"This afghan evolved as a family project when my great-niece was on the way,
the first of her generation. My mother, my daughter, my artist sister, my
older sister, and I created the designs piecemeal as I stitched up another
strip and we needed more animals. It made a wonderful sharing activity very
similar to what I imagine early American settlers did during long winter
nights when quilting was the entertainment. Of course, my family is spread
over four states so we did not sit around the fire every evening, but creating
this pattern during visits over a year’s time will forever remain a cherished
memory. I hope you enjoy this pattern as much as we did designing it."

-- Marsha Moore              

"I Love My Rooster" Baby Afghan
or "Foxie Blankee"

There is a song which inspired this afghan.  The music of the song is yet to be written down.  The words go like this:

I love my rooster and my rooster loves me
I chase my rooster 'round the green bay tree
My little rooster goes cock-a-do-do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do

I love my pig and my pig loves me
I chase my pig 'round the green bay tree
My little pig goes "oink, oink"
My little rooster goes cock-a-do-do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do

I love my cat and my cat loves me
I chase my cat 'round the green bay tree
My little cat goes "meow, meow"
My little pig goes "oink, oink"
My little rooster goes cock-a-do-do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do

Add an animal and sound for each stanza and continue the song until you cannot remember the order.  You will have fun trying to find sounds for some of the animals on the afghan like the snake, spider, or ant.

Betty Wineburner   (matriarch)
Dawn Moore   (daughter)
Anna Lyle   (sister)
Donna Wolke   (artist sister)
Jacqueline Stolte   (sister, and grandmother at a young 36)
Leslie Stolte   (first of her generation, and the reason for the afghan's creation)

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Size 9 or "I" Susan Bates crochet hook
Size 9 or "I" Susan Bates afghan hook
Large-eyed crewel embroidery needle
4-ply washable yarn.  ?? oz.  Red Heart is machine washable and dryable, durable, and has lots of colors.  Background works well with off-white, pale yellow, baby blue, or pure white.  You will need scraps of yarn for cross-stitch and embroidery; 3-ply, 4-ply, Lustersheen, and size 10 crochet thread were all used in the sample.

Make strips of alternating afghan blocks with Dc blocks.  The afghan blocks will be embroidered.

Abbreviations:
ch   = chain
sc  = single crochet
dc  = double crochet
slst  = slip stitch
hk  = hook
yo = yarn over or wrap yarn

Afghan Block

Odd numbered strips (1,3,5, etc.):  Afghan stitch Row 1:  With afghan hook, chain 22.  Keeping all loops on the hk, insert hk into 2nd. Ch and draw up a loop, draw up a loop in each remaining ch.  22 loops on hk

2nd Half of Row 1:  Yo and pull through 1 loop, *yo and pull through 2 loops.*  Repeat
from * to * across until there is one loop remaining on hk.

Row 2:  Insert hk under the 2nd. vertical bar (up & down loop), yo and pull up loop,
*insert hk under next vertical bar and pull up loop*.  Repeat from * to * across
22 loops on hk

2nd. half of row 2:  work same as 2nd. half of row 1.

Repeat row 2 until there are a total of 19 rows, ending the last row by working slst across as follows:  draw up a loop under the next vertical bar and pull this through loop on hk.  Repeat across.  One loop will remain on the hook to start the dc square.  The afghan square will measure 6" by 6"  Do not turn.

Keeping the one remaining loop in place, remove the afghan hook and replace it with the "I" crochet hook.  Begin the dc pattern block.

Double Crochet Pattern Block

Row 1:  Ch 4, turn, 1 dc in 3rd. slst, 1dc in next slst, *ch 1, skip 1, 1 dc in each of the next 2 slst.*  Repeat from * to * across (working the last dc in the loop in the side of the square).  There will be 7 groups of 2 dc and 7 spaces.

Row 2:  Ch 4, turn, 2 dc in 1st. ch 1 space, *ch 1, 2 dc in next ch 1 space.*  Repeat from
* to * 4 times, ending with ch 1, 1 dc in the 4th ch of the previous turning ch, 1 dc in 3rd. ch of previous turning ch.  Repeat Row 2 for the double crochet pattern.  Work even in pattern until there are a total of 9 rows of dc.  The double crochet square will measure 6" by 6".

Afghan Square:  Keeping the one remaining loop in place, remove the crochet hook and replace it with the "I" afghan hook.  Turn.  Insert hk in top of the 2nd. dc and pull up a loop, *insert hk under ch and pull up a loop, pull up a loop in each of next 2 dc*,  Repeat from * to * across, ending with pulling up a loop in the 4th ch of the turning ch 4, pull up a loop in the 3rd. ch of the turning ch 4.  There will be 22 loops on hk.

Work remainder of the square the same as the first square.

Alternate squares of the afghan stitch with squares of the dc pattern for the number of blocks required for the size you are making.  Do not finish off.  Make 2 rounds of sc around outside edge, with 19 sc per block along sides, and 3 sc in each corner.  Work the 2nd. round in back loops only.  Fasten off.

Even numbered strips (2,4,etc.):  Start with a dc block.  With crochet hook, ch 25.  Work 1 dc in the 6th ch, 1 dc in the next ch, *ch1, skipp 1 ch, 1 dc in each of the next 2 ch*.  Repeat from * to * across.  Repeat pattern Row 2 of the first dc crochet square.

Then alternate the afghan block with the double crochet block for the length of the strip, continuing with the 2 rounds of sc around outside edge.  Fasten off.

Border

Make 2 rounds of sc, with 3 sc in each corner.  Make 2 rounds of 2 dc, ch1 around.  Make 2 - 3 rounds of sc, with 3 sc in each corner.  Make 2 rounds of 2 dc, ch 1 around.  Make 2 -3 rounds of sc, with 3 sc in each corner.  Make scallop edge: *sc, skip 2 sc,
5 dc in next sc, skip 2 sc, sc in next sc*.  Repeat from * to * around.  Fasten off.

You can make an afghan
with 9 by 5 blocks and have
23 blocks for embroidery.
Size before border:  ???

You can make an afghan
with 7 by 5 blocks and have
18 blocks for embroidery.
Size before border: ???