The Crochet Sunrise Baby Blanket is perfect for a fast and easy baby blanket, but it can also be sized up to be a throw or afghan. Beautiful self-striping yarn combined with the lemon peel stitch make this blanket colorful with wonderful texture. This free crochet pattern is easy and suitable for beginners and experienced crocheters alike.
Use Self-Striping Yarn to Crochet the Sunrise Baby Blanket
There is nothing I love more in a baby blanket than self-striping yarn and a pretty but simple texture. If you look at my other baby blanket patterns here you’ll see what I mean 😉 Why do I love self-striping yarn? A few reasons. First, self-striping yarn comes in so many different color combos and sometimes in combos I could never even think of by myself! Second, and most importantly, when the yarn stripes itself there are infinitely fewer ends to weave in which means you can make your baby blanket SO much faster. No row counting, no color changes…win, win, win!
Lemon Peel Stitch for Simple Texture
As a mom of young children, I can also say that I personally prefer baby blankets without holes (think the traditional granny square). I use my baby blankets to cover my kids in the car in the winter, as a diaper changing surface, or peek-a-boo. In none of those cases are holes in a blanket beneficial. (Please note: I’m not trying to knock other baby blanket patterns with holes - I’ve even designed one, but from a parenting point of view I personally prefer no holes)
The Lemon Peel Stitch used in this pattern is simple to crochet, gives the blanket a lovely texture, AND no big holes for little toes and fingers to get tangled in. Again - win, win, win! Add a fluffy Bernat Pipsqueak border and you have the perfect blanket ready for snuggling.
I made my son a very similar blanket to this one, the Cloud 9 Blanket, and I was so pleased with the yarn and how it held up to use and washing! I decided to make my new niece a similar blanket and that’s how the Sunrise Baby Blanket was born. I hope you enjoy the free crochet pattern.
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Sunrise Baby Blanket - Free Crochet Pattern
Supplies:
- Loops and Threads Kai (‘Confetti’ pictured) or approximately 750 yds of a similar category 3 yarn. Approx. 20 yards of Bernat Pipsqueak yarn used for border.
- 5.0mm crochet hook and 7.0mm crochet hook- I love Clover Amour
- Scissors - I always keep these travel scissors in my hook case
- Yarn needle
Abbreviations and Stitches (written in U.S. terms):
- st/sts: stitch/stitches
- sl st: slip stitch
- ch: chain
- SC: single crochet
- DC: double crochet
- Lemon peel stitch: crochet a DC and a SC into the same stitch space, skip next stitch. Repeat this pattern across as pattern indicates.
Gauge
8 sts x 6 rows = 2” square in lemon peel stitch
Finished Size:
Approx. 28" x 28"
Pattern Notes
- ch st at the beginning of a row does not count as a stitch
- to adjust the width of this blanket, start with any even number of chain stitches
- to adjust the legnth of this blanket, add or subtract as many rows as you'd like.
Instructions
ch 93 using H hook and Kai yarn
Row 1: HDC in second ch from the hook, *(DC, SC) in the next ch st, skip one, repeat from * across, HDC in the last chain st (92). Turn
Row 2-68: ch 1, HDC in the first st, *(DC, SC) in the next st, skip one, repeat from * across, HDC in the last st of the row (92). Turn
When you finish Row 68, tie off yarn and weave in ends.
Adding the border
Attach Bernat Pipsqueak in the corner. ch 1, and *SC in every other stitch along that side (46). (SC, ch 2, SC) to turn the corner. Repeat from * around each side of the blanket working your stitches evenly along the raw edges. When you get to the beginning, join with a sl st. Continue crocheting around the border. Now working one SC into each stitch from the previous row, and (SC, ch 2, SC) in the corners. Repeat this process around as many times as you'd like to achieve the border width you desire. The pictured blanket has just 1 round of border.
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Now the legal stuff...You may sell items made from this pattern, but please credit me as the original designer. Also, please do not share the written pattern in print or electronically. The photos on this webpage belong to Megan Meyer of Left in Knots and may not be used for product sales/product listings. You may share a link back to my blog if you would like someone else to see or work with this pattern. Thank you for your cooperation and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me!
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