10 best Free crochet baby afghan blanket patterns and 5 of the best patterns to buy.
Making a baby afghan baby blanket is the perfect handmade new baby gift, so I’ve pulled together my favourite patterns, including free crochet baby blanket patterns and my favourites to buy.
What is a baby afghan?
A baby afghan is a small, hand-knitted or crocheted blanket made from soft, durable yarn. Typically measuring around 30 to 37 inches square, these blankets feature distinct textured or geometric stitched patterns, making them a popular choice for new baby or christening gifts.
Key takeways before we dive in
1 Free crochet baby afghan patterns are widely available from major yarn brands including Red Heart, Bernat, Lion Brand, and Paintbox Yarns through platforms like Yarnspirations and Love Crafts.
2 Baby afghan patterns range from beginner-friendly designs using basic stitches to more detailed patterns featuring motifs, granny squares, and decorative elements like flowers, hearts, and woodland themes.
3 Most baby afghan patterns work best with DK weight, worsted weight, or sport weight yarn and typically produce blankets measuring approximately 37 inches by 37 inches.
4 Paid patterns on Etsy often include enhanced features such as step-by-step photo tutorials, video links, multiple size options, and detailed assembly instructions for joining squares and adding borders.
Easy crochet baby blankets
Free pattern ideas
If you’re making for a baby girl, this free crochet pattern would be perfect.
Red Heart Fancy Flowers blanket free crochet pattern
Motifs are worked in joined rounds with right side facing throughout. Piece is worked holding 2 strands of yarn throughout. Some rounds use 2 strands of the same colour while others use one strand of two different colours for ombre colour changes. The pattern is by Red Heart and is available to download for free at Yarnspirations.
Red Heart Lullaby free pattern
If you’re making for a baby boy, this is a beautiful blanket by Red Heart is perfect.
Designed by Mary Ann Frits it’s available to download for free at Yarnspirations. Afghan measures approximately 37” x 37”
Bright and beautiful free pattern
This bright and beautiful baby blanket crochet pattern pattern is designed for using worsted weight yarn and is one of my favourite crochet blanket patterns. It’s available to download for free on Love Crafts
Free and (very) easy baby blanket
As (very) easy knitted baby blanket patterns go, this free one by Bernat on Yarnspirations is hard to beat:
Happy Colours free afghan
Love this happy colours baby afghan pattern from Lion Brand.
Skill level: beginner plus and classed as an easy pattern as it uses basic crochet stitches. Type of yarn: DK or 3 light
Square blanket
If you’re looking to make a square blanket, how about this cute free crochet blanket pattern by Paintbox Yarns from Love Crafts?
Easy crochet baby blanket patterns – to buy
Etsy is always a good place to find crochet patterns to buy. How about:
Cats afghan pattern
Knitted afghan pattern with cute vintage cat design on sale right now on Etsy.
Gorgeous baby afghan or cot blanket with kittens in relief. Popcorn stitch. Pretty pastel “sugared almond” shades of pink, blue, yellow, green and white or you could just make it in a solid color if you prefer. Not sure if it just requires basic stitches but the comments say it’s a simple to follow pattern. It prints out onto 4 pages of paper pattern and would really make a gorgeous baby blanket.
Sports weight or 4ply yarn and 4.00mm crochet hook required.
Woodland blanket
I adore this perfect blanket pattern with Woodland motif granny squares.
The PDF includes the written instructions for each granny square, and where needed, step-by-step photo tutorials, and links to video tutorials.
The pattern also includes the schematic for assembling a baby blanket, a lapghan, or a crib blanket, the instructions for joining your squares, and the pattern for a border as shown in the pictures.
Flower fairies blanket
This Flower Fairies pattern is totally adorable and described as easy – so it should be fine to make even if, like me, you’re not an experienced crocheter. The best yarn to make it like the one pictured is cotton (eg Rico or Paintbox) and you can get as creative as you like about where you place your crochet flowers. I don’t love acrylic yarns but you can obviously adapt (do a tester sampler to check against the pattern) if that’s the way you’d prefer to go.
This easy blanket pattern is a great choice for anyone with a love of Scandi design: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1494015282/scandi-meadow-modern-crochet-blanket
The detailed, 21-page pattern, with picture tutorials and plenty of detail will guide you through every step. Even if you are new to crochet you should feel confident to tackle this fun make. There are accompanying videos too, linked in the pattern. This pattern uses dk yarn and 3.5mm and 4mm hooks would be the right size.
Hearts blanket
Another beautiful crochet baby blanket to make, I just love the heart and butterflies motif and it is described as easy – in fact crocheted simplicity – and perfect for using up leftover skeins of yarn. You can make the blanket in any size you’d like depending on the number of stitches you start with. A special gift for a first time mum made with much love. Maybe your next new project?
