Lemon Tot Baby Blanket

This blanket is inspired by beautiful all-in-one knitted baby blankets and includes a make-as-you-go border!

Size

The finished blanket is approx 60-65cm x 60-65cm (approx 24-25 x 24-25 inches).

I am a reasonably firm crocheter and my blanket comes up at 60cm square. If you are a looser crocheter your blanket will come up a little bigger.

Materials Needed

• 225-250g (675-750m) of DK yarn (pale colour, acrylic yarn)

• 4mm crochet hook for the main blanket

• 4.5mm crochet hook for the starting chain (5mm if you are a very tight chainer)

• Yarn needle

Stitches Used (UK crochet terms)

Chain: starting with 1 loop on your hook, yarn over and pull through.

Left-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/rg4Qz4_F4sI

Right-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/e6sFrn1jhDY

Double Crochet: Insert the hook into the stitch below, yarn over and draw up a loop (2 loops on your hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops. You will have 1 loop on your hook.

Left-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/dZSYTwNmpuY

Right-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/IfTZbTozNuA

Half Treble Crochet: Yarn over and then insert the hook into the stitch below. Yarn over and draw up a loop (3 loops on your hook). Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops. You will have 1 loop left on your hook.

Left-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/rsxQ4d5WLRw

Right-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/DRDElhCasbc

Treble Crochet: Yarn over and then insert the hook into the stitch below. Yarn over and draw up a loop (3 loops on your hook). Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. You will have 1 loop left on your hook.

Left-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/VDeHNavUkPE

Right-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/Ic-vQSdRIUs

Lemon Peel Stitch: Lemon peel stitch is an alternating sequence of 1x double crochet and 1x treble crochet along the row. In subsequent rows, you work a double crochet into the trebles of the row before, and trebles into the doubles. It creates a cosy closed texture with extra body.

Left-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/k_6tVw4kcZw

Right-Handed Tutorial: https://youtu.be/8_FxoIXLST4

Pattern notes

1. Turn your work after every row.

2. Each row uses 2 turning chains. When doing your stitch count, the turning chains are not counted. To avoid confusion, you are best count the v’s on the top of the row, rather than the stitch posts.

3. Work the first stitch of each row into the stitch immediately below the turning chain.

Pattern

Starting chain: Using a 4.5mm hook, chain 111 stitches. Use a 5mm hook if you are a very tight chainer.

Row 1: Switch to a 4mm hook. Work 1 half treble crochet into the 3rd chain from the hook, and into each chain along. Work each stitch into the back bump of your chains for a smooth base to your blanket. Chain 2 and turn. (109 half trebles).

Rows 2-5: Work 1 half treble crochet into each stitch along. Chain 2 and turn. (109 stitches). When you start a row, make sure to work your first half treble into the very first stitch, right below the turning chain.

We will now introduce the main “lemon peel” texture of the blanket, while continuing to work border stitches at the beginning and end of each row.

Row 6: Work a half treble into each of the first five stitches. These are your border stitches.

Now work the repeat *1 double crochet, 1 treble crochet* along the row. You will be working 1 stitch into each stitch from the row below. Repeat * to *, alternating double and treble crochets until you have 5 stitches left to work in the row. If you start with a double crochet, you will finish with a double crochet before the end border.

Work 1 half treble crochet into each of the next 5 stitches. Chain 2 and turn.

(109 stitches = 5 + 5 border stitches and 99 of lemon peel)

Row 7: Work a half treble into each of the first five stitches.

*1 treble crochet, 1 double crochet*, repeat * to *, alternating treble and double crochets until you have 5 stitches left. If you start with a treble crochet, you will finish with a treble crochet before the end border.

Work 1 half treble into each of the last 5 stitches. Chain 2 and turn. (109 stitches)

You will always work a double crochet into a treble crochet from the row below, and a treble crochet into a double crochet from the row below.

Pattern Repeat

Repeat rows 6 and 7 alternately until your blanket is approximately 61-62cm long (i.e. when the blanket is just the border thickness short of square). Stop on a repeat of row 7.

Finishing

Work 5 rows of plain half treble crochet to finish the top border of your blanket (i.e. repeat Row 2 x 5 times). 109 stitches in each row.

Cut your yarn leaving a 20cm tail. Chain 1 and pull the yarn end through to cast off.

Sew in your ends securely.

Terms and conditions of use

(c) Fiona Meade 2021

Do not copy or reproduce these notes, images or charts, either digitally or in hard copy. Do not reproduce them online. You cannot copy this pattern to your own site or any other pattern site. Please just give the link to this webpage. This pattern is for personal use only. You can print a copy to work from, but to not make multiple copies or distribute them. You can sell the finished items you make, but you must credit me, “Fiona Meade Crochet”, as the designer and link to this pattern website. You do not have permission to use my photographs for promotion, please take your own pictures. You are not allowed to make photo or video tutorials for this pattern, online or off-line. If you wish to use this pattern in a class or as part of a kit, you must seek full written permission from me (fionameade.crochet@gmail.com) and you must buy a full price copy of the pattern for each individual kit/participant.