WHALE BABY BLANKET CROCHET PATTERN

I am so excited to share with you my first baby blanket reveal! I am so happy with how it turned out! My favorite part of this blanket was not only making all the different appliques but the reason why I made them separately instead of incorporating the images on the blanket.

This was a special gift for our baby nephew Louis that I had in mind as I created this blanket. As a mom I wanted this to also be a sensory play kind of blanket. When the baby is a few months old and is doing tummy time he/she can reach the clouds and feel the soft baby blanket yarn. They also have movement with the seaweed at the bottom they can follow with their eyes. Bright yellow sun they can try to reach for as they develop. At the end of the day, they don’t know they are working so many senses with everyday things and that’s one thing I love about early childhood development.

It doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be a sensory baby blanket but how cool that a blanket can serve many purposes like decorating a nursery, keeping warm, and playing with or on it. Fun for any age, my son and daughter also were very fascinated and was hard to part with which means I have some more blanket in store to share with you all!

I hope you love the idea of why I created his blanket and my intentions. I hope you find some inspiration to make your own and add or take away!

Thank you for being here!

Happy Crocheting!

Materials Needed:

Blanket

2 skeins of Bernat SV in Gray Ragg
1 Skein of I Love This Yarn in Sea Blue or any other soft blue yarn – 355 yards needed.
H 8 – 5.00 mm Hook
Yarn needle

Whale Body, face and water splash

Black – for eyes
Blue – for whale body
Light Blue – for the 3 water splashes
White – for whales belly
H 8 – 5.00 mm Hook

Cloud Applique

Bernat baby blanket yarn in white
K 6.50 mm Hook

Sun Applique

Red Heart yarn in Yellow
H 8 – 5.00 mm Hook

Fish Applique

Lion Brand in Mustard
H 8 – 5.00 mm Hook

Seaweed Applique

Lion Brand in Sweet pea
H 8 – 5.00 mm Hook

**Yarn I used can be substituted with any color desired in Worsted weight (#4) Fishes can be made with cotton if desired.

Abbreviations/ Definitions:

CH – chain

[ ] ( ) – repeat inside pattern as instructed

MC – magic circle/ring

SC – single crochet

DC – double crochet

HDC – half double crochet

Tr – Treble crochet

Sl St – slip stitch

FO – fasten off

Sk – skip

Sts – stitches

Sc Dec – single crochet two stitches together.

2SC (Sc Inc)- make two single crochet stitches in the same stitch.

Dc Dec – single crochet two stitches together.

2DC (Dc Inc) – make two single crochet stitches in the same stitch.

Measurements:

Final measurements are approximately Whale Body measures approximately 7” by 11” with medium weight yarn, but differs with yarn and tension.

– Blanket measurements are approximately 35″ by 35″

Blanket:

Start with blue yarn for the water part of the blanket.

CH 110 + 6 = 116

Row 1:

(RS)

2DC in the 4th chain from the hook, [Sk next CH, 2DC in the next] Repeat across, DC in the last CH, turn.

Row 2:

(WS)

CH 3,

[2DC between the two DC space] repeat across, DC in the last st, turn.

Repeat row 2 with the sea blue yarn until it measures approximately 10″ then join the white/gray yarn and continue repeating row 2 until the entire blanket measures 35″ in length. FO, weave in all the ends.

Whale Applique :

CH 30

Row 1 – SC in 2nd CH from the hook to the end. CH 3, turn. (29)

Row 2 -DC across. CH 3, turn.

Row 3 – DC across. CH 3, turn.

Row 4 – DC in 10 sts, Sl st in the next 4 sts, DC in 14 sts, 2DC in the last st.

This will start shaping the whale’s head.

Row 5 – 2DC in the 1st sts, DC in 14 sts. CH 3, turn. (17).

Row 6 – 2DC, DC in 15 sts, 2DC. CH 3, turn. (19)

Row 7 – 2DC in the 1st st, DC in 17 sts, 2DC in the last st. CH 3, turn. (21)

Row 8 – 2DC in the first st, DC in 19 sts, 2DC in the last st. CH 3, turn. (23)

Row 9 – DC across. CH 3, turn.

