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The 6-Day Viral Kid Blanket
A variation of the 6-Day Kid Blanket
Crochet Pattern by Betty McKnit
Matching Bunny Lovey by Courtney Shepherd @gothfaeriescreations
Blanket and Lovey Bundle available HERE
This blanket is a variation on the classic 6-Day Kid Blanket (6DKB). It was inspired by beautiful photos of 6-Day Kid Blankets made by Hanan Hanaway, “Crochet Creations by Hanan” and Claire Milburn, “Milly’s Makes”.
The original Classic 6-Day Kid Blanket was written for a toddler-sized blanket made with chunky weight yarn, and can easily be made in six days. If you wanted to make a blanket like Hanan’s, you would have to take my original pattern and alter it. This pattern gives instructions for a baby blanket made with DK weight yarn to match Hanan’s and Claire’s color choices and yarn. I have also included the camel stitch border Hanan used – she caused quite a stir when she posted a photo of her unusual way of working all four rows at once. I’ve added my own special details – a straight start and squared off edge for a clean look, and symmetrical stripes.
Does it really only take 6 Days to make?
It’s definitely possible! This variation on the 6DKB uses the very same stitches as the original, but uses a different weight yarn and therefore may take you a little longer than six days to make if you don’t have more than an hour or two each day to work on it.
First timers
If this is your first time making a 6-Day Kid Blanket, before you begin, I suggest you make a swatch on 37 chains while following along with my video tutorials on my YouTube Channel. I know you probably never swatch and will be tempted to bypass this advice, but take my word for it. The first few rows are a little tricky and you’ll sidestep common mistakes and avoid the frustration of frogging hours of hard work by swatching along with my tutorials before starting your blanket.
How to Resize
This pattern creates a baby blanket. No options for resizing are offered in this pattern. If you would like make this blanket in a different size, please see the original 6-Day Kid Blanket pattern and 6DKB Resize Video.
Stripe Symmetry
If you choose to use more than four colors on this pattern, you will need to plan ahead to make your stripes symmetrical. See my note below about changing colors and plan ahead for the first and last stripes to match.
Side edges:
Some crocheters have had issues with the side edges of their blankets curling. Here are some steps you can take to help alleviate this:
- ch 4 at the beginning of the row where the instructions say to ch 3. This is something you should try in your swatch, as some crocheters with tighter tension find that they really do need that extra stitch. Others do fine without it. Keep in mind when adding additional stitches on the edge you may need to skip stitches when working along the sides to get your edges to lie flat. There is no exact formula for how many sc to work into the edge. Use your judgement and lay it down often and check it as you are working.
- Replace the dc at the end of each row with extended double crochet (edc)
- When working the last stitch of the row, insert the hook from back to front, instead of from front to back.
- Work an edge into the turning chains and sc/dc stitches on the sides of the work as described at the end of this pattern, rather than into the spaces.
- Wash your blanket once it is complete, and lay it out flat to dry, gently stretching and shaping the edges.
Changing Colors:
No two 6-Day Blankets are alike. The pattern can take on many different looks depending on which rows the color changes fall on. This is the easiest of the striping variations, we call it the Half Snowflake Effect. It is easiest because the color changes align with the pattern repeats, but this creates a problem. For the top and bottom edges to match in shape, an additional 1/2 repeat is needed. That extra 1/2 repeat will make your stripes uneven if you don’t plan ahead.
I’ve solved this problem for you with the top-off rows, but you will need to plan your stripes. Make sure that your set-up, top-of, and first round of your border are all worked in the same color, and plan your stripe sequence so that the same color starts and ends your blanket. Watch my swatch-along video for more explanation.
To change yarn on color changes, draw the new color through the last two loops of the last stitch of the row before the color change.
About the row numbers:
In order to provide consistency across all of the 6-Day Kid Blanket pattern variations, I’ve numbered the rows to correspond to the original pattern. The cluster rows are always Row or Round 2 and 3, the dc rows are always Row or Round 5 and 6, and the sc rows are always Row or Round 4 and 7. This makes it easy to adapt the many variations of the 6-Day Kid Blanket.
You will be guided to work the rows in the proper order; don’t let the numbers throw you off or overthink a change in the sequence. You’ll proceed from Setup Row 5 to Row 2. Trust the pattern, it works!
