One one of our road trips we called into Black Wattle Yarn out in Murrembateman, NSW. Angela has an amazing range of hand dyed yarn across a huge range of bases and weights. They are all amazing!! It was very hard to choose just a few skeins. This particular trip I was looking for yarn for baby gifts as I know quite a few couples who are expecting! In particular I was looking for blanket yarn to make a light summer blanket that was gender neutral.
I ended up finding a nice paired bag of galaxy yarn which gave me the inspiration for the starry nights blanket. I wanted to make a baby blanket or floor mat that was astronomy themed, inspired by star-gazing in the country away from the light pollution in the city.
This pattern is an intermediate pattern. It is written in US terminology only. To complete this pattern you will need a good understanding of SC, DC, TR stitches in front and back post configurations. This pattern also includes two bonus 5 point stars that can be used in making an edging for the blanket.
This pattern is used to make the star motif baby blanket. You will need a total of 7 stars to make the blanket (70cm by 70cm). The total blanket requires three skeins of Black Wattle Yarn Galaxy 8Ply yarn (600m).
For one star:
Total yarn required- 8Ply/DK weight 87m per star. The breakdown of each colour will vary based on the row colour used.
Gauge: Not critical. Finished star is approximately 27cm. Use the hook required to match the yarn. I used a 4mm hook.
Colours
For the motif, each row is started with a standing stitch. When you have consecutive rows of the same colour make a CH1/2/3 (for SC/HDC/DC) at the start of each row. This will not count for the stitch count of the row.
The 7 colourings shown in the blanket are given in the table below using A =white, B=Grey, C=Green.
| Row |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 1 | A | A | C | B | A | C | A |
| 2 | C | B | B | A | B | A | C |
| 3 | A | A | C | B | A | C | A |
| 4 | B | C | A | A | B | A | C |
| 5 | A | A | C | B | A | C | A |
| 6 | C | B | B | A | B | A | C |
| 7 | A | A | A | B | A | C | A |
| 8 | B | C | C | B | A | C | A |
| 9 | C | B | B | A | B | A | C |
| 10 | C | B | B | A | B | A | C |
| 11 | B | C | C | B | A | C | A |
| 12 | A | A | A | A | A | A | C |
Note: When the colour of R7 and R12 do not align you may wish to omit the FPTR from R12. This will not cause any issues with the pattern.
Main Star Motif.
R1: in MC, CH3, 10DC, pull circle closed. SL into third chain. [11]
R2: attach colour B to any stitch using a standing BPDC. *CH3, BPDC* repeat from * to *10 times. CH3, SL into the first BPHDC.
R3: make a standing SC in any CH3 space. *CH3, SC* repeat around. CH3, SL into first SC.
R4: in any CH3 space make standing DC, 3DC. *in next CH3 space 4DC* repeat around. SL into first DC. [44]
R5: make standing SC in the first DC of any group of 4 DC stitches from the previous round. 3SC, *inbetween the group of 4DC make one SC. 4SC* repeat around. Make a final SC inbetween the groups of 4 stitches, SL into first stitch. [55]
R6: Make standing DC into any stitch. 9DC, 2DC in same stitch. *10DC, 2DC in same stitch* repeat from * to * around (4 times). SL into first stitch. [60]
R7: Make standing SC. *CH6, SK5, * SC, SK1 and FPTR into the SC in R5 above the next stith of R6. SC into the R6 DC above the TR stitch. FPTR around the same stitch as the previous FPTR. SK1. SC, CH6, SK5* Repeat around until there are 6 front post groupings. SL into first stitch.[6 TR groupings, 6 CH6 sections]
R8: This row is worked around the CH sections from R7 above. SC in the first stitch of any group of 5 skipped stitch of R7. 4SC (around the chain in R7). *CH3, SK2, SC, CH3, SK2, 5SC into the stitches in R6 around the chain in R7. Repeat around. There will be 6 repeats in total. SL into first stitch.[6x 5SC sections]
R9: In the first SC of any grouping of R8, DC. DC in same stitch. *2TR in next stitch,2TR in next stitch, 2DC in same stitch, HDC, SC into the skipped SC stitch of R7, CH1, SC in the next skipped SC stitch of R7. HDC, 2DC in same stitch* Repeat 6 times around, omitting the final 2DC. SL into the first stitch. [6 star points].
