Sometimes my favorite crochet projects came about completely by accident. And this is definitely the case with this baby blanket. I had ordered this gold yarn for another project, but when it arrived, it didn’t look quite the same as it had online and it didn’t quite go with the other colors in the planned project. So I set this gold aside and substituted another yarn in the planned project. But this yarn called to me. I love the mustard-y gold shades of yellow and I knew this yarn was meant for something greater. And inspiration struck!

I decided to pair it with silver and white. The colors reminded me of the roaring twenties, which I love and want to bring back in vogue in this twenties decade. And thus the Bee’s Knees was born.

I love texture and I love the colors so it was important to find a scrumptious stitch pattern for this blanket. My mind instantly went to puffs and clusters (it’s been my go-to recently, if you haven’t noticed). One of the things I love about this blanket is that it’s a perfect gender neutral blanket! It’s been trendy among my friends to not find out the sex of their baby and so something like this would make a great gift for expecting mamas wanting to keep the sex/gender a surprise or parents opting to raise their children gender neutral.

The Bee’s Knees Baby Blanket

Materials

• Worsted Weight/Aran Yarn in Gold, Silver, and
  White (I used Stylecraft Aran)
• Size I/9 – 5.25mm Hook (I love this set of Clover Amour crochet hooks)
• Yarn Needle
• Scissors

Gauge

• 4”x4” = 12dc x ~7 rows

Experience Level

• Easy – Pattern is worked in repeating rows that include double crochet, puffs, and clusters.

Notes

• This pattern is written in US terms.
• All ch 2 and ch 3 count as hdc and dc.
• Always skip the first stitch in a new row.

Special Stitches

• Foundation Double Crochet (fdc) – ch 3, yo and insert hook into back
  loop and back bar of first ch, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through one
  loop (this is the foundation stitch of your fcd), yo and draw through two
  loops, yo and draw through remaining two loops. One fdc made. *Yo and insert
  hook into back loop and back bar of the foundation stitch, yo and draw up a
  loop, yo and draw through one loop, yo and draw through two loops, yo and draw
  through remaining two loops.* Repeat until fdc row is desired length. 
• Crossed Double Crochet (cdc) – skip the first stitch, double crochet in
  the next stitch, double crochet in the skipped stitch. 
• Cluster Stitch (cs) – *yo, insert hook into designated stitch and draw
  up a loop, yo and draw through two loops,* three times (four loops on hook), yo
  and pull through all loops on hook. Ch 1 to secure.
• Puff Stitch (ps) – *yo, insert hook into designated stitch and draw up a
  loop* three times (seven loops on hook), yo and pull through all loops on hook.
  Ch 1 to secure.
• 5 Cluster Stitch (5cl) – *yo, insert hook into designated stitch and
  draw up a loop, yo and draw through two loops,* five times (six loops on hook),
  yo and pull through all loops on hook. Ch 1 to secure.

Pattern

Row 1: In white, work an even number of fdc until row is desired length (I crocheted 104). Ch 3, turn. 

Alternate Row 1: ch an even number of stitches until chain is desired length (to equal my length, ch 106), dc in fourth chain from hook and in each across. Ch 3, turn. 

Row 2: (as indicated in notes, ch 3 counts as first dc and skip first stitch) Work cdc across, dc in last stitch. Ch 3, turn. 

Row 3: dc in each stitch across. Ch 3, turn. Change color to gold. 

Row 4: *cs in next stitch, skip one stitch* across, dc in top of ch 3. Ch 2, turn. 

Row 5: ps in space between first dc and cs, ps in each space between cs across, hdc in top of ch 3. Ch 3, turn. 

Row 6: cs in space between dc and ps, cs in each space between ps, dc in top of ch 2. Ch 3, turn. Change color to silver. 

Rows 7-9: repeat rows 1-3. Change color to gold. 

Rows 10-12: repeat rows 4-6. Change color to white. 

Repeat rows 1-12 until piece is desired length. 

Border

Round 1: In gold with right side facing you, work hdc evenly around all sides, three hdc in each corner, join with a sl. 

Round 2: Ch 3, *5cl in next stitch, sl st in next three stitches,* repeat around. Sl st to join and fasten off. 

Weave in all ends.