Guest Author - Carla McCune-Cano
Babies love soft, cuddly, huggable items. Parents love receiving unique gifts. As crocheters, that is what it is all about. You understand the allure of a soft, cuddly blanket. There is not an easier project than infant blankets. They can be as simple or as complicated as you want.
First decide what yarn you are going to use. Simply Soft is a wonderfully soft yarn, made by Caron. It is a worsted weight, #4 yarn. There are many lines of baby yarns from fine weights to bulky weights (#3 to #6). They are designed with babies in mind, so they are very soft and cozy. I have worked with Bernat many times and enjoy the quality and colors. You can coordinate with color schemes of nurseries, care seats and strollers. There are hundreds of free crochet patterns for baby blankets. However, the best place to start is a crochet stitch guide or encyclopedia.
If you are new to crochet and just beginning to learn the basic stitches try just crocheting a square as big or as little as you would like your blanket to be. You can make a nice warm blanket with single crochet (sc) throughout or you can alternate stitches. Perhaps you could try a row of single crochet (sc), a row of half double crochet (hdc), then a row of double crochet (dc). Repeating these rows in the same order until it is as big as you like. You might also use a self-striping yarn or practice changing colors and alternate between rows. A simple border of single crochet (sc) in a contrasting color is the perfect finishing touch.
If you are an advance beginner or intermediate crocheter and are ready for a bigger challenge use your stitch encyclopedia to work on new stitches. A great way to do this is make a sampler crib blanket. Pick a color scheme, and then determine the finished size of your blanket. Determine the size each square would need to be to get the size you need for the finished blanket. The key to this is to pick new stitches, challenge yourself. After each square is complete, with a main color (MC) single crochet (sc) evenly around the square. After completion of all of your squares using the main color (MC), whip stitch or slip stitch your squares together. You may then add a border. This requires a little planning and preparation but well worth the time.
Lets not forget the experienced crocheter. Sometimes you find you just need to have a basic simple pattern to take a break from all those challenging intricate patterns. Making a baby blanket or set of blankets could be just the thing. Perhaps there is a stitch, that is challenging and you need to practice. Perhaps you want to practice using new tools, or perhaps you have several baby gifts that need to be done in a short amount of time. These are the perfect fit. You can make a blankie, a car seat blanket and a crib blanket in coordinating colors.
Blanket sizes vary. It depends on what the blanket will be used for. The size of the baby can make a difference to. The following measurements are what I use for the blankets I make. It is personal preference and you can play with it to find the size that works for you.
Preemie/ Small Blankie 15 x 15
Car Seat Blanket 30 x 30
Swaddling Blanket 40 x 40
Crib or Toddler Size 38 x 48
Note of Caution:
Please remember that these blankets are intended for babies and need to be designed for babies. Do not use any yarns that are metallic. I would be careful using any of the novelty yarns. Not all of them are inappropriate for baby blankets but most are. Remember that babies love to put things in their mouths and pull things apart, if you keep these things in mind you will find an appropriate yarn. Also remember to keep your blanket free of large lacy designs. Small babies may get tangled up in the openings.
So if youre up for it, go ahead and crochet a beautiful keepsake for the little on in your life. If your little ones have all grown up how about crocheting a baby blanket or two for your local hospital. There are also many worthy charities you can find online that would love a handcrafted, cozy, snuggly baby blanket for their newest deliveries.
