Basic Car Seat Tent

Vroom Car Seat Tent in photos

Materials:

Hook: J
Yarn:
Main Body: Caron One Pound in Cape Cod Blue (Main color = MC)
Edging: Small amounts in four colors and maybe half a skein of RHSS
for last color on edging
Cars: Small amounts of black and small amounts in two other colors
for car bodies
Handle straps: Small amount of yarn as well
Buttons: Two 1-inch buttons
Car Appliqué Pattern: http://amurushka.blogspot.com/2010/11/car-
applique.html
Abbreviations (U.S. terms):
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
fpdc = front post double crochet
bpdc = back post double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
sk "x" st(s) = skip "x" stitch(es)
rep = repeat
beg = beginning

Terms:
(sc, dc) in sc = seed cluster

Gauge/tension: Working in pattern, 3 seed clusters x 5 rows = 2" by 2"

Pattern multiple: Multiple of 2 + 1

Pattern/main body portion of tent is worked vertically.

Note: You can chain 81 and then go to Row 1 of the pattern or start with a
chainless foundation of *sc, then dc,* repeated to the end, ending in a dc.
Make a total of 80 sts (40 sc's, 40 dc's). Then jump to Row 2 of the
pattern.

With MC, ch 81 loosely

Pattern/Main body:
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in next st, *sc in next st, dc in next st,*
rep from * to * to last st, ch 1, turn
Row 2: sk dc, (sc, dc) in sc, *sk dc, (sc, dc) in sc,* rep from * to * to last st,
ch 1, turn
Rows 3-55 (or an odd number if you need to make the main body portion
wider or thinner): Repeat Row 2; do not fasten off at the end of Row 56.
Turn work 90 degrees clockwise to begin working along edges of rows.

Edging:
There will be 2 sc's worked into each dc along the edges, all sc's loosely
worked
Round 1: ch 1, work 1 sc into top of last worked dc of Row 55, sc into second
half of same dc, *work 2 sc's into each dc along edge, none in between dc's;
work 3 sc's in corner stitch (second half of last dc on the edge); sc in each
stitch along edge until last st,* 3 sc's in last st, rep from * to * once more, 2
sc's in same st as beg of round, sl st into 1st st, fasten off
Round 2 (You can fudge if stitch count isn't exact. The sides of the blanket
tent may leave you with 1 or 2 sts missing before reaching the corners. In
that case, towards the center of the side in question, instead of (hdc, ch 2,
sk 2 sts), you can (hdc, ch 1, sk 1 st) once or twice so that it is somewhat
symmetrical and the corners are worked as explained for this round: Join
new color into any corner's 2nd sc, ch 3 (making hdc + ch 1), (hdc, ch 1) in
same st, (hdc, ch 2) in next st, sk 2 sts, [*(hdc, ch 2) in next st, sk 2 sts,*
rep from * to * to next-to-last st before corner, (hdc, ch 1) in next-to-last
st, (hdc, ch 1, hdc, ch 1) in corner st, rep from * to * to next-to-last st
before corner], (hdc, ch 1) in next-to-last st, (hdc, ch 1, hdc, ch 1) in corner
st, rep from [ to ], (hdc, ch 1) in next-to-last st before corner, (hdc, ch 1) in
same st as ch 3 at beg or round, sl st to 2nd ch of beg ch 3, ch 1, turn
Round 3: sc in same st as ch 1, 3 sc's in 1st ch-1 sp, [sc in hdc, sc in ch-1 sp,
sc in hdc, *2 sc's in ch-2 sp, sc in hdc,* rep from * to * to ch-1 before
corner V st, sc in ch-1 sp, sc in hdc, 3 sc's in ch-1 sp, sc in hdc, sc in ch-1 sp,
sc in hdc, rep from * to * to ch-1 before corner V st, sc in ch-1 sp], sc in hdc,
3 sc's in ch-1 sp, rep from [ to ], sl st to 1st sc, fasten off, turn
Round 4: Join new color to any corner's 2nd sc, ch 1, sc in same st, *sc
across to other corner, 3 sc's in 2nd sc of corner, sc across to other
corner,* 3 sc's in 2nd sc of corner, rep from * to *, 2 sc's in same st as 1st
sc of round, sl st to 1st sc, fasten off, turn
Rounds 5 and 6: Rep Round 4, but do not fasten off after end of Round 6
Round 7: Continuing with same color as Round 6, rep Round 4, modifying as
necessary so that there is 1 sc in each st all around and 3 sc's in the corner
sts, and do not fasten off
Round 8: (Will be modified at a later time when tested, but for the time
being, here is the rough explanation) ch 3, fpdc in next st, *bpdc in next st,
fpdc in next st,* rep from * to * to 3 sts in corner; 1st st is to cont in this
same pattern (either fpdc or bpdc), 2 dc's in next st (not fp or bp), 3rd st
to be same as 1st st in corner's 3 sts; cont in fpdc/bpdc pattern along the
side; follow same corner instructions as the 1st corner in the round; cont in
fpdc/bpdc pattern along all sides and with same corner instructions on all
corners; sl st into top of ch 3, ch 3, do not turn
Round 9: Rep Round 8, making fpdc's into fpdc's of prev round and bpdc's
into bpdc's of prev round; the corners in this round are as follows: With the
corners being the 2 dc's in the corner of prev round, either fpdc or bpdc in
first dc, whichever st is next to cont in fpdc/bpdc pattern; 2 dc's in
between the 2 dc's, either fpdc or bpdc in 2nd dc of prev row so that it
matches the st right before these last 2 dc's just worked; follow same
fpdc/bpdc pattern along the sides and same corner instructions; sl st into
top of ch 3, ch 1, do not turn
Round 10: sc in same st as ch 1, *sc across to corner (which are the 2 dc's in
corner from prev round), sc in first dc, 3 sc's in 2nd dc, sc across to
corner,* sc in first dc, 3 sc's in 2nd dc, rep from * to * to corner dc's, sc in
1st dc, 3 sc's in 2nd dc, sl st into first sc, fasten off