Row 10 – DC across. CH 3, turn.

Row 11 – Dc Dec, DC in 19, Dc Dec. CH 3, turn. (21)

Row 12 – Dc Dec, DC in 17, Dc Dec. CH 3, turn. (19)

Row 13 – 2(Dc Dec), DC in 11, 2(Dc Dec). CH 3, turn. (13)

Row 14 – 2(Dc Dec), DC in 7, 2(Dc Dec). CH 3, turn. (11)

Row 15 – 2(Dc Dec), DC in 3, 2(Dc Dec). FO (7)

Join to the 1st DC made in Row 4. This will begin shaping the whale’s tail.

Row 1 – CH 3. DC across (10)

Row 2 – DC across. CH 3 (10)

Row 3 – Dc Dec, DC in 6, Dc Dec. CH 3, turn. (8)

Row 4 – DC across. CH 3, turn. (8)

Row 5 – Dc Dec, DC in 4 sts, Dc Dec. CH 3, turn. (6)

Row 6 – Dc Dec, DC in 2 sts, Dc Dec. CH 3, turn. (4)

You will start to work the first right-side fin next.

Row 7 – DC in the next 2 sts, CH 3, turn.

Row 8 – 2DC in the 2 sts. CH3, turn. (4)

Row 9 – 2DC, DC in 2 sts, 2DC in last st. CH 3, turn. (6)

Row 10 – Dc Dec, DC in 2, Dc Dec

Row 11 – 2(Dc Dec). CH 3, turn.

Row 12 – Dc Dec. FO

Left Second fin:

Join to the DC in the middle and repeat

Rows 7- 12

DO NOT FASTEN OFF

CH 1, SC around the whale, Sl st to the first SC, FO

Whale eyes: Make 2

Create Magic Circle
8 HDC in MC. FO. Leave a long tail for sewing.

Mouth:

Sew mouth with Black yarn Using a yarn needle or surface slip stitch.

Water Splash for the top of the head: Make 3

CH 5

SC in 4 sts. CH 1, turn.
SC in 4 sts. CH 1, turn.
SC in 4 sts. CH 1, turn.
SC in 4 sts. CH 1, turn.
SC in 4 sts. CH 1, turn.
2(Sc Dec) (2)
Sc Dec, CH 1, turn and SC around, Sl st to the first SC. FO. Leave a long tail for sewing.

White belly:

CH 20

SC in the 3rd chain from the hook to the end. CH 1, turn (18)
2(Sc Dec), SC in 10, 2(Sc Dec). CH 1, turn (14)
2(Sc Dec), SC in 6, 2(Sc Dec). CH 1, turn (10)
5(Sc Dec). CH 1, turn. (5)
2(Sc Dec), SC in the last st. CH 1, SC around. FO. Sew on the bottom centered with the whale’s head.

Pattern: Make 2 of each or as many as desired

CH 15

Row 1 – SC in the 2nd CH from the hook and in every stitch to the end. CH 1, turn. (14)

Row 2 – SC across

Row 3 – SC across

Row 4 – *SC in 2 sts, (SC, CH 2, 3DC) in the next st, Repeat from * 3 more times, SC in the last 2 sts.

Note: You will continue working around the opposite side of the chain.

Step 5 – SC in the next st, CH 2, 3DC in the same st.

Step 6 – SC in the next 2 sts, (SC in the next, CH 2, 3DC ) in the next.

Step 7 – SC in the next 2 sts, (SC in the next, CH 2, 3DC ) in the next.

Step 8 – SC in the next 2 sts, (SC in the next, CH 2, 3DC ) in the next.

Step 9 – SC in the next 2 sts, (SC in the next, CH 2, 3DC ) in the next, Sl st to the 1st DC in row 4, FO.

