Crochet Baby Blanket Patterns

The most-given handmade gift there is

A crocheted baby blanket is the default new-baby present for good reason: it is finishable inside a pregnancy, it uses a manageable amount of yarn, it does not need to fit anybody, and it gets used daily until it falls apart. This collection is very large, so the practical question is which construction suits how you like to work. Granny squares are made in small units and joined, which means the project fits in a handbag and each square is a small win. Ripple and chevron blankets are worked in continuous rows and are hypnotic once the repeat is established. Corner-to-corner blankets grow diagonally and are excellent for pixel-style motifs. Solid stitch blankets in half treble or moss stitch are the fastest of all and the best choice for a blanket that will be dragged around a floor.

Choosing a size

• Pram or car seat blanket: roughly 70cm square. Small, quick, and the most used of all.
• Moses basket: about 70 x 90cm.
• Cot blanket: around 90 x 110cm, the usual gift size.
• Playmat: a metre square or larger, worked in a dense stitch so it does not snag toes.
• Keepsake: any size, in a finer yarn, made to be looked at rather than washed weekly.

Yarn, hooks and safety

Machine washable is not a preference for baby knits, it is the requirement. Superwash merino, baby acrylics and soft cotton all qualify; anything requiring hand washing will be politely thanked for and never used. DK is the standard weight, giving a blanket light enough for a pram and warm enough for a cot, and usually takes a 4mm hook. Aran works up faster and gives a heavier blanket. Avoid loose, open lace stitches for a blanket a baby will kick in, because fingers and toes go through the holes; a firm stitch pattern with small gaps is safer. Skip buttons, beads and anything that can be pulled off. As a planning guide, a pram blanket often needs 400 to 700 metres, a cot blanket 800 to 1,400. Buy one dye lot and one spare ball.

Getting a flat, square blanket

The two classic problems are edges that go wonky and squares that will not lie flat. For rows, count every row and put a marker in the turning chain until you trust yourself; most drift comes from working into or missing the turning chain inconsistently. For squares, block each one to the same size before joining, using a piece of card as a template – twenty squares that are each two millimetres out become a blanket that is four centimetres wider on one side. Join with a flat method such as whip stitch through the back loops or a join-as-you-go border for a smooth surface against a baby's face.

Borders, finishing and care

A simple border of two or three rounds of double crochet with three stitches into each corner will square up almost anything and hide an uneven edge. Weave in every end properly, going in two directions and travelling several centimetres, because these blankets get washed a great deal. Then wash and block the finished blanket before giving it: the fabric relaxes, the stitches even out, and it arrives smelling clean rather than of the workroom. Include a note of the yarn's care instructions with the gift; new parents will not be checking ball bands.

Baby blanket crochet questions

What size should a crochet baby blanket be?

About 70cm square for a pram, and roughly 90 x 110cm for a cot. Both are given in patterns here.

How much yarn do I need?

Roughly 400 to 700 metres of DK for a pram blanket and 800 to 1,400 for a cot blanket. Follow the quantity in your chosen pattern.

Which yarn is best for a baby blanket?

A soft machine washable DK – superwash merino, baby acrylic or cotton.

What is the easiest baby blanket to crochet?

A solid rectangle in half treble crochet with a double crochet border, or a granny square blanket made in small units.