It has been a while since my last post, but I am back with numerous new ideas to share with you!
I want to start with the thing that is currently very present to me. That is, me becoming a first-time mum! So, what’s best for a newbie mum than a multifunctional crochet baby blanket that combines several benefits in one: a cozy, thick blanket that keeps your little mouse warm and a play mat with visual and sensual elements. As for my twin girls, they currently enjoy their tummy time on them!
In this post, I show you how you can make two unique, playful crochet baby blankets:
- A crochet baby blanket of a consistent yarn type with several motifs and 3D elements added on the blanket to create an accentuated look. You can enhance the play-effect by inserting sound elements into the 3D elements, such as a cellophane rattle or a Squeaker.
- A crochet baby blanket of different types of yarns and patterns in crochet blocks. Each block, thereby, gives your little bee another sensual experience, from hard to soft, from scratchy to furry…
Both blankets can be upgraded to a crochet play mat by adding a mobile or play arcade. In one of my next posts, I will show you how you can effortlessly make a crochet play arcade for the two crochet baby blankets (coming soon!).
Table of contents
All pattern instructions are written in American English Crochet terms.
Abbreviations: ch = chain | sc = single crochet | hdc = halb double crochet | dc = double crochet | ch2sp = chain-2 space (space created by ch 2 from previous row) | BPDC, BPTC = back-post double crochet, back-post triple crochet | FPDC, FPTC = front-post double crochet, front-post triple crochet | BS = bobble stitch | PS = puff stitch | LS = loop stitch | sl st= slip stitch | st(s) = stitch(es) | rd = round
A.1. Crochet Baby Blanket with 3D-Motifs
Let’s start with the first type of a simple, yet playful blanket: a crochet baby blanket with several motifs attached to it to tell a story. This blanket is made as follows:
- you work a simple, one-coloured crochet blanket with your preferred yarn and pattern.
- you work different kinds of crochet elements with the same yarn type and in different colours that are then sewed to the blanket with a sewing yarn, creating a lightly-lifted structure to the blanket. I have chosen the following elements to be part of my crochet baby blanket:
- a crochet sun
- crochet clouds (2 different types in 3 different sizes)
- a crochet sea
- two types of crochet trees
- a path
- grass
- crochet animals: a bird, an owl, a fox and a fish
Below, I guide you through the process of creating such a blanket. The patterns for the elements can be downloaded for free.
Crochet pattern for the baby blanket:
The blanket is worked in shell stitches. Each shell stitch consists of a crochet block of 6 sts: skip 2 sts, 1 sc st in 3rd st, skip another 2 sts, 5 dc in 6th st. Hence, for a pattern with the shell stitch we use multiples of 6 sts. There are various other fun crochet stitches to use for the blanket’s pattern such as Sprig Stitch, Moss Stitch, Cluster Stitch (Puff Stitch) or Basketweave Stitch (which makes the blanket particularly thick).
The final size of the baby blanket is appr. 80 x 80 x 0.8 -1 cm (L x W x D). The bulkier the yarn you use, the thicker the blanket gets.
Material needed:
- a fluffy medium (hook size: 5-6 mm) or bulky (hook size: 6.5-8 mm) yarn. I used Bohème Velvet Double by Go Handmade (9 balls) in light grey which is a polyester yarn at a needle size of 4-6 mm (10 cm = 18 sts) for the blanket (https://gohandmade.net/shop/238-boheme-velvet-double/). If you only have thinner yarns available, try working with two strands at once.
- a crochet hook. I used a 5 mm hook (US size 8) for the above mentioned yarn
- scissors
- a measuring tape to verify the blanket size
Do a slip knot and work 118 ch sts. For a bigger blanket, work more ch sts in multiples of 6 sts, then chain 1 and turn your work.
1. Row: Starting from the 2nd ch st from the hook work a sc in each ch st across (117), ch 3 and turn your work
2. Row: 2 dc in 1st sc st (skip the 3 turning ch sts from 1st row), [skip 2 sts, 1 sc st in next st, skip another 2 sts, 5 dc in next st] repeat 19 times, skip 2 sts, 1 sc in last st (117), ch 3 and turn your work
3. Row: 2 dc in 1st st (skip the 3 turning ch sts from the row before), [skip 2 sts, 1 sc st in next st, skip another 2 sts, 5 dc in next st] repeat 19 times, skip 2 sts, 1 sc in last st (117), ch 3 and turn your work
Repeat the 3rd row so many times until you reach your desired width of 80 cm or more.
Pre-final Row: 2 dc, [skip 2 sts, 1 sc, skip 2 sts, 5 dc in next st] x 19, skip 2 sts, 1 sc in last st, ch 1 and turn
Final Row: 1 sc, [1 sc in next 2 sts, 1 sl st in next st (at the highest point of the shell st from the previous row), 1 sc in next 2 sts, 1 hdc in next st (at the lowest point of the shell st from the previous row)] x 19, 1 sc in last 3 sts.
