Sweet Cotton Candy Puff Baby Afghan

I love two things about crochet. Well, really there is more that I love about crochet than two things, but two of my favorite things are texture and creativity. Over the years that I have crocheted, I have learned and used many different kinds of stitches. My favorite stitches are those that great unique and eye appealing texture. That leads me to the Sweet Cotton Candy Puff baby afghan. The texture it has created from the stitches used in this baby blanket.

MY GO TO YARN

For this afghan, I used my go to yarn, Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn in pink, baby blue, and white. I like this yarn because it is soft, easy to work with, and crochets up nicely. Creating this afghan as a stash buster after making two other blankets with the same yarn felt satisfying. Since texture is one of my many favorite things about crochet, I wanted to be sure and have plenty of texture in this afghan.

THE DC CLUSTER STITCH AND THE PUFF STITCH

Recently, I had revisited the double crochet cluster stitch so I decided to use it as one of my stitches for the project. Now, I needed something to contrast it, one that popped out from between the clusters. So looking through my repertoire of stitches, I decided that I would try the always popular puff stitch. Both these stitches have unique textures, so I felt they would contrast each other nicely.

Besides being unique, these stitches also contrast each other. The cluster stitch is very dense and flat, while the puff stitch is still fairly dense, it is raised and puffy. Just like cotton candy is sweet and puffy, and then the colors are the colors of cotton candy. So it just made sense to call it Sweet Cotton Candy Puff Baby Afghan.

These stitches are not really all that difficult to make, but they are more advanced than the six basic stitches of crochet. This really is a pattern for an well advanced beginner at least. Again, if you can follow multiple steps for stitches, then this should not be too difficult.

If you are looking for an ad free pattern, you can find a PDF version of the pattern here.

Sweet Cotton Candy Puff Baby Afghan

The materials you will need are the same basic materials for most projects. Any type of worsted weight or baby weight yarn will work great for this project. However, if you choose a baby weight yarn, I suggest using the hook size recommended for the yarn you choose. But keep in mind that if you use a lighter weight yarn, the finished size will vary from the finished size of my pattern.

This makes a very dense fabric, with puff accents, so it makes a warm and cozy blanket. Have fun with the pattern and get creative with colors and size.

MATERIALS I USED

• I Love This Yarn in Pink, White, and Blue 3 skeins each
• Hook size J or recommended for the yarn
• Tapestry needle
• Gauge: 9 stitches and 8 rows equals 4 “
• Finished Size:approximately 31″ x 40″

STITCHES:

• DOUBLE CROCHET CLUSTER – DC CL or (dc2tog)
• YO insert hook into designated stitch. YO and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook). Now YO pull through 2 loops (2 loops left on hook).YO insert hook into same stitch. YO pull up a loop ( 4 loops on hook). Again, YO pull through 2 loops (3 loops left on hook)and finish by YO pull through all remaining loops.
• PUFF STITCH- Puff
• *YO, insert your hook and pull up a loop. Repeat from * 3 more times, inserting your hook into the same space, YO and pull through all loops
• CHAIN – ch
• SINGLE CROCHET-sc

Sweet Cotton candy Puff Afghan body

PATTERN NOTES

• To begin this blanket, start with a foundation chain of 92 using white.
• You will then turn your work and begin the first row following the directions below.
• When changing colors, start the new color in the last step of the final dc of the previous row, then ch 3 with the new color.

Foundation Chain: Chain 92

Row 1: In 3rd chain from hook, work the dc cl st. Continue across the foundation chain making a dc cl st in each ch to last ch. Dc in last ch. Turn.

Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as a dc here and through out). Dc dcl in each dc cl across to beginning turning ch. Dc in the top of the turning ch.

Row 3: with Blue, Ch 3. Work dc cl st in each cluster across the row. Dc in the top of the turning ch. Turn.

Row 4: Ch 3, Work puff st in each dc cl st across the row. Dc in the turning ch. Turn.

Row 5: Ch 3. Work dc cl st in each puff stitch across the row. Dc in the top of the turning ch, changing to white in the last step of the dc.

Row 6: Ch 3. work a dc cl in each of the clusters across. Dc in the turning ch and change to pink in the last step of the turning chain.

Row 7-9: Repeat rows 3-5

Rows 10: with white repeat row 6

*REPEAT rows 3-10 5 times, then repeat rows 3-5 one more time. Finally repeat row 2 two more times with white. Finally, we will add one more finishing touch with a border.

SWEET COTTON CANDY PUFF AFGHAN BORDER

I used blue to border this afghan, however, you could choose to use pink instead and it will still look absolutely amazing.

Starting in any corner, but I generally start in the corner in which I finish the last row. With blue, or your color of choice, sl st to the last stitch of the last row.

Round 1: Then 3 sc in the corner stitch. 2 sc in the end of each row down the length to the next corner. 3 sc in the next corner. 1 sc in each st across the end to the next corner. 3 sc in the next corner. 2 sc in the end of each row down the length to the next corner. 3 sc in the next corner. 1 sc in each cluster across to the corner. Sl st to the first sc in the first corner. DO NOT TURN.

Round 2:*Ch 3, sc in the next st,* repeat from * to* around the edges of the blanket. Sl st to the beginning chain 3.

A FInal Note

Once again, I hope that you have enjoyed this Sweet Cotton Candy Puff Afghan pattern. Please be sure to share your versions of this pattern with me. Thanks for stopping by DulceBella Designs! Until next time, sit, relax, and stay a while and always glorify God by creating beautiful crochet art!