Retro Illusion Baby Blanket

Red Heart Yarns sponsored the yarn supply for this project!
I decided to use this stunning and yummy Red Heart Super Saver “Retro Stripes” to revamp my Optical Illusion Baby Blanket.
I LOVE my first version… but not everyone wants to change colors THAT many times!!! The Red Heart Stripes worked up beautifully with this design… and with minimal yarn ends to weave in!
The entire process of making this blanket was exciting. The color changes are different and unique with each square, preventing me from getting jaded.

Supplies
Red Heart Super Saver Stripes – Retro Stripes (medium weight) 3 skeins/700 yrds
I/5.5 MM crochet hook
Yarn needle for weaving in your ends.

Stitches
Magic Circle
Slip Stitch
CH- Chain
SC – Single Crochet
HDC – Half Double Crochet
DC – Double Crochet
TR – Treble Crochet
DTR – Double Treble Crochet
TRTR – Treble Treble Crochet

Don’t understand the tall stitches? Click the photo below to use Moogly’s tutorial and make learning the tall stitches EASY!

Notes
-When working over slip stitches, you will crochet over them, into the same back loop the slip stitch is placed in. Basically, pretend the slip stitch isn’t there.
-On the corners you will be making a {CH 3, Slip stitch to first CH} These are picot stitches. When working the next row around, you will want the picots to be pushed towards the front of the square.
-Final stitch count at the end of each row does not include picots.
-Each square measures 7 inches. You will need 12 squares for this baby blanket.

Round 1: Magic Circle. CH 3 (counts as first DC).  2 DC into magic circle. CH 3. Slip stitch into first CH. 3 *3 DC into magic circle. CH 3. slip stitch into first CH. Repeat from * 2 more times. Join to top of CH 3. (12 DC)

YOU WILL BE WORKING IN BACK LOOPS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PATTERN

Round 2: CH 1. SC into same stitch. HDC into next stitch. DC into same stitch. CH 3. Slip stitch to first CH. DC into same stitch. HDC into same stitch. SC into next stitch.  Skip picot stitch and push it to the front. *SC into next stitch. HDC into next stitch. DC into same stitch. CH 3. Slip stitch to first CH. DC into same stitch. HDC into same stitch. SC into next stitch.  Skip picot stitch and push it to the front. Repeat from * around. Join to first SC.  (24 stitches)
Slip stitch into the back loop of next 3 stitches. Skipping behind the picot stitch. You will start the next round, at the stitch after the picot. 

Round 3: CH 1. SC into same stitch. HDC into next stitch. DC into next stitch. TR into same stitch. CH 3. Slip stitch into first CH. TR into next stitch. DC into same stitch. HDC into next stitch. SC into next stitch. Skip picot stitch and push it forward. *SC into next stitch. HDC into next stitch. DC into next stitch. TR into same stitch. CH 3. Slip stitch into first CH. TR into next stitch. DC into same stitch. HDC into next stitch. SC into next stitch. Skip picot stitch and push it forward. Repeat from* around. Join to first SC. (32 stitches)
Slip stitch into the back loop of next 4 stitches. Skipping behind the picot stitch. You will start the next round, at the stitch after the picot. 

Round 4: CH 1. SC into same stitch. HDC into next stitch. DC into next stitch. TR into next stitch. DTR into same stitch. CH 3. Slip stitch into first CH.  DTR into next stitch. TR into same stitch. DC into next stitch. HDC into next stitch. SC into next stitch. Skip picot stitch and push it forward. *SC into next stitch. HDC into next stitch. DC into next stitch. TR into next stitch. DTR into same stitch. CH 3. Slip stitch into first CH.  DTR into next stitch. TR into same stitch. DC into next stitch. HDC into next stitch. SC into next stitch. Skip picot stitch and push it forward.  Repeat from * around. Join to first SC. (40 stitches)
Slip stitch into the back loop of next 5 stitches. Skipping behind the picot stitch. You will start the next round, at the stitch after the picot. 

