Zig Zag Baby Blankets in Caron Simply Soft Collection - Downloadable PDF

Zig Zag Baby Blankets in Caron Simply Soft — Free Crochet Pattern by Kim Biddix

Designed by Kim Biddix, this free downloadable PDF pattern delivers a classic zig zag baby blanket worked in Caron Simply Soft worsted weight yarn. The finished blanket measures approximately 32 inches wide by 60 inches long, making it a generous size suitable for a crib, stroller, or toddler throw. The pattern is rated beginner level, making it an ideal first colorwork project for newer crocheters who want to practice color-changing techniques in a structured, repetitive design.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a striped zig zag baby blanket featuring seven full zigzag repeats across the width. Two distinct colorways are offered, giving crafters a choice of finished aesthetics:

• Colorway 1 uses Pistachio (0003) as Contrast A, paired with two additional contrast colors for a soft, fresh palette.
• Colorway 2 uses Blackberry (0005) as Contrast A, paired with two additional contrast colors for a richer, deeper look.

Each colorway requires two skeins each of three contrast colors — six skeins total — all in Caron Simply Soft (170 g / 6 oz; 288 m / 315 yds per skein). The blanket is worked flat in rows from bottom to top, with color changes creating horizontal stripe sequences across the zigzag structure.

Techniques Used

The zig zag effect is achieved through a combination of increases and decreases placed at regular intervals across each row. At the peak of every zigzag, a 3-sc increase is worked into a single stitch to push the fabric upward, while skipped stitches at the valleys pull the fabric downward. This push-and-pull rhythm, repeated consistently across all rows, builds the characteristic chevron wave.

A key textural technique in this pattern is back loop only (BLO) crochet. The majority of stitches in each row are worked through the back loop only, which creates a subtle horizontal ridge on the right side of the fabric and gives the blanket a soft, slightly ribbed texture. The first and last two stitches of every row are worked through both loops to stabilize the edges and prevent them from curling or distorting.

For a polished start, the pattern instructs crafters to work Row 1 stitches into the back bar of the foundation chain, a technique that mimics the look of a standard row and creates a neater, more symmetrical beginning edge — particularly noticeable on a blanket where both ends are visible.

Color Changing and Yarn Carrying

Rather than cutting yarn at each color change, this pattern uses a yarn carrying method. When a color is no longer in use, it is dropped but not fastened off, and the unused strands are carried up the side of the work as new colors are introduced. This approach reduces the number of ends to weave in at the finish. The pattern includes specific guidance on tension when carrying yarn:

• Carry unused colors loosely enough so the side edges do not pucker inward.
• Carry unused colors not too loosely, to avoid visible loops hanging off the sides of the blanket.
• Twist colors around each other at the ends of rows as work progresses to keep the carried strands tidy and secure.

Stitches Used

• Chain (ch) — used to create the foundation chain of 180 chains and to begin each new row.
• Single crochet (sc) — the only stitch used throughout the body of the blanket, worked in both loops or back loop only depending on position in the row.
• 3-sc increase (3 sc in one stitch) — worked at each zigzag peak to create the upward point of the chevron.
• Skip stitch (sk) — worked at each zigzag valley to create the downward dip of the chevron.
• Slip stitch (sl st) — used when joining a new color at the beginning of a color-change row.