Intermediate
What the pattern's own author called it. Nothing here is graded again.
Baby Blankets 13 Laid out for paper No account, no download
Charming Embossed Duck Bobble Baby Blanket Pattern
Embossed duck and plain motif squares, popcorn stitch, 2-round sc/hdc edge, joined in columns then rows.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Rounds
- 13
Worsted
What the sample was worked in. Any weight works; the size moves with it.
13
Each one is typed out whole and gets its own line.
This blanket alternates two motif squares: an Embossed Duck Square that starts with a chain of 29 stitches worked flat in single crochet, then shapes over seven duck body rows with clusters of five incomplete double crochets cast off together to emboss a duck's head and body on the right side; and a Plain Design Square worked the same way in plain single crochet with no shaping. Motifs join first into columns, then into rows, all in single crochet, before a two-round edge in single crochet and half double crochet closes the piece. Customize the colors and size of the blanket to suit your taste. Have 600 grams of yellow yarn and 500 grams of white yarn ready, along with a hook sized to your fiber and a steam iron for blocking.
Common mistakes and their fixes
- Loose, flat popcorn stitches
- Pull the yarn tight when casting off the 5 incomplete double crochets together, or the duck motif will lie flat instead of standing forward from the background.
- Losing the 28-stitch count
- Count single crochets between popcorn placements against the row instructions, such as 1 sc x 5 or 1 sc x 7, so each row returns to 28 stitches.
- Flat corners on the blanket edge
- Work the corner instructions exactly as given, 2 sc on round 1 and (1 hdc, 3 chain, 1 hdc) on round 2, or the finished edge will cup instead of lying flat.
The materials list
- Yellow yarn: 600 gr.
- White yarn: 500 gr.
- Crochet hook size appropriate for your yarn.
- Steam iron, for blocking the finished motifs.
Listed by the pattern's own author, in their words.
Key to this pattern, 5 short forms
Duck Design Motif (Embossed Duck Square)
The motif is worked in single crochet (sc) with the duck design created by 5 incomplete double crochets (dc) cast off together (popcorn stitch).
Foundation: Create a slip knot. Chain 29 stitches.
Round 1
Start in the second chain from the hook and work 1 sc in each chain. You should have 28 stitches .
Rounds 2–5
Chain 1, turn. Work 1 sc in each stitch for a total of 28 stitches in each row.
Duck Body Rows
Round 6
1 sc x 5. Work the duck head: Repeat 6 times: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together), 1 sc in the next st. 1 sc in the remaining 7 sts.
Round 7
Chain 1, turn. 1 sc in each st ( 28 sts total).
Round 8
1 sc x 3. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 16. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 7.
Round 9
Chain 1, turn. 1 sc in each st ( 28 sts total).
Round 10
1 sc x 2. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 8. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 2. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 6. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 6.
Round 11
Chain 1, turn. 1 sc in each st ( 28 sts total).
Round 12
1 sc x 2. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 7. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 11. Work the duck head: (5 incomplete dc in the same st, cast off together). 1 sc x 5.(Note: Continue the remaining rows as outlined above in your pattern.)
Plain Design Motif (Solid Square)
Foundation: Create a slip knot. Chain 29 stitches.
Round 1
Start in the second chain from the hook and work 1 sc in each chain. You should have 28 stitches.
Rounds 2–31
Chain 1, turn. Work 1 sc in each stitch. You will have a total of 28 stitches in each row.Finishing: Chain 1 and cut the yarn.
Blanket Edge
Round 1
(SC): Chain 1. Work 1 sc in each stitch around the entire blanket. At each corner, work 2 sc . Join the round with a slip stitch.
Round 2
(HDC): Chain 2. Work 1 half double crochet (hdc) in each stitch around. At the corners, work: ( 1 hdc, 3 chain stitches, 1 hdc ). Join the round with a slip stitch.Finish: Chain 1 and cut the yarn.
Assembly, in order
Step 1Blocking: Block each motif with steam from an iron to an approximate size of 20 cm wide by 22 cm long.
Step 2Join the motifs in columns using single crochet . Work 1 sc in each stitch along the edges.
Step 3Join the completed columns into rows , again using single crochet .
Check these before you start
- Choose a hook sized to your yarn and check gauge on a blocked motif, since the popcorn stitches will pull in tension differently than plain single crochet rows.
- Pull the yarn firmly when casting off each group of five incomplete double crochets together, so the duck motif embosses forward rather than sitting flat against the background.
- Keep a stitch count check at the end of every duck body row, since each row should return to 28 stitches once the popcorn clusters are complete.
- The pattern is given in yellow and white, but you can customize your blanket with a range of colors and sizes to suit your taste.
On one line
| Rounds | 13 |
|---|---|
| Parts | 4 |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Time | 4-6 hours |
| Yarn | Worsted |
Set-up
- Set aside 600 grams of yellow yarn and 500 grams of white yarn before starting, so you are not short partway through a motif.
- Read through Duck Body Rows 6 through 12 before you begin, since the popcorn placements shift position from row to row and are easier to follow once seen in full.
- Work and block one test motif first, pressing it with steam to the approximate 20 cm by 22 cm size, so you know how many squares you need for your final blanket.
- Place a marker at the start of each row on the motif to keep track of the 28-stitch count once the popcorn clusters begin.
Finishing
- Weave in yarn ends on each motif before blocking or joining, so loose tails do not get caught in the single crochet seams.
- Block each finished motif with steam from an iron to approximately 20 cm wide by 22 cm long, squaring the edges before assembly.
- Join motifs into columns, then join the completed columns into rows, both in single crochet, then work the two-round edge, placing 2 sc at each corner on round 1 and (1 hdc, 3 chain, 1 hdc) at each corner on round 2.
Construction
The Duck Design Motif is worked flat in rows rather than in the round, since the duck shape is built by placing popcorn clusters at set stitch positions across successive rows rather than by increasing a round.
The Blanket Edge carries all the shaping: round 1 adds 2 sc at each corner and round 2 adds (1 hdc, 3 chain, 1 hdc) at each corner, so the corner turn happens entirely in the edge rather than in the motif itself.
The Plain Design Motif is worked over the same 29-stitch foundation and 28-stitch row count as the Duck Design Motif, but with no popcorn clusters, so the two squares combine seamlessly in the same columns and rows.
Time per section
| Duck Design Motif foundation and rows | about 20-30 minutes because the foundation chain of 29 stitches and early rows are plain single crochet before any shaping begins |
|---|---|
| Duck Body Rows | about 45-60 minutes because the 7 rows carry multiple popcorn placements that need to be worked and counted carefully |
| Plain Design Motif | about 20-30 minutes because all 31 rows are plain single crochet with no popcorn shaping to track |
| Joining motifs and working the Blanket Edge | about 30-45 minutes because joining columns then rows in single crochet is followed by two full rounds of edging with corner shaping |
Photographs of this one
Every one was taken by whoever published the pattern, in the order the source listed them.
Common questions
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.