Around the Block Baby Blanket in Red Heart Soft Baby Steps Solids - LW2650

Around the Block Baby Blanket in Red Heart Soft Baby Steps Solids (LW2650) – Crochet Pattern Summary

The Around the Block Baby Blanket is a charming, colorful crochet project designed specifically for babies and young children. This intermediate-level downloadable PDF pattern from Red Heart produces a cozy, textured throw blanket constructed from individual rectangular motifs that are worked in the round and then assembled together. The finished blanket features a classic granny-rectangle aesthetic with a fresh, modern color palette, making it an ideal handmade gift for a nursery or a baby shower.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a baby blanket or throw constructed from nine individual Rectangle motifs, each crocheted separately in the round before being joined into the final blanket. The motif-based construction means each small piece is manageable and portable, making this a great project to work on in stages. Once all nine rectangles are complete, they are assembled to create the full blanket. The design falls under the accessories, blankets, and throws category and is suitable as a nursery staple or a snuggly gift.

Colorwork and Design

The blanket uses a three-color scheme worked in concentric rounds on each rectangle motif, giving each piece a layered, striped appearance reminiscent of a traditional granny square but in an elongated rectangular format. The specific colors called for are:

• Color A: Red Heart Soft Baby Steps Solids in 9800 Baby Blue
• Color B: Red Heart Soft Baby Steps Solids in 9600 White
• Color C: Red Heart Soft Baby Steps Solids in 9935 Blue Earth

Each color is worked as a separate round on every rectangle, and yarn is fastened off and rejoined with each color change. This technique creates clean, distinct color bands without carrying yarn across the wrong side, resulting in a neat finish on both faces of the blanket.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Red Heart Soft Baby Steps Solids (Aran weight) – 2 balls each of Baby Blue (9800), White (9600), and Blue Earth (9935)
• Crochet Hook: 5.5mm [US size I-9]
• Additional Tools: Yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming motifs

Red Heart Soft Baby Steps is an Aran-weight yarn specifically formulated for baby projects. It is known for its soft, gentle texture that is appropriate for sensitive baby skin, and it is machine washable, making it a practical choice for items that will see frequent laundering.

Gauge

Achieving the correct gauge is important for this pattern to ensure the rectangles are uniform in size and assemble correctly into the finished blanket. The stated gauge is 4 groups of 3 double crochet and chain-2 spaces = 4 inches. Crocheters are encouraged to check their gauge and adjust hook size as needed to match this measurement before beginning all nine motifs.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental and intermediate crochet construction techniques:

• Working in the round: Each rectangle motif begins with a foundation chain and is then worked outward in continuous rounds, building the motif from the center out.
• Foundation chain setup: The motif begins with a chain of 12, with the first round established directly into the foundation chain, including working into both sides of the chain to create the rectangular shape.
• Motif-based construction: The blanket is built from nine separate motifs that are later joined, a technique common in granny square and granny rectangle traditions. This approach allows for easy customization of size by adding more motifs.
• Joining motifs: Once all rectangles are complete, they are assembled using a yarn needle, a standard finishing technique for motif-based blankets.
• Fasten off and rejoin: Each color round requires fastening off and rejoining the next color in a specific chain-2 space, a technique that keeps color transitions clean and precise.
• Corner construction: Corners on each rectangle are formed by working (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all into the same chain-2 space,