This written crochet pattern (in US terms) provides instructions to make an elephant shell stitch baby blanket, approximately 85 cm x 110 cm.

Elephants are my favourite animal, and now with our third baby due in the middle of South African winter, I decided to design something extra-special (as well as gender-neutral, as at this stage, we're choosing to keep this a surprise until the birth) for our little one.

The blanket works up quickly, and makes the perfect gift for any baby, boy or girl. It is large enough to also be used as a lap blanket for an adult.

The pattern calls for 4 ply yarn in three colours: pale turquoise (aqua), dark turquoise, and grey. Double strands of yarn are used (along with a 6.00 mm crochet hook) throughout, to make the blanket thick, warm, and snuggly.

The pale turquoise (aqua) part of the blanket uses approximately 6 skeins of yarn (each 50 g) to complete, the dark turquoise part uses approximately 7.5 skeins (each 25 g), and the grey part uses approximately 3.5 skeins (also each 25 g) - this includes the five grey elephant appliqués along the bottom of the blanket. A very small amount of black DK yarn is needed with which to embroider the eyes of the elephants.

The only additional material required is a darning needle, with which to weave in the ends.