Crochet Blanket Ideas and Inspiration from 2 Years of Projects

Over the past two years, crochet has become such a big part of my life. What started as a new hobby has turned into a real passion—and along the way, I’ve fallen in love with making blankets. There’s something so comforting about working with yarn, watching colours and patterns come together, and knowing that each stitch holds a little bit of love and time. In this post, I wanted to share the blankets I’ve made so far, the stories behind them, and the joy each one has brought me (and, hopefully, the people I’ve gifted them to!).

The First Blanket

My crochet adventure began with the Crochet Society’s Christmas Advent Calendar from 2022. At that time, being new to crochet, I felt the wool included was ‘too special’ to use as I was still learning. I didn’t want to risk spoiling such beautiful material, so I chose other yarns but drew inspiration from the calendar’s patterns. This advent calendar featured a variety of designs that, when pieced together, created a stunning large blanket. I selected my favourite patterns—those with delightful designs in multiple colours and textures—and repeated them in a palette chosen specifically for my nana.

The colours I picked—cream, tan, and green—harmonized beautifully and were a perfect match for her living room. I finished the blanket and gifted it to her for her birthday in March 2023. Seeing her happiness and knowing she still uses it regularly, draping it over the back of her sofa, brings me immense joy. It’s truly rewarding to see a labour of love so cherished by its recipient.

First Baby Blanket

The second blanket I ever crocheted was a delightful baby blanket, sparked by a surprise in a mystery box of wool. Among the treasures was a Caron baby yarn cake, its colors swirling together like Neapolitan ice cream—a perfect palette for a little girl’s blanket. Eager to try something new, I decided on crafting a star-shaped blanket. The pattern, which I can’t quite recall where I found, was beautifully simple, featuring an easy repeat of treble crochet stitches that formed the star. Watching the colors change as I worked was a joy.

Not wanting to waste a single strand of the leftover yarn, I went ahead and made a cute little jumper and matching hat. These patterns came from MJ’s Off the Hook Designs, rounding off the set beautifully.

Next Blanket Project: Whatchamacallit

By this point, I was really getting into making blankets—but I was craving something with a bit more wow factor. I wanted a project that would keep me interested, with lots of variety and something new to look forward to with each row. After a bit of searching online, I came across a designer called Hooked on Sunshine, and as soon as I saw the pattern for Whatchamacallit, I knew it was the one.

I picked out colours from my (by now) ever-growing yarn stash and got started. I absolutely loved working on this blanket—the mix of stitches and the changing colours made it so addictive. I found myself coming back to it day after day, excited to see it grow. This one I decided to keep for myself, and over a year later, it’s still my go-to blanket whenever I need a bit of extra warmth while watching TV in the evening.

There’s always a cat or two curled up beside me when I bring this blanket out, of course! I’ve learned to lay it down back-to-front so they don’t accidentally catch their claws in all my hard work. I honestly love this blanket just as much now as I did when I first finished it.

Some people have made this pattern in a tulip style, where the flower-like stitches really pop against a cream background—it looks stunning! That version is definitely on my list for a future remake (part two!).

Baby Blanket No. 2 – The Sober Granny

When a family friend’s daughter announced she was having a baby, I couldn’t quite believe it—she had been a flower girl at my wedding! It made me pause and think… is she old enough to be a mum now, or have I just aged that much since the wedding? Either way, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to make something special for her new arrival.

She was expecting a little boy, but I didn’t want to go down the typical blue route. Instead, I found a beautiful yarn from Stylecraft called Bambino Prints that felt just right. It had soft, gentle shades of grey, cream, and tan—a lovely, subtle combination that felt unique and perfect for something a bit different.

Next up was finding the right pattern. I stumbled across one called the Sober Granny Stitch from The Secret Yarnery and decided to give it a go. It’s a fun twist on the traditional granny stitch, with a lovely texture that works up quickly and gives a modern look. I really enjoyed how simple yet satisfying it was to make.

