“He now felt glad at having suffered sorrow and trouble, because it enabled him to enjoy so much better all the pleasure and happiness around him.”
-Hans Christian Andersen, “The Ugly Duckling”
Do you ever have a project that starts out one way but ends up looking completely different than you originally intended?
So many of my projects change course midstream, but I feel like that is what makes it even more special and unique!!! This crochet swan blanket was no different!
My sister-in-law’s baby shower was quickly approaching. Life had been hectic, so I hadn’t yet started on her gift. I had had every intention of making her a blanket, and I also knew that I wanted it to be soft and cozy. I already had a ball of Bernat Baby Blanket yarn, so I thought that that would be a good place to start. So, I looked up patterns using that yarn and found a pattern by Yarnspirations. As a double bonus, the same pattern also used Bernat Baby Velvet, and I had two skeins of that in two different colors, Burgundy Plum and Vapor Gray!
Beginning a New Project
I began working on the project and absolutely LOVED the stitch pattern! It was super quick not to mention beautiful! I went to the store and picked up another ball of Bernat Baby Blanket yarn. I knew that I would need more, but I wanted to buy it later so that I could use a coupon on both skeins. (Does anyone else do that, or am I the only one? 😀 ) After continuing on with the blanket, I came to the place where I would need that last ball of yarn.
Back to the store I went with my coupon ready…only to discover THEY WERE OUT OF WHITE BERNAT BABY BLANKET YARN! Apparently, the store had begun a BOGO sale on that yarn, so the white was all snatched up! The baby shower was the next day! I had to get creative. I looked at all the colors they had left, and decided that blush pink was the way to go. I needed about ten inches more in order to get the length I wanted, so I decided that the blanket would have a five inch border on either end in blush pink. PROBLEM SOLVED! (or so I thought…)
Adjusting a Project Along the Way
I got home, and finished up the length with the pink border. I ended up having to make a separate pink section to seam to the beginning chain so that the stitches would face the same way, but you won’t need to do that if you plan from the beginning to start with the accent color. I was at a place where I realized that I would not have time to do the loopy dots that the pattern called for.
Then I remembered, she had purchased a few swan-themed baby items! Why not make a swan applique and stitch it on? Great idea! A crochet swan blanket would look great with her decor! I took my Bernat Baby Velvet, found a pattern, and soon got to work. It was ten ‘o clock at night. Plenty of time to make it, and if need be, I could stitch it on the following morning on the way to her house. (They live a good 45 minutes away.) I finished the swan, and it was beautiful!
Making a Project Your Own
However, I realized that because I had incorporated blush pink into the color scheme, the velvet colors that I had no longer looked good! At that point, I was tired and went to bed deciding that I would get some rest and look at it with fresh eyes the next morning. I got up early the following day, and went out to the living room. There it lay on the floor right where I left it. I looked at it…thinking, considering, pondering what to do. Then it hit me! Remember that BOGO sale? Well, I took advantage of it and purchased two blush pink balls of Bernat Baby Blanket yarn! So, I decided to remake the swan applique with the blush pink yarn! It would actually be even better because the Bernat Baby Blanket yarn was a larger weight, so the swan would be even bigger! Ct
Only problem was, I was out of time! I ended up making the second swan applique on the way to her house! Once we got there, we ate breakfast as a family, and I went back out to the car and stitched it on to the blanket! (Her shower was not until the afternoon.) I folded it up, shoved it in the gift bag, added some tissue, and brought it inside! I literally finished it…
…just in time!
Skill level – Blanket: Beginner | Swan: Intermediate
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to the products used in this project. If you make a purchase through any of these links, we will get a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Materials
- 3 balls of Bernat Baby Blanket yarn in main color
- 1 ball of Bernat Baby Blanket yarn in accent color
- US N15/10.00mm crochet hook
- US K10/6.50mm crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
Abbreviations
- MC – Main color
- CH – Chain
- SK – Skip
- SC – Single crochet
Notes
- This crochet swan blanket is made using a combination and tweaking of a few different patterns. I started with the Yarnspirations Loopy Dots Blanket pattern, but made several adjustments and I ended up not even doing the loopy dots.
- I also adjusted the swan applique pattern that I found by using a different weight yarn, and I did not do the back wing.
- Finished measurements are approx 37.5″ x 37.5″
- Beginning CH does not count as a stitch.
Blanket
Row 1: Using the accent color and larger hook, CH 86. Working in the back bump of the CH, SC in the 2nd CH from hook and in every SC across. CH 1, turn. (85)
Row 2: SC in the same stitch as the turning CH and in the next SC, *CH 1, SK the next SC, SC in the next SC*, repeat from * to * until 1 SC remains. SC in the last SC. CH 1, turn. (85)
Row 3: SC in the same stitch as the turning CH, *CH 1, SK the next SC, SC in the next CH space*, repeat from * to * until 2 stitches remain. CH 1, SK the next SC, SC in the last SC. CH 1, turn. (85)
Row 4: SC in the same stitch as the turning CH and in the next CH space, *CH 1, SK the next SC, SC in the next CH space*, repeat from * to * until 1 SC remains. SC in the last SC. CH 1, turn. (85)
Row 5-11: Repeat Row 3-4. (85)
Row 12-61: Join MC, and repeat Row 3-4. (85)
Row 62-71: Join accent color, and repeat Row 3-4. (85)
Row 72: SC in every SC and CH space across. (85)
Finish off and weave in ends.
Swan
For the swan, follow this swan applique pattern, but use the Bernat Baby Blanket yarn and US K10.5/6.50mm crochet hook instead of the recommended yarn and hook that the pattern calls for.
Make the head, neck, body, and front wing. I chose not to make the back wing to reduce bulkiness since the yarn is already super bulky.
Finishing
Step 1: Weave in all the ends of the swan. (There are a ton!)
Step 2: Position the swan’s body in the bottom right-hand corner of the blanket above the border color. If desired, use stitch markers to “pin” the swan in place as desired.
Step 3: Using your tapestry needle and matching yarn, stitch the applique down using a basting stitch all around the edge of the swan. Be sure to grab just the upper portion of the blanket stitches (as opposed to pushing the needle all the way through) so the stitches are not visible from the other side.
Step 4: Position the front wing on the body of the swan. Again, using stitch markers can be helpful in keeping the wing in the desired position.
Step 5: Begin at the bottom left corner of the wing and using your tapestry needle and matching yarn, stitch the wing down using a basting stitch around the edge. Work up the left side and across the top. When you reach the edge of the feathers, leave them unstitched by working the needle through the blanket stitches only until you reach the opposite edge of the feathers. Continue to stitch the bottom edge of the wing down.
Step 6: Weave in ends.
You’re all done! I think it would be super cute to use some light or worsted weight yarn with gold fleck to make a crown for the swan too! You could also embroider eyelashes onto the swan using black yarn! Ideas, possibilities, and color combos are endless!
For another cute nursery decor idea, check out this pineapple pillow cover!
If you make this crochet swan blanket, please share it! I would love to see your work! You can tag me on Instagram and Facebook @theplushpineapple. Use the tags #theplushpineapple and #chunkyswanblanket.
“Much love, sunshine, and pineapples”
Sarah
The blanket is absolutely beautiful in person!!!
Thank you so much!