Experiment with color combinations to make a one of a kind gorgeous afghan! For example you could make a temperature blanket with this heart stitch design, it’s the perfect blanket for Mother’s Day, or an amazing sofa blanket to cuddle with your loved ones.
So grab some yarn and your crochet hook and make that fabulous baby blanket or a larger one for you and your significant other for Valentine’s day!
Video tutorials
Blue Star Crochet has a whole page of full video tutorial resources: https://bluestarcrochet.com/category/tutorials/
Daisy Farm Crafts is another useful source of patterns, including these baby blankets: https://daisyfarmcrafts.com/category/baby-blankets/
I’ve heard it said that you can knit a baby blanket in next to no time using simple garter or moss stitch or half double crochet. I know it would take me longer, for sure, and I’d actually enjoy taking my time to make something special, but if you fancy taking the hour baby blanket pattern, or are a crochet beginner, how about this great pattern? It’s made with a number of chains of double crochet – the best stitch for easy speed. The perfect choice if you’re looking for a super easy project. There are easy-to-follow detailed instructions to take you from first to last stitch so you really can’t go wrong. Make it in bright colors, pastels, cotton yarns, cosy wool – the choice is yours.
If you’re looking to make christening or blessing blankets for a new addition to your family, you can find lots of ideas over on Etsy.
This Bubblegum Kisses baby blanket pattern by Crocheted Simplicity is available to buy without the ads on Etsy here https://www.etsy.com/listing/1252800256/crochet-baby-blanket-pattern-afghan or for free on the Crocheted Simplicity website here: https://www.acrochetedsimplicity.com/bubblegum-kisses-baby-blanket-free-crochet-afghan-pattern/ A handmade baby blanket would make a great baby shower gift, don’t you think?
This Easiest Granny Stitch Baby blanket pattern and tutorial:
It’s a beautiful stitch for blanket making and the tutorial takes you through all the stages from first st to next stitch, end of row into your previous row to the end of the row and to the end of your last row. Color choices or yarn color is entirely up to you. Make it bigger to suit older babies or into a square crochet baby blanket – the perfect gift.
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Note: all the designs featured are for personal use – check copyright information for each one if you’re considering making them for charity etc. Follow us on social media for more ideas (links at top of the page).
If you need help getting to grips with basic crochet techniques and simple stitches – eg single crochet stitches, double crochet stitches and abbreviations such as sl st, first dc turning chain and repeat row etc check out this blog post which has all the info you need to get started: crochet basics – a beginner’s guide
Why Your Yarn Colour Choices Matter More Than Your Stitch Choice
Most crochet blanket tutorials focus entirely on stitch technique, but experienced makers know the real secret: yarn pairing transforms an ordinary pattern into an heirloom piece.
The Three-Colour Rule for Timeless Baby Blankets
Primary Anchor Colour (60%) – Choose a soft neutral (cream, dove grey, powder blue) that won’t visually overwhelm the baby or clash with nursery décor
Supporting Colour (30%) – Select a complementary mid-tone that adds depth without competing for attention (sage green with cream, dusty rose with grey)
Accent Highlight (10%) – Use this sparingly in borders or motif centres for visual interest (mustard, terracotta, or deep teal)
Why This Works
This ratio creates visual balance that photographs beautifully and ages gracefully. Unlike trendy colour combinations that date quickly, this approach ensures your handmade blanket remains cherished for decades.
The Texture Test
Before committing to a full blanket, crochet a 20cm square with your chosen yarns and wash it three times. Baby blankets face frequent washing, and some colour combinations that look stunning fresh off the hook become muddy or fade unevenly after multiple wash cycles.
5 things to remember
#1 Free patterns from major yarn manufacturers like Red Heart, Lion Brand, and Bernat offer professionally designed baby afghan designs with clear instructions available through platforms such as Yarnspirations and Love Crafts.
#2 Pattern complexity ranges from beginner-friendly single-stitch designs to intermediate projects featuring granny squares, motifs, and decorative elements that require joining techniques and border work.
#3 Most baby afghan patterns specify DK, worsted weight, or sport weight yarn with hook sizes between 3.5mm and 4mm, producing finished blankets around 37 inches square.
#4 Paid Etsy patterns typically include enhanced instructional materials such as step-by-step photo tutorials, video links, multiple size schematics, and detailed assembly guidance not found in basic free patterns.
#5 Video tutorials from sources like Blue Star Crochet and Daisy Farm Crafts provide visual guidance for beginners learning fundamental techniques including stitch types, row transitions, and finishing methods.
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