Pop Blocks Baby Blanket

For a while now I have been wanting to try making a blanket with two colors of the striped cake yarns (Caron Cakes, Bernat Pop, Lion Brand Mandala, etc) alternating colors each row or round. I thought it would be kind of fun to see how the color changes happened between the two colors. I finally got around to actually trying it and this blanket is the result. 

I went to Walmart to pick out some yarn since it is the closest and most convenient store for me to go to and I knew they carried both Bernat Pop and Lion Brand Mandala, plus I feel like I am already there about every other day to pick up random things we need from the store. I looked through the selection and came up with a couple of combinations I thought would be fun to try. I ended up buying a couple options, one of Pop and one of Mandala. For this blanket I used the Pop yarn and I chose the colors Blue Blaze and Scarlet Sizzle. I will share my Mandala choice in a future post. 

The main things I was looking for in my color choices were colors that I thought would look good together and colors that would give a lot of contrast. I thought the blues and pinks, the warm and cool colors would give me the contrast I was looking for.

I decided to go with a pattern worked in round for this blanket. I chose the block stitch which is a 2 round pattern so I changed colors every 2 rounds.

How to Crochet the Pop Blocks Blanket

Finished size approximately 44" square

You will need:

• 2 cakes each of 2 colors Bernat Pop Yarn (I used 2 Blue Blaze and 2 Scarlet Sizzle)
• I crochet hook
• yarn needle 
• scissors

Instructions:

Begin with whichever color you want in the center (I started with Blue Blaze)

ch 4, sl st to first ch to make a ring

Round 1: ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in ring, ch 2, 3 dc in ring, ch 2, 3 dc in ring, ch 2, 3 dc in ring, ch 2, sl st to beginning ch 3 to join, sl st in next 2 stitches so you are in the last stitch of the first cluster, switch to color 2 (scarlet sizzle)

Round 2: ch 1, sc in first ch space, ch 3, sc in same ch space, [ch 3, sc in next ch space, ch 3, sc in same space] 3 times, ch 3, join to first sc

Round 3: sl st into corner ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, [3 dc in next ch sp, 3 dc in next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp] 3 times, 3 dc in next ch sp, sl st in top of beginning ch 3, switch to color 1 (blue blaze)

Round 4: ch 1, sc in between the last cluster from previous round and the beginning ch, ch 3, sc in corner ch sp, ch 3, sc in same sp, [ch 3, sc between next 2 clusters, ch 3, sc between next 2 clusters, ch 3, sc in corner sp, ch 3, sc in same sp] 3 times, ch 3, sc between next 2 clusters, ch 3, sl st to first sc

Round 5: sl st into ch sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, 3 dc in next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, [3 dc in next ch sp, 3 dc in next ch sp, 3 dc in next ch sp,  3 dc in next ch sp, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp] 3 times, 3 dc in next ch sp, 3 dc in next ch sp, sl st in top of beginning ch 3, switch to color 2 (scarlet sizzle)

Continue  working the pattern changing colors ever 2 rounds and adding 2 more cluster on each side with each color change. When you reach the desired size move on to the border. I did a total of 39 rounds, ending with a round of color 2 (scarlet sizzle).

Border

change to color 1 (blue blaze) ch 1, sc in each stitch around the entire blanket, working 5 sc in each corner ch space, sl st in first sc to join, ch one, work another round of sc, working 3 sc in each corner stitch, join to first stitch and finish off

weave in all ends