Larksfoot Crochet Afghan in Bernat Velvet - Downloadable PDF

Larksfoot Crochet Afghan in Bernat Velvet — Free Downloadable PDF Pattern

This free downloadable PDF pattern guides crochet enthusiasts through creating a stunning Larksfoot Crochet Afghan using Bernat Velvet yarn. The finished blanket measures approximately 45" x 55" (114.5 x 139.5 cm), making it a generous lap blanket or throw that works beautifully as a home décor accent or a cozy gift. The pattern is rated beginner-friendly, yet the finished fabric has a richly textured, visually impressive appearance thanks to the distinctive larksfoot stitch construction.

What Is Being Made

The project is a striped crochet throw afghan worked in three contrasting colors plus a main color, producing bold horizontal stripes with a deeply textured stitch pattern. The combination of the plush Bernat Velvet yarn and the larksfoot technique creates a fabric with beautiful raised detail and a luxuriously soft hand feel. The generous dimensions make it suitable as a sofa throw, a bed accent blanket, or a snuggly wrap for cooler evenings.

Colorway and Materials

• Yarn: Bernat Velvet — 100% Polyester, Bulky weight (Size 5), 10.5 oz / 300 g per ball, approximately 315 yards / 288 m per ball
• Main Color (MC): Smokey Green (32025) — 2 balls
• Contrast A: Smokey Violet (32016) — 2 balls
• Contrast B: Quiet Pink (32013) — 2 balls
• Total yarn: 6 balls across three colors
• Crochet Hook: U.S. Size K/10½ (6.5 mm), or size needed to obtain gauge

Bernat Velvet is a 100% polyester chenille-style yarn celebrated for its incredibly soft, velvety texture and its ability to drape beautifully in finished fabric. Because it is polyester, the finished afghan is machine washable and highly durable, making it a practical as well as beautiful project. The bulky weight of the yarn means the project works up quickly, which is especially encouraging for beginners who want to see fast progress on a larger project.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 10 double crochet stitches and 5½ rows = 4 inches (10 cm). Achieving accurate gauge is important when making a blanket of a specific size, so crocheting a swatch before beginning the full project is recommended.

Techniques and Construction

The afghan is worked flat in rows, beginning with a foundation chain of 125 chains. The foundation chain is worked over a multiple of 4 chains plus 5, and stitch markers are recommended every 20th chain to make counting easier. Construction proceeds row by row, with colors changed at regular intervals to create the stripe pattern.

Stripe Pattern

The color sequence follows a simple, repeating six-row stripe pattern:

• 2 rows with Main Color (MC) — Smokey Green
• 2 rows with Contrast A — Smokey Violet
• 2 rows with Contrast B — Quiet Pink

These six rows repeat throughout the length of the blanket, creating a rhythmic, easy-to-memorize sequence that is ideal for beginner crocheters. Colors are joined by working to the last two loops on the hook of the current color, then drawing the new color through those final two loops — a clean and standard method for color changes in crochet that minimizes visible joins.

Stitches Used

• Chain stitch (ch) — used for the foundation chain and throughout rows as part of the stitch pattern
• Double crochet (dc) — the primary structural stitch, worked in groups of three across each row
• Extended double crochet (extended dc) — the signature stitch of the larksfoot pattern; worked by yarning over and drawing up a long loop in a chain-1 space two rows