Strawberry Sunrise Afghan

This sweet Strawberry Sunrise Afghan is perfect for new baby girls.  With a simple crochet pattern that looks like mini cupcakes or baskets, this striped afghan is as fun to make as it is to give.  You could also make this blanket for a little boy by changing the yarn colors to green, yellow, and blue.

Materials:

• 4 skeins Red Heart Classic Yarn in Lily Pink
• 3 skeins Red Heart Classic Yarn in Maize
• 3 skeins Red Heart Classic Yarn in Peachy
• 4.5 mm (US G-6) crochet hook and 5.0mm (US H-8) crochet hook or size needed for gauge

Gauge:  6 row pattern = 3 ¼”; 4 dcs, 1 dc, 4 dcs, 1 dc = 3 ½”

Instructions:
Blanket Measures:   39” x 46”
                              

1. Row 1: With lily pink and G hook ch 144, sc in 4th ch from hook, *ch 4, skip next 4 chs, sc in next ch**, ch 3, skip next ch, sc in next ch, repeat from * across ending last repeat at **, ch 1, skip next ch, hdc in last ch, turn.
    
2. Row 2 (RS): Ch 3, 2 dcs in next ch 1 space, *ch 1, dc in next ch 4 space, ch 1**, 4 dcs in next ch 3 space, repeat from * across ending last repeat at **, 2 dcs in last ch space, dc in last stitch, turn.
    
3. Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first stitch, ch 2, sc in next ch 1 space, [ch 3, sc in next ch 1 space, ch 4, sc in next ch 1 space] across ending with ch 2, sc in last stitch, turn.
    
4. Row 4: Ch 4, skip next ch space, [4 dc in next ch 3 space, ch 1, dc in next ch 4 space, ch 1] across ending with skip last ch space, dc in last stitch, turn.
    
5. Row 5: Ch 3, *sc in next ch 1 space, ch 4, sc in next ch 1 space**, ch 3, repeat from * across ending last repeat at **, ch 1, hdc in last stitch, turn.
    
6. Row 6: Repeat Row 2, fasten off and turn.
    
7. Row 7: Join maize with a slip stitch in first st, sc in same stitch, ch 2, continue with Row 3, turn.

Color Scheme:  Continue 6 row pattern repeating Rows 2-7 changing color on Row 7 for a total of 79 rows as follows:  (6 rows each lily pink, maize, peachy) 4 times, 7 rows lily pink (Do not fasten off after Row 7. Continue with lily pink for edging and turn).

Edging

1. With H hook starting at right corner, ch 3, 3 dc in first stitch, ch 2, sc in ch 2 space, ch 2, [3 dc in ch 3 space, ch 2, sc in ch 4 space, ch 2] across, ch 2, sc in last ch 2 space, ch 2, 4 dc in last stitch.
    
2. Work along side edge ch 2, [sc in next dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next dc, ch 2] across, ch 2, 4 dc in first bottom ch.
    
3. Work along bottom edge ch 2, sc in ch 2 space, ch 2, [3 dc in ch 4 space, ch 2, sc in ch 3 space, ch 2] across, ch 2, sc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 4 dc in last ch.
    
4. Work along side edge ch 2, [sc in next dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next dc, ch 2] across, join to top of beginning ch 3 and fasten off.