Looking for a free crochet baby blanket pattern? Here are 25 of them, from a one-skein newborn blanket and an easy moss stitch to granny squares, corner-to-corner, waffle and bobble textures, chunky blankets you can finish in an afternoon, heirloom lace, bunny loveys and car seat sizes. Every one has the full written pattern free on the designer's own site, with no sign-up. Pick by skill level, by how much time you have before the baby shower, or by the yarn already in your stash.
For each blanket I've noted the yarn, the hook, the finished size and how it starts, so you can compare at a glance. Many of these designers also sell an ad-free PDF. That's optional: the pattern linked here is free to read on the page.
A quick note on size. Most baby blankets land between 24 and 36 inches square. Around 30 x 35 inches is a good all-round receiving or stroller size. Car seat and lovey blankets are smaller, and a toddler blanket is closer to 40 x 50 inches. Nearly every pattern below works in multiples, so you can add or take away stitches to change the size.
Easy beginner baby blankets
Just learned to crochet? These use one or two basic stitches, repeated row after row, so you can relax into the rhythm.
Moss Stitch Baby Blanket — Jo to the World. Just one skein of Lion Brand Pound of Love (1,020 yards of worsted) on a 6.5mm (K) hook makes a 32-inch square. Chain 101 and work the moss stitch (sc, ch 1) for the whole body, then add a simple border on a smaller hook. Rated easy, with a full video.
Easy Crunch Stitch Baby Blanket — Daisy Farm Crafts. A soft, bumpy texture made by alternating sc and taller stitches. Six skeins of Caron All Day Cotton on a 5mm (H) hook give you about 29 x 33 inches. Chain any even number (the sample uses 100). Great for beginners.
One Skein Newborn Baby Blanket — Love.Life.Yarn. One cake of Caron Cotton Cakes (530 yards) on a 5.5mm (I) hook. Chain 73, then work an airy pattern of dc and chain spaces. It's sized for a newborn, quick to make and perfect for a hospital bag. Confident beginner.
Simple Go-To Blanket — Mama In A Stitch. The designer's favorite "blanket stitch" (sc and 2 dc in the same stitch), in chunky Lion Brand Wool-Ease on an 8mm (L) hook. Chain 75 for a 30-inch baby blanket, or follow the notes for a throw. Easy, and it grows fast.
Granny square, motif and corner-to-corner blankets
Want to pick your own square? Our free granny square patterns include solid, sunburst, daisy and mitered squares that all make lovely baby blankets.
Baby Granny Square Blanket — Nicki's Homemade Crafts. One giant granny square in super bulky Bernat Blanket yarn on an 8mm hook. Start with a magic ring and three-dc clusters and keep going until it's about 35 inches across. Any skill level can make it, there's a video, and it can be done in under two hours.
Circle of Hope Blanket — Bella Coco Crochet. Circle-in-a-square motifs in five colors of Paintbox Simply DK on a 4mm hook, joined and finished with a border. The baby size is 26 inches square, with toddler and throw sizes too. Written in UK terms with a US toggle, plus right- and left-handed videos.
Quick and Colorful C2C Baby Blanket — Annie Design Crochet. Corner-to-corner blocks in soft chenille (Hobbii Toucan Fine) in eight colors on a 5.5mm hook, about 33 x 44 inches. Each block is chain 6 and three dc. The written rows are free; only the printable color chart is in the paid PDF.
Rise and Shine C2C Blanket — Petals to Picots. One ball of self-striping DK (like Lion Brand Mandala) does the color work for you. A 5mm (H) hook, increase to row 31 and decrease to row 61, for a 24-inch square. The designer says it's a good car seat size too.
Textured blankets: waffle, bobble, puff and moss
Texture makes a baby blanket feel extra cozy and gives little fingers something to explore. These take a little more yarn than flat stitches.
Waffle Baby Blanket — Crochet 'n' Create. A deep waffle texture made with dc and front post dc, in King Cole DK on a 6mm hook, about 30 x 36 inches. It has a crab stitch edge and an optional flower applique. Intermediate, with UK and US terms on the page.
Waffle Stitch in a Square — Okie Girl Bling 'n Things. The waffle stitch worked from the center out, so there's no long foundation chain to count. Two skeins of Lion Brand Mandala Baby on a 4.5mm hook make a 26-inch square. Intermediate, US terms, with a video.
Millie Bobble Baby Blanket — Winding Road Crochet. Rows of colorful bobbles on an sc background, in five colors of Red Heart Super Saver on a 5.5mm (I) hook, about 31 x 32 1/2 inches. Chain 109 to start. Rated easy, with several videos.
Colorful Bobble Stitch Baby Blanket — Okie Girl Bling 'n Things. A white blanket with bright bobble stripes, in Brava Worsted on a 5.5mm hook. At 40 x 44 inches, it's big enough to last into toddler years. Chain 121 (or use foundation dc). Rated beginner, with a video.
Bobble Stripe Blanket — Bella Coco Crochet. Bobble rows, granny rows and plain stripes in five colors of Stylecraft Special DK on a 4.5mm hook, about 24 x 29 inches. UK terms with a US toggle, and a two-part video.
Moss and Puff Stitch Baby Blanket — Daisy Farm Crafts. Flat moss stitch with bands of puff stitches, in Caron Simply Soft on a 5mm (H) hook, about 28 x 32 inches. Chain any even number. Beginner, with a video.
Chunky and quick baby blankets
Baby shower this weekend? Thick yarn and a big hook are your friends. For bigger chunky throws too, see our chunky crochet blanket patterns.
