Yay! Today is the first day of my first CAL. I’m so excited!

I have worked this pattern a couple of different ways, but I’m most excited by this one. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Throughout the pattern, I will tell you when to change colors, but I won’t tell you which color to change to. If you’ve cut up your Mandala yarn, then you have many different colors in varying amounts to choose from. Part of the fun is picking which color goes where. (For set-up instructions and supplies, see this post.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s go ahead and get started. I’ll add notes where needed.

Circus Star Baby Blanket Part 1

Materials: 2 skeins Lion Brand Mandala Yarn, H-hook, needle

Abbreviations: 

• yo-yarn over
• ch-chain
• st-stitch
• sk-skip
• sl st-slip stitch
• sc-single crochet: insert hook in stitch and pull up a loop, yo, pull through both loops on hook
• hdc-half double crochet: yo, insert hook in st and pull up a loop, yo, pull through all three loops
• dc-double crochet: yo, insert hook in stitch and pull up a loop, yo, pull through two loops on hook, yo, pull through two loops again
• dc2tog-double crochet 2 together: yo, insert hook in st and pull up a loop, yo and pull through two loops, yo, insert hook in next st and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops, yo and pull through remaining 3 loops
• dc3tog-double crochet 3 together: yo, insert hook in stitch and pull up a loop, yo and pull through two loops on hook, yo, insert hook in next st and pull up a loop, yo and pull through two loops, yo, insert hook in next st and pull up a loop, yo and pull through two loops, yo and pull through remaining four loops
• fpsc-front post single crochet: insert hook from front to back around st and pull up a loop. yo and pull through both loops
• v-stitch-*dc, ch1, dc* in same st
• fan stitch-7dc in same st.
• picot-ch 3, sl st in first ch
• MR-Magic Ring: I suggest the one found in this video tutorial

Note: In this pattern we are going to work the star applique first, so we can incorporate it into Round 4 of the blanket. This will ensure greater attachment.

Star Applique

Round 1: Make a Magic Ring, ch 2 (this does not count as a st), 12 hdc in magic ring. Sl st to the top of the first dc.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as first dc), dc in next 2 st. [Ch 2, dc in next 3 st.] 3 times. Ch 2, sl st to the top of ch 2.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as first dc), dc2tog, *[ch 3, sl st in first ch] (picot made), ch. 4, fpsc around hdc from the first round that appears between the two 3dc sets, ch 4, dc3tog.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times. Picot, ch 4. fpsc around hdc from the first row that appears between the two 3dc sets. ch 4, sl st to the top of the first ch 2. Fasten off leaving about 12 inches to sew the star on. Make sure the magic circle is closed and weave in the center string.

Blanket

Round 1: Form MR. Ch 2 (this counts as first dc here and throughout), 2 dc in MR, [ch 2, 3dc in MR] 3 times, ch 2, sl st to the top of the first ch 2 (Note: I prefer a ch2 instead of a ch 3 for the first dc because it makes the join tighter. If you find it too hard to work in, then change to a ch 3 instead.)

Round 2: Sl st to ch 2 corner space. ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *Dc in next 3 st. [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times. Dc in next 3 st, sl st. to top of first ch 2. (You will have 7 dc on each side)

Round 3: Sl st to ch 2 corner space. ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *Dc in next 7 st. [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times. Dc in next 3 st, sl st. to top of first ch 2. (You will have 11 dc on each side) Go ahead and sl st to the corner.

Before working round 4, we will be attaching the star to the center of the work. Here’s how I did it:

Note: In round 4, you will be working stitches into the star picots to put it in place. I have used the stitch counts to get my star in the correct place, but it is not necessary to follow my counts. Just make sure to dc into the picot where it falls naturally on your work.

Round 4: Starting in the corner ch 2 space, ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. Dc in next 2 st. Dc through star picot and next st.

Dc in next 8 st. Dc in next picot and ch 2 space. [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. Dc in next 8 st, dc through picot and next st, dc in next 2 st. [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space. Dc in next 5 st. Dc through picot and next st. Dc in next 5 st. [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space. Dc in next 5 st. Dc through picot and next st. Dc in next 5 st. Sl. to top of the first ch 2. (15 dc on each side)

After you finish round 4, use the star tail to sew it securely onto the blanket.

Round 5: Sl st to ch 2 corner space. ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *Dc in next 15 st. [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times. Dc in next 15 st, sl st. to top of first ch 2. (You will have 19 dc on each side) Fasten off.

Round 6: Join Color B into any corner ch 2 space with a sl st. Ch 2 [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *[Sk 2 st, v-stitch in next st] across to next corner.*** (You’ll have 6 v-stitches on each side.) Sk 2, [2dc, ch2, 2dc] in corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times and * to *** once. Sl. st to first ch 2. Fasten off.

Round 7: Join new color in any ch 2 corner space with a sl st. Ch 1, *[2sc, ch 2, 2sc] in same space. Sc in each st and ch space across.** Repeat * to ** 3 more times. sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Round 8: Join Color B into any corner ch 2 space with a sl st. Ch 2 [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *[Sk 2 st, v-stitch in next st] across to next corner.*** (You’ll have 8 v-stitches on each side.) Sk 2, [2dc, ch2, 2dc] in corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times and * to *** once. Sl. st to first ch 2. Fasten off.

Round 9: Join any color with Sl st to ch 2 corner space. ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *Dc in each st and ch sp across (28 st). [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times. Dc in next each st and ch sp across, sl st. to top of first ch 2. (You will have 32 dc on each side)

Round 10: Sl st to ch 2 corner space. ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *Dc in next 32 st. [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times. Dc in next 32 st, sl st. to top of first ch 2. (You will have 36 dc on each side)

Round 11: Sl st to ch 2 corner space. ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *Dc in next 36 st. [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times. Dc in next 36 st, sl st. to top of first ch 2. (You will have 40 dc on each side)

Round 12: Sl st to ch 2 corner space. ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *Dc in next 40 st. [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next ch 2 corner space.** Repeat from * to ** 3 times. Dc in next 40 st, sl st. to top of first ch 2. Fasten off. (You will have 44 dc on each side)

Round 13: Join new color with sl st to any ch 2 corner space. ch 1 {[2sc, ch2, 2sc] in corner sp, sc in each st across} 4 times. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (48 sc on each side)

Round 14: Join with new color in ch 2 corner space. Ch 2, [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. *Sk 3 st, [sc in next st, sk 2 st, fan in next st., sk 2 st] across. Sk last 2 sc,*** [2dc, ch 2, 2dc] in next corner** Repeat from * to **2 more times and from * to *** once. Join with sl st in top of the first ch 2. (You should have 7 fans on each side.)

Round 15: Join with color from Round 13 with sl st to any ch 2 corner space. Ch 2 [dc, ch 2, 2dc] in same space. {Ch 1, dc in next sc, *ch 2, sc in the 4th dc of the next fan, ch 2, dc in next sc**. Repeat from * to ** 7 times. Ch 1. [2dc, ch 2, dc] in corner} Repeat all in {} 3 times. Sl st to top of first ch 2. Do not fasten off.

Round 16: Sl st to corner, ch 1, {[2sc, ch 2, 2 sc] in corner space, sc in each st and ch space across} 3 times. Sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (53 st on each side)

You did it! The first part of the CAL is the longest, but the pattern will get easier now. Join me next week for Part 2!