Details:
Finished Size: 38” x 42” (baby blanket size)
Skill Level: Easy
2400m/2600 yards total DK weight in four colors
Shown in: Stylecraft Special DK
Color A: Teal, Color B: Sage, Color C: Duck Egg, Color D: White (two balls of each) (Inspired by Hanan Hanaway, “Crochet Creations by Hanan”)
Some other suggested color combinations:
Mocha, Vintage Peach, Toy, Cream (Inspired by Claire Milburn, “Milly’s Makes”)
Royal, Storm Blue, Cloud Blue, White (Inspired by Hanan Hanaway, “Crochet Creations by Hanan”)
Turquoise, Apricot, Mocha, White (Inspired by @tilly_wood__ “Handmade by Tilly”)
Hook: Furls Odyssey G (4 mm) and G+ (4.5 mm) hook
Abbreviations:
camel st: camel stitch, hdc in third loop
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
dc3tog: (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH dec dc3tog).
Work dc3tog into one stitch – not over three stitches
[yarn over, pull up a loop, pull through two loops] 3 times. Yarn over, and pull through all 4 loops on the hook. (Be sure to pull up a loop in the same stitch every time.) dc3tog complete.
rep: repeat
hdc: half double crochet
sc: single crochet
sk: skip
sp(s): space(s)
Pattern:
Starting with Color A and larger hook, ch 134 (Multiple of 13 + 4)
Switch to smaller hook.
Setup Row 1: starting in second ch from hook, sc across.
Turn
From this point forward, unless stated otherwise, start your first st in the st below the turning ch.
Setup Row 2: ch 1, 5sc, 6 hdc, *7sc, 6 hdc, repeat from * to last 5 sts, 5 sc.
Turn
Setup Row 3: ch 1, 3 sc, *3 hdc, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, 3 hdc, sc, sl st, sc, repeat from * to last 3 sts, 3 sc.
Turn
Setup Row 4: ch 1, 3 sc, *3 hdc, 2 dc, [dc, ch 1, dc] in ch 2 sp, 2 dc, 3 hdc, sc, sl st, sc, repeat from * to last 3 sts, 3 sc.
Turn
Setup Row 5: ch 1, sc, sk 1, 7 sc, *3 sc in ch sp, 7 sc, sk 1, 7 sc, repeat from * to last 8 sts, 7 sc, sk 1, sc
Turn
Change to Color B
Row 2: ch 3, sk first 3 sc (the sc on the end of the row, the one below your turning chain counts as 1)
[3dc in next sc, sk next 2 sc] twice, [3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc] into next sc
*sk next 2 sc, 3dc into next sc, sk next 2 sc, dc3tog
sk next 4 sc, dc3tog, sk next 2 sc, 3 dc in next sc, sk next 2 sc
[ 3 dc, ch3, 3 dc] into next sc; rep from * to last 9 sc
sk next 2 sc [3 dc into next sc, sk next 2 sc] twice, 1 dc into last sc.
Turn
Row 3: ch 3, sk sp between turning ch and next 3-dc group, 3 dc into each of next 2 sp
[3dc, ch3, 3dc] into next ch-3 sp
*3 dc into next sp, dc3tog into next sp
sk next sp, dc3tog into next sp, 3 dc into next sp, [3dc, ch3, 3dc] into next ch- 3 sp
rep from * to last 3 sps, 3 dc into each of next 2 sps
1 dc into sp between last 3 dc group and turning ch.
Turn
Row 4: ch 1, sc into first dc of the row (the one right below your turning chain)
sk next dc, 1 sc into each of next 8 dc
*3 sc into next ch 3 sp, 1 sc into each of next 14 sts
repeat from * to last ch-3 sp, 3 sc into last ch-3 sp
1 sc into each of next 8 dc, sk next dc, 1 sc into 3rd st of ch 3.
Turn
Row 5: Ch 3, sk first 2 sc of the row below (the sc your turning chain is coming out of counts as the first one). 1 dc into each of next 8 sc
*3 dc into next sc (you should be working these into the center stitch of the 3 sc. If not, you may have skipped incorrectly in the beginning of the row.) 1 dc into each of next 7 sc
sk next 2 sc, 1 dc into each of next 7 sc
rep from * to last 11 sc, 3 dc into next sc, 1 dc into each of next 8 sc
sk next 2 sc, 1 dc into the turning chain from the row below.
