I've been going through a phase of trying to use what's in my stash instead of buying more yarn. So when I started to look through what I had and spotted the half-used leftover skeins from the Garter Chevron Blanket I knit a few years ago, I decided it was the perfect project to take-on. However, not having the patience for another knitting project, this time it was going to be crochet.
Q: What do I need to make this project?
A: To make this blanket, you will need:
Yarn of your choice - see notes below on yarn choice and amount, this can be a great stash buster!
In the example shown, I used Mighty Stitch Worsted from Knit Picks, 2 skeins of cream and about a 1/2 skein each in canary, celestial, alfalfa, serrano, eggplant, orange, sky, macaw, fruit punch, and satsuma
4.50mm crochet hook OR whatever size is needed to meet the gauge OR whatever size is appropriate for the yarn you've selected
Tapestry needle
Snips
Q: How long does it take to make?
A: The blanket shown in the photos took me 19.5 hours total, worked off and on during zoom meetings and YouTube rabbit holes. Size is going to be the biggest factor in how long it will take to complete, but I found this pattern to be pretty standard for completion time in comparison to other baby blankets I've made.
Q: How difficult is this pattern?
A: This pattern is beginner friendly and a great project for anyone learning to crochet. It does require an increase (work 2 stitches in one space) and decrease (skip stitches) along with some counting and, if you want to make it as shown, striping. Skills needed: chain, double crochet.
Q: How big a blanket will this make?
A: That decision is up to you! Make a gauge swatch to measure peak to peak for your yarn, hook, and tension, then adjust the number of stitches as needed to make a blanket (or whatever project) in any size - just be sure to start with a multiple of 22 + 3 stitches.
Tips, Notes, & Learnings
(Yarn & Hook)
You can use any yarn to make this project and, if you decide to do stripes, it makes an excellent stash buster. To meet the gauge given below, I recommend using any weight 4 yarn.
With respect to fiber, I recommend choosing a yarn with some acrylic or nylon content to ensure the blanket will wear well over time. For warmth, choose yarn with some wool/alpaca/silk fiber content. If you want to make a lighter, summery throw, go for a cotton or linen yarn and use a larger hook for a lacier effect.
Choose a hook that matches your yarn and allows you to meet the gauge. Since this is a blanket, gauge is a little less important, but I still recommend making a quick gauge swatch to make sure you end up with a project in the size you want - 30 minutes of swatching now could save your hours of stitching later!
(Sizes)
Using the gauge given in the pattern below (5 inches peak to peak), this table makes a great quick reference to get exactly the size blanket you want!
Blanket Size | Finished Width (inches) | Starting chain |
Baby | 40 | 176 + 3 = 179 |
Twin & Twin XL | 70 | 308 + 3 = 311 |
Full / Double | 80 | 352 + 3 = 355 |
Queen | 90 | 396 + 3 = 399 |
King | 105 | 462 + 3 = 465 |
(Adding some texture)
The easiest way to add some texture to this blanket is by working every row or every other row in the front or back loops only.
You can also add some bobbles or popcorn stitches every few rows instead of working the full sets of 10 dcs plain. For example, instead of working 10 dcs across, try 1 dc, 1 popcorn, 1 dc, 1 popcorn, 1 dc, sk 2, ect.
Little adjustments like these can change the fabric just enough to make it more interesting without making the pattern much more difficult to work.
(Non-blanket applications)
Like my soft waves pattern, chevron makes great blankets, especially beginner blankets, because the pattern is easy and repetitive. Of course, that also means you can pull it to work on other beginner-friendly projects too! Try working this pattern with fewer repeats (always starting with a multiple of 22 + 3) to make a scarf, pillow cover, or device sleeve!
Easy Chevron Blanket Pattern
Abbreviations (US Terms)
ch - chain
dc - double crochet
sk - skip
st - stitch
Gauge
In pattern, 22 sts = 5 inches (peak to peak)
In dc, 4 sts = 1 inch
5 rows = 2 inches
Pattern
Ch a multiple of 22 sts, then ch 3 more - see the note above on sizing for quick reference on starting ch size.
R1: 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, *1 dc each in next 10 ch, sk 1 ch, 1 dc each in next 10 ch, 3 dc in next ch,** repeat from * to ** across, ending with only 2 dc in last st, ch 2, turn.
R2: 2 dc in first st, *1 dc each in next 10 sts, sk 2 sts, 1 dc each in next 10 sts, 3 dc in next st,** repeat from * to ** across, ending with only 2 dc in last st, ch 2, turn.
Repeat R2 until you reach the desired length, changing colors to make stripes, if desired.
The blanket in the photos shown has 2 stripes in cream followed by 6 stripes of color and repeats through 9 rainbow colors to the end, finishing with an additional 2 stripes in cream.
Short & Sweet Pattern
Once you've completed R1, repeating R2 is straightforward:
Work 2 dc in the first st, *work 10 plain dc, skip 2, work 10 plain dc, work 3 in the next st**, repeat from * to ** across, ending with only working 2 in the last st, ch 2, turn.
An important note on counting stitches: Because the first row of this pattern only skips 1 chain and every subsequent row skips 2 stitches, the counts are slightly different. While we CHAIN a multiple of 22 + 3, we will WORK a multiple of 23 + 1 stitches on each row.
For example, if we make the baby blanket size (as shown in the photos), we will begin by chaining 179 (this is 22*8 + 3). However, each R2 repeat will have 185 stitches (this is 23*8 + 1). Why the change from skip 1 to skip 2? I thought the giant holes at the beginning looked weird and were unnecessary to get the shaping correct.
That's all for now! I hope you enjoy this pattern and will go on to share photos of what you create! If you do, be sure to tag me @craftematics on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook - I love to see what you make!
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