Looking for a free crochet lovey pattern? Here are 22 of them: classic bunny and bear security blankets, a lamb, fox, owl, elephant and moose, a penguin, a dinosaur and a dragon, plus quick granny square loveys and a teether lovey for teething babies. Every pattern is free in full on the designer's own site, with written rounds and stitch counts and no sign-up. A lovey takes far less yarn and time than a full blanket, which makes it one of the best handmade baby shower gifts.
A lovey (also called a security blanket, blankie buddy or snuggle blanket) is a small square blanket, usually 10 to 18 inches across, with a soft toy head in the middle. Most are made in two parts: an amigurumi head worked in the round, starting with 6 sc in a magic ring, and a simple granny square or round blanket. I've noted the yarn, hooks, size and face style for each one. Many designers sell an optional ad-free PDF, but the full pattern is free on the page.
A note on safety: several patterns call for safety eyes. For a baby, embroider the eyes with yarn or floss instead. It's just as cute and there's nothing to come loose.
Bunny, bear and puppy loveys
The classics. A bunny lovey is the most popular baby gift for good reason.
Hug Me Bunny Lovey — The Nicole Chase. An 11.5-inch blanket with a round 4.5-inch bunny head, in WeCrochet Brava Worsted on 4mm and 5mm hooks. Rated advanced beginner. Round 1 of the head is 6 sc in a magic ring. It calls for 9mm safety eyes; embroider them for a baby.
Bunny Lovey — Sweet Softies. A beginner-level lovey with a 34cm (about 13-inch) blanket, in worsted yarn. The bunny is worked in the back loops on a small 2.75mm hook, and the blanket on a 5mm hook. A sweet, classic shape.
My Cuddle Bunny Lovey — The Loopy Lamb. Rated easy, in Brava Worsted on 5.5mm and 3.5mm hooks. Round 1 of the head is 6 sc in a magic circle. The pattern also shows a handy "eye indentation" trick that gives the face more shape.
Honey Bear Lovey — Stitching Together. A bear on a hexagon blanket about 21 inches across, in Lion Brand The Cottony One on 5mm and 4mm hooks. The blanket starts with 6 hdc in a magic circle, and the face is embroidered with floss. Rated intermediate.
Addi Bear Lovey — A Crafty Concept. A bear lovey about 11.75 inches tall and 8.25 inches wide, in worsted on G (4mm) and I (5.5mm) hooks. The eyes and nose are embroidered with scrap yarn, so it's baby-ready as written.
Dog Lovey — Crochet Dreamz. A beginner puppy lovey with an 11 x 10 inch body, using only about 120 yards. Round 1 of the head is 7 sc in a magic ring. You can use safety eyes and nose or embroider them.
Farm and woodland loveys
Little Mary Lamb Lovey — Swecraftcorner. A fluffy lamb about 25cm (10 inches) tall, in super bulky chenille with cotton for the face, on 5.5mm and 3mm hooks. The eyes and nose are embroidered. Chenille is extra soft for little hands.
Hug Me Elephant Lovey — The Nicole Chase. A 14-inch blanket with a 3.5-inch elephant head and a curled trunk, in worsted on 4mm and 5mm hooks. Advanced beginner. A good gender-neutral pick in gray or mint.
Finn the Fox Lovey — The Blue Elephants. A fox lovey in medium-weight Yarn Bee Soft Secret on 3.25mm and 4mm hooks. Round 1 of the head is 6 sc in a magic loop. Lovely in orange, cream and brown.
My Baby Cuddle Owl Lovey — The Loopy Lamb. Rated easy, with a faux-fur blanket and a Brava Worsted owl head, on 5.5mm and 3.5mm hooks. The fur yarn makes it extra snuggly. Pair it with our crochet owl patterns.
Moose Lovey Blanket — Hooked by Kati. An 18-inch granny-cluster blanket with a moose head, in Red Heart Super Saver on a G (4mm) hook. The features are embroidered. Great for a cabin- or woodland-themed nursery.
