Enchanted Baby Blanket Collection
I made Esperanza two special blankets for her enchanted forest themed nursery: The Honey Bee Blanket, which felt just right for the theme, and The Blooming Rose Afghan, which is inspired by a classic Mexican style mañanita or shawl and a tribute to her middle name, Rose.
To celebrate the arrival of our baby girl, I’m releasing both of her baby blanket designs as patterns!
As always, I can't bring my patterns to life without the help of some fabulous makers. I chose small but mighty teams to test each blanket, and I adore how each of them interpreted the designs and made them their own.
The Honey Bee Blanket
The Honey Bee Blanket is one I’ve made before. It is inspired by other versions of honey comb crochet blankets out there but over time, mine has taken its own life so I thought it would be appropriate to release my version as a pattern. It started as a much simpler design, but after making it for several babies in my life, I’ve added 3D flowers, developed my own bumble bee appliqué, and added a ruffled border. It’s such a sweet blanket for any baby and leaves endless possibilities for different color pallets and customizations.
Meet the testing team
Jen
Jen is an amazing tester you've seen grace my testing teams and Featured Maker Friday many times. She made this blanket with her sister’s beautiful rainbow baby, Lyla, in mind. Jen chose colors she felt were soft and soothing, with a bold prune shade for a visually pleasing contrast. She wanted the blanket to feel whimsical and sweet, and she achieved just that.
Her sister couldn’t believe how beautiful it turned out and absolutely loved the ruffle border, along with the sweet bees and flowers that Lyla will soon be tinkering with as she grows. Jen said this project was so special to her, and it was incredibly rewarding to finish and gift.
Jen’s Yarn Details
Caron Simply Soft
Plum Perfect – 310 yards
Orchid – 210 yards
Snow Sparkle – 386 yards
Big Twist Heather
Sage – 40 yards
Purple – 12 yards
Total Yardage: 958 yards for the entire blanket
Danielle
Danielle is a new friend and tester who made the Honey Bee Blanket for her sister, who is expecting a baby girl. I absolutely adore the color palette she chose. The tones are soft yet rich, and the yarn adds a beautiful texture to the finished piece.
Yarn details:
She used Petite Purl by Loops & Threads from Michael’s in the following colors:
Forest Green – 209g
Jadeite – 153g
Blush – 17g
Mauve – 112g
Cappuccino – 89g
Tan – 96g
The combination is both cozy, elegant and perfect for a special little one on the way!
The Blooming Rose Afghan
The Blooming Rose Afghan is a floral play on classic granny squares. The 3D flowers give it texture and life, and the delicate lace borders were inspired by my favorite design element of all time: Mexican tile. I added tassels on the edges for a playful finishing touch. This design is a great stash buster, with endless possibilities for color pallets. I went with a Christmas-themed palette since she’ll be a newborn in December.
Meet the team!
Alex
Alex is always a joy to work with. Her sense of style never fails to shine through in every project. I was so excited to have her on the Blooming Rose testing team because I knew her color choices would be vibrant, fun, and totally unique. She did not disappoint!
Yarn Details:
Big Twist Value (Roses): 322 yds
Big Twist Ombré Value (Petals): 160 yds
Big Twist Rave (Accent): 187 yds
Red Heart Super Saver (Off-White Border & Rows): 339 yds
Border:
Red Heart Super Saver (Off-White Border): 21 yds
Tassels (90 total):
Big Twist Rave: 250 yds
Alex chose these colors to create a balance of elegance and contrast. She originally planned to stick with soft pastels but couldn’t resist adding the bright, neon Rave yarn for a fun pop—it was a perfect way to use up some leftover skeins from past projects.
This blanket will be a family favorite—especially since her kids are known to battle over blankets at home! (Let’s be honest, there’s no such thing as too many blankets!) She loved the process of making this one and had a great time getting creative with all the color combinations.
Shari
Shari is a Namaste and Crochet testing vet and a confirmed rock star. She has amazing style and never shies away from bold, bright, and eye-catching choices. I was so excited to see which colors she would choose and, true to form, she didn’t hold back!
She used leftover acrylic stash yarns for all of her squares, estimating a total of about 1,500 yards of scrap yarn. This blanket is just for her, so she sized it up to 5 squares in each direction making it the perfect cozy lap blanket.
Shari really stepped outside of her comfort zone by using only leftover stash yarn for the main squares and letting herself get a little haphazard with the combinations. She chose five colors for the flowers and made five of each, but she mixed up the rounds surrounding each flower so that no two squares with the same flower color looked exactly alike.
She had originally planned to use a creamy color for the connecting rounds, but when she went to buy yarn (since nothing in her stash was quite right), a bright green caught her eye. She was a bit uncertain about it at first, even as she was working it in. In the end, she really loved how it turned out and so do I!
Her snuggly pup is proof that human and fur babies alike will enjoy these cozy blankets!
Fiona
Fiona is an incredibly talented maker and an excellent tester. Even while getting married during the testing period, she still took the time to send over thoughtful and insightful notes. I was so grateful for her contributions. She subconsciously created her sample square in the color palette of the book she’s currently reading and I think it worked out beautifully. Such a lovely pair! Wishing Fiona all the love and happiness in this exciting new chapter of her life!