Optical Illusion Baby Blanket

The Optical Illusion Baby Blanket is designed for my new baby cousin Gracie. But, with a change of colors, you can customize this free blanket crochet pattern for any baby or even change up the size!  <3

NOTE- You can choose to use the joining method and “join as you go” to minimize your yarn ends for weaving in. I didn’t do this.. because I wasn’t sure how I was going to join until after I finished the squares. But using and learning the Scallop Join, made me realize I could have saved time and yarn by just doing it before finishing off the yarn after the last round of each square.

To crochet the Optical Illusion Baby Blanket, you will need to crochet you desired amount of THIS SQUARE PATTERN. I made 12.

The first edging before joining your squares.
Join yarn to corner TR. CH 1, SC into same stitch. CH 3. SC into same stitch.{ *CH 3, skip 2 stitches, SC into next stitch. Repeat from * 5 more times. SC into TR. CH 3. SC into same stitch.} Repeat from { to } 2 more times.   **CH 3, skip 2 stitches, SC into next stitch. Repeat from ** 5 more times. Join to first SC.
After finishing your first edging, You will use this —-> SCALLOP JOIN by Gourmet Crochet. You will continue with the same edging you used with the first square, besides on the sides you are joining.. that is where you need the Scallop Join.
NOTE- After the first row of joining. When joining in corners, I slip stitched into the same slip stitch as previous corners.
Below is a progress photo from after I joined my squares.

Border
Round 1: Starting in any CH 3 space, CH 1. 3 SC into CH 3 space. You will be putting 3 SC into every CH 3 space (while skipping every SC). In the corner CH 2 spaces, you will {SC, CH 2, SC} all into the corner CH 2 space. When you reach each area of joins, you will work 1 SC into each of the 3 spaces. (The Ch space, the side of the SC that joins the CH space and the next CH space.) I have a photo below to help.
Once you get back to your starting stitch, join to the first SC.

Round 2: CH 3 (counts as first DC). DC into each SC around. On the corner CH 2 spaces, you will {2 DC, CH 2, 2 DC} all into the CH space. Once you get back to the starting CH 3. join to the top CH.
Round 3: CH 3 (counts as first DC). DC into each DC around. On the corner CH 2 spaces, you will {2 DC, CH 2, 2 DC} all into the CH space. Once you get back to the starting CH 3.
Round 4: CH 1. SC into each stitch around. On the corners you will be crocheting 3 SC into the CH 2 spaces. Join to first SC.
Weave in your ends.