Granny Square Pram Blanket

I have a special friend in Sydney who recently had her first little bubba - a girl!  Of course, I had to get working on something lovely for the new addition to their family so after all of my granny square loving last week I made her a granny square pram rug.

Whenever I make a granny square rug, I think of my Mama who created amazing and intricate crochet work.  When she was in her 90's she had short term memory loss that eventuated into dementia.  At this point, she was living at my parents house and my family were thinking up little jobs to keep her busy.  I asked her to make a pram blanket for Patrick.  She must have sat on the lounge with wool and hook in hand for 3-4 hours.  She'd start with a few stitches and then undo it and she'd start again.  She couldn't remember what to do, or even where to begin.  My Mum and I were nearly in tears, it was heartbreaking to watch.  In the end my Mum took it out of her hands and gave her something else to keep her busy.  Dementia is such a heart breaking disease for everyone involved.

I digress...

Here is my Granny Square Pram Blanket pattern.  It's the pattern that my Mama shared with me when her mind was working perfectly.  

To Start - First chain 4 and slip stitch into a ring. 

1st Round - Chain 3 then 11 double crochet into your ring. You should have what looks like 12 double crochet.  Slip st into 3rd chain you made at the beginning and cut yarn. Thread this through the loop on your hook and pull tight. 

2nd Round - with a new colour (or the same colour if you want to) make a slip stitch into any space between your double crochet.  Make 3ch's and 2 double crochet, 3ch and do another 3 double crochet, chain 1. This is your first corner done. Skip 3 double crochet from 1st round and do 3 double crochet, 3 ch and 3 double crochet, chain 1. Repeat this so that you have completed 4 corners with 2 sets of 3 double crochet. Slip St into the 3rd chain you made at the start and weave in your end to that stitch.

3rd Round - Slip st new colour (or the same if wanted) into any space. Do 3ch and 2 double crochet, 3 chain and 3 double crochet, chain 1. Skip the next 3 double crochet on the previous round and do 3 double crochet in that space, chain 1. Skip the next 3 double crochet and do your same corner stitches (3 double crochet, 3 chain and 3 double crochet). Repeat these around so that you have filled in your corners and spaces.

4th Round continue as you have been doing in previous rounds. In each corner you are doing 3 double crochet, 3 chain, 3 double crochet and have 1 chain separating each set of stitches. When you're in a space that isn't a corner you are doing 3 double crochet with 1 chain separating! 

N.B -When you are starting a new round your first double crochet is actually a 3 chain which gives you the height of the round.

...and round and round you go until you reach your desired size.  Have fun!

ch-chains