Round 5: CH 1. SC into same stitch.  HDC into next stitch. DC into next stitch. TR into next stitch. DTR into next stitch. TRTR into same stitch. CH 3. Slip stitch into first CH. TRTR into next stitch. DTR into same stitch. TR into next stitch. DC into next stitch. HDC into next stitch.  SC into next stitch. Skip picot stitch and push it forward. *SC into next stitch.  HDC into next stitch. DC into next stitch. TR into next stitch. DTR into next stitch. TRTR into same stitch. CH 3. Slip stitch into first CH. TRTR into next stitch. DTR into same stitch. TR into next stitch. DC into next stitch. HDC into next stitch.  SC into next stitch. Skip picot stitch and push it forward.Repeat from * around. Join to first SC. (48)
Slip stitch into the back loop of next 6 stitches. Skipping behind the picot stitch. You will start the next round, at the stitch after the picot. 

Notice in the next round, you will be putting 3 stitches into both corner stitches on all 4 corners. When following the pattern a second time, I had to keep reminding myself! (I kept thinking I was a stitch short so I figured it would be worth a note just in case others do the same.) 

Round 6: CH  1. SC into same stitch. HDC into next stitch. DC into next 2 stitches. TR into next stitch. DTR into next stitch. 2 TRTR into the same stitch. CH 2. 2 TRTR into next stitch. DTR into the same stitch. TR into the next stitch. DC into next 2 stitches. HDC into next stitch. SC into next stitch. Skip picot stitch and push it forward. *SC into next stitch. HDC into next stitch. DC into next 2 stitches. TR into next stitch. DTR into next stitch. 2 TRTR into the same stitch. CH 2. 2 TRTR into next stitch. DTR into the same stitch. TR into the next stitch. DC into next 2 stitches. HDC into next stitch. SC into next stitch. Skip picot stitch and push it forward. Repeat from * around. join to first SC.  (64)

DO NOT FINISH OFF.
You will work into BOTH LOOPS for Round 7 and the border of the square.

Round 7: CH 1. SC into same stitch and next 7 stitches. { HDC, DC,TR, DC, HDC} all into CH space. *SC into next 16 stitches. {HDC, DC,TR, DC, HDC} all into CH space. Repeat from * two more times. SC into last 8 stitches. Join to first SC. (84)

Border
-Slip stitch into next stitch. CH 1. SC into same stitch. CH 3. Skip 2 stitches.  SC into next stitch. CH 3. Skip 2 stitches. SC into next stitch.  CH 3. Skip 2 stitches. SC into next stitch.
-CH 3. SC into same stitch.
-*CH 3. Skip 2 stitches. SC into next stitch. Repeat from * 6 times. CH 3. SC into same stitch.
-*CH 3. Skip 2 stitches. SC into next stitch. Repeat from * 6 times. CH 3. SC into same stitch.
-*CH 3. Skip 2 stitches. SC into next stitch. Repeat from * 6 times. CH 3. SC into same stitch.
-*CH 3. Skip 2 stitches. SC into next stitch. Repeat from * 2 more times. CH 3. Join to first SC.

Joing your squares
-To join your squares you will start by slip stitching into the corner of a square.
-CH 2. Slip stitch into the corner of the square you are joining to.
-CH 2. Slip stitch into the next CH space from the first square.
-Repeat this back and forth in long strips for the blanket.
-When joining the other direction, and you get to the corners, slip stitch into the same slip stitch that you made when going the other direction.

Border for Blanket
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. You will skip every SC. In the corner CH spaces, you will {SC, CH 2, SC} all into the corner CH space. When you reach each area of joins, you will work 2 SC into each of the 3 spaces. (The corner CH space, the ch space that joins the CH spaces and the next corner CH space.)
Round 2: CH 3 (counts as first DC). DC into each SC around. On the corner CH 2 spaces, you will {1 DC, CH 2, 1 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.