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Free crochet baby blanket pattern with border
I designed this free crochet baby blanket pattern with for those on a budget. You can use value yarn and get a soft flexible baby blanket with no holes that feels more expensive than it actually is!
The trick to making value yarn soft enough for baby is to rinse it in the sink with liquid fabric softener (Unscented is best but use what you have if you are on a tight budget). Let the blanket rest in the treated sink water for 20 minutes so the dye residue will release and the fabric softener can soften the acrylic fibers. Air dry as heat can break down acrylic. See more about acrylic yarn here. See the full post on how to soften acrylic yarn.
If you watch for yarn sales you can get a great deal on just enough to make a blanket for $5-6!
This rainbow baby blanket is also a great stash buster if you’re on a budget. I made it with cotton but any yarn will do.
I used Joann fabrics line of yarn, Big Twist in the value collection. Beautiful color selection. Other good yarns for this project that stay in budget are Hobby Lobby I love this yarn the week it is 30% off or Red Heart Super Saver (both have a little less yardage than the 380 yards in the value yarn I am using in this post). You will want to find the 6-7 ounce skein size to make a blanket-or if you can find a one pound category 4 yarn on special you can make an even larger blanket.
Alternately if you want to use this as a stashbuster, buy a skein of white and use what you have as the accent color like soft yellow, soft blue, light gray, pink, lavender or peach.
This blanket has a simple yet elegant texture in an easy two row repeat. The border is impactful and the simple body showcases the pillowy border done in two yarn colors for maximum visual appeal.
You may also like these free no holes free baby blanket patterns
Table of Contents
Materials needed to crochet the Harcourt blanket pattern
For the finished size shown 18′ x 28″
- Category 4 yarn (380-400 yards main color, 140 yards accent color) shown Big Twist value in sage and white or enough to make the size you’d like
- Crochet hook sizes 2 mm larger than yarn recommended on label (see how to read a yarn label) I am using this 7 mm smooth plastic hook
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- Tapestry needle
Gauge if using a yarn calculator: 4″ -13 sts x 12 rows
Harcourt crochet blanket instructions
Using the size guide, chain amount for your blanket length plus two sts. Use your tape measure to check the length. You will repeat the two-row sequence until you reach the width.
For a single skein main color in the value 6 – 7 ounce size minimum 380 yards ch 80. Your finishing edge will be in the accent color not the main color unless you have extra of the main color shade on hand.
To work reverse linked stitch: go into stitch and pull up a loop high, then go into previous stitch and pull up another loop, yarn over pull through all three loops
In third ch from hook, hdc across row. Keep count of your stitches so you maintain stitch count for each row.
Row 2: (wrong side) ch 1 turn. sc in first, work RLKS in next and to the end until one stitch remains. sc in last st.
Row 3: (right side) ch 1 turn. Hdc in first and across row making sure to work in the small slanted ch 1 from previous row to maintain stitch count.
Alternate rows 2 & 3 to desired width. Do not cut yarn, move on to work border sequence.
10 Crochet baby shower gifts that aren’t blankets
Harcourt border pattern
Blanket should be right side facing you as you work the border.
Round 1: Once last row is worked, ch 1 turn, and being to sc around entire blanket working 2 sc in each corner. As you get near the last 5 or 6 stitches do a stitch count around and work so that you end up with an odd number of sts. Either skip a stitch or work two sc into one stitch to make an odd number if needed.
Change to accent color. Drop main color to back, you do need to not the cut yarn.
Round 2: Introduce color with slipknot and work a dc into first stitch in round. Dc around working a ch 2 between the dc worked into corner stitches from prior row. At last stitch work dc then ch 2 before slip stitching into first dc from round.
Round 3: ch 2 then go back to work a sc into ch 2 space from the end of round 2. sc around working a sc-ch2-sc into ch 2 space corners. Finish round with a ch 2 then slpst into first sc.
Begin Alpine stitches
Round 4: Pick up main color: Ch 3 , dc into the ch 2 corner, dc into the next 2 sts, FPDC in the next st , dc in the next st, Continue alternating FPDC and dc until you are one st from the ch 2 corner. DC into the last ST, (dc-ch 2- dc) into the ch 2 corner. Dc into the next st , FPDC in the next st , dc in the next st , Continue alternating FPDC and dc until you are one st from the last ch 2 corner. dc into the last st . dc in the ch 2 corner. ch 2, SLST to the first dc.
Round 5: Repeat round 3
Round 6: Change back to accent color. Ch 3, work dc into ch 2 sp. Dc in first, fpdc in next. Continue to alternate dc and FPDC working in between FPDC st from row 4 as shown in image. Finish round with a ch 2 before slip stitching into first dc of round.
Round 7: Repeat round 3
Round 8: Change to main color or continue to use accent color to work a finishing stitch around, shown is the crab stitch. You can use a slip stitch or single crochet if you prefer.
How to work the crab stitch
To work the crab stitch work a sc in first st. Working to the left, insert hook into stitch to the left of stitch you just worked and work another sc. This will create a wrapped rope-like stitch. Continue this stitch around. Cut yarn and weave in end.