Turn
Row 6: Ch 3, sk first 2 dc in the row below (the dc below your turning chain counts as 1)
1 dc into each of next 8 dc
*3 dc into next dc (you should be working into center stitch of 3 dc)
1 dc into each of next 7 dc, sk next 2 dc, 1 dc into each of next 7 dc
rep from * to last 10 dc
3 dc into next dc, 1 dc into each of next 8 dc, sk last dc, 1 dc into 3rd st of ch 3, turn.
Row 7: Ch 1, sc into first dc (the same one the turning chain is coming out of), sk 1 dc
1 sc into each dc along row to last dc
sk last dc, 1 sc into 3rd ch of ch 3, turn.
Change to Color C
Repeat rows 2-7 with each color [C, D, A and B] twice, then C and D.
Top Edge:
With Color A, work Row 2 and 4 (skipping row 3). Do not fasten off. Continue Top Edge Rows 1-4 and Border Round 1 with Color A.
Top Edge Row 1:After Completing Row 4, do not fasten off Color A.
Turn
Ch 3. Counting the stitch under the turning chain, sk 2, 4 dc, 3 hdc, sc, sl st, sc, *3 hdc, 3 dc, sk 2, 3 dc, 3 hdc, sc, sl st, sc, repeat from * to last 9 sts, 3 hdc, 4 dc, sk 1, dc in last sc.
Turn
Top Edge Row 2:
Ch 3, counting the stitch under the turning chain, sk 2, 3 dc, 3 hdc, sc, sl st, sc, *3 hdc, 2 dc, sk 2, 2 dc, 3 hdc, sc, sl st, sc, repeat from * to last 8 sr, 3 hdc, 3 dc, sk 1, dc in turning ch.
Turn
Top Edge Row 3:
Ch 3, counting the stitch below the turning chain, sk 2, 3 hdc, 7 sc, *6 hdc, 7 sc repeat from * until 5 st remain, 3 hdc, sk 1, hdc in turning ch.
Turn
Top Edge Row 4:
Ch 1, sc across to last sc, 3 sc in last stitch of the row. Do not fasten off.
Border
Border Set-Up
Sc down the left side of the blanket. Treating the turning chains and the sc and dc stitches like foundation chains, work sc under 2 threads of each stitch and leave one thread below. This creates a beautiful even edge to the work. The number of sc you will put in each stitch will vary depending on your tension. Lay your work down often to check that your edge is laying flat and adjust the number of stitches accordingly. Work 3 sc into each corner of the blanket and continue across the bottom and right side of the blanket. Finish with 2 sc in the same sp as the first sc of top edge row 4, join with sl st. Do not fasten off or turn.
Border Round 1: (Continuing Color A)
Ch 2. hdc in each st around, working 3 dc in each corner. join w sl st to first st of the round. Fasten off.
Border Round 2:
Join Color B to any side st, ch 2. Work camel st across, 3 dc in corners. Join with sl st to first st in the round. Fasten off. Repeat Border Round 2 with with Color C and D. Fasten off after each color and join each new color near a different corner each time to make joins less obvious. Do not fasten off after last round of Color D.
Final Border Round:
With Color D, ch 1, * (sc, ch 2 sc) in same st, sk 2 repeat from * around. Adjust the number of stitches skipped so that (sc, ch 2, sc) lands on corners of the blanket. Join with sl st to first st.
Fasten off. Weave in all ends.
Tested by , Peta Gehrmann, Heather Hullinger, Kat Keen, May Antoun Khoury, Hayley Kirkby, Shona Tomlinson, Courtney Shepherd, and Michelle Taylor.
Join us in the 6-Day Kid Blanket Facebook Group for help with this pattern and to show off your finished creations. Be sure to tag @bettymcknit in your social media posts
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This pattern is 100% original and the intellectual property of Betty McKnit/Beth Elliott. This pattern, The 6-Day Kid Blanket, “6DKB” and derivative works are also protected by copyright. Publishing translations, corrections, variations, or tutorials of this pattern, online or elsewhere without written permission from the owner is a violation of copyright.
The stitch pattern is “Vivid Chevrons” #110 from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns by Jan Eaton.
Reprinted with permission from Quarto Publishing.
