Northern Star

Hi everyone; my second, baby boy option, blanket is now decided upon. I wanted a blanket covered in 5-point stars, made up of hexagon motifs similarly to my baby girls puffed daisy blanket. This wasn't the most straightforward project to design, and I have to admit that I don't think I could just write the pattern down in a way that most people would be able to understand easily, so a comprehensive photographic tutorial is essential for this project. I would have loved to have made a video tutorial for you, but with only 1 pair of hands I'm afraid it is beyond me! (I suddenly feel the need for a large rubber band to hold my camera to my forehead! I joke, but part of me thinks I may just try it!!! But not today...) It is quite easy to work, once you are familiar with the pattern and where the stitches are placed. (I surely hope).... I made this motif with dk yarn and a size 4.00 mm hook. I use american crochet terms. Abbreviations; ch - chain, st/s - stitch/es, dc - double crochet, sl st - slip stitch, tr - treble crochet. Chain 6.

Join with a sl st to form a loop.

Ch 3 (counts as a dc), Work 14 more dc into ring. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch. 15 sts.

We will now make the first point of the star; these are formed by working 3 tr stitches together.

To work the first tr 3 together; ch 3 (counts as 1st treble), *yarn over twice, insert hook in next st and draw up a loop, [yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook] twice; repeat from * once more.

Yarn over, pull through 3 loops on hook.

Chain 7; Treble crochet 3 togetherYarn over twice, insert hook in next st and draw up a loop (4 loops on hook), [yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook] twice (2 loops on hook); *yarn over twice, insert hook in next st and draw up a loop, [yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook] twice; repeat from * once more; yarn over and draw through all 4 loops on hook.)

Carry on this way until 5 points have been worked. Join final ch 7 into top of 1st point. Fasten off.

Join the next colour into the right side of one of the chain spaces.

In the next row we are going to work our stitches from the ch 7 loops, working into the same stitches on row 1 as the side trebles of each point of the star were worked into. To complicate this further (sorry!) we are going to only work into the back loops of these stitches.

If you see the arrows above we will work a total of 4 stitches into the back loops only of these 2 stitches from row 1 (2 stitches into each stitch). So, work 1 treble into the back loop of the right stitch indicated above.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T CATCH THE CH 7 LOOP INTO THE STITCH when you put your hook through the stitch to make your tr, bring the hook back through to the front of your work as below -

Don't leave your hook where it naturally sits at the back of your work, or you will catch in the ch 7 into your stitch when you work your yarn over. Trust me it is easily done. You may find it easier to fold the ch 7 down behind your work and hold it there to stop this happening as I have shown below -

So you have so far worked 1 tr into the 1st stitch of row 1. Work 1 sl st over the ch 7.

Work 1 dc into the same stitch as the tr. Work 1 sl st into ch 7.

Now work 1 dc into the back of the next stitch; 1 sl st into ch 7.

Finally work 1 tr into the same stitch, and again 1 sl st into the ch 7.

Chain 3 and join with a sl st into the next ch 7 space.

Work each of these spaces between star points the same as the last one, working 1 sl st, 1 tr, 1 sl st, 1 dc, 1 sl st, 1 dc, 1 sl st, 1 tr, 1 sl st in each space and working 3 chains over each star point. Finish with a chain 3 and sl st into the starting ch 7.

Phew...

Now ch 3. (counts as 1st dc; the next row is only made up of dc stitches)

Work 1 dc into the top of the tr below.

Now work 1 dc into the space between the tr and dc below -

Continue, working dcs directly into the top of the tr & dc stitches, and working into the spaces between the stitches below the sl sts of the previous row. You will work 9 dcs in total between each point of the star.

Miss the ch 3 of the row below, and work 9 dcs between the next star points.

Continue around, working 9 stitches between each point and join with a sl st to the top of the first ch 3. Fasten off. 45 stitches

The reason I work the stitches below the sl sts and not into the loops at the top of the sl sts is to give more coverage over the different coloured ch 7 below so that you can't see it - I have made these by working into the tops of the sl sts and it gives an ok result (it is certainly flatter), but I feel that working the stitches below hides the ch 7 just that bit better. The next row is worked into the back loops only. This row is an increase round, and the increases are still spaced within the 9 stitches between the 5 star points. So join the next colour into the back loop of a dc above a star point.

Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), 1 dc in same st.

Work 3 dc.

Work 2 dc in next st.

3 dc, 2 dc in next st.

repeat these 12 stitches 4 more times around. Join with a sl st to top of ch 3 and fasten off. 60 stitches.

Final round now; this is also worked into the back loops only. We will be forming the hexagon with this round. Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc); work 8 dc, (1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in next st.

*dc 9, (1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc) in next st. Rep from * 4 more times. Join to ch 3 with a sl st. Fasten off.

Back view below.

My boys baby blanket is in shades of blue, green, white, grey and dark brown. I've made pretty good progress so far.