Sweet Dreams by Terry Kimbrough

Pattern
Sweet Dreams

I have tried to take tons of notes so that when I make this blanket again, I will remember how to increase it’s size without so much work. I LOVE how my blanket turned out. It’s beautiful! But I rated the pattern low because of the work involved in correcting gauge. I hope these notes will help others before they realize they are making a doll sized blanket.

Pattern Alterations 

Using 4.0 mm Clover Hook. Began with ch 138. This gives me 11 repeats of the outside squares. Blanket measures 32” wide. Worked 79 rows giving me 13 repeats of the outside border. Body of blanket measures 32” wide & 35” tall. Body of blanket used 9.83 ounces (278.7 grams) of yarn or 926 yards.

Edging Round 3 has 69 dc’s on the short size & 81 dc’s on the long side. This doesn’t include the (dc, ch1) 3 times in the corners. 

Row 7 is very confusing! Took me several tries before I figured out the directions.

Finished size 37” wide x 43” long. Used 14.39 ounces (408 grams) of yarn or 1338 yards. 

I used my steamer & lightly steamed the picots. If you’re having trouble getting your picots to lay smooth lightly steaming them will help make the perfect!

Yarn

Baby Bee Sweet Delight in Yellow

3.55 skeins = 1338 yards

Size 

After completing Row 55, blanket measures 20”x23”. This seems significantly smaller than I expected for only going down one hook size. Time to do some math! After figuring out how many increases are needed to alter the body & the border, I’ve decided to rip & redo the blanket increasing the starting chain by 48. Each of my body squares is about 3”, this should give me a finished width of 32” for the body. I am going to increase the vertical height of my blanket by working an additional 24 rows. This should give my body a height of 35”.

Final Size: 37" by 43"

Horizontal Increases 

1. If you only increase the pattern by 12 stitches as Renhul suggests, the border will not work. Her project worked because she increased by 24. The border is a multiple of 8 stitches. Whatever you decide to increase by, that number needs to be divisible by 8 for the border & 12 for the block design that surrounds the main body.

Vertical Increases 

The body square is made using 6 repeats Row 9-14. As mentioned before the border is a multiple of 8. So whatever vertical increases you make need to be divisible by 6 & 8.

Helpful Project Notes From Others

According to Renhui’s project notes, the pattern can be increased by 12 stitches. She used fingering yarn with a 3mm hook. She started with 114 chains instead of 90. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/renhui/sweet-dreams As noted above this worked for her because she increases by 24. If you only increase by 12, the border will not work.

This project mentions an error in Row 7 of the border. See her notes on how to correct the error. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/DJCstitches/sweet-dreams After working through Row 7, I don’t think there is an error in the written directions. Are the written instructions extremely confusing? YES! But with a little determination, they can be figured out. If you are having trouble with them, it helps sometimes to look at a picture of the border to see what is going on.

Completed a second blanket using fingering weight yarn.