My friend’s baby is due real soon, and I made him a blanket:

The blanket is made from repeating 6 rows of linked extended single crochets (lexsc), alternating with 2 rows of single crochets (sc). The Crochet Stitch Dictionary calls the lexsc the “waffle” stitch; however, the standard waffle stitch is made up of front post double crochets. Therefore, I am calling the  pattern for the blanket the imitation waffle stitch & stripes. (Click on any photo to enlarge for details.)

This blanket is fairly simple to work, and by alternating between 6 lexsc rows and 2 sc rows, you can carry the yarn along one side as you switch between yarns, rather than cutting one color yarn and slip stitching the new color in every time. You just need to be mindful of the tension as you carry the yarn along the height of the rows.

The final blanket is 32.5 in. x 30.5 in., which is 0.5 in. taller and wider than a stroller blanket (32 x 30). I forgot to measure the gauge and already mailed the blanket off…so that will have to come at a later time.

Imitation Waffle Stitch & Stripes Blanket Pattern

Materials:

• 4mm hook
• Two different color yarns in sport weight. I used a a cream and taupe in Bernat Baby Sport. The official names of the colors are “baby ecru” and “baby taupe.” I used just under 1 large skein (1148 m.) of the baby ecru and half a large skein of the baby taupe (about 574 m.).
• Tapestry needle

Abbreviations:

• Ch = chain
• Yo = yarn over
• Sc = single crochet
• Lexsc = linked extended single crochet. This is a special stitch worked by inserting the hook into the first st, yo, pull through loop, insert hook in next st, yo, pull through loop. You should have 3 loops on the hook. Yo, pull through two loops on the hook, yo and pull through 2 loops.

* Remember, do not cut the yarn when you change yarn colors–carry the color changes along the edge as you alternate between yarns. Be mindful of the tension with each switch.

Starting with cream yarn:

Row 1: Foundation sc 177 OR chain 178 then sc in the second ch from hook and each ch across (177).

Row 2: Ch 2, turn. *Insert hook into the first sc, yo, pull through loop. Insert hook into the next sc, yo, pull through loop. You should have 3 loops on the hook. Yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through 2 loops again, then ch 1.* You have just finished your first lexsc + ch 1. Repeat to the end by working the next lexsc into the next 2 sc, making sure to ch 1 after each lexsc. Sc in the last sc. (88 lexsc + ch 1 space, and 1 sc).

Row 3: Ch 2, turn. Insert hook into the first sc, yo, pull through loop. Insert hook into the next st which is a ch 1 space, yo, pull through loop. Yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through 2 loops, then ch 1. *Insert hook into the next lexsc (to the right of the vertical bar), yo, pull through loop. Insert hook into the next ch 1 space (to the left of the same vertical bar), yo, pull through loop. Yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through 2 loops, then ch 1.* Repeat to the end. Sc in the last st. (88 lexsc + ch 1 space, and 1 sc).

Rows 4-7: Repeat row 3.

Switch to taupe yarn:

Row 8: Ch 1, turn. Sc into the first sc. Then sc evenly into each ch 1 space and lexsc across (177).

Row 9: Ch 1, turn, sc across (177).

Row 10: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 11-15: Repeat row 3.

Rows 16-17: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 18: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 19-23: Repeat row 3.

Rows 24-25: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 26: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 27-31: Repeat row 3.

Rows 32-33: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 34: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 35-39: Repeat row 3.

Rows 40-41: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 42: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 43-47: Repeat row 3.

Rows 48-49: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 50: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 51-55: Repeat row 3.

Rows 56-57: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 58: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 59-63: Repeat row 3.

Rows 64-65: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 66: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 67-71: Repeat row 3.

Rows 72-73: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 74: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 75-79: Repeat row 3.

Rows 80-81: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 82: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 83-87: Repeat row 3.

Rows 88-89: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 90: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 91-95: Repeat row 3.

Rows 96-97: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 98: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 99-103: Repeat row 3.

Rows 104-105: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 106: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 107-111: Repeat row 3.

Rows 112-113: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 114: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 115-119: Repeat row 3.

Rows 120-121: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 122: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 123-127: Repeat row 3.

Rows 128-129: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 130: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 131-135: Repeat row 3.

Rows 136-137: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9.

Row 138: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 139-143: Repeat row 3.

Rows 144-145: Switch to taupe yarn and repeat rows 8-9, then fasten off.

Row 146: Switch to cream yarn and repeat row 2.

Rows 147-151: Repeat row 3.

Row 152: Ch 1, turn, sc  into the first sc, then sc evenly across into each ch 1 space and lexsc (177). Fasten off at the end.

To crochet the border of the blanket: Using taupe yarn, slip st to the first st of the top/last row, then sc evenly across and all the way around the 4 edges of the blanket. [Sc, ch 1, sc] in the 4 corner stitches of the blanket to make 90 degree corners. Repeat around the perimeter of the blanket one more time so that you have 2 rows of taupe for the border of the blanket. You can hold any loose ends of yarn along the edge to crochet over/hide them as you work along the edge.

*You can easily modify the pattern to change the size of the blanket. Your foundation row/chain just needs to be an odd number of stitches.

*You can choose any combination of cream rows vs. taupe rows to make different size stripes. For ease, work an even number of rows in each color so that the color switch stays on the same side each time. This lets you carry the yarn along the same side. In my pattern, I alternated between 6 rows of of cream/lexsc and 2 rows of taupe/sc.