Abigail's Blanket

ABIGAIL'S BLANKIE

   I've been off the crochet design scene for quite some time. Life has been busy for me, there have been some twists and turns, and anytime I had to craft was spent crocheting and knitting for my sanity and family, but I haven't had the time or desire to design because life had been so full. I had been homeschooling while working, and then a few years ago my husbands health began to deteriorate. Besides having diabetes, within the past three years he has had three heart attacks and three stents put in, and has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, end stage kidney disease, and COPD. His health is stabilized for the time being, and for that I am grateful. But, I have been preoccupied, and will continue to be. Throughout these past few years, sadly, sometimes my followers did not get helped when they had a question. With that said, I will try to stay on top of incoming comments and questions, but I cannot promise anything other than I will try my best. I am sure you will understand. 
  With all that said, last week it was about time I made a big girl blanket for my granddaughter. First thing was finding the yarn. Once I found the yarn I wanted to use, finding the pattern was the next step. I was interested in making the Hugs and Kisses blanket for her, but I was not able to use the pattern because it is a baby blanket pattern and I wanted to make her a big girl blanket. I also intended to double strand the DK weight yarn I chose, because I love the beautiful color transitions this method creates when you begin crocheting by staggering one of the skeins a bit at first. So, because of these two reasons, I had to set out and create my own similar version, and so here it is.     
   Abigail's Blanket is created using Lion Brand's Cupcake yarn in the color Balloon and an I hook, and, again, using two strands at one time. Instead of grabbing both skeins and starting off right away, I cut away perhaps 1/4 of the beginning color from one of the skiens, and then I began crocheting. Doing this causes the color changes to go from say two strands of pink to one strand of pink and one strand of orange, and then to two strands of orange. You don't want both strands to change color at the same time.  This blanket used four full skeins, and a half of two skeins and measures 29 1/2" x 40". I began with chaining 136, but you may create any sized blanket you wish by using any sized yarn with a corresponding hook size and starting the beginning chain in any multiple of 19 plus 3 more chains. (Example: 19x7=133+3=136)

ABIGAIL'S BLANKET

by Vicki Plunkett

STUFFS TO KNOW:

• Chain in multiples of 19 plus 3 to begin
• If using the double stranded method using DK weight yarn and a J hook, each repeat of 19 stitches = approximately 4 1/4"
• After crocheting in a ch-2 or ch-3 space, always skip the "hidden stitch", or the first stitch after it. 
• Double crochet two together (dc2tog):  (YO, insert hook in next stitch, yo, draw yarn through st, yo, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook) twice, yo, draw yarn through 3 loops on hook.
• Half-double crochet two together (hdc2tog):  YO, insert hook in next stitch, yo, draw yarn through stitch, insert hook in next stitch, yo, draw yarn through stitch, yo, draw yarn through 4 stitches.
• Bobble stitch: (Yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through two loops) 5x in same stitch, yo, and draw through all 6 loops on hook. .

LET's BEGIN!

Begin chaining in multiples of 19+3 to desired length.

Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook, *dc in next 7 ch, (dc, ch3, dc) in next ch, dc in next 7 ch, ** work dc2tog working first half in next ch, sk 2, work second half in next ch, yo, draw through 3 loops on hook, repeat from * across ending at **, work dc2tog working first half in next ch, sk next ch, work second half in last ch, yo, draw through 3 loops on hook, turn.

Row 2: Ch 3, sk first 2 sts, dc in next 7, *(2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in ch sp, dc in next 6 st, **dc2tog working first half in next st, sk3, work second half in next st, yo, draw through 3 loops on hook, dc in next 6 st, repeat from * across ending at **, dc2tog in next st & 3rd ch in turning ch, turn.

Row 3: Repeat row 2

Row 4: Ch 2, sk first 2 st, hdc in next, *(bobble, 2 hdc) 2x, bobble, (2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in ch sp, (bobble, 2 hdc) 2x, bobble, ** (hdc2tog working first half in next ch, sk 1, work second half in next st, yo, draw through 4 loops on hook, repeat from * across ending at**, hdc2tog over next two st, turn.

Row 5: Ch 3, sk 2, dc in next 7, *(2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in ch sp, dc in next 6, ** dc2tog working first half in next st, sk4, work second half in next st, yo, draw through 3 loops on hook, dc in next 6, repeat from * across ending at **, dc2tog working first half in next st, sk 2, work second half in next st, yo, draw through all 3 loops, turn.

Row 6: Ch 2, sk 2, *(hdc, ch 1, sk 1) 4x, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in ch sp, ch 1, (hdc in next, ch1, sk 1) 3x,
hdc, hdc2tog working first half in next st, sk 1, work second half in next st, yo, draw through all 4 loops, turn. 

Row 7: Ch 3,sk ch sp, dc in hdc, *(2 dc in next ch sp) 3x, (2 dc, ch 3,2 dc) in next ch sp, (2dc in next ch sp) 3x,** dc2tog working first half in actual stich of the next ch 1 not just the ch 1 sp, sk next 4 sts, work second half in next hdc, yo, draw through all 3 loops, repeat from * across ending at **, dc2tog working first half in next actual st of the next ch 1 not just the ch 1 sp, sk 1, work second half in next st, yo, draw through all 3 loops, turn.

Continue on repeating rows 4-7 until pattern is about an inch shy of the desired length at row 4. Then, repeat row 5 three times. Weave in ends. Make and attach tassels to one or both ends of blanket.

Have a LOVEly day!

Love all you do and those you have, with all your heart.