ch3, turn, dc in the first stitch, hdc in the next stitch, sc in the next 2 stitches, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch, *dc in the next stitch, hdc in the next stitch, sc in the next 2 stitches, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch*, repeat across

With A

17: Ch2, turn, hdc in each stitch across

With A

18: Ch3, turn, dc in the first stitch, hdc in the next stitch, sc in the next 2 stitches, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch, *dc in the next stitch, hdc in the next stitch, sc in the next 2 stitches, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch*, repeat across

With E

19: Ch1, turn, sc in each stitch across. - 60

With C

20: Ch1, turn, sc in the first stitch, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next 2 stitches, hdc in the next stitch, sc in the next stitch, *sc in the next stitch, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next 2 stitches, hdc in the next stitch, sc in the next stitch* repeat across

With C

21: ch1, turn, sc across

With F

22: Ch2, turn, (dc, ch2, sc) in the first stitch, skip 2 stitches, * (dc, ch2, sc) in the next stitch, skip 2 stitches*, repeat across, sc in the last stitch.

With D

23: Ch3, turn, (dc, ch2, sc) in the next ch2 space, (dc, ch2, sc) in each remaining ch2 space across.

With F

24: Ch3, turn, (dc, ch2, sc) in the next ch2 space, (dc, ch2, sc) in each remaining ch2 space across.

With D

25: Ch3, turn, (dc, ch2, sc) in the next ch2 space, (dc, ch2, sc) in each remaining ch2 space across.

With B

26: Ch1, sc in the first ch2 space, 5dc in the next ch2 space, *sc in the next ch2 space, 5dc in the next ch2 space* repeat across, 

With A

27: Ch1, turn, sc in the next stitch, 5dc in the next sc, sk2, sc in the next stitch, *sk2, 5dc in the next sc, sk2, sc in the next stitch*, repeat across, 5dc in the last stitch.

With B

 28: Ch1, turn, sc in the next stitch, 5dc in the next sc, skip 2, sc in the next stitch, *skip 2, 5dc in the next sc, skip 2, sc in the next stitch*, repeat across, 5dc in the last stitch.

With A

29: Ch1, turn, sc in the next stitch, 5dc in the next sc, skip 2, sc in the next stitch, *skip 2, 5dc in the next sc, skip 2, sc in the next stitch*, repeat across, 5dc in the last stitch.

With C

30: Ch1, turn, sc in each of the first 5 stitches, dc in the next stitch, *sc in the next 5 stitches, dc in the next stitch*, repeat across 

With F

31: Ch2, turn, hdc across

With E

32: Ch2, turn, hdc in the back loop only of each stitch across

With B

33: Ch2, turn, hdc in the 3rd loop (front) only of each stitch across (see notes from day 22)

With D

34: Ch2, turn, hdc in the back loop only of each stitch across

With A

35: Ch2, turn, hdc in the 3rd loop only of each stitch across (see notes from day 22)

With E

36: Ch3, turn, skip the first 4 stitches, * (2dc, ch2, 2dc) in the next stitch, skip the next 3 stitches*, repeat across, dc in the last stitch

With C

37:  Ch4, turn, into the ch2 space (dc, ch1, dc), *ch2, into the next ch2 space (dc, ch1, dc)*,repeat across until you reach the last ch2 space, (dc, ch1, dc) into the last ch2 space, ch1, dc in the last stitch (ch3 from previous row)

With C

38: Ch2, turn, 2hdc in the same stitch, *3hdc in the next ch1 space, hdc in the next ch2 space* repeat across until you reach the ch4 from the previous round, sc around the 4th chain from the previous round, 2sc in the 3rd chain from the previous row. - 60

With D

39: Ch2, turn, hdc in each stitch across

With B

DC Cluster - Keeping the last loop of each dc on the hook, dc 3 times in the same stitch, yarn over, pull through all 4 loops.

40: Ch2, turn, dc cluster in the fist stitch, *ch1, skip the next stitch, dc cluster in the next stitch* repeat across, dc in the last stitch.

With E

41: Ch1, turn, sc in each stitch and ch1 space across, including the starting chain from row 40. - 60sc

With B

DC Cluster - Keeping the last loop of each dc on the hook, dc 3 times in the same stitch, yarn over, pull through all 4 loops.

42: Ch2, turn, dc cluster in the fist stitch, *ch1, skip the next stitch, dc cluster in the next stitch* repeat across.  End off.

With C

If you need to remember which are the corners, place a stitch marker into the 2nd sc of each 3sc on all 4 corners.

43: Rejoin your yarn to the start of this row (Into the first dc cluster), so that the border is on the correct side. Ch1, turn, sc in each stitch and chain across, 3sc in the last stitch, turn your blanket clockwise and sc evenly down the side, working into the ends of the rows, when you reach the next corner, turn your work again clockwise and do 3sc into the first ch from the very first round, work a sc into each of the chains until you reach the next corner, make 3sc into the last of the chains and turn again clockwise. Work up the last side of the piece in sc, again in the ends of the rows. When you reach the first sc from this round, do 2 more sc's into that same stitch, then join to the first sc.

With F

44: Ch3, dc in each stitch around, with the exception of the corner stitches (marked from the last round) in which you will place 3dc. Join to the first dc.

With A

45: Ch1, reverse sc (crab stitch) in each stitch around. Join to the first sc with a slst. End off and weave in all tails.

Blocking:

I completely wet blocked my blanket. This is a must, because all the differing stitches pull the blanket in different ways. I blocked my piece to 50x53 cm, however the finished size will shrink back down slightly.

If you need to know how to block your piece, and have used acrylic yarn lime I have, you can find some wonderful tutorials on Youtube. The one I first followed can be found here.