Hi all!  I would like to share with you one of my favorite baby blanket patterns.  This blanket was originally made as a sample for a class I held at my local JoAnn’s.  Once the class was completed I took it home and tried to think of someone to gift it to.  A few months later my dear friend Kitty, her husband and their 2 sweet boys came to visit.  I showed them the little blanket and she told me that 3 year old Riley absolutely loves rainbows because he can’t pick one favorite color over the others.  By then I knew that the blanket had chosen for me.  I took some pictures to share on my blog and then shipped the blanket to it’s new home.  So here is the FREE PATTERN for that great blanket, titled Riley’s Rainbow Blocks in honor of the little boy that likes all of the colors of the rainbow equally.  Get it on Ravelry here.

Riley’s Rainbow Blocks
Supplies Needed:
          1-Size J-10 (6mm) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge
          Lion Brand Cupcake Yarn-    
                   1 ball-Pink Lemonade
                   1 ball-Lemon Drop
                   1 ball-Pistacio
                   2 balls-Blueberry
                   2 balls-Sugarplum
                   4 balls-Marshmallow
 
Terminology:
Beg=beginning
Ch=chain
Ch-sp=chain space
Dc=double crochet
Rep=repeat
Rnd=round
Sl st=slip stitch
Sp=space
Notes:         Afghan is worked on the front side throughout unless specified otherwise.
Gauge:        13 sc and 15 rows=4” square
Instructions:
Square Motif-Make 12
Rnd 1-With Pink Lemonade
Ch 3 (counts as dc, here and throughout), 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, *3 dc in same ch, ch 2, rep from * 2 more times.  Join with sl st to beg ch.  Fasten off.  Mark as front side. 12 dc.
Rnd 2-With Lemon Drop
Join with sl st to any ch-2 sp in rnd 1.  Ch 3, 2 dc in same sp as join, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, *3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same space, ch 1, rep from * 2 more times.  Join with sl st to beg ch.  Fasten off.  24 dc.
Rnd 3-With Pistacio
Join with sl st to any ch-2 sp.  Ch 3, 2 dc in same sp as join, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, *3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, rep from* 2 more times.  Join with sl st to beg ch.  Fasten off.  36 dc.
Rnd 4-With Blueberry
Join with sl st to any ch-2 sp.  Ch 3, 2 dc in same sp as join, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) twice, *3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) twice, rep from * 2 more times.  Join with sl st to beg ch.  Fasten off.  48 dc.
Rnd 5-With Sugarplum
Join with sl st to any ch-2 sp.  Ch 3, 2 dc in same sp as join, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) three times, *3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) three times, rep from * 2 more times.  Join with sl st to beg ch.  Fasten off.  60 dc.
Rnd 6-With Marshmallow
Join with sl st to any ch-2 sp.  Ch 3, 2 dc in same sp as join, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) four times, *3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) four times, rep from * 2 more times.  Join with sl st to beg ch.  Do not fasten off.  72 dc.
Rnd 7-Continue with Marshmallow
Turn to work on back side.  Ch 3, 2 dc in same sp as join, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) four times, *3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) five times, rep from * 2 more times.  3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1. Join with sl st to beg ch.  Fasten off.  84 dc.
Join squares-With Marshmallow
Hold two squares with front sides together and line up stitches.  Starting at one corner, sl st back loops only together along one side.  Continue in this manner until all squares are joined to make a 3 square x 4 square rectangle.
Edging
Rnd 1-With Marshmallow
Join at any ch-1 sp on front side, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp as join, ch 1.  3 dc in each ch-1 sp and (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in each ch-2 sp around entire blanket.  At seams, dc in corner of first square, ch 1, dc in next corner.  Join with beg ch.  Fasten off.
Rnd 2-With Pink Lemonade
Repeat Rnd 1, disregarding instruction for seams.
Rnd 3-With Lemon Drop
Repeat Rnd 1, disregarding instruction for seams.
Rnd 4-With Pistacio
Repeat Rnd 1, disregarding instruction for seams.
Rnd 5-With Blueberry
Repeat Rnd 1, disregarding instruction for seams.
Rnd 6-With Sugarplum
Repeat Rnd 1, disregarding instruction for seams.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Finished Size is approx 30″ x 40″

 

The completed blanket!