Chevron Crochet Patterns

How the chevron is built

A chevron row is just arithmetic. You work a set number of stitches, increase at the peak by putting three stitches into one, work the same number down the other side, then decrease at the valley by working three stitches together. Repeat, and every row stacks the peaks in the same place, producing that inverted V. Ripple patterns soften the same idea by spreading the increases and decreases over several stitches, so the zigzag curves rather than points. Once you understand that the stitch count between peaks controls how wide and shallow the wave is, you can read almost any chevron pattern at a glance.

What you can make from it

• Blankets and afghans — the mainstay, from baby blanket size up to full sofa throws.
• Chevron granny squares — the zigzag worked inside a square motif, so you can join as you go.
• Bobble and cable chevrons — texture stacked on top of the zigzag for a much richer surface.
• Cushions — a fast way to try the stitch before committing to a blanket.
• Garments — chevron panel cardigans and striped jackets, where the peaks fall down the body.
• Homeware — plant pot hangers, bags and table pieces.

Colour, and where chevrons go wrong

Chevron is a colour pattern more than a texture pattern, so the shade choice does most of the work. Two colours alternating every two rows gives a crisp graphic look; four or five in a repeating sequence reads as a proper rainbow ripple; a slow gradient from one end of the blanket to the other is the most restful. Whatever you choose, change colour at the same edge each time so the ends all sit on one side. The classic failure is edge distortion: because each row starts and ends on a half-peak, it is easy to lose or gain a stitch at the turn. Count the stitches between peaks at the end of every few rows, and if the edge starts to slope, the error is almost always a missed turning chain.

Yarn and hooks

Chevrons look best in a yarn with body, because the peaks need to hold their shape. Aran and DK acrylic is the traditional afghan choice — hard-wearing, washable and available in enough shades to plan a full colour run. Cotton gives crisper points but a heavier, less cosy blanket. Chunky yarns make a big throw quickly but blur fine peaks. Use the hook size that gives you a firm-but-not-stiff fabric; too loose and the zigzag sags into a wobble. For quantities, a pram blanket generally needs somewhere around 800 to 1,000 metres of DK, and a large throw considerably more, so buy the full colour set up front in one dye lot.

Finishing a zigzag edge

The top and bottom of a chevron blanket end in peaks and valleys, and you have three honest options: leave them as they are, which is the traditional ripple finish; work short rows to fill the valleys into a straight edge; or add a border that follows the zigzag. A simple double crochet border worked evenly around all four sides is the most reliable, working three stitches into each outer peak and skipping a stitch at each inner valley so the edge lies flat. Block the finished piece — acrylic pinned damp and left to dry, cotton and wool wet-blocked — and the peaks sharpen noticeably.

Chevron crochet questions

Is chevron crochet suitable for beginners? Yes, once you can chain, treble and count. Several designs here are labelled easy for exactly that reason.

Why is my chevron blanket getting wider? You are gaining stitches, usually at the turn. Recount between two peaks and check the turning chain.

What is the difference between chevron and ripple? Chevrons have sharp points; ripples spread the shaping so the wave curves.

How much yarn for a chevron baby blanket? Roughly 800 to 1,000 metres of DK, depending on the finished size and border.

Do I have to straighten the ends? No. A zigzag edge is the classic look; straightening with short rows is optional.