Weave in the yarn ends. Your cozy blanket is finished!
The illustrations below guide you through the process of how a crochet shell stitch pattern is done:
Crochet patterns for the blanket elements and animals:
Below, you get the free patterns for the following elements and animals (to start the download of the PDF-instructions click on the download text in each element). Each stitch type is briefly illustrated in the free patterns. For each element, I used the same yarn type as for the crochet baby blanket (from Go Handmade):
- a crochet sun (download)
- crochet clouds (2 different types in 3 different sizes): worked in puff stitches and booble stitches (download)
- a crochet sea: worked in celtic weave stitches (download)
- two types of crochet trees: one type is worked in bobble stitches, the other one in front-post double crochet stitches (download)
- a crochet path (download)
- crochet grass: worked in loop stitches (download)
- crochet animals: a bird, an owl, a fox and a fish (download)
- 4 crochet buttons (one button for each crochet animal. Those buttons are later used to attach the animals to it with a thin and short elastic thread)
Material needed:
- a yarn type similar to the one you used for the crochet blanket. I used Bohème Velvet Double by Go Handmade in different colours.
- a crochet hook. I used a 5 mm hook (US size 8) for the above mentioned yarn
- scissors
- a darning needle
- some wadding (for the crochet animals)
First, sew the crochet elements (sun, clouds, trees, sea, path, gras) to the blanket. Thereby, use a sewing thread in the colour of the blanket.
Then, sew the 4 crochet buttons to the blanket where the animals should later be attached (see How to make a crochet button below).
At last, take a short piece of elastic thread and sew it onto each of the animals separately. The elastic thread should be about the length of your fingertip so that the crochet animals lie tightly on the blanket but can be lifted slightly from the blanket at the same time.
Your crochet baby blanket with 3D motifs is finished!
A.2. Crochet Baby Blanket with different patterns and yarn squares
Final size of the baby blanket: appr. 90 x 80 x 0.8-1 cm (W x L x D). The bulkier the yarn you use, the thicker the blanket gets.
Material needed:
- I used a variety of yarns, mostly in medium (hook size: 5 – 6 mm) but also in fine yarn (3 – 4.5 mm). For latter yarn, I worked with two strands at once to get a bulkier outcome
- a crochet hook. I consistently used a 5 mm hook (US size 8).
- scissors
- a measuring tape to verify the blanket size
For creating this blanket type, I took the following steps:
- I worked a surrounding area in L-form (in basketweave crochet stitch), twice and in different colours. Those L-areas form the entire square-outside.
- I measured the interior dimensions within the combined L-forms. As I want to build in 3 different types of squares, I divided the dimensions by 3 to get the measurement per square.
- For each inside-square, I worked the necessary number of chain stitches depending on the yarn type used and verified its size after the 2nd row with the measuring tape. As the pattern tightens slightly in the process, you typically work 2-3 chain stitches more (as your foundation row) as your desired length.
- I sewed the inside-squares together, before attaching them to the L-forms.
I used different stitch types (see the How-to-illustrations on the stitch types in each pattern description):
- double crochet stitch: for the Plush Square (worked with 1 yarn strand)
- booble crochet stitch: for the Bobble Square (worked with 2 yarn strands at once for a thick outcome)
- even moss crochet stitch: for the Moss Square (worked with 2 yarn strands at once as the yarn type used was rather thin)
- block crochet stitch: for the Block Square (worked with 1 yarn strand but 2 yarn colours for visual variation)
Outside L-Form
The exterior of the baby blanket consists of two L-shaped crochet parts worked in basketweave stitch. I used the yarn Bohème Velvet Double (medium) in two colours (Blue and Light grey). For more details on the yarn and the crochet stitch, see the illustrations below.
Please note that the pattern below is based upon the yarn I used. Adjust the instructions according to your yarn.
Instructions:
Ch 120 (inkl. turning ch 2). For a higher sized blanket chain in multiples of 3 sts + 3 more ch sts.
1. Row: Starting from the 3rd ch st from the hook, work 1 dc in each ch st (118). Ch 2 and turn your work. Check the length with a measuring tape!
2. Row: 3 FPDC, *3 BPDC, 3 FPDC*, repeat * 19x in total, 1 dc in turning ch st (118). Ch 2 and turn your work.
3. Row: 3 BPDC, *3 FPDC, 3 BPDC*, repeat * 19x in total, 1 dc in turning ch st (118). Ch 2 and turn your work.
4. Row: repeat the 3. Row
5. Row: repeat the 2. Row
Repeat alternating the 2. – 5. Row until you have got a size of appr. 12 cm (15 rows).