Monkey Lovey — Thoresby Cottage. A 28cm (11-inch) granny square with a monkey about 25cm from head to body, on a 3.75mm (F) hook. Safety eyes are optional. A cheeky one for a playful baby.
Penguin, dinosaur and dragon loveys
Baby Penguin Crochet Lovey — One Dog Woof. A penguin on a 12-inch granny square, in Lion Brand yarn on an H (5mm) hook. Round 1 of the body is 8 sc in a magic circle. A wintry baby gift; see more in our crochet penguin patterns.
Hug Me Triceratops Lovey — The Nicole Chase. A 12-inch blanket with a 4-inch triceratops head, on 4mm and 5mm hooks. Advanced beginner. More dinos are in our crochet dinosaur patterns.
Dino Baby Lovey — OkieGirl Bling'n'Things. A large 17-inch lovey on 3.5mm and 5mm hooks. Round 1 of the head is 6 sc in a magic circle. It calls for 15mm safety eyes; embroider them for a baby.
Dragon Snuggler — The Friendly Red Fox. A flat dragon body with a stuffed head, hands, feet and tail, in blanket yarn on a 4.5mm hook. The eyes are embroidered. Bigger and floppier than a classic lovey, so it's fun for toddlers too.
Quick and simple loveys
Short on time before the shower? These use simple blankets that work up fast.
Crochet Bunny Lovey — The Stitchin' Mommy. A 15-inch granny square with a little bunny, in Bernat Softee Baby on an H (5mm) hook, with a floss face. The page rates it intermediate because of the head, but the blanket is a plain granny square.
Airplane Crochet Lovey — Winding Road Crochet. A solid granny square with a little airplane on top, in Red Heart Super Saver on H (5mm) and E (3.5mm) hooks. A fresh non-animal option.
Bear Ripple Baby Lovey — OkieGirl Bling'n'Things. A 16 x 19 inch ripple blanket with an embroidered bear face, on an I (5.5mm) hook. Row 1 is a chain of 63 with dc from the 4th chain. Ripple rows are relaxing once you get the rhythm.
Spiral Crochet Kitty Lovey — Nicki's Homemade Crafts. A round spiral blanket about 15 inches across, in WeCrochet Dishie cotton on a 4mm hook. The face is embroidered, and you can stop anywhere from 10 to 20 inches.
A Bunny to Love Lovey Blanket — Crochet 365 Knit Too. A round blanket about 20 inches across with a bunny head and embroidered features. Round 1 is 11 dc in a chain-4 ring.
Two-Color Teether Lovey — Petals to Picots. A small lovey built around a 3-inch child-safe teether ring, in worsted on an H (5mm) hook. It takes under 150 yards per color. It has no animal head, but teething babies love it.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a crochet lovey?
Most loveys are 10 to 18 inches square, small enough for a baby to hold and drag around. Anything around 12 inches is a classic size. Most patterns above let you add rounds to make it bigger.
What yarn is best for a baby lovey?
Choose something soft and machine-washable: a baby acrylic, cotton, or a plush chenille or blanket yarn. Avoid fuzzy mohair or loosely spun yarn that sheds. A smaller hook for the head keeps the stuffing hidden.
Are crochet loveys safe for babies?
Embroider the eyes and nose instead of using safety eyes or buttons, sew the head on very securely, and skip long ties or ribbons. Loveys are for supervised cuddles; safe-sleep advice is to keep soft objects out of an infant's crib.
How long does it take to crochet a lovey?
Most loveys take 4 to 8 hours: about half for the head and half for the blanket. A chunky or chenille lovey can be done in an afternoon or two.
More handmade baby gifts
Build a full baby shower basket: a lovey plus a crochet baby blanket, a crochet baby hat and a pair of crochet baby booties. For an older sibling, add a crochet teddy bear or an easy amigurumi toy, and wrap it all in a crochet gift bag.
