10 Top Tips for Crocheting a Blanket to make It Perfect

It’s no great secret that blankets are one of my very favourite things to design and make. There is something just so comforting about creating an item that can wrap you up, keep you cosy and make you feel loved and cared for. So I thought I’d share my 10 top tips for crocheting a blanket as there are a few key things you can do to lift your blanket to the next level!

Not only do they make wonderful gifts but they are rhythmical, mindful and stash busting to make. An all round win-win!

Here are my top tips for making sure that your blankets are the best that they can possibly be. No more wonky edges or funny colour combos. Let’s take them to the next level together!

Choosing the right pattern

It might sound obvious but choosing the right pattern is often overlooked! If you are crocheting the blanket for someone or somewhere in particular then you’ll need to think about them.

Where will it go? What colours are there in the room? What kind of style does the recipient like? What size would you like it to be? Can you adapt the dimensions of the pattern easily?

All of these questions need a thought before you select your pattern but if you’re in the fabulous position of crocheting for the sheer joy of making, then go for it!

Grab that pattern that catches your eye – use the one that tries out something new too! Blankets are a great place to try out new stitches and techniques. If you need some inspiration I have lots of beginner blanket patterns on the blog to choose from.

What yarn should I use

Once you’ve figured out your pattern choice, you’ll need to turn your attention to yarn. As we’ve said above, choosing the right yarn is everything when it comes to blankets! Check out my guide on best yarn for crochet blankets for more detail.

If you’re following a pattern, make sure to choose a yarn of the same weight as the designer. Check our handy yarn weight chart and guide to find out more about yarn weights and categories.

It’s also useful to pay attention to the fibre of the yarn – using a fluffy yarn for a pattern with intricate stitch details just won’t do it justice, for example! Cotton is amazingly good for blankets, but will be much denser and won’t stretch very much.

Wool is warmer, stretchier and more luxurious, but watch out for some wools that can be a bit scratchy, particularly for those with skin sensitivities.

Acrylic is a good budget option (remember you might need quite a lot of yarn for a larger blanket). Consider what you want for your blanket before you decide on the yarn, then choose something that will work in terms of price, feel, drape, color and look!

Swatchy swatchy – the gauge swatch

Now I know this may be a little controversial and not what you want to hear but I think you need to make a crochet gauge swatch for crochet blankets. Sorry.

Just think of it this way – you’ve chosen your yarn, gone with the recommended hook size, worked the first row of the pattern (all 7834 stitches of it – well maybe not that many but you know what I mean!) and it’s ginormous!

Or even worse – you’ve got a third of the way through the blanket and it’s really stiff and not blanket like at all!

Working a swatch will mean that you don’t have to waste all those hours of stitching and counting. You’ll know for sure when you start that your blanket will turn out how you want it.

A swatch is just a small portion of the pattern that measures at least 4″ by 4″ that will let you know whether the crochet hook and yarn you’ve chosen will give you the same number of crochet stitches and rows as the designer got with theirs.

It will also tell you whether you like working with the yarn, whether the fabric you’ll create will be lovely and drape-y or not. Plus it’s a great chance to practice the stitches you’re going to be using!

My Mum was a late convert to swatches and now she wouldn’t be without them! She only recently told me just how much time it has saved her and it can do the same for you!

Are you convinced yet? That was a lot of different reasons there, so I hope you’re now off to do your swatching!

Be brave with colour

One of the things I love most about crochet blankets is going for it with my colour choices.

Of course you need to consider where it’s going to go and who it’s for, but some of my favourite colour combinations have come from blanket experiments as I like to call them!

Blankets are so great for using up your yarn stash and so have fun and see what direction the yarn takes you in.

If you struggle to choose colours to go together, then have a quick internet search for colour palettes – there are so many out there. Find one that fits the mood or feel that you’d like for your blanket and then match your yarn to the shades on it.

You’ll also find that some yarn companies do shade cards or yarn pegs, so that you can physically see a small sample of the colours together (or you can make your own from your stash of course!). It’s a great way to keep track of what you have stashed away in your cupboards and under the bed too!

If you’re still not sure about colour choices, take a look at my Using Colour in Crochet Course. Learn how to find, choose and combine colours in the perfect yarn for each project! With video, Ebook and interactive workbook!

Starting out right – the foundation chain

ok, so we’ve chosen the pattern and yarn. We’ve got a corresponding hook that gives us the right gauge (yep, we’ve checked that with our gauge swatch). And we know our color palette! Time to actually start the blanket!

That first foundation chain of your blanket can really ‘make or break’ a perfect blanket! You’re going to be making a long chain to start, and then start working back into those chains for your first proper row.

But it can be so easy to make your chains too tight, and this is going to affect the rest of your blanket. It will make the bottom pull inwards, and so your blanket won’t be a proper rectangle anymore. And unfortunately, this is really hard to resolve once you’ve made the rest of the blanket.

So what can we do? Here are a couple of tips for crocheting a blanket that doesn’t have one end narrower than the other:

• Make a conscious effort to keep those chain stitches nice and loose.
• Try using a larger hook size just for the chains. This will help keep them looser.
• After you’ve done the first couple of rows, just do a double check to see if it looks ok. If not, don’t be afraid of undoing it and starting again.

