Pattern - Textured Blocks Baby Blanket

Our friends, Joe and Diana, were finally having a baby - a little girl. I decided quickly that I wanted to knit them a baby blanket to keep her warm and cozy. After mulling over the fastest and easiest way to make a blanket, I decided on a series of textured squares, a bulkier yarn, bigger needles, and simple patterns.

The blanket turned out beautifully. It seems to be a reasonably big hit on my Ravelry page, so I've decided to finally make the pattern available for anyone else who wanted to knit one like it.

Recommended yarn:
Estelle Cloud Cotton
Aran / 10 ply 165 yards / 100 grams

Gauge
18 sts = 4 inches on US 8 (5mm) needles

Needles:
1 pair straight US 8 (5mm)
1 Crochet hook size H (5mm) (for border)

Colours: 106 (green), 113 (pink), 115 (white), 118 (turquoise) (1 skein of each colour)

Small amount of yellow yarn for centre of flower

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Each square is 22 sts wide and 20 rows deep

Green squares (make 7)

CO 22 sts
Slip first stitch of every row
Knit 2 rows
Purl 1 row
Repeat until finished
Bind off loosely

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Pink squares (make 8)

CO 22 sts
Slip first stitch of every row
Row 1: *K2 P2, *rep to end of row
Row 2: *P2 K2, * rep to end of row
Row 3: *P2 K2, * rep to end of row
Row 4: *K2 P2, * rep to end of row
Repeat until finished
Bind off loosely

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White squares (make 7)

Slip first stitch of every row
Row 1: K
Row 2: P2, *K1 P3, * rep to end of row
Row 3: K
Row 4: P
Row 5: K
Row 6: K1, * P3, K1 * rep to last st, P1
Row 7: K
Row 8: P
Row 9: K
Repeat until finished
Bind off loosely

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Turquoise squares (make 8)

Slip first stitch of every row
Follow chart as above. On the right side, knit the knits and purl the purls. On WS, purl the knits and knit the purls. 

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Flower (make 1)

Centre:
With scrap yellow yarn,  CO 3 sts
Row 1: Kfb, k1, kfb (5 sts)
Row 2: Pfb, p1, pfb (7 sts)
Row 3: K
Row 4: P
Row 5: K
Row 6: P
Row 7: Ssk, k3, k2tog (5 sts)
Row 8: P2tog through the back of sts, p1, p2tog (3 sts)
BO

Petals (make 5):
With white, CO 3
Row 1: Kfb, k1, kfb (5 sts)
Row 2: Pfb, p1, pfb (7 sts)
Row 3: K
Row 4: P
Row 5: K
Row 6: P
Row 7: K
Row 8: P

Row 9 Ssk, k3, k2tog (5 sts)
Row 10: P2tog through the back of sts, p1, p2tog (3 sts)
BO with long tail, do not cut
Weave in to ends on the back side of the flower

Using whipstitch, sew petals to the centre of the flower
Secure the flower to a pink square.

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Finishing

Using Kitchener Stitch, sew squares together in the following sequence, making sure each square is the right way up:

Row 1: Pink, Turquoise, White, Green, Pink
Row 2: Turquoise, White, Green, Pink (with flower), Turquoise
Row 3: White, Green, Pink, Turquoise, White
Row 4: Green, Pink, Turquoise, White, Green
Row 5: Pink, Turquoise, White, Green, Pink

When all rows are complete, using size H hook and White,  DC every 2 sts around border of entire blanket

Weave in ends