Sunburst Round Baby Afghan

Brighten up baby's room with this stunning Sunburst Round Baby Afghan. This crochet blanket pattern is worked up by starting in the center and then moving out to each of the 16 points. When you're finished with this sweet baby blanket, you'll see how much it resembles a burst of sunlight on a summer day.

The lovely ripples of green and pink add some contrast from the gorgeous variegated yarn in between. If you are already familiar with round crochet patterns, then this is a fantastic intermediate project to try next.

Intermediate

Crochet HookH/8 or 5 mm hook

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Crochet Gauge12 dc = 4" (10 cm); 10 rows = 4" (10 cm). CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

Finished SizeBlanket measures 43" [109 cm] from point to point

Materials List

RED HEART® Soft Baby Steps®: 1 ball each 9702 Strawberry A and 9630 Lime C
RED HEART® Gumdrop®: 6 balls 960 Rock Candy B
Susan Bates® Crochet Hook: 5mm [US H-8]
Yarn needle

Instructions for BLANKET:

Notes:
1. Blanket is worked in joined rounds. After Round 17 is completed, 8 point motifs are worked in joined rounds and joined to Round 17. Rounds continue over 16 chain-2 spaces.
2. When instructed to work into a stitch "2 rounds below", work into the round numbered 2 less than the current row. For example, if you are working Round 3, a stitch "2 rounds below" is in Row 3 – 2 = Round 1.
3. To change color, work last stitch of old color to last yarn over. Yarn over with new color and draw through all loops on hook to complete stitch. Proceed with new color. Cut old color.

With A, ch 4; join with slip st in first ch to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2 here and throughout), (dc, [ch 2, dc] 6 times) in ring, ch 2; join with slip st in 3rd ch of beginning ch—8 dc and 8 ch-2 spaces.
Round 2: Slip st in first ch-2 sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout), 2 dc in same space, (ch 1, 3 dc) each ch-2 space around, ch 1; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—eight 3-dc groups and 8 ch-1 spaces.
Fasten off.
Round 3: Join B with sc in 3rd dc of any 3-dc group, *working in front of next ch-1 space, dc in next dc 2 rounds below, sc in first dc of next 3-dc group, ch 3, sc in last dc of same group; repeat from * around to last ch-1 space, working in front of next ch-1 space, dc in next dc 2 rounds below, sc in first dc of first 3-dc group, ch 3; join with slip st in first sc—16 sc, 8 dc, and 8 ch-3 spaces.
Round 4: Slip st in next 2 sts, (slip st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in first ch-3 space, sc in next dc, *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-3 space, sc in next dc, repeat from * around, working last sc in first slip st; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—48 dc, 8 sc, and 8 ch-2 spaces.
Round 5: Slip st in next dc, ch 3, dc in next dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 space, dc in next 2 dc, *dc2tog-over-3, dc in next 2 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 space, dc in next 2 dc; repeat from * around to last dc, dc2tog-over-3, working last "leg" in top of ch-3 of previous round; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—64 dc, 8 dc2togover-3, and 8 ch-2 spaces.
Round 6: Slip st in next dc, ch 3, dc in each dc to next ch-2 space, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 space, dc in each dc to last dc before next dc2tog-over-3, *dc2tog-over-3, dc in each dc to next ch-2 space, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 space, dc in each dc to last dc before next dc2tog-over-3; repeat from * around to last dc, dc2tog-over-3, working last "leg" in top of beginning ch-3 of previous round; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—80 dc, 8 dc2tog-over-3, and 8 ch-2 spaces.
Rounds 7 and 8: Repeat Round 6; change to C at end of last round—112 dc, 8 dc2togover-3, and 8 ch-2 spaces.
Rounds 9 and 10: Repeat Round 6; change to B at end of last round—144 dc, 8 dc2togover-3, and 8 ch-2 spaces.
Rounds 11–15: Repeat Round 6; change to A at end of last round—224 dc, 8 dc2togover-3, and 8 ch-2 spaces.
Rounds 16 and 17: Repeat Round 6—256 dc, 8 dc2tog-over-3, and 8 ch-2 spaces.
Fasten off.

