Chevron Knit Afghan in Bernat Velvet - BRK0502-012167M - Downloadable PDF

Chevron Knit Afghan in Bernat Velvet – Free Downloadable Knitting Pattern

This Chevron Knit Afghan is a stunning, cozy blanket featuring a classic zigzag chevron stripe design worked in two contrasting shades of Bernat Velvet yarn. The finished throw measures approximately 49" x 60" [124.5 x 152.5 cm], making it a generous lap blanket or sofa throw ideal for home décor or gifting. Rated as an Easy/Beginner skill level, this pattern is an excellent project for knitters who are ready to move beyond basic rectangles and explore simple stitch shaping, while still working with straightforward, repetitive rows that build confidence quickly.

About the Design

The chevron, or zigzag, is one of the most beloved and timeless motifs in textile crafts. In this afghan, the chevron effect is achieved entirely through knit and purl stitches combined with strategic increases and decreases, creating a rhythmic wave pattern across the fabric. The two-color stripe repeat adds visual interest and depth without requiring complex colorwork techniques such as intarsia or stranded knitting — colors are simply carried loosely up the side of the work and alternated every four rows.

The result is a bold, textural blanket with soft ridges and peaks that catch the light beautifully, especially in the plush, velvet-finish yarn chosen for this design. The combination of Shadow Purple and White Sand creates a striking yet elegant contrast, though knitters may substitute any two colors of Bernat Velvet to suit their personal palette.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Bernat® Velvet™ (10.5 oz / 300 g; 315 yds / 288 m per ball), a chunky-weight yarn with a luxuriously soft, velvety texture
• Contrast A: Shadow Purple (32022) — 2 balls
• Contrast B: White Sand (32029) — 2 balls
• Needles: Size U.S. 10½ (6.5 mm) circular knitting needle, 40" [101.5 cm] long, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Notions: Stitch markers

The circular needle is used here for its length and cable flexibility, which makes it much easier to hold the large number of cast-on stitches comfortably. The afghan is worked flat, back and forth in rows — not in the round — so knitters familiar only with straight needles will find the technique very familiar.

Gauge

12 stitches and 17 rows = 4" [10 cm] in stockinette stitch. Achieving the correct gauge is important for reaching the intended finished dimensions of the blanket. Chunky yarns like Bernat Velvet work up quickly, so gauge swatching is straightforward and the project grows at a satisfying pace.

Stitches and Techniques Used

Core Stitches

• Knit (K) — the foundational stitch of knitting, creating a smooth "V" texture on the right side
• Purl (P) — the reverse of the knit stitch, used on wrong-side rows to maintain the stockinette fabric and to work the purl-side chevron shaping

Increase Stitches

• Kfb (Knit into front and back) — a simple increase worked by knitting into both the front and back loops of the same stitch, adding one stitch and forming the peaks of the chevron
• Pfb (Purl into front and back) — the purl-side equivalent of Kfb, used on wrong-side rows to maintain the chevron shaping symmetrically

Decrease Stitches

• K2tog (Knit two together) — a right-leaning decrease that forms the valleys of the chevron on right-side rows
• K2togtbl (Knit two together through back loops) — a left-leaning decrease that mirrors K2tog, creating the symmetrical dip at the center of each chevron point