Free Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern: Sage Meadow

Materials & Reference

Yarn colors

Ivory: Three main body bands and the border.
Sage Green: Two contrasting body bands.
Dusty Rose: Two narrow body bands.

Yarn Weight: DK / Light #3, estimated from the illustrated texture. Use smooth yarn from the same yarn line for all three colors.

Yarn requirements are planning estimates. Actual consumption depends on yarn, gauge and tension.

Hook: 4 mm as a starting point. Adjust the hook size to obtain the target gauge.
Notions: Scissors, yarn needle, four removable stitch markers and a measuring tape.

Finished Size: Approx. 37 x 29 in / 94 x 74 cm, including a border approximately 1/2 in / 1.3 cm wide on each edge. Measurements are estimates.

Target Gauge: 14 stitches and 12 rows = 4 x 4 in / approximately 10 x 10 cm in lemon peel stitch, measured after washing and drying according to the yarn label. Count each SC and each DC as one stitch.

Body Size at Target Gauge: Approx. 36 x 28 in / 91 x 71 cm before adding the border.

Abbreviations: CH – chain; SC – single crochet; DC – double crochet; SL ST – slip stitch; ST/STS – stitch/stitches; RS – right side; ROW – row; RD – round.

Repeat Notation: Repeat the instructions inside square brackets the stated number of times.

Stitches & Gauge Swatch

Single crochet – SC

Insert the hook into the indicated stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through both loops.

Double crochet – DC

Yarn over. Insert the hook into the indicated stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through two loops. Yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops.

Slip stitch – SL ST

Insert the hook into the indicated stitch. Yarn over and pull through the stitch and the loop on the hook.

Lemon peel stitch

Alternate one SC and one DC across an even number of stitches. Each body row starts with SC and ends with DC. After turning, work each SC into a DC from the previous row and each DC into an SC from the previous row.

Gauge swatch

Yarn Color: Ivory   Make: 1 swatch for checking gauge.

Foundation: CH 23. (23 CH)

ROW 1: SC in the second CH from the hook, DC in the next CH. [SC in the next CH, DC in the following CH] x10. Turn. (22)

ROW 2-18: CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x11. Turn. (22) – total 17 rows.

Fasten off. Wash and dry according to the yarn label. Measure the central stitches and rows without stretching. If more than 14 stitches fit into 4 in, try a larger hook. If fewer than 14 stitches fit into 4 in, try a smaller hook. Recheck stitch and row gauge.

Construction notes & color changes

Work flat through both top loops. The turning CH 1 does not count as a stitch; do not work into it. Turn after every body row. Each body row contains 126 stitches: 63 SC and 63 DC.

On the final DC before a new band, work until two loops remain. Yarn over with the new color and pull through both loops. Turn and make the turning CH 1 with the new color. Cut the old color, leaving a 6 in / 15 cm tail. Do not carry unused colors along the edges.

Blanket Body

Yarn Color(s): Ivory – Main bands; Sage Green – Contrasting band; Dusty Rose – Narrow band.
Make: 1

Foundation: With Ivory yarn, CH 127. (127 CH)

ROW 1: SC in the second CH from the hook, DC in the next CH. [SC in the next CH, DC in the following CH] x62. Turn. (126)

ROW 2-14: CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126) – total 13 rows.

ROW 15: Change to Sage Green yarn. CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126)

ROW 16-24: CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126) – total 9 rows.

ROW 25: Change to Dusty Rose yarn. CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126)

ROW 26-30: CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126) – total 5 rows.

ROW 31: Change to Ivory yarn. CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126)

ROW 32-54: CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126) – total 23 rows.

Count check

54 completed rows, with 126 stitches in every row.

Place a marker in the first and last stitch of the current row. Move these markers up as the body grows.

Blanket Body – Continued

Yarn Color(s): Dusty Rose – Narrow band; Sage Green – Contrasting band; Ivory – Final main band.
Make: Continue the existing body.

