Crochet Panda Blanket for a Baby!

Hello everyone! Not terribly experienced writing instructables, but I'll do my best!

This project began when I had the idea to make a baby blanket that was different from what I had seen before.

This took me a total of 6 hours to make.

This project should be super easy to make for an experienced crocheter.

Difficulty Level 3/10!

Step 1: Supplies

I used Red Heart yarn, but any yarn would work.

You will need red, black, and white yarn. A couple of skeins of each should be good!

I used an "H" (5mm size) hook for all steps.

I also used a darning needle to assemble the pieces.

Step 2: Crochet Abbreviations

One of the hardest parts about doing anything new, is learning the lingo.

The above chart should help with most of them.

The ones I used are:

ch - chain

st - stitch

sl st - slip stitch

dc - double crochet

Step 3: Granny Squares (make 5)

Granny square 1:

To start:

With red ch 4 join to first st to make a circle

Round 1:

slip st in circle ch 3 (counts as first dc) 2 dc, ch 2.

3 dc ch 2, 3 dc ch 2, 3 dc ch 2.

sl st to top of beg ch3

sl st to ch 2 space.

Round 2:

ch 3 2 dc ch 3 3 dc ch 2

3 dc ch 3 3 dc in next ch 2 sp. ch 2.

3 dc ch 3 3 dc in next ch 2 sp. ch 2.

3 dc ch 3 3 dc in next ch 2 sp. ch 2. join with slip st to beg ch 3

slip st to ch 3 sp.

Round 3:
With black

ch 3 2 dc ch 3 3 dc ch 2
3 dc ch 3 3 dc in next ch 2 sp. ch 2.

3 dc ch 3 3 dc in next ch 2 sp. ch 2.

3 dc ch 3 3 dc in next ch 2 sp. ch 2. join with slip st to beg ch 3

slip st to ch 3 sp.

round 4-8:

With white
repeat round 3

round 9:

with red repeat round 3

round 10:

with black repeat round 3.
do not finish off, sc in each st around 3 sc in corner ch 3 space.

Repeat this step until you have 5 squares.

Step 4: Modified Granny Squares (make 4)

These will be your pandas!

With white:

ch 4 join to first st to make a circle

round 1:
slip st in circle ch 3 (counts as first dc) 2 dc, ch 2

3 dc ch 2, 6 dc join with sl stitch to top of beg ch 3.

round 2:

slip st to ch 2 space

ch 3, 1 dc ch 2 2 dc. dc in each dc to ch 2 space.

2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in ch 2 space.

2 dc in next dc. dc in next 4 dc 2 dc in last dc. join with sl st to top of beg ch 3.

round 3-7:

slip stitch to ch 2 space.

2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in each ch 2 space.

dc in each dc around. On the curved part I added 4 dc evenly spaced per round.

join with sl st to top of beg ch 3.

round 8-9:

same as above but I used treble crochet on the curved part. add 4 evenly spaced trebles on curved part.

round 10:

2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in each ch 2 space.

dc in each dc around. adding 4 evenly spaced dc on curved part.

with black, sc in each st around 3 sc in ch 2 space.

Repeat to make 4 modified granny squares.

Step 5: Ears

The ears I just kind of placed them where they looked right.

With black:

ch 3 dc decrease, dc in each dc to last 2 decrease.
ch 3 dc decrease, dc in each dc to last 2 dc decrease.

Step 6: Putting It Together

join all pieces with whip stitch.
sc with white all the way around.

Step 7: The Eyes

with black: start with magic circle, 12 dc in magic circle.
round 2: ch 3 2 dc in each stitch around.

round 3: ch 3 2 dc in each stitch around.

finish off.

smaller part of the eyes

with black magic circle, 7 sc in circle.

round 2: with white ch 2 (counts as hdc) 2 hdc in each sc.

finish off.

Step 8: Noses

with white magic circle, 12 dc in magic circle
round 2: ch 3 2 dc in each stitch around.

round 3: ch 3 2 dc in each stitch around.

Nose: with black magic circle, 12 hdc in circle, finish off leaving long end, I used the long end to make the mouth.

Step 9: Finish It!

whip stitch it all together,

I just used visual placement to decide where to put everything.

Thank you all for looking at my instructable and voting for me in the Warm and Fuzzy contest!

You are welcome to use this pattern and sell any blankets you make as long as you credit my wife Amy Rocky!