Ingredients

• Yarn: I used 300 grams of Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima (3 balls at 220 yards per ball) for the blanket and hood, plus another half a ball for spikes and edging.
• Hook: 5.0mm for blanket, 4.0mm for horns
• Tapestry needle for weaving in your ends
• Batting or clean fabric scraps to stuff the front rhino horn

Instructions

Main blanket

• Ch 4, join to form a ring
• Round 1 – ch3 (counts as 1 dc, here and throughout) dc into ring 15 more times = 16 dc total, join with slip stitch in top of ch3
• Round 2 – ch3, 4 dc in same stitch (to make the corner) +dc in next 3 stitches, 5 dc in next dc (another corner made)+ repeat from + to last 3 stitches – dc in last 3 stitches, join with slip stitch in top of ch3
• Round 3 – and all rounds from here on: Slip st first 2 stitches (to get to the center dc on the first 5 dc corner), ch 3, 4 dc in corner, dc to your next corner stitch, 5 dc in that corner.
• Repeat until you get to your initial chain, slip stitch to join, then slip stitch your way over to the corner again so you can start your next round.

I kept adding rounds until my blanket was 2 feet wide.

Hood

• Ch 4, join to form a ring
• Row 1 – ch3, then dc into ring 8 more times = 9 dc total. Ch 3, turn the work over.
• Row 2 – dc2 into first stitch, then dc1 into next 3 stitches, dc5 into next stitch to make corner. Dc1 into next 3 stitches, and dc 2 into last stitch. Ch3 and turn work over.
• Row 3 – and all remaining rows: Dc 2 in first stitch, dc to corner, dc 5 in corner, dc to end of row, 2 dc in last stitch. Ch3, turn over.

I added rows until the bottom/unfinished edge of my hood triangle was about 12 inches.

When you get to the end of your final row, rather than chaining 3, ch1 and then sc across the bottom/unfinished edge of the triangle. Do not tie off yet because we will continue by crocheting the hood onto the blanket.

Attach hood to blanket

Lay your hood triangle on your blanket with the right sides facing each other. Line up the top corner of the hood triangle with one of the corners of your blanket. Pin the hood on to the blanket.

Starting from the working corner of the hood, sc along the edge of the hood/blanket to join the two together. When you reach the opposite corner of the hood, tie off. Flip the hood so that the right side is facing out.

Your hooded blanket is now complete! Time to start adding the edging and horns.

Front rhino horns

• For the big rhino horn on the front of the hood, ch 12 and join to form a ring. Leave a long tail, about a foot, at the beginning of your chain (to attach the horn to the blanket later).
• Round 1 - sc1 into each chain.
• Round 2 - sc into first 11 stitches, skip last stitch and continue with next round.
• Round 3 - sc into first 10 stitches, skip last stitch and continue with next round.
• Round 4 and all remaining – sc until you reach the last stitch in the round, skip that stitch, and continue with the next round.
• When there are only 3 stitches left in the round, tie off and work the end into the horn.

For the small rhino horn, work as above but start with a chain of 9 instead of 12.

Back spikes
Mark the first stitch in each round. You’re crocheting in a spiral, so it is easy to lose your place if you don’t mark the first stitch (I usually just hang a paperclip on my first stitch as a marker).

• Round 1 - Make a double ring (see http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-adjustable-doub...), and sc6 in the loop. Pull tight.
• Round 2 - Single crochet around the ring (6 sc)
• Round 3 - 2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next stitch - repeat around (9 sc)
• Round 4 – Sc in each stitch
• Round 5 - 2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next stitch - repeat around (14 sc)
• Round 6 and 7 - Sc around
• Round 8 - Sc in 1st and 2nd stitches, sc2 in third - repeat around (18 sc)
• Round 9-11 - Single crochet around
• Tie off, leaving at least a foot or so of yarn to sew the spikes to the blanket.
• For a 2 foot blanket, make 9 full size spikes.
• For the first and last two spikes on the back of the blanket, stop after round 7 (make 3 spikes of this size).
• For the even smaller spikes on the front of the hood: For the upper small spike, stop after round 4 (make 1 of this size). For the lower, smallest spike, you will crochet directly onto the blanket (see “Attach spikes and horns to blanket” below).

Attach spikes and horns to blanket

• Stuff the big rhino horn with batting/fabric scraps before attaching. Pin the horn to the front of the hood along the center line, near the edge of the hood (you can use the corner “fans” as your guide for the center line). Use a tapestry needle to sew on the horn, using the tail as thread.
• Skip about 2/3 inch, then attach the smaller rhino horn above the big horn (stuffing not needed).
• Skip 1/3 inch, then sl 4 directly onto the blanket, turn, sc into each link of this chain (4 sc), turn, sc into first 3 stitches (this creates the tiny spike between the horns and remaining spikes). Tie off and use tapestry needle to work end into spike.
• Skip 1/3 inch, attach the smallest spike (the one that stops after round 4 in Back Spikes instructions).
• Flip blanket over. Skip 1/3 inch from top of hood, attach one of the three medium spikes. Skip 1/3 inch, attach a big spike. Attach remaining big spikes at approx. 2 inch intervals along the back of the blanket. Attach the two remaining medium spikes at the end. (I laid out my blanket with all of the back spikes spaced how I liked them, then pinned them on to the blanket before attaching).

Edging
Work with the right side (spike side) facing you. Start in one of the corners of the blanket (not the top one where the hood is attached).

• Ch3 into the corner, dc 3 more into the same stitch. +Skip 2, sc into 3rd stitch. Skip 2 more, dc5 into 6th stitch. Repeat from + until you reach the next corner. Dc 8 into the corner, then repeat from + until you reach the next corner, dc 8 into the corner, etc.
• When you reach the hood, dc 4 into the corner where the hood meets the blanket, then continue from + around the front of the hood. Dc 4 into the other hood/blanket corner, then continue around the edge of the blanket until you get back to your starting point.
• Dc 4 more stitches into the corner where you started, then tie off. Use tapestry needle to work loose end into edge.