Baby Rainbow Sampler Blanket 2 (Part 5)

The Baby Rainbow Sampler Blanket 2 is a small version of the Big Rainbow Sampler Blanket 2. It features all the different stitches used in the original blanket, just smaller. It's a great project for an ambitious beginner who wants to learn more crochet stitches and perfect for gifting to your loved ones. This blanket is a journey in itself!

You can find the other pattern parts here:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5
• Part 6
• Part 7
• Part 8
• Part 9
• Part 10
• Part 11
• Part 12

Crochet hook

3.5mm (US size E/4) for both versions.

Measurements

Organicon blanket measures 110 x 85cm (43 x 33½in) after blocking. Catona blanket measures 122 x 94cm (48 x 37in).

Gauge/tension

Gauge is not critical for this pattern. If you want precise gauge instructions, check out Part 1.

Notes

• The pattern for this blanket is long. To keep track of where you are, I’ve divided it into different parts. Each part introduces a new section with Techniques and also contains a crochet diagram.
• In most rows you’ll make a ch1 before turning your blanket. This is a turning chain and does not count as a stitch. If you find a ch1 is too small, you can also make a ch2. This depends on how tight you crochet.

Colour layout

Part 5 Weekly overview

Techniques

To keep the pattern organised, I placed the stitch tutorials on separate pages:

• X-stitch
• Popcorns

X-stitch section 1 (Rows 54-63)

This stitch is one of my favourites. The X’es that are worked over your work are made with trebles that cross each other in skipped stitches that you prepared a few rows back. It’s a great stitch to play around with, in terms of colours and contrast: for example, how would this stitch look when you crochet the X’es with a different type of yarn? The possibilities are numerous!

Row 54 (WS) Join Colour I with a ss in first stitch, ch1, 1sc in same st, 144sc, ch1, turn. [145 sc]

Row 55 (RS) 4sc, *ch1, skip next stitch, 3sc, ch1, skip next stitch, 7sc; repeat from * another 10 times, ch1, skip next stitch, 3sc, ch1, skip next stitch, 4sc, cut yarn, turn. [24 ch-spaces, 121 sc, 145 sts in total]

It can be tricky to locate the chain spaces you made in Row 55 when you’ll need them in the next few rows. To make it easier on yourself, you might want to mark them with stitch markers.

Row 56 (WS) Join Colour J with a ss in first stitch, ch3 (counts as first dc), 144dc (so 1 dc in each sc and chain), cut yarn, turn. [145 dc]

In the next row, we’re going to create the crosses by making trebles in the front loops of the stitches below the chains that we’ve crocheted in Row 55. We do this by first crocheting a treble in the stitch below the chain 2 stitches ahead (so the treble forms the first diagonal leg of the cross), making 3sc in between and then working another treble in the stitch below the chain 2 stitches back, forming the second diagonal leg of the cross. Don’t forget to skip the stitch on the current row behind the treble. Otherwise, we’d mess up our stitch count.

Row 57 (RS) Join Colour I with a ss in first stitch, ch1, 1sc in same st, 3sc, *1tr in FL of st below ch in Row 55 2 stitches ahead, skip next stitch on current row, 3sc, 1tr in FL of st below ch in Row 55 2 stitches back, skip next stitch on current row, 7sc; repeat from * another 10 times, 1tr in FL of st below ch in Row 55 2 stitches ahead, skip next stitch on current row, 3sc, 1tr in FL of st below ch in Row 55 2 stitches back, skip next stitch on current row, 4sc, ch1, turn. [12 tr-crosses, 145 sts in total]

Row 58 (WS) 145sc, ch1, turn. [145 sc]

Row 59 (RS) 10sc, *ch1, skip next stitch, 3sc, ch1, skip next stitch, 7sc; repeat from * another 9 times, ch1, skip next stitch, 3sc, ch1, skip next stitch, 10sc, cut yarn, turn. [22 ch-spaces, 123 sc, 145 sts in total]

Based on your experience with Row 57 you might want to mark your chain spaces in Row 59 again!

Row 60 (WS) Join Colour J with a ss in first stitch, repeat Row 56. [145 dc]

Row 61 (RS) Join Colour I with a ss in first stitch, ch1, 1sc in same st, 9sc, *1tr in FL of st below ch in Row 59 2 stitches ahead, skip next stitch on current row, 3sc, 1tr in FL of st below ch in Row 59 2 stitches back, skip next stitch on current row, 7sc; repeat from * another 9 times, 1tr in FL of st below ch in Row 59 2 stitches ahead, skip next stitch on current row, 3sc, 1tr in FL of st below ch in Row 59 2 stitches back, skip next stitch on current row, 10sc, ch1, turn. [11 tr-crosses, 145 sts in total]

Row 62 (WS) 145sc, cut yarn, turn. [145 sc]

Row 63 (RS) Join Colour A with a ss in first stitch, ch1, 1hdc in same st, 145hdc, cut yarn, turn. [145 hdc]

Popcorn section 1 (Rows 64-72)

Next to puff stitches, popcorns are another way to create bobbles in your blanket. They’re fundamentally different from pop stitches as they are a group of completed double crochets held together by a slip stitch. The popcorn bobbles are sturdier compared to puff stitches, and also more prominent. You can play around with volume by crocheting more or less double crochets in a popcorn. For max volume, we stick to 6!

Row 64 (WS) Join Colour I with a ss in first stitch, ch1, 1hdc in same st, 144hdc, ch1, turn. [145 hdc]

Row 65 (RS) 8hdc, *popcorn, 7hdc; repeat from * another 15 times, popcorn, 8hdc, ch1, turn. [17 popcorn, 128 hdc]

Row 66 (WS) 145hdc, cut yarn, turn. [145 hdc]

Row 67 (RS) Join Colour A with a ss in first stitch, ch1, 1hdc in same st, 144hdc, cut yarn, turn. [145 hdc]

Row 68 (WS) Join Colour J with a ss in first stitch, ch1, 1hdc in same st, 144hdc, ch1, turn. [145 hdc]

Row 69 (RS) 12hdc, *popcorn, 7hdc; repeat from * another 14 times, popcorn, 12hdc, ch1, turn. [16 popcorn, 129 hdc]

Because we crochet more hdc before starting our popcorn repeat, the popcorns are offset compared to the previous row.

Row 70 (WS) 145hdc, cut yarn, turn. [145 hdc]

Row 71 (RS) Join Colour A with a ss in first stitch, ch1, 1hdc in same st, 144hdc, ch1, turn. [145 hdc]

Row 72 (WS) 145hdc, cut yarn, turn. [145 hdc]

Diagram