Crochet a Blanket; Teach Yourself With This Easy Guide

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I’ve known how to crochet for years now, but I’ve always wanted to crochet a blanket that was more than your typical same stitch after same stitch. I wanted something fancy. Don’t worry even if you’re new to crocheting; there are so many youtube tutorials out there to help you get going. With this quick read we’ll have you crocheting a blanket in no time.

Quick back story on this project. During the pandemic my good friend and I took a road trip to Joshua Tree National Park. It was the most magical place I have ever been, I think about that trip often. When we got back I happened to find this yarn collection named after the National Parks. The Joshua Tree yarn was such a pretty color and the name got me. I had to have the yarn. So I decided to take on the task of learning how to crochet a blanket that was more complex than anything I’d ever done. I knew I wanted to do something special.

Gather Your Crocheting Supplies

The great thing about crocheting is it is relatively inexpensive to start. You just need a yarn hook, yarn, scissors and a pattern to get started. I find patterns in a lot of places like books, Etsy, and my favorite-Pinterest. I like Pinterest because a lot of other blogger will give you their pattern and a step by step tutorial how to do their project. The three main places I like to shop for yarn are- Joann Fabrics, Michaels, and Amazon. Did you know you can bring your dog into some craft stores?!

• Yarn: The pattern should tell you what size/type you need. For this project I used Lion Brand in the color Joshua Tree
• Crochet Hook: Opt for a size recommended for your chosen yarn. This is always listed on the yarn packaging next to a little symbol that looks like a crochet hook. Be careful some yarns list US & EU sizing so just make sure you get the right hook. Definitely don’t pay a lot for a hook they are all basically the same.

• Scissors: A sharp pair of scissors for cutting yarn. There is nothing worse than hacking away at a piece of yarn trying to get it to cut.

Finding a Crochet Blanket Pattern

I searched Etsy and Pinterest for a pattern and ended up finding a pattern by Daisy Craft Farms. I modified the pattern by making it larger and omitting the fringe to finish the edge. Instead, I added a rib around the entire blanket, more on that later. Some people would advise to start on a smaller project when just learning to crochet or learning more complicated techniques. I say go big or go home. Start with something that you are going to enjoy the end product. The great thing about crocheting is it’s easy to pick up and do little bits at a time. It’s totally feasible for a beginner to do a full size throw blanket if there is no time limit on the project.

Learn the Basics of Crochet

Before you jump into making the blanket I made, you need to know a few fundamental crochet stitches:

• Chain Stitch (ch): This is the foundation of your project.
• Single Crochet (sc): A basic stitch often used in crocheting.
• Half Double Crochet (hdc): A taller stitch that creates a looser fabric. Shorter than a double crochet but taller than a single.
• Puff Stitch- Creates a the 3d bauble effect

Using Youtube to Learn to Crochet

If you already know how to crochet like I did, Daisy Craft Farms writes on their blog an easy to understand explanation how to do each stitch. I’m not a regular crocheter so I find this a super helpful quick refresher.

There are also thousands of youtube tutorials on how to do each stitch. Just search which stitch you need to learn. The thing I love about youtube crocheters is their videos are almost always straight to the point usually 3 minutes max. Sometimes if I have a hard time getting a stitch or technique down I find watching different creators videos on the same topic can help. Different creators show different stitches or techniques at different angles or explain it just a bit different, something is bound to click.

Crochet Your Blanket

Now, onto the main event – your blanket! Decide on the size you want. I went rogue and didn’t follow the dimensions of the pattern. I just figured out how wide I wanted the blanket and repeated the pattern until it was the width and then height I wanted. There were a few instances where I messed up where the puffs went. It was always my instinct to go back and fix it. I finally convinced myself no one wold ever notice or care so I let go and let the occasional mistake in the puff pattern slide. Adopting this mentality will save you so much time and energy ripping out and redoing work.

Patience and Persistence

Crocheting a blanket takes time and patience. Don’t be discouraged by any mistakes or uneven stitches. My first attempt at this pattern it took me far too long to realize I was slowly decreasing the with of my blanket so it was basically becoming a triangle. Then I got about 3/4 of the way through the project and I put it down for two years, just finishing it recently. Boy am I glad I finished. I am SO happy with the end product and I am giving it as a gift to my friend who I went to Joshua tree with. I am hopeful they will love it.

Finishing with Crochet Rib

Once my blanket reached the size I wanted it still looked unfinished. The pattern called for fringe, which I just wasn’t feeling. I decided to modify by adding a rib to the end. Again enter YouTube “HOW DO I ADD A RIB TO MY CROCHET BLANKET” The video I watched basically said to alternate between front post double crochet and back post double crochet. The back post double crochet took me a few tutorials to finally figure out. Once I got going though it was easy. I alternated front post then back post double crochets around the blanket three time. This gave it a nice clean finished look.

Final Thoughts

If you already have a basic understanding (or if not) you can 1000% crochet a more complicated blanket that will give you an end product you love. I really liked this project because it taught me new techniques, and gave me the confidence to adjust the pattern to what I wanted the project to be.