Checker Baby Blanket Pattern

I started this blanket when I was pregnant. I meant to have it done in time for her birth but that just didn’t happen. It had been on my shelf but I pulled it out again to get it done in time for her first birthday. I used Baby Aran yarn. The body is done in single crochet with the unused color hidden inside the stitches. I’ll explain more below.

I used a J hook and about 200 grams of each color.

For the foundation row chain 146. Turn, sc in the 2^nd ch from the hook. Sc 5, on the 5^th stitch yarn over in color B. Sc 5, but hide the yarn of color A inside the stitches. Do this by holding the yarn over the top of the unworked stitches while you sc in color B. Like so:

Always yarn over in the new color on the last stitch of the previous color to make the color change clean. Continue to switch colors back and forth every 5 stitches until the end of the row. Ch 1, turn. Do this for five rows. At the end of the fifth row, yarn over in the opposite color on the last stitch. Ch 1, turn. Do the same as the other rows but this time the color will be opposite. This the beginning of a new check square. Do this for 5 more rows. You will continue this until the end of your blanket. My blanket is 29 squares wide and 21 squares high. This made my blanket with border 32” x 25”.

Please pause and untangle the two colors often. If you don't they may knot together.

Written traditionally it would be:

Using color A, Ch 146, Turn

R1: Sc 5, (Yo in color B, Sc 5, Yo in color A, Sc 5) Repeat until end. Ch 1, Turn.

R2-4: Repeat Row 1.

R5: Sc 5, (Yo in color B, Sc 5, Yo in color A, Sc 5) Repeat until end. On last stitch Yo in opposite color. Ch 1, Turn.

R6: Sc 5, (Yo in color A, Sc 5, Yo in color B, Sc 5) Repeat until end. Ch 1, Turn.

R7-9: Repeat Row 6.

R10: Sc 5, (Yo in color B, Sc 5, Yo in color A, Sc 5) Repeat until end. On last stitch Yo in opposite color. Ch 1, Turn.

R11-105: Continually repeat R1-R10

On the last stitch Yo in the border color. Instead of turning continue around the side of the blanket. My border was done in worsted yarn that was thicker than the body yarn. Sc evenly around. If you are using thicker yarn like I did sc in every other st. When you get back around start the wave design. Repeat (Sl st, sc, 2 dc, sc) around. At the corners do 3 sc. When you get back around sl st, finish off and sew in ends.

You can stop when it is the size you feel it is complete. You may want to make a rectangle like I did or go for the gold and make it a full square.

I am so happy she likes it. Here she is carrying it around with her. I don’t know about you but I think there is something quintessentially precious about a child dragging their favorite blankey around.