ROW 55: Change to Dusty Rose yarn. CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126)

ROW 56-60: CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126) – total 5 rows.

ROW 61: Change to Sage Green yarn. CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126)

ROW 62-70: CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126) – total 9 rows.

ROW 71: Change to Ivory yarn. CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126)

ROW 72-84: CH 1. Starting in the first ST, [SC in the next ST, DC in the following ST] x63. Turn. (126) – total 13 rows.

Fasten off, leaving a 6 in / 15 cm tail for weaving in. Remove the body-edge markers.

Body Totals: 84 rows; 126 stitches in every row; 52 Ivory rows, 20 Sage Green rows and 12 Dusty Rose rows.

Body Size: Approx. 36 x 28 in / 91 x 71 cm at the target gauge. Lay the body flat and identify the four corners before starting the border.

Ivory Border

Yarn Color: Ivory   Make: 1 border, worked directly around the body.

Place the blanket with the chosen RS facing. Keep this side facing throughout both border rounds.

Corner positions

Top corners: First and last stitches of Row 84.
Bottom corners: Foundation-chain positions directly below the first and last stitches of Row 1.

Each corner receives one 3-SC group. Do not also count these corner positions among the stitches between corners. The top and foundation edges each have 124 positions between their corners. Leave the unused starting chain out of the foundation-edge count. Each side has 84 body-row ends.

Join Ivory yarn with a SL ST in the first stitch of Row 84.

RD 1: CH 1. Work 3 SC in the joining corner. SC in each of the next 124 STS across Row 84. Work 3 SC in the last ST of Row 84. Along the first side, [work 2 SC into the next row end, work 1 SC into the following row end] x42. Work 3 SC in the bottom corner. SC in each of the next 124 foundation-chain positions. Work 3 SC in the remaining bottom corner. Along the second side, [work 2 SC into the next row end, work 1 SC into the following row end] x42. SL ST to the first SC. (512)

Do not add stitches to the joining corner. The joining SL ST and beginning CH 1 do not count as stitches. Mark the middle SC of each 3-SC corner group.

Flatness check: If a side ripples, reduce side-edge stitches evenly. If it pulls inward, increase side-edge stitches evenly. If adjusted, record the actual Round 1 total and use the adjusted-count instructions on Page 07.

Ivory Border – Continued

Yarn Color: Ivory   Make: Continue the existing border.

For the stated 512-stitch Round 1

RD 2: CH 1. SC in the first ST. Work 3 SC in the next marked corner ST. SC in each of the next 126 STS. Work 3 SC in the next marked corner ST. SC in each of the next 128 STS. Work 3 SC in the next marked corner ST. SC in each of the next 126 STS. Work 3 SC in the next marked corner ST. SC in each of the remaining 127 STS. SL ST to the first SC. (520)

Work each corner increase into the marked centre stitch, not a gap beside it. Remove the markers.

If Round 1 side counts were adjusted

Use this instruction instead of the fixed-count Round 2 above.

RD 2: CH 1. SC in every ST around, working 3 SC instead of 1 SC in each of the four marked corner STS. SL ST to the first SC. (Actual Round 1 count + 8)

Remove the corner markers.

Fastening off & weaving in ends

Fasten off, leaving a 6 in / 15 cm tail. The completed border contains two Ivory SC rounds. Thread each tail onto a yarn needle. On the reverse, weave through several stitches of the same color. Change direction and weave through a nearby path without tightening the fabric. Secure every starting, ending and color-change tail, then trim the remaining ends.

Washing, shaping & final check

Wash and dry according to the yarn label. Shape into a rectangle without stretching to force the stated dimensions. Confirm the seven bands are Ivory, Sage Green, Dusty Rose, Ivory, Dusty Rose, Sage Green, Ivory. Both sage bands contain 10 rows; both rose bands contain 6 rows. Check that the border surrounds all four edges, lies flat and all yarn ends are secure.

Assembly: No separate pieces require sewing. The border is worked directly onto the body.