Granny Square Baby Afghan in Lion Brand Bundle of Love - M22118 BL - Downloadable PDF

Granny Square Baby Afghan in Lion Brand Bundle of Love – Free Crochet Pattern M22118 BL

This free downloadable crochet pattern by Missy Marshall in collaboration with Lion Brand creates a charming Granny Square Baby Afghan measuring approximately 32 x 38 inches (81.5 x 96.5 cm) — a generous, wrap-worthy size perfect for newborns, infants, and toddlers. Rated Easy in skill level, this project is an excellent choice for beginner crocheters who want to build foundational skills while producing a beautiful, heirloom-quality baby blanket.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a baby afghan composed of individual granny squares that are worked separately and then joined together into a cohesive blanket. The classic granny square construction gives this afghan a timeless, textured look with defined geometric structure. The warm, neutral colorway #209 Chamomile lends the blanket a soft, gender-neutral aesthetic that suits any nursery. The overall design balances traditional crochet craftsmanship with a clean, modern sensibility.

Materials Used

• Yarn: Lion Brand® Bundle of Love (Art. #149), color #209 Chamomile — 2 balls required. Bundle of Love is a 4-ply (worsted weight) yarn, making it ideal for baby projects that need both softness and durability.
• Crochet Hook: Lion Brand® crochet hook size J-10 (6 mm), which pairs well with the worsted weight yarn to produce a fabric with good drape and stitch definition.
• Finishing Tool: Lion Brand® large-eyed blunt needle for weaving in ends and seaming squares together neatly.

Techniques Used

• Granny Square Construction: Each square is worked in the round from the center outward, a foundational crochet technique that builds in concentric rounds. The pattern specifies that Rounds 1–3 measure approximately 2½ inches (6.5 cm) and each completed granny square measures about 6¼ inches (16 cm) square.
• Working in Rounds: The circular-to-square construction is achieved by working clusters of stitches into chain spaces at corners and along sides, a hallmark of traditional granny square technique.
• Joining Squares: Individual squares are assembled into the full afghan, requiring seaming or join-as-you-go techniques that are a useful skill for any crocheter to develop.
• Gauge Checking: The pattern emphasizes checking gauge before beginning, an important practice that ensures the finished blanket reaches the intended dimensions.

Stitches Used

• Double Crochet (dc): The primary stitch used throughout the granny squares, creating the classic clustered texture associated with this style of afghan.
• Treble Crochet (tr): Used as part of the Corner-fan stitch, which works a combination of (2 dc, tr, ch 2, tr, 2 dc) into a single indicated stitch to form the distinctive raised, fan-shaped corners of each square.
• Shell Stitch: Defined in the pattern as 5 double crochets worked into a single stitch or space, the shell stitch adds fullness and decorative texture to the design.
• Spike Double Crochet (Spike-dc): A specialty stitch that involves inserting the hook lower than the current row to create elongated, textural stitches that add visual interest and depth to the fabric.
• sc2tog-over-sps (Single Crochet 2 Together Worked Over 2 Chain Spaces): A decrease technique unique to this pattern, worked by inserting the hook into two separate chain spaces and drawing up loops before completing the decrease — this creates smooth, tidy shaping within the square construction.
• Chain Stitch (ch): Used to create the corner chain-2 spaces that are characteristic of granny square architecture and allow for the corner-fan stitch placement.

Pattern Details and Design Notes

The Corner-fan stitch