Fallen Leaves Afghan - Free Blanket Crochet Pattern For Home in Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Super Chunky by Paintbox Yarns

Fallen Leaves Afghan – Free Super Chunky Crochet Blanket Pattern by Paintbox Yarns

The Fallen Leaves Afghan is a beautifully textured, oversized crochet blanket pattern offered as a free downloadable PDF by Paintbox Yarns. Designed at an intermediate difficulty level, this stunning throw combines a simple yet satisfying stitch structure with an eye-catching decorative finish, making it an ideal project for crocheters who are comfortable with the basics and ready to explore surface embellishment and finishing techniques. The finished blanket measures a generous 51¼in/130cm wide by 70¾in/180cm long, making it a substantial, couch-ready throw perfect for autumn-inspired home décor.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a large, warm, and decorative crochet blanket or afghan with an autumnal leaf motif. The design takes its name from the fallen leaves that are slip-stitched onto the surface of the blanket at both ends, evoking the look of leaves scattered across a cozy throw. The blanket is further embellished with pom poms along both the top and bottom edges, adding a playful, tactile finishing touch. The overall aesthetic is rustic, seasonal, and warm — ideal as a home accessory or a thoughtful handmade gift.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The blanket is worked from the foundation chain upward in a single, continuous flat piece, making the construction logical and straightforward to follow.
• Worked flat: Every row is turned, meaning there are no rounds involved. This technique produces a neat, even fabric with a consistent right and wrong side.
• Seamless construction: The main body of the blanket requires no seaming, keeping finishing work minimal and the fabric clean and uninterrupted.
• Surface slip stitch embellishment: Decorative crochet leaves are applied directly onto the surface of the finished blanket using a slip stitch technique and a smaller hook. This is a wonderful surface crochet method that adds dimension and visual interest without requiring separate sewing or assembly of motifs in the traditional sense.
• Pom pom making: Using a large pom pom maker, 14 pom poms are created and attached evenly along both the top and bottom edges of the blanket — 7 per edge — for a fun, finished border detail.

Stitches Used

• Half double crochet (hdc) — referred to in UK terminology as half treble (htr): This is the primary stitch used throughout the entire body of the blanket. Half double crochet sits between single and double crochet in height, producing a dense, lofty fabric that is ideal for warm throws. It works up quickly, especially in a super chunky weight yarn, and creates a subtly ridged texture.
• Chain stitch (ch): Used to create the foundation chain of 91 chains and as a turning chain at the start of each row. Notably, the turning chain does not count as a stitch throughout this pattern.
• Slip stitch (sl st): Used during the finishing stage to apply the decorative leaf motifs onto the surface of the blanket using yarn B and a smaller hook.

Materials Required

Yarn

This pattern is designed exclusively for Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Super Chunky, a super chunky weight yarn available through LoveCrafts.com. Two colorways are required:

• Light Caramel (yarn A): 30 x 3.5oz/100g balls — used for the entire main body of the blanket.
• Slate Green (yarn B): 8 x 3.5oz/100g balls — used for the decorative surface-stitched leaf motifs applied at each end of the blanket.

The warm caramel tone of the main fabric paired with the muted, earthy Slate Green of the leaves creates a naturally autumnal color palette that suits the fallen leaves theme beautifully. Paintbox Yarns notes that yarn quantities are based on average requirements and are therefore approximate.

Hooks and Tools