HOH in Crochet: Easy Baby Afghan (Tutorial)

After making a little hat and scarf that called for this technique, I made a little blanket like this a few years ago for some friends of mine who were adopting their second baby boy. I used a cornflower blue yarn, an aqua and a cream. It looked gorgeous and the texture was so ropey and fun. I imagine any baby would love to stick his or her fingers through it.

I thought of this blanket again when I started this Head-Over-Heels in Crochet series because it is a great beginner project or a mindless project for someone with more experience and the results are fantastic! As I keep repeating, I love anything that meets two critical criteria: great-looking and quick to work up! This Easy Baby Afghan certainly does.

This little afghan would be a great gift to welcome a new baby. It would look so darling folded over a crib or rocking chair. It is soft and almost spongey so I was thinking it would also make a great playmat or sleeping mat in the bottom of a crib. And it isn't quickly outgrown.

Tess thinks it's perfect for curling up with. It has a bit of heft for keeping little toes warm during nap or couch time.

I love it in these springtime colors: gold, pink and white. They were inspired by this darling sweater made by Rae in pink and gold. Rae is right--pink and yellow are beautiful together! I have been thinking about coral, pink, yellow and grey together too...

But about this baby afghan... Not sure if we're keeping it or gifting it. We'll have to see. If you would like to make one to gift or to keep (you could certainly enlarge it for an adult sized lap blanket too!) click to view the tutorial. It's all single crochet!

EASY CROCHET BABY AFGHAN

This Easy Baby Afghan is crocheted using three strands of bulky yarn together, so it goes very quickly. It is also the most forgiving of patterns--because it's a blanket and not a fitted garment the size doesn't really matter, so the gauge isn't critical. If you want to substitute different yarns be sure to pick yarns that are extra soft and also consider care instructions if you are making this for a baby. You could even combine yarns of different gauges for a slightly different look!

See my notes at the end for a few tips on weaving in ends and changing skeins. 

The finished Easy Baby Afghan measures 34"x30" using the following materials.

MATERIALS: 

• • S-35 19.00mm crochet hook 
  • 3 skeins Berroco Comfort Chunky yarn in 5743/Goldenrod (category 5)
  •  3 skeins Berroco Comfort Chunky yarn in 5700/Chalk (category 5)
  • 3 skeins Lion Brand Vanna's Choice yarn in Pink (this is actually a category 4 yarn but the gauge is similar to the Berroco...)
  • Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

GAUGE:  6 single crochet and 6 rows in a 4"x4" area using three strands together with yarn and hook specified. (Note: If you aren't able to achieve this gauge using the yarns and hook specified it's ok--just work number of chains required to make the foundation chain 34")

ABBREVIATIONS:

• ch=chain
• sc=single crochet

TO MAKE:

Using three strands of yarn together, form a slip knot on your hook.

Chain 51. (Chain should measure about 34")

Row 1: Working in the second chain from your hook...

...work one single crochet.

Work 1 sc in the next ch and every ch thereafter until the end of the row. (50 sc)

 

Row 2: Chain 1, turn.

Work 1 sc in the first sc stitch...

...and every sc stitch until the end of the row. (50 sc)

Repeat Row 2 until the afghan measures 30". Fasten off.

 

You will have a bit less than a half of skein of each of your yarns left over. I like the proportions of a 34"x30" afghan but you could certainly keep working additional rows until you use up all the yarn.

Enjoy your finished Easy Baby Afghan!

NOTES:

WEAVING IN: I think it looks best to weave in the ends one strand at time, rather than using all three together.

CHANGING SKEINS: You will come to the end of each of your skeins at different times. To add another skein in a project like this I think the best method is knotting. It's a bit unconventional but it works really well and there are less strands to weave in--hooray for that. See this great tutorial from Jane Richmond for the "magic knot" technique, which I first saw here.

MISSED STRANDS: If, like I did, you try to crochet this afghan while doing something else, such as watching tv, it's possible you will occassionally miss one of your strands when you single crochet. The best fix is to pull out your work back to the oopsie and re-work it. If however it is two rows behind and you can't bear it, here's a little fix:

Work your row to the stitch above the missed loop (see the gold strand hanging below)...

...and now pull up that loop to the sc stitch you will work into next...

...and work your sc as if that missed loop were part of it.

I wouldn't say this fix makes the mistake completely invisible, but it does eliminate a loop hanging down. Works for me!