Instructions for POINT MOTIF:

(make 8)

With C, ch 4; join with slip st in first ch to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, [ch 3, 3 dc in ring] 3 times, ch 3; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—12 dc and 4 ch-3 spaces.
Round 2: Ch 3, dc in next 2 dc, (dc, ch 3, dc) in next ch-3 space, *dc in next 3 dc, (dc, ch 3, dc) in next ch-3 space; repeat from * around; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—15 dc and 4 ch-3 spaces.
Joining Row: With wrong side of point motif facing, slip st in front loop of first dc and first ch of first ch-3 space; with wrong sides held together, working in front loops of point motif and back loops of next 17 sts of blanket, and beginning in 8th st from any ch-2 space of Round 17, slip st in each of last 2 ch of same ch-3 space, next 5 dc, each ch of next ch-3 space, next 5 dc, and first 2 ch of next ch-3 space of point motif.
Fasten off.
Repeat Joining Row 7 times—16 ch-2 spaces.

Note: Now continue in rounds.

Round 18: Join B with slip st in any A-colored ch-2 space, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same space, *dc in next 5 dc, dc2tog-over-3, working first "leg" in next dc and last "leg" in first ch-3 space of next point motif; working in same point motif, dc in next 5 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-3 space, dc in next 5 dc, dc2tog-over-3, working first "leg" in last ch-3 space, skipping next dc of last round, and working last "leg" in next dc, dc in each dc to next A-colored ch-2 space**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next A-colored ch-2 space; repeat from * 7 times, ending last repeat at **; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—224 dc, 16 dc2tog-over-3, and 16 ch-2 spaces.
Round 19: Slip st in next dc, ch 3, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 space, dc in each dc to last dc before next dc2tog-over-3, dc2togover-3, dc in each dc to next ch-2 space; repeat from * around, dc in top of ch-3 of previous round; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—256 dc, 16 dc2tog-over-3, and 16 ch-2 spaces.
Round 20: Slip st in next dc, ch 3, dc in each dc to next ch-2 space, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 space, dc in each dc to last dc before next dc2tog-over-3, dc2tog-over-3, dc in each dc to next ch-2 space; repeat from * around, dc in top of ch-3 of previous round; join with slip st in top of beginning ch—272 dc, 16 dc2tog-over-3, and 16 ch-2 spaces.
Rounds 21 and 22: Repeat Round 20; change to C at end of last round—304 dc, 16 dc2tog-over-3, and 16 ch-2 spaces.
Rounds 23 and 24: Repeat Round 20; change to A at end of last round—336 dc, 16 dc2tog-over-3, and 16 ch-2 spaces.
Rounds 25–29: Repeat Round 20; change to B at end of last round—464 dc, 16 dc2togover-3, and 16 ch-2 spaces.
Round 30: Repeat Round 20—480 dc, 16 dc2tog-over-3, and 16 ch-2 spaces.
Round 31: Slip st in next dc, ch 3, dc in each dc to next ch-2 space, 3 dc in next ch-2 space, dc in each dc to last dc before next dc2tog-over-3, dc2tog-over-3, dc in each dc to next ch-2 space; repeat from * around, dc in top of ch-3 of previous round; join with slip st in top of beginning ch; change to A—528 dc and 16 dc2tog-over-3.
Round 32: Ch 1, reverse sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.
Fasten off.

Instructions for FINISHING:

Weave in all ends. Block if desired, pinning out points above ch-2 spaces.

Abbreviations

(SPECIAL) dc2tog-over-3 (decrease 2 double crochet over 3 stitches): *Yarn over, insert hook in next stitch or space, yarn over and pull up loop, yarn over, draw through 2 loops*, skip next stitch or space; repeat from * to *, y

(SPECIAL) reverse sc (reverse single crochet): Work single crochet in opposite direction from which you would usually work (left to right if you are right-handed and right to left if you are left-handed). This stitch is also known as crab stitch. It creates a rope-like twisted single crochet edging.

(SPECIAL) Join with sc: Place a slip knot on hook, insert hook in indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook.