Free Crochet Blanket & Throw Patterns

Blanket types and how they differ

Motif blankets are made from squares, hexagons or circles joined at the end, so they travel well and are easy to pick up for ten minutes at a time. Row-by-row throws such as ripples, waves, granny stripes and corner-to-corner designs grow steadily and leave far fewer ends to weave in. Chunky blankets on a 9mm or 10mm hook finish fastest of all. This collection holds all three, free to download as PDFs, with the hook size, yarn weight, yardage and finished measurements given for every design.

Planning the size before you buy yarn

• Lap blanket: roughly 100cm by 120cm, the most popular size and the quickest to finish.
• Single bed throw: around 150cm by 200cm.
• Double or sofa throw: around 180cm by 220cm, which is a serious quantity of yarn.
• Work out the area, compare it with the pattern's stated size, and scale the yardage up in proportion rather than guessing.
• Stick to one yarn weight throughout so the fabric stays even, and to one dye lot per colour.

Texture, colour and unique designs

If you want a blanket that does not look like everyone else's, texture is the easiest lever. Bobbles, puff stitches, front and back post ribbing, waffle and basketweave stitches all create depth in a single colour, so the yarn does not have to do the work. Alternatively, let colour do everything: a scrap blanket in a fixed neutral, a temperature blanket worked a row a day, or a planned gradient will each turn a plain double crochet fabric into something individual. Mosaic and tapestry crochet are the next step up, giving graphic patterns with only one colour worked at a time.

Yarn choice for a throw you will actually use

Blankets get sat on, spilled on and washed, so practicality matters more than it does on a shawl. Machine-washable acrylic and acrylic blends are the workhorse choice, hard-wearing and available in large quantities in matching dye lots. Cotton makes a cool, weighty summer throw. Wool is warm and lovely but heavy over a large area and usually needs hand washing. Whichever you use, go up a hook size from the ball band recommendation: a slightly looser fabric drapes over a sofa instead of standing up like a board.

Joining, borders and stopping it from curling

For motif blankets, join-as-you-go saves an entire evening of sewing and gives a neat, flexible join; slip stitch joins create a visible ridge, which can be a design feature if you plan it. Whichever you use, block your squares first so they are all the same size. Borders square everything up: work three stitches into each corner, and if the edge ruffles you have added too many stitches, while a pulled-in edge means too few. Curling almost always comes from tight tension, so try a hook one size larger for the border rounds.

Care, and where to look next

Wash a finished throw on a cool, gentle cycle in a large machine, or in the bath for anything bed-sized, and dry it flat or over a rack rather than hanging, since the weight of water will stretch it. Keep a ball band for reference. For smaller versions of the same designs, see the free baby blanket patterns, and for classic motif work browse the granny square designs.

Crochet blanket questions

Where can I find unique free crochet blanket patterns as PDFs? Browse the textured, mosaic and motif designs in this collection. Each one downloads free as a printable PDF and stays in your account.

How do I stop a blanket curling? Check your tension first, then work the border with a slightly larger hook to relax the edges. Blocking the finished blanket helps considerably too.

How much yarn does a crochet blanket need? A DK lap blanket often needs 1,500 to 2,000 metres; a double throw can need three times that. Always follow the pattern's yardage.

What is the quickest blanket to crochet? A chunky or super chunky throw worked in plain double crochet or granny stripes on a large hook. Fewer stitches, faster progress.

Can I use different yarns in one blanket? Yes, as long as they are the same weight and similar fibre content, so the fabric behaves and washes consistently.