Royal Baby Blanket KAL/CAL- Week #1

Hello everyone and welcome to the Royal Baby Blanket KAL/SAL! This is week # 1 and we have one knit square and one crochet square for you this week. If you are knitting your entire blanket, you'll want to make two of these knit squares. Same goes for crochet. If you are doing both knit and crochet in your blanket, then you'll want to make one of each!

Heather and I have decided to make each week just a bit more challenging than the last, so we are starting this week with a fairly simple design. At any time as we get further along with the KAL/CAL, if you feel like the squares are too complicated you can simply jump back and repeat a week of your choice and work at your pace and level. Any which way you do it, you'll end up with a gorgeous blanket!

Crochet Square #1

Lets get started:

Crochet Square #1

By: Heather Boyd

Materials:

·         100 yards of Worsted weight yarn

·         Size H/8 crochet hook

·         Tapestry needle

Gauge:

16 hdcs over 4”; 6 rows over 4.5”

Abbreviations:

hdc (half double crochet): Yarn over hook, insert hook under both loops of next stitch, yarn over hook and draw loop through stitch; yarn over hook again and pull through 3 remaining loops on hook.

dc (double crochet): Yarn over hook, insert hook under both loops of next stitch, yarn over hook and draw loop through stitch; yarn over hook and pull through two loops on hook; yarn over hook again and pull through 2 remaining loops on hook.

Stitch detail.

Directions:

With H/8 hook, ch 35.  *[Starting in 2^nd ch from hook, hdc in each ch across (34 hdc)].  Ch 1 and turn work. 

Repeat from * until work measures approximately 8” by 8”. 

Fasten off yarn and weave in ends.

Border:  Rejoin yarn to work with right side facing and work two rows of double crochet as follows, working corners as described in note below:

Border Row 1: dc in each stitch on vertical ends of work and in space at end of each row on horizontal sides of work. 

Border Row 2: dc in each stitch all the way around work. 

*Work corners as follows: dc to corner stitch, ch 1, dc in corner stitch, ch 1, dc in next stitch and following stitches, to next corner stitch.

After working border rows, fasten off yarn and weave in end.  If needed, block gently to 10” by 10” dimensions.

Knit Square #1

Knit square #1

By Kristen Ashbaugh Helmreich

Materials:

·         100 yards of Worsted weight yarn

·         US 7 needles

·         Tapestry Needle

Gauge:

19 sts and 32 rows = 4” in pattern

Abbreviations:

K- knit

P- purl

sts- stitches

CO- cast on

BO- bind off

RS- right side

WS- wrong side

Garter stitch- the knitted stitch pattern that results from knitting every row when knitting flat.

Stitch detail.

Directions:

-CO 46 sts

- K 6 rows in garter stitch

-Work the following 4-row moss stitch pattern until piece measures 9”:

-Row 1 (RS): k4, *k1, p1; repeat from * to last 4 sts, k4.

-Row 2 (WS): k4, p to last 4 sts, k4.

-Row 3 (RS): k4, *p1, k1; repeat from * to last 4 sts, k4.

-Row 4 (WS): same as row 2.

-K 6 rows in garter stitch

-BO all sts and weave in ends.

-Block lightly to achieve a 10” x 10” square

That's it for week # 1 of the Royal Baby KAL/CAL! If you have questions about either square, please feel free to e-mail Heather or I directly. If you have questions about the crochet square, e-mail Heather(at)jimmybeanswool.com and if you have questions regarding the knit square, send them to Kristen(at)jimmybeanswool.com. We will also be answering questions in the Jimmy Beans Wool Ravelry Group. We hope you have a great week and happy knitting and crocheting!

Kristen