Small Cloud:

CH 7

SC in the 2nd CH from the hook and in the next 5 sts. (6)

(SC in the first sts, CH 2, 2DC) in the same first st, SC in 2, (SC, CH 2, 2DC) in the next st, SC in 2, (SC, CH 2, 2DC).

Working on the opposite side of the chain

SC in 2sts, (SC, CH 2, 2DC), SC in 2, (SC, CH 2, 2DC), Sl st in the first SC, FO. Leave a long tail if sewing on a project.

Notes:

Chain 3 does not count as a stitch.
First stitch is always the st where CH 3 is made.

Pattern:

Make magic circle, CH 3.

Row 1 – 10 DC in MC. Join to the first double crochet. CH 3

Row 2 – 2DC in each st to the end. Join, CH 3. (20)

Row 3 – *DC in the first st, 2DC in the next st. Repeat from * to the end. Join, CH 3. (30)

Row 4 – *DC in 2 sts, 2DC in the next. Repeat from * to the end. Join, CH 3. (40)

Row 5 – *DC in 3 sts, 2DC in the next sts. Repeat from * to the end. Join, CH 3. (50)

FO and leave a long tail to sew on a project or weave in the ends.

Sun Rays Pattern:

Make 10

CH 10

Tr on the 5th chain from the hook, Tr in the next 2 sts, DC in the next, HDC, SC in the last st. FO and leave a long tail to sew on a project or weave in the ends.

Notes

– In Row 12 {1. & 2.} are in the same row. Photo tutorial included.

Measurements

– Final measurements are approximately 3 inches in length with medium weight yarn, but differs with yarn and tension. These will be cute fishes no matter the size. But if you want smaller fish use smaller yarn and hook if bigger fishes you need to use larger sized yarn and hook.

Pattern: Make 5

Ch 3

Row 1 – Sc In in the next two stitches. Chain 1, turn. (4)

Row 2 -SC across. Chain 1, turn. (4)

Row 3 – Sc Inc, SC in the next 2 sts, Sc Inc. Chain 1, turn. (6)

Row 4 -SC across. Chain 1, turn. (6)

Row 5 – SC across. Chain 1, turn. (6)

Row 6 – SC across. Chain 1, turn. (6)

Row 7 – Sc Dec, SC in the next 2 sts, Sc Dec. Chain 1, turn. (4)

Row 8 – SC, Sc Dec, SC. Chain 1, turn. (3)

Row 9 – Sc Dec, SC. Chain 1, turn. (2)

Row 10 – SC across. Chain 1, turn. (2)

Row 11 – SC across. Chain 4. (2)

Row 12 – 1. SC in the 2nd chain from the hook and in the next 2, sl st in the same stitch where you chained.

2. SC in the next stitch and chain 4, SC in the 2nd chain from the hook and in the next 2 chains, sl st in the same stitch as the SC, Chain 1.

Step-by-step chaining directions for crochet stitches and rows

Row 13 – SC around the fish and sl st to the first SC made and FO. Leave a long piece if you plan on sewing the applique or weave in the ends.

Seaweed pattern:

Notes:

There will be 3 size patterns that you will join together in 3’s.

Pattern for the long seaweed: Make 2

CH 40

HDC in the 2nd CH from the hook, DO NOT TURN, keep working on the opposite side of the chains. FO. leave a long tail for sewing.

Pattern for Medium seaweed: Make 3

CH 30

HDC in the 2nd CH from the hook, DO NOT TURN, keep working on the opposite side of the chains. FO. leave a long tail for sewing.

Pattern for small seaweed: Make 4

CH 15

HDC in the 2nd CH from the hook, DO NOT TURN, keep working on the opposite side of the chains. FO. leave a long tail for sewing.

Sewing on the Appliques:

I first set up the blanket laying flat on a clean surface and placed the appliques where I liked and used that as a guide when sewing them on.

As you can see in the picture below I did move the clouds around and removed the black yarn that I had as birds but didn’t work out. And added the smaller rays of sunshine.

For the seaweed, I moved the yarn as I was sewing to give the effect of movement it has in the water.