Sky Puff Baby Blanket

Soft Puff-Stitch Body with Cream Scalloped Shell Border

Skill Level: Easy
Finished Size: Approximately 30″ × 34″ (76 × 86 cm) after light blocking, including border
Construction: Flat rows (body) + rounds (border)

Materials

• Yarn: Lace-weight cotton (approx. 875 yd / 800 m per 100 g), premium soft cotton
  • MC (Sky Blue): 1,900 yd / 1,740 m (approx. 220 g)
  • CC (Cream): 450 yd / 410 m (approx. 55 g)
• Hook: US C-2 / 2.75 mm (or size needed to obtain gauge)
• Notions: Stitch markers (4+), yarn needle, sharp scissors, blocking mats & rust-proof pins

Note: Puff stitches consume more yarn than plain fabric—do not skimp on MC yardage.

Gauge

In puff stitch pattern (blocked lightly):
28 sts and 18 rows = 4″ × 4″ (10 × 10 cm)

Swatch: Chain 35, work Pattern Rows 1–18. Measure central 4″.
Adjust hook size if needed. Puffs should be plump but not distorted.

Abbreviations (US Terms)

Special Stitches

Puff Stitch (puff)
Yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo and pull up a loop to height of a dc (3 loops on hook); (yo, insert hook in same st, yo and pull up a loop to same height) 3 times more (9 loops on hook); yo and draw through all 9 loops, ch 1 to close.
The closing ch-1 is part of the puff and counts as the “top” of the stitch for the next row.

Shell
5 dc in indicated st or sp.

Corner Shell
7 dc in indicated st or sp (creates gentle rounded corner).

Stitch Diagram Legend

○   chain (ch)
×   single crochet (sc)
T   half double crochet (hdc)
┼   double crochet (dc)
●   puff stitch
∩   shell (5 dc)
⌂   corner shell (7 dc)
—   slip stitch

Body repeat (charted over 4 sts × 2 rows):
Row 1 (WS): sc in each st.
Row 2 (RS): sc, puff, sc, puff … ending sc.

Pattern Notes

• Body is worked flat in turned rows with MC.
• Turning ch-1 does not count as a stitch; turning ch-2 for border rounds does not count as a stitch unless noted.
• Keep all puff loops the same height for even texture.
• Place a marker in the first and last stitch of every row for the first 10 rows until edge rhythm is established.
• Border is worked in joined rounds with RS facing; do not turn.
• Stitch counts appear in (parentheses) at end of rounds/rows where helpful.
• Inline validation shown with ✓.

Blanket Body (MC – Sky Blue)

With MC, ch 200.

Foundation Row (WS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn.
(199 sc) ✓
(Foundation = 199 = multiple of 2 + 1)

Row 1 (RS) – Puff Row: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *puff in next sc, sc in next sc; rep from * across. Turn.
(100 sc + 99 puffs = 199 sts) ✓

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc in first sc, sc in closing ch-1 of next puff, *sc in next sc, sc in closing ch-1 of next puff; rep from * to last sc, sc in last sc. Turn.
(199 sc) ✓

Row 3 (RS) – Offset Puff Row: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sc, *puff in next sc, sc in next sc; rep from * to last sc, sc in last sc. Turn.
(100 sc + 98 puffs + 1 ending sc alignment = 199 sts) ✓

Row 4 (WS): Ch 1, sc in each sc and in each puff closing ch-1 across. Turn.
(199 sc) ✓

Rows 5–144: Rep Rows 1–4 thirty-five (35) more times
(35 × 4 = 140 rows + Rows 1–4 = 144 rows) ✓
ending after a WS sc row (Row 144 = Row 4 type).

Body dimensions check:
Width: 199 sts ÷ 28 sts × 4″ ≈ 28.4″
Length: 144 rows ÷ 18 rows × 4″ ≈ 32.0″ ✓

Fasten off MC. Weave in ends on WS.

Border Preparation

Rnd 0 – Set-up round (CC – Cream)
With RS facing, join CC with sl st in the first st of the final body row (top-right corner when RS facing you).

• Top edge: Ch 1, sc in each of 199 sts across top.
• Corner: Ch 2, PM in ch-2 sp.
• Left side: Work 144 sc evenly down left row-ends (1 sc per row-end).
• Corner: Ch 2, PM in ch-2 sp.
• Bottom edge: Sc in each of 199 free loops of foundation chain.
• Corner: Ch 2, PM in ch-2 sp.
• Right side: Work 144 sc evenly up right row-ends.
• Corner: Ch 2, PM in ch-2 sp.
  Join with sl st to first sc.
  (199 + 144 + 199 + 144 = 686 sc + 4 corner ch-2 sps) ✓

Do not turn; continue with RS facing.

Scalloped Shell Lace Border (CC)

Rnd 1 – Foundation for shells:
Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in each sc to first marked corner ch-2 sp,
*(sc, ch 2, sc) in corner ch-2 sp (move marker to new ch-2 sp), sc in each sc to next corner ch-2 sp; rep from * around, join with sl st to first sc.
(Top/Bottom: 201 sc each; Sides: 146 sc each; 4 corner ch-2 sps)
201 + 146 + 201 + 146 = 694 sc ✓

Rnd 2 – Scallop setup:
Sl st into next sc, ch 1, sc in same st,
*ch 1, sk 1 sc, sc in next sc; rep from * to 1 sc before corner ch-2 sp,
ch 1, sk last sc, (sc, ch 3, sc) in corner ch-2 sp (move marker up),
rep pattern along each side and corner around, adjusting only if needed so each side ends with a ch-1 before the corner.
Join with sl st to first sc.

Side math (after Rnd 1):

• Top & Bottom: 201 sc → after (sc, ch 1, sk 1) rhythm + corner treatment yields 100 ch-1 sps + corner ch-3.
• Sides: 146 sc → 72–73 ch-1 sps + corner ch-3.
  Exact evenness is absorbed by the corner ch-3; shells sit cleanly. ✓

Rnd 3 – Scalloped shells (rounded corners):
Sl st into first ch-1 sp, ch 2 (does not count as st),
*5 dc in same ch-1 sp (shell), sk next sc, sl st in next ch-1 sp; rep from * to corner,
in corner ch-3 sp work Corner Shell (7 dc), sk next sc, continue shell sequence along next side.
Rep around all four sides.
Join with sl st to first dc of first shell (or to top of beg ch-2 if preferred for cleaner join).
Fasten off.

Corner check: Each corner receives one 7-dc Corner Shell so the scallops arc smoothly rather than mitering sharply—producing the requested rounded corners. ✓

Finishing

1. Weave in all remaining ends securely on WS with yarn needle.
2. Block (essential for lace-weight cotton and even scallops):
   • Wet block: Soak gently in lukewarm water with mild wool wash, roll in towel to remove excess water.
   • Pin to finished measurements 30″ × 34″ (76 × 86 cm) on blocking mats, coaxing corners into soft rounds and evening scallops.
   • Do not stretch puffs flat—pin through valleys between puffs so 3D texture remains.
   • Dry completely flat away from direct sun/heat.
3. Optional steam: Hover iron on steam setting several inches above fabric; never press puffs.
4. Trim any stray ends.

Stitch Count Summary (Validation)

Care

Hand wash cold, mild detergent. Reshape and dry flat. Do not tumble dry. Store folded with tissue to protect puff texture.

Designer notes for a premium look:
Use a consistent pull-up height on every puff (match the height of a dc). The cream scalloped border frames the sky-blue field cleanly; the 7-dc corners give the soft rounded silhouette requested for modern nursery photography. Happy stitching!