I have another tip too! And this one is my favourite. Instead of doing a foundation chain at all, try a foundation single crochet (or foundation half double/double crochet)!

The foundation single crochet (Fsc) is a combination of the foundation chain and the single crochet in one! It saves on doing a long chain, which can be tiresome and get twisted. And it’s less likely to be too tight!

You will still need to be careful though on that very first row, whichever method you choose to use. We definitely want to keep our square blankets square!

The crochet Christmas blanket below used the foundation single crochet to start, and includes a tutorial for it there.

Can I make changes?

I often get people message to ask if it’s ok to change an aspect of one of my designs and my answer is always – YES!

I wholeheartedly support everyone making their own version of a pattern so that it suits them. So if you don’t fancy adding the border, leave it off. Want to make it bigger? Add some more granny squares or a few more rows. The sky is the limit.

When you make any changes, just be mindful that it will likely affect the rest of the blanket and if they are midway changes it might throw stitch counts out elsewhere but with a bit of planning and thought you can come up with your very own version of any pattern!

I will always maintain that blankets are the best place to make changes (and mistakes) because they are generally just big squares or rectangles without any tricky shaping so I would encourage you to really go for it and see what you can come up with.

Don’t be scared to frog

As you’re working on your blanket, there will undoubtedly be a few small mistakes cropping up. Don’t be afraid to undo it, and rework that section.

I know it can be really frustrating and disheartening when you spot a mistake 10 rows back, but are you forever going to notice it and be annoyed at yourself? If so, then it is probably best to frog it. If you haven’t heard of the term frogging, it simply means undoing it and reworking – it comes from rip-it, rip-it, which sounds like the noise a frog makes!

To help minimise too much frogging though, I’d recommend checking your work every couple of rows, just to be sure you haven’t made a big mistake.

Another thing to watch out for is changing tension! Did you know that your own tension can change within a project too? Once you get more used to a stitch pattern, you tend to loosen up. But if you’re cross or anxious, you can end up crocheting more tightly. Over the space of a large project, your tension can change quite a bit, especially if you have big breaks between sections.

So just be sure to check periodically that your blanket isn’t getting a lot wider or narrower. Otherwise, you might need to undo a whole load of it.

Blocking will make a huge difference

Before you roll your eyes hear me out on this one – blocking will absolutely transform your crochet.

Not only will they make your blankets better but every single crochet project that you block will look so much better. It’s an effort but one that is definitely worth it.

Blocking is when you pin or lay out your project either wet or dry to the desired measurements.

It gives you crisp, clean edges, better stitch definition, neater rows and rounds and will sort out any tension issues along the way.

If you choose to wet block then it will also soften your yarn and therefore blanket fabric, making it super soft, squishy and ready to snuggle in!

Have I convinced you yet? I really hope so!

Weaving in your ends

One of the last things you’ll need to do with your blanket is to weave in those ends. We want to make sure all of your hard work doesn’t come unravelled, especially as blankets are likely to require washing.

So I would advise you not to be tempted to just crochet over your ends. It doesn’t always make them the most secure. Weaving in your ends with a needle, and going back through a good number of stitches will really help make sure your blanket stays perfect year after year.

And my top tip – take your time and enjoy the process

In today’s world, we are all guilty of rushing from one thing to the next, focusing on reaching the end goal as quickly as possible.

But there is a better way, particularly when it comes to crochet, and that is to really enjoy the process. By focusing on just the current stitches and taking your time, you will really love making your crochet blanket. Give yourself plenty of time to make it and just use it to relax after a busy day. I need to get better at this too!

The mental health benefits of crochet are incredible, and even more so when crocheting a blanket. A simple stitch repeat can have profound effects on anxiety, worries and stress. So let’s sit down, take out our yarn and crochet our way to a calmer outlook.

Conclusion

Blankets have always been my joy in crochet. They are a wonderful way to unwind, relax and lose yourself in a stitch repeat.

They can also be challenging, fun and stimulating too though! Choosing the right pattern, yarn and colours is key to making sure not only the finished project is glorious but that you enjoy every part of the making process too.

Spend some time thinking about the aspects of your blanket before you dive in. It will honestly turn out to be a much better and more fulfilling project for you that you are proud to call yours.

It may seem like a lot of effort when all you want to do it grab your hook and yarn and get stuck in – trust me, I know that feeling!

The care you take in planning, swatching and blocking will all pay dividends though in the end.

You will transform your blanket from what might be a bit of a squiffy rectangle in lovely colours to a stunning creation that will be loved for years to come.

More Crochet Blanket Patterns You Might Enjoy

If you’ve enjoyed reading these tips for crochet blanket, I’m sure you’re ready to get started making some. Here’s a few of my designs you might like:

• Bobble Stitch Crochet Blanket – a modern baby blanket with easy stitch repeats
• Chunky Crochet Blanket Pattern – quick to make and full of texture
• Textured Crochet Blanket Pattern – a triumph of texture and geometry

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning how to make perfect blankets with these top tips! I’d love to find out how you got on with your latest crochet blanket! You can sign up to become a member of HanJan Crochet and I’ll let you know about all the fabulous crochet adventures, offers, lives and more too! See you there!