Please note: There is a version of this blanket floating around that has red stripes with added heart-shaped sections. I’m getting a lot of questions about where that pattern is (I’ve even seen pattern roundups that show that blanket but link directly here). It’s not my blanket, and I do not have the pattern variation for you here. Sorry!
A Little Background
This pattern has quite a story behind it – more so than I realized when I first published it!
Back in 2014 (when I was blogging under the name “Little Monkeys Crochet”) I was watching one of my favorite tv shows, Call the Midwife, and spotted the most beautiful single-colored baby blanket.
After an online search yielded no results, I immediately set out to figure out the pattern on my own. It gave me a run for my money but I finally finished it, published it on my blog, and the crochet world went a little crazy for it!
Quite some time later, I started to get an occasional comment here and there from someone who was so excited to discover my pattern because their mom (or grandma or aunt) had crocheted them this blanket decades ago and now they had a pattern for it! It wasn’t too much longer before the origins of this show prop were discovered: an old, out-of-print Patons & Baldwins Limited (UK) Booklet from years ago!
It was a fun discovery, but also a bit of a sad one, as I realized (perhaps later than I should have) that I had deconstructed someone else’s pattern, rewritten it, and published it on my own blog. I’m not sure why I didn’t realize this sooner – perhaps it was partly because I was a new blogger and hadn’t really thought through the legal or ethical issues of doing so, or perhaps it was because I saw the blanket on a TV show, in a pretend world, and it didn’t even cross my mind that there would be an actual real-life pattern out there for it. It’s probably a little of both.
This story does have a happy ending, though! Once it was clear where the pattern had originated, I sat down to write to the publisher who owned the rights. I explained the entire situation and timeline, apologized profusely, and offered to remove the pattern from my blog. Much to my surprise and delight, they responded with the utmost kindness and gave me permission to leave it be, enabling thousands of people to continue using it!
And so, this pattern remains on my blog with the permission of Yarnspirations, who now owns Patons. That’s a happy ending, I’d say!
THE MIDWIFE BLANKET
Hook: G (4.25mm)
Yarn: Light (DK). I used approximately 1,000 yards of Bernat Softee Baby Yarn in Antique White.
Difficulty: Easy
Crochet Language: American Standard Terms (I would have written it in UK, in honor of the fact that the show is from there, but I don’t know how…) 🙂
Finished Size: Approx. 30″ x 35″ (You can easily increase or decrease the size by adding to your starting Ch; just make sure you start with a multiple of 16, plus 6)
Notes:
(1) Because of the design, which is created by the use of skipped stitches, you’ll be crocheting into those stitches often. It’s up to you whether you crochet into the Ch, or the space created by it. I chose to crochet into the Ch itself because I felt it would give my rows a steadier look. Just note going into it that each of those skipped stitches still counts as a stitch for the row that follows it. So if it tells you to “DC in next 6 sts”, and there are only 4 DCs from the previous row followed by a space that was created by chains, you’ll need to put the last 2 DC into those chains (or the chain space, if you prefer).
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
To Begin: Ch 118.
Row 1: DC in 6th Ch from hook. (Ch 1, Sk 1 St, DC in next St) across. Ch 4; turn.
Row 2: Sk first 2 Sts, DC in next 15 Sts, including Ch 1s from previous row. (Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC in next 15 Sts) 6 more times. Ch 1, Sk 1 St, DC in next St (which is part of the Ch 4 from previous row). Ch 4; turn.
Row 3: Sk first 2 Sts, DC in next 6 Sts, Ch 3, Sk 3 Sts, DC in next 6 Sts. (Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC in next 6 Sts. Ch 3, Sk 3 Sts. DC in next 6 Sts) 6 more times. Ch 1; DC in next St (which is part of the Ch 4 from previous row). Ch 4; turn.
Row 4: Sk first 2 Sts, DC in next 4 Sts, Ch 3, Sk 3 Sts, SLIP STITCH into next St, Ch 3, Sk 3 Sts, DC in next 4 Sts. (Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC in next 4 Sts, Ch 3, Sk 3 Sts, SLIP STITCH into next St, Ch 3, Sk 3 Sts, DC in next 4 Sts) 6 more times. Ch 1; DC in next St (which is part of the Ch 4 from previous row). Ch 4; turn.
Row 5: Sk first 2 Sts, DC in next 6 Sts (don’t forget to include the Chs from the previous row in your count!), Ch 3, Sk 3 Sts, DC in next 6 Sts. (Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC in next 6 Sts. Ch 3, Sk 3 Sts. DC in next 6 Sts) 6 more times. Ch 1; DC in next St (which is part of the Ch 4 from previous row). Ch 4; turn.
Row 6: Sk first 2 Sts, DC in next 15 Sts. (Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC in next 15 Sts) 6 more times. Ch 1; DC in next St (which is part of the Ch 4 from previous row). Ch 4; turn.
Row 7: Sk first 2 Sts. DC in next. (Ch 1, Sk 1 St, DC in next St) across. Ch 4; turn.
You’ve completed one row of rectangles. To continue your blanket, repeat rows 2-7 10 more times for a stroller blanket, or as many times as you want to achieve desired length. At the end of your final row, do not Ch 4, but continue to “Edging”.
