• Making it 6 blocks wide since I like my baby blankets to be about 30” square.

Using a larger hook and yarn (than pattern):

• Starting chain 96 + 6. I initially tried to only do 5 blocks, so 80 + 6 starting chains, but that was only 23”.
• After R1 = 29”
• After R7 = 30”
• Two repeats = 7” tall; 8 repeats = 29”.

Important to note that when she says to skip 2 stitches at the beginning of the rows, you count the first stitch, i.e., the one the chain comes out of.

• Created a simple chart in Excel, but really, after the first rows/set of blocks is complete, it’s super easy to know what to do for each row.

• I decided to follow the designer’s lead and work into the chains instead of spaces. I wish I could just work into the spaces, because the chains are a pain. I’m trying to chain loosely to help the process.

8/24/21
* 6 blocks high = 22”; my guess is 8 blocks total will be what’s needed.

8/25/21

• Tried to do the border as written, but my stitches looked messy. I decided to do around of hdc, two in each space around, and 2hdc,ch2,2hdc in the corners. Looks neat and tidy now. Since I don’t want to add any more length or width, I’ll stop there before the scallop round.
• Scallops -- I tried several versions, but the one I landed on was slst,sk1,4dc (same st),sk1 around. In the corners I did 6dc.

8/26/21
* Made a matching newborn-3 mos. hat. I’m so happy with it. I did the general dc hat (10dc,20dc,30dc,40dc, then 40dc x 6 rounds) replacing the 9th round with 3 dc, ch1, sk 1 around (dc,ch1,sk1 was too holey). For the 10th and final round, I worked into the stitches, not the holes for a cleaner look.

Blanket used 687 yards.
Hat used 50 yards.

#callthemidwife