Chain ribbon/bow:
Ch 40 loosely. (This will be the beginning of the chain length that will form
the "shoelace" to tie in a bow with the ending chain length.)
Round 1: In center 2 hdc's at the bottom edge of the tent/blanket, sc
around the hdc on the left, ch 2, *sc in next hdc, ch 2* to 1st hdc of the 4
hdc's in the corner; sc in 1st hdc, ch 1, sc in next hdc, ch 2, sc in next hdc,
ch 1, sc in next hdc, ch 2, rep from * to * to 4 hdc's in corner; sc in 1st hdc,
ch 1, sc in next hdc, ch 2, sc in next hdc, ch 1, sc in next hdc, ch 2, rep from
* to * to 4 hdc's in corner; sc in 1st hdc, ch 1, sc in next hdc, ch 2, sc in next
hdc, ch 1, sc in next hdc, ch 2, rep from * to * to 4 hdc's in corner; sc in 1st
hdc, ch 1, sc in next hdc, ch 2, sc in next hdc, ch 1, sc in next hdc, ch 2, rep
from * to * to hdc right before the 1st hdc in round, sc in hdc, ch 2
Round 2: sc into next hdc, with the sc being made adjacent to the sc prev
worked so that you have begun a second round of the chain ribbon; rep
Round 1 until working an sc into the last sc of Round 1, ch 41, fasten off, and
pull securely on yarn tail. (Tie in a bow the beginning ch40 length with the
ending ch41 length.)
Bow tails: Cut the ends of the ch40 and ch41 lengths, leaving about a 3/4-
inch or 1-inch yarn tail. Then separate the yarn strands to make it fluffy.

Weave in all ends. You will notice that you were working the main body of
the blanket tent from side to side, not bottom to top.
Handle Straps (X 2):
Using the car seat to know where to attach the handle straps, arrange the
handle to the point where it is when carrying the car seat, place the blanket
tent under the handle and over the car seat, and lift the blanket tent by
pinching at a straight line where you think the handles should go. Make sure
to have enough drape on the top and the bottom. Since the main body was
worked side to side, you will count rows between the handle straps. I used 2
rows in which to make each strap and left 4 rows in between the straps so
they are not too close to each other. If your handle is the type that looks
like a backwards Z, then the strap placement will be vertical, not horizontal.
If horizontal, when you start the first row, join the yarn and work stitches
wherever you have two strands of yarn to work into so that the strap is
secure and the pulling when hanging from the handle doesn't stretch the
yarn in the main body.
Row 1: Join yarn to desired placement of strap, ch 1, sc in same st, make 3
more sc's, ch 2, turn
Row 2: hdc in next 3 sts, ch 2, turn
Rows 3- 14: Rep Row 2; ch 1 at end of Row 14, turn
Row 15: sc in same st as ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, ch 1, turn
Row 16 (buttonhole): sc in same st as ch 1, ch 2, sk 2 sts, sc in last st, ch 1,
turn
Row 17: sc in same st as ch 1, 2 sc's in ch-2 sp, sc in last st, fasten off

Weave in ends

Finishing touches:
After making whichever appliqués you wish to use, choose where you want to
place them, and sew them into place. The ends of the chain ribbon serve as
a bow but also to tie around the blanket tent when it is folded.

The pattern has not been tested. If you find any errors or have any
suggestions, please feel free to contact me via Ravelry. My Ravelry name is
mvazquezcsr.