Marshmallow Blanket for Babies — Crochet Dreamz. Super bulky Bernat Baby Blanket in three colors on a 10mm hook, about 33 x 38 inches. Chain 58 and work (sc, dc) in the same stitch for a dense, squishy fabric. Easy, with a video.
Modern Mini Weave Baby Blanket — Daisy Farm Crafts. A woven look from half double slip stitch and hdc, in four skeins of bulky Bernat Maker on an 8mm (L) hook, about 34 x 35 inches. Easy, with a video.
The super bulky granny square and the go-to blanket above are quick picks too. For more big-hook ideas, see our cozy blanket patterns for fall and winter.
Lacy, heirloom, striped and ripple blankets
Oisin Heirloom Lace Baby Blanket — Annie Design Crochet. A shell and V-stitch lace with a 4-row repeat, in King Cole Comfort Aran on a 5mm hook. Sizes for preemie (18 x 24 inches), baby (25 1/2 x 32) and toddler. Beginner-friendly despite the heirloom look, with a video.
Lacy Shells Baby Blanket — Annie Design Crochet. Shells and V-stitches in three colors of King Cole Paradise Beaches DK on a 4.5mm hook. Chain 98 (a multiple of 8 plus 2). All levels, with a video and a UK key.
Easy Striped Baby Blanket — Annie Design Crochet. Only sc and dc, in about 800 meters of Stylecraft Special Aran on a 6mm hook, for a 27 x 31-inch blanket. Chain 83 and pick your own stripe colors. Easy, with an optional flower applique.
Ripple Baby Blanket — Sarah Maker. A gentle hdc ripple in four skeins of Lion Brand Ombre Mandala on a 5.5mm (I) hook, about 30 x 36 inches. Chain 146; each row is hdc increases and hdc2tog decreases. Beginner to easy, and the ombre yarn makes the color changes for you.
Loveys, car seat and stroller blankets
A lovey is a small square blanket with a soft toy head, made for cuddling. For 22 more, see our crochet lovey patterns. Car seat and stroller blankets are smaller than a crib blanket so they don't drag on the ground.
Bunny Lovey — The Stitchin' Mommy. A 15-inch granny square blanket with a little amigurumi bunny head, in Bernat Softee Baby on a 5mm (H) hook. Intermediate.
Hug Me Bunny Lovey — The Nicole Chase. An 11 1/2-inch blanket with a round bunny head worked in sc rounds, in Brava Worsted on 4mm and 5mm hooks. The pattern uses 9mm safety eyes; for a baby, embroider the eyes with yarn instead. Advanced beginner.
Cuddly Car Seat Blanket — Crafty With Ashy. A small 19 x 17-inch bobble blanket in light-weight Baby Bee yarn on a 5.5mm (I) hook. Chain 64, three rows of sc, then bobble rows. There's a chart and a video on the page. Check the comments as you go: readers flagged a small error in one row.
Emerson Car Seat Cover or Baby Blanket — Skein and Hook. Dc ripple stripes in worsted (Vanna's Choice) on a 6mm (J) hook, about 27 x 36 inches. Chain 73. Two buttons turn it into a cover that wraps the car seat handle.
Stroller Blanket — Crochet 'n' Create. A 32 1/2-inch square of dc and treble groups in King Cole Big Value Baby DK on a 6.5mm hook, with UK and US terms on the page.
Car seat safety: never put a blanket between the baby and the car seat harness. Buckle the baby in first, then lay the blanket over the top.
Tips for a baby blanket that gets used
- Pick washable yarn. New parents won't hand-wash. Acrylic baby yarn or cotton that can go in the machine is the kindest choice.
- Skip the fuzz and loose bits. Avoid very hairy yarns, and keep buttons, beads and safety eyes off anything a baby could mouth.
- Weave in ends well. Weave each tail in at least 2 inches and change direction once, so nothing works loose in the wash.
- Block it. A quick wet block evens out the stitches, especially on lace and ripples.
- Know the safe-sleep rule. Pediatricians advise no loose blankets in a crib for babies under 12 months. A crochet blanket is for tummy time, the stroller, the play mat and cuddles while baby is awake, then the crib once they're older.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest crochet baby blanket for a beginner?
The Jo to the World moss stitch blanket and the Daisy Farm Crafts crunch stitch blanket repeat one simple stitch pattern, so they're great first blankets. The Nicki's Homemade Crafts granny square is another good choice: it's one big square in chunky yarn.
How much yarn do I need for a crochet baby blanket?
Most baby blankets use about 900 to 1,400 yards of worsted yarn. Chunky and textured blankets use more by weight. Each pattern above lists its own amount, so buy one extra skein from the same dye lot.
What size is a crochet baby blanket?
A typical baby blanket is 30 x 35 inches. Car seat and stroller blankets are about 20 to 30 inches, a lovey is 10 to 15 inches, and a toddler blanket is about 40 x 50 inches.
What is the best yarn for a crochet baby blanket?
Soft, machine-washable yarn: acrylic baby yarns like Bernat Softee Baby, a cotton or cotton blend for warm weather, or a chenille like Bernat Baby Blanket for a plush, quick blanket.
More handmade baby gifts
Make a full baby shower set: add a crochet diaper cover, a little crochet baby hat and a pair of crochet baby booties, plus a soft crochet teddy bear to tuck in the gift basket. Expecting a holiday baby? See our baby Christmas outfit patterns and a tiny crochet crown for first-birthday photos. Wrap it all up in a crochet gift bag.