16. Row: 3 BPDC, *3 FPDC, 3 BPDC*, repeat * 3x in total, 1 dc in the st in-between your current and the next BPDC. Ch 2 and turn your work.
17. Row: 3 FPDC, *3 BPDC, 3 FPDC* , repeat * 3x in total, 1 dc in turning ch st. Ch 2 and turn your work.
18. Row: repeat 17. Row
19. Row: repeat 16. Row
Repeat the 16. – 19. Row in alternating rows until you have reached your desired length (68 rows / until 83. Row). Use the measuring tape to verify your desired length of 19 cm!
Repeat the instructions for the second L-form.
The outside forms create about a total size of 90 x 80 (W x L), whereby each L’s interior is about 12 cm wide. Thus, each inside-square should measure about a size of 22 x 19 cm.
Plush Square
Size of the square: 22 x 19 x 1 cm (W x L x D).
The Plush Square is worked in double crochet sts. I used Teddy by Go Handmade.
Instructions:
Ch 32 (inkl. turning ch 2).
1. Row: starting from 3rd ch st from hook, work 1 dc in each ch st across (30). Ch 2 and turn your work. Check the length with a measuring tape to be 22 cm.
2. Row: starting from 3rd st from hook, work 1 dc in each st across (30). Ch 2 and turn your work.
Repeat the 2. Row until you reach a length of 19 cm (I needed 15 more rows).
Booble Crochet Stitch Square
Size of the square: 22 x 19 x 1 cm (W x L x D).
The booble square consists of booble crochet stitches worked with 2 strands of yarn. I used the yarn Baby Soft by Lana Grossa (see yarn details in the illustrations below).
Instructions:
Ch 34 + 1. If you want to get a larger sized square, chain in multiples of 2 sts + ch 1.
1. Row: starting from 2nd ch st from hook, work 1 sc in each st across (34). Ch 1 and turn your work.
2. Row: work 1 sc in first st (skip turning ch 1), *BS in next st, 1 sc in next st*, repeat * 16x in total, 1 sc in last st (34). Ch 1 and turn your work.
3. Row: work 1 sc in each st across (34). Ch 1 and turn your work.
4. Row: work 1 sc in first st (skip turning ch 1), *1 sc in next st, BS in next st*, repeat * 15x in total, 1 sc in last 3 sts (34). Ch 1 and turn your work.
5. Row: work 1 sc in each st across (34). Ch 1 and turn your work.
Repeat 2.-5. Row until you have reached your desired length of 19 cm (I made 31 rows in total).
Even Moss Crochet Stitch Square
Size of the square: 22 x 19 x 1 cm (W x L x D).
The Moss Square is worked in even moss crochet sts. I used Bravo by Schachenmayr.
Instructions:
Ch 36 + 1. For a higher sized square, chain in multiples of 2 sts + ch 1.
1. Row: starting from 2nd ch st from hook, sl st in first st, then *hdc in next ch st, sl st in next st*, repeat * until row end. Ch 1 and turn your work.
2. Row: starting from 2nd ch st from hook, sl st in first st, hdc in next st, *sl st in next st, hdc in next st*, repeat * until row end. Sl st into turning ch, ch 1 and turn your work.
Repeat 2. Row until 19 cm length is reached (I worked until the 34. Row).
Last row: sc in each st across.
Block Crochet Stitch Square
Size of the square: 22 x 19 x 1 cm (W x L x D).
The Block Square is worked in block crochet sts. I used alternating colours of Bohème Velvet Double (Jeans Blue and Snow White).
Instructions:
Ch 36 + 1. For a higher sized square, chain in multiples of 3 sts + ch 1.
1. Row: skip turning ch, work 1 sc in each of the first 2 sts, *ch 2, skip 2 ch sts, 1 sc in next ch st*, repeat * until one st is left, sc in last ch and change colour at this final st. Turn your work.
2. Row: ch 3, skip the turning ch and the first 2 sc sts. Then work 3 dc in each ch2sp across the row (do not make any sts into the sc sts except for the final sc st). Make 1 dc in final sc of row (skip the previous sc st). Change colour at the last st and turn your work.
3. Row: ch 1, 1 sc in the first st, 1 sc in space, *ch 2, skip 3 dc, 1 sc in the ch2sp*, repeat * until row end. 1 sc in the turning ch of the previous row. Change colour at the final st. Turn your work.
Repeat 2. + 3. Row until you’ve reached your desired length (I have worked 21 rows in total).
Sew the squares and both L-forms together. Then attach the joined squares to the inside of the L-forms.
Your crochet baby blanket with differently patterned squares is finished!
Happy Crocheting!