Edging You will be working along the little boxes that line the perimeter of your blanket, using two of them together to create a scalloped edge. Ch 1. SC + DC into first space. DC into the stitch that divides the two spaces. DC + SC into second space. This completes 1 scallop. (Sk next dividing st. SC + DC into next space. DC into the stitch that divides the two spaces. DC + SC into second space.) Repeat () all the way around the blanket (I added an extra DC when working in the corners).
Depending on how many rows of rectangles you chose to do, you may end up with a leftover box at the end, like I did. I simply improvised and made a 3-box scallop at the end. There’s probably a better way to figure that out, but I’m not above a little improvisation to get a job done. 😉 Fasten off; weave in ends.
Do you know there’s someone selling the pattern on Ravelry? Check Joanna Martinez for Call the Midwife Afghan.
That is not very ethical
Thanks so much! Absolutely love this pattern!
This is my absolute favorite baby blanket to make. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve made. It works up quickly and us beautiful. I love to use a variegated yarn to keep it interesting. Thank you for sharing this.
At the end of rows 3, 4, 5, and 6 shouldn’t the pattern read: Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC in next St. ?
Please confirm so I can continue with the beautiful pattern. Thank you Rebecca.
Hey Rebecca, I love this pattern! I have always thought this was a symbol of an RN with wings, as is the pendant that nurses have when they graduate. As they are angels walking on earth healing the sick. There is a discussion about what the pattern is actually. Some believe they are flowers, others the cross. Can you settle the discussion for us??? Thanks Amy
It is called the block stitch blanket by patons beehive from one of their old vintage books.
I am finding the stitch count off from row 3 to row 4. I counted properly and have done the 6 st, ch3, sk3, 6st all the way across and didn’t have any extra stitches, but when I go through and do the next row, where I sk2 and then DC in 4 st, then sk3 and slst, but there aren’t 3 st after the 4st. It doesn’t make sense to me because the st count from the previous row is right.
You are skipping too many at the beginning of the row. The very first dc from the last row and the first chain space are what you skip. Dc in the first dc after the chain space and the count will come out right.
Your pattern is being sold on Ravelry under the name of another designer. You have been given permission to distribute it, but they are using your version to sell.
Your pattern is being sold on Ravelry under the name of another designer.
I have started making this and I am having quite a time with it. I have worked it as the directions say and it doesn’t line up right. The spaces that are to make it look like blocks are in a zig zag pattern. I don’t know how to do this . I am country the spaces in the last row. Please help. Thank you.
Thanks for the pattern. It is probably the prettiest blanket I have ever seen. I made it for my friend’s granddaughter and the problem is – I don’t have the heart to part with it! Someday I will make one for myself. Thanks again. You made it seem so simple.
Me lo podrías explicar, no entendí nada
Do you have a printable version? So I don’t get all the extra pages?
Unfortunately I am unable to provide one. (The pattern only remains on my blog with the consent of the company that published the blanket’s original pattern.) But you can copy and paste it into a Word document and print that way to avoid the other stuff.
How many chains do I need to add to 118 to make it larger please
when something is in parentheses, you repeat the number of times specified so here you repeat the “Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC in next 15 Sts” sequence 6 more times
Thank you for this pattern, Rebecca! It spoke to me the moment I saw it & have just finished one in white for my first expected grandson. Its really gorgeous & I salute you for working out the pattern off a picture – WOW!
I’m new to this crochet lark !! This row , I’m having a thick moment but what am I to do? So I sk first 2, dc 15 but what exactly am I doing 6 times? Is it only the bracketed instruction? I copied it below for ease to see…😫🤔
Row 2: Sk first 2 Sts, DC in next 15 Sts, including Ch 1s from previous row. (Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC in next 15 Sts) 6 more times. Ch 1, Sk 1 St, DC in next St (which is part of the Ch 4 from previous row). Ch 4; turn.
Hello Rebecca, I just finished the blanket, I made it with mohair yarn and the size is for a crib, it’s for my daughter she’s expecting her first baby for May, this is a beautiful pattern thank you very much for this pattern, you’re a genius! ??
Would like to show you my finished projet but don’t know how? ?
I’m working on this right now., For a young woman having her first baby a boy. She picked out a lovely blue. I’m so enjoying how it’s turning out. Works up so easy. Thank you for working this great pattern out for us all to enjoy.
Is there any way to download or order this pattern
All you have to do is copy and paste the instructions into a wordpad.
Thank you for this pattern.
You say above that you don’t know how to convert US crochet terms to UK. The following is a link to some UK/US conversion charts:
http://www.simplycrochetmag.co.uk/2013/07/04/uk-and-us-crochet-conversion-chart/
Thank you for specifying the language used in the pattern; as we live in the UK, this was important to know.
At the end of Row 3, 4 and 5, shouldn’t it be Ch1, skip one stitch, then DC?
I am wondering the same thing? Ch 1; Sk 1 St. DC. please let me know before I carry on. Thank you for the beautiful pattern.
Do you have a chart for this pattern? Sometimes it is easier to have both when it requires a lot of skipped stitches.
I croched this baby blanket 47 years ago for my son. I at the was NOT a crocheter but found then it was easy. Now all those years ago it’s back. What’s the saying “ what goes round etc etc.