Winter Dreams (Free Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern)

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Introduction

The Winter Dreams Baby Blanket is made with wide stripes of the Even Moss Stitch and contrasting stripes with super soft and fluffy Bernat Pipsqueak yarn. Finished off with a wide Pipsqueak border, this blanket is super soft and squishy! It’s worked with double strands and a 6.5mm hook so it works up very quickly, as well. I finished mine in only 3 days!

Inspiration

The inspiration behind this gorgeous blanket is simple: texture, both visually and physically. While the Even Moss Stitch with the Feels Like Butta yarn yields lots of visual texture while still being super soft to the touch, the Bernat Pipsqueak yarn fills the stripes in with tons of super soft and squishy texture. This blanket has got it all, baby!

About the Yarn

Do you know what Yarn Chicken is? If not, it’s just the game ‘Chicken’ but with yarn. You don’t really know if you’re going to have enough yarn to finish your project or not so it’s a fun (relative term, obvs) game of Chicken!

The photo below is what I had left of the 2 balls of Lion Brand Feels Like Butta Bonus Bundle skeins!! Cutting it pretty close, eh? So if you’re using the same yarn with the same exact intentions, be sure to check your gauge and the yardage of your skeins to make sure you don’t run out!

Both of the yarns used for this blanket are incredibly soft and squishy. The Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn is very aptly named. It’s 100% polyester and is pretty luxurious feeling! The Bernat Pipsqueak yarn is very fluffy (and takes a bit to get used to working with but I’ve included tips to help you if you’ve never worked with it before!) and yields a super soft and squishy texture when worked up.

I also want to mention that this pattern is written specific to these yarns. If you’re using yarn substitutes, I recommend swatching a few stripes to make sure they’re going to work up the way you want.

Techniques Used

This blanket pattern is written very simply using only slip stitches, single crochets, and half double crochets. The only semi-difficult part is working with the Bernat Pipsqueak yarn. But no worries, my friend, after just a few rows of working with it you get used to it!

Notes

-I had the most minimal amount of yarn left as humanly possible after the striping for the body of this blanket was complete (see above for the photo evidence!). PLEASE check your gauge if you’re looking to have the same end result with the same materials listed.

-I highly recommend using stitch markers for the Bernat Pipsqueak portions. It is very difficult to see your stitches with this fluffy yarn so they help tremendously. I’ve indicated within the pattern how many stitch markers I used and where to help if you’ve never used this yarn before.

-Keep your slip stitches pretty loose. This makes them easier to work into during subsequent rows and yields a tad more texture.

-*   * indicates a repeat

-(xx) at the end of a row/round indicates how many total stitches for that row/round

Skill Level

Easy

Gauge

11sts and 12 rows of Even Moss Stitch (see stitch index) is 4″ x 4″ (10x10cm)

Finished Measurements

32“ (81cm) x 36“ (91cm)

Materials

1180 yards/550 grams Lion Brand Yarn Feels Like Butta (total yardage, using double strands throughout the pattern)

264yards/220g Yarnspirations Bernat Pipsqueak

US Size I/9/5.5mm crochet hook (I use these!)

US Size K/10.5/6.5mm crochet hook (I use these!)

Stitch markers (8+, see notes) (I use these!)

Tapestry needle for weaving in ends (I use these!)

Scissors (These Fiskars are my fav!)

Stitch Index

R-row/round

ch-chain

st(s)-stitch(es)

PM-place marker

sl st-slip stitch

sc-single crochet

hdc-half double crochet

Special Stitches

Even Moss Stitch– alternating sl st and hdc every other stitch in the same row, always sl st into each sl st and hdc into each hdc in subsequent rows.

Pattern

Foundation (with your 6.5mm hook and double strands of Feels Like Butta) ch 78

R1 (working into the back bumps) sl st in the 2nd ch from your hook, *hdc in the next ch, sl st in the next ch* across, ch 1, turn (77)

R2-14 sl st in the 1st sl st, *hdc in the next hdc, sl st in the next sl st* across switching to the Pipsqueak yarn on the last stitch of the last row of the repeat, ch 1, turn (77)

R15-16 sc in each st across (if desired, place markers every so many stitches to keep track of the stitch count on the 2nd row, I placed markers in the 1st and last stitches and every 11 sts throughout so there were 10 sts in between every marker) (77)

R17-30 sl st in the 1st sl st, *hdc in the next hdc, sl st in the next sl st* across switching to the Pipsqueak yarn on the last stitch of the last row of the repeat, ch 1, turn (77)

Repeat R15-30 4 more times for a total of 6 Even Moss Stitch stripes and 5 Pipsqueak stripes

Break yarn and weave in ends

Border

R1 Attach the Pipsqueak yarn with a sc in any stitch (PM to mark the beg st), place 1 sc at the end of each row and every stitch around with 3 sc in each corner (PM in each corner st)

Switch to 5.5mm hook

R2 ch 1, sc in each st around placing 3 sc in each corner (use stitch markers as desired)

Repeat R2 for a total of 6 rounds or until your border measures approximately 2” (5cm) or until you reach your desired border width

Weave in ends and you’re done!

I really hope you enjoy making this blanket as much as I did! I loved it so much I got the entire thing done in about 3 days within starting it. I just couldn’t put it down! Please don’t forget to pin it for later and to share with your friends!

Happy making friend!