R10: In the first stitch of R9 make a standing DC. DC, *TR, 2TR in next stitch, CH3, 2TR in the same stitch, TR, DC, DC, HDC, HDC, SC into the top of the FPTR in R7. SL, SC into the top of the FPTR in R7, HDC, HDC, DC, DC* Repeat around six times omitting the final two DCs. SL into the first stitch. [6 star points]
R11: Around the first stitch of R10 make a standing BPDC. BPDC around the next 4 stitches. 2TR in the CH3 space, CH3, 2TR in the same CH3 space, 5 BPDC, 2BPHDC, BPSC, SK1, BPSC, BPHDC, BPDC. * repeat around omitting the last BPDC. SL into the firt stitch.
R12: In the first stitch of R11 make a standing SC. 6SC, 2SC in the CH3 space, CH3, 2SC in the same stitch (open picot), 10SC, FPTR around the first FPTR around of R7. SC inbetween the two BPSC in the row below. FPTR around the second FPTR around of R7. 4SC. * repeat around. SL into the first stitch.
Note 1: when you connect multiple motifs you will need to modify R12. In the points that connect to a finished star, you need to thread the CH3 of the open picot through the picot in the completed star. Once this is done, continue the pattern. Do this for all connected points. See the Connecting instructions below.
Note 2: It is recommended to block your star motifs before finishing the connecting R12 loops.
Joining Stars
For the blanket you will need to identify the arrangement before you complete R12. I also recommend blocking the stars before you begin the connecting stars.
You also need to have identified which points are going to be joined before you start the round.
To join, follow R12 until you reach the point that is to be joined to the next star. Stop once you have completed the CH3 as shown in the first picture below.
Drop the loop from your hook and insert the hook through the open picot of the completed star. Pull the CH3 through the loop keeping the working yarn behind the work.
Make the two SC into the CH3 space of R11 (following instructions). Continue R12.
5 point star 1:
R1: In a magic circle CH3 (counts as a DC), 2DC. CH2, *3DC, CH2,* repeat * to * until there are 5 lots of 3DC. Tighten magic circle to nearly closed and SL into the third chain. (5x 3DC clusters, 5x 2CH groups.
R2: If maintaining colour: SL across the next two DC stitches and into the CH2 space. CH3 (counts as a DC), 2DC. CH3, 3DC in the same CH2 space. SK1 SC into the middle DC of the next 3DC cluster. SK to next CH2 space. *3DC, CH3, 3DC all in the CH2 space, SK to the middle DC of the next 3DC cluster, SC* repeat around. SL into the top of the CH3.
Optional: if changing colour: make a standing DC into a CH2 space.2DC. CH3, 3DC in the same CH2 space. SK1 SC into the middle DC of the next 3DC cluster. SK to next CH2 space. *3DC, CH2, 3DC all in the CH2 space, SK to the middle iddle DC of the next 3DC cluster, SC* repeat around. SL into the top of the standing DC.
R3: If maintaining colour: SL across the next two DC stitches and into the CH3 space. CH3 (counts as a DC), 2DC. CH3, 3DC in the same CH2 space. CH2, SL into the SC from the previous round. *3DC,CH3, 3DC all in the CH3 space, CH2, SK to the SC from the previous round, SL, CH2, skip until the next CH3 space* repeat around. SL into the top of the starting CH3. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Optional: If changing colour: make a standing DC, 2DC. CH3, 3DC in the same CH2 space. CH2, SL into the SC from the previous round. *3DC,CH3, 3DC all in the CH3 space, CH2, SK to the SC from the previous round, SL, CH2, skip until the next CH3 space* repeat around. SL into the top of the standing DC. Fasten off and weave in ends.
5 point star 2:
R1: in a magic circle CH3 (counts as DC and CH1). *DC, CH1* repeat from * to * 9 times. SL into the 2nd chain.
R2: SL into the CH1 space and CH2 (does not count)(or make a standing DC in that space if changing colour). *Puff stitch, CH2* in each chain one space around.
R3: CH1 (counts as a SC) (or make a standing SC into any puff stitch if changing colour), *CH6, SK the next CH2 space, in the 2nd CH2 space SC* repeat 4 times. CH6 and SL into the starting CH1.
R4: HDC into the CH6 space and CH2 (does not count)(or make a standing HDC in that space if changing colour), 2DC, 1TR, CH3, 1TR, 2DC, HDC, SL into the SC from the previous round *HDC, 2DC, TR, CH3, TR, 2DC, HDC, SL into the SC from the previous round* in each CH6 space. SL into the starting HDC.
Crafty Commuter 