Bobbles and Blankets

I have several friends expecting babies in the near future and I am planning to make something for all of them.  Recently, I became obsessed with the adorable bobble blanket crocheted by Rachel over at Maybe Matilda.  It is lovely and unique and adorable for a baby.

Not wanting to pay for a pattern, I decided I could figure it out.  I found a free pattern for a bobble hooded blanket through Ravelry, but to my horror, it was all in single crochets.  A) I hate them. B) They are annoying. C) It takes forever to see any progress.  The trouble is that the only way to get the bobbles to work is if they have single crochets before and after the bobble stitch.

This morning, rather than grade papers, I decided to see if I could create a pattern for bobbles that used double crochets to advance the pattern more quickly. Guess what?  It worked!  Here is what I came up with in my test swatch:

You need to start with the following math:

a multiple of six + 4 + 3 (counts as 1st DC)

I did 25 for my test 18 + 4 + 3 = 25

Chain 25

Row 1: DC in 4th ch from hook and in each chain across.  Chain 3 turn. (23 stitches)

Row 2: DC in each stitch across and in the top of the original chain 3. Chain 3 turn. (23 stitches)

Row 3:   DC in each stitch across. Chain 1 turn. (23 stitches)

Row 4 (1st bobble row): 1 sc in each of the next 2 stitches, *bobble in the next stitch, 1 sc in next 5 stitches, bobble in the next stitch*, Repeat from * to * 2 more times, 1 sc in the next stitch and 1 sc in the top of the turning chain from the previous row. Chain 3 turn. (19 sc + 4 bobbles)

Row 5-6: 1 DC in each stitch across, Chain 3 turn. (23 stitches)

Row 7: 1 DC in each stitch across, Chain 1 turn. (23 stitches)

Row 8 (2nd bobble row): *1 sc in each of the next 5 stitches, bobble in the next stitch, 1 sc in each of the next 5 stitches*. Repeat from * to * once more.  Chain 3 and turn. (20 sc and 3 bobbles)

Repeat pattern of 3 rows of DC followed by alternating 1st bobble row and 2nd bobble row every 4th row.

Alternating bobble rows always go like this:

1st: 2 sc, bobble, 5 sc, bobble, 5 sc, bobble, repeat and end with 2 sc

2nd: 5 sc, bobble, 5 sc, bobble, 5 sc, bobble, repeat and end with 5 sc

I'm going to use this pattern and restart a blanket I began for one of my friends.  I bet it will get done in 1/2 the time of the all single crochet!

Here's some inspiration for spreading out the bobbles.  I may have to use this instead!