When I finally got to meet baby Freddie, I was so proud to gift him the blanket. I’ve since been told it’s still very much loved a year on—they keep it in the car to keep him warm and cosy on the go. I think that’s one of the best compliments a handmade gift can get! I’d definitely love to make this pattern again—it’s one of those designs that would look completely different depending on the yarn you use.

The Autumn Star Blanket

This blanket came about after I stumbled across a gorgeous ball of yarn—King Cole Bramble DK in the shade Chestnut. The rich, earthy tones instantly made me think of autumn, and I knew I had to turn it into a seasonal blanket. Around the same time, my social media feeds were full of people raving about the 6 Day Star Blanket by Betty McKnitt. I couldn’t resist jumping on the trend!

I always enjoy the beginning of a blanket project—the excitement of starting and seeing it grow quickly is so satisfying. Betty’s pattern is fantastic—clear, clever, and easy to follow. I decided to make this one a smaller size, just big enough to cover your lap without being too bulky. It felt like the perfect fit for this yarn and the cozy, autumn vibe I had in mind. If you use a chunky yarn and a larger hook, the pattern works up even faster, but the DK yarn gave it such a soft, delicate finish.

Of course, how long it takes depends on the size you make and how many hours you crochet each day… but I’ll admit, once I start something, I do get a little obsessed with finishing it. I think it’s the anticipation of seeing it all come together—and, let’s be honest, dreaming about the next project too!

I especially loved how the variegated yarn created beautiful colour transitions all on its own. I didn’t try to control the colour placement—I just let it flow naturally, and the results were lovely.

At the time, I wasn’t making this one with anyone specific in mind. But at Christmas, while showing my nana some of the blankets I’d been working on, she spotted this one and absolutely loved it—so of course, it became hers too!

The Snowflake Blanket

This blanket came about after my husband (half-jokingly!) pointed out that I was always crocheting, yet I’d never actually made a blanket for him. I wanted to create something special—but also something I could dip in and out of, since I had a few other projects on the go at the time. His birthday is on the 30th of November, and he absolutely loves Christmas, so when I came across a snowflake granny square pattern, it all just clicked. I knew right away it would make the perfect festive blanket for him.

Armed with yarn from my stash, I got to work. I had a lovely deep blue yarn and a creamy white, both picked up in Lidl. I started crocheting the cream snowflakes during a long car journey down to Kent to visit family—it’s quite the trip from Newcastle! Once home, I turned each snowflake into a square using the deep blue yarn as the background.

I designed the blanket to fit him perfectly: wide enough just for him, and long enough to stretch from head to toe. In the end, it measured five squares long by three squares wide. I finished it off with a simple cream border to tie it all together.

He was absolutely thrilled with his blanket and now uses it all the time whenever he needs a bit of extra warmth while watching TV. I hope it keeps him cosy for many years to come.

The Christmas Blanket

One of the designers I follow on Instagram, Anita Gibney, released a Gift of Christmas crochet along (CAL) for Christmas 2024—and the moment I saw the photos, I knew I had to make it. This was my first ever CAL, and I absolutely loved the experience. Each week, a new part of the pattern was released, along with instructions for how many of each square or piece to make. There were even helpful YouTube videos to guide you through it if needed.

You could buy yarn packs in two different colourways; with everything you needed to complete the blanket. But I decided to go the stash-busting route and finally use the beautiful yarn I’d saved from the Crochet Society Advent Calendar—the one I’d set aside right at the beginning of my crochet journey. It felt like the perfect project to finally give that special yarn a purpose!

I couldn’t wait for week one to be released so I could get started. Before I knew it, six weeks had flown by, and my blanket was complete. It turned out to be a large and wonderfully festive piece, and I felt so proud seeing it all finished.

I’ll admit, it did take me another four months to build up the energy to sew in all the yarn tails—not because it was difficult, but because I kept putting it off (who can relate?). A lesson learned: sew those ends in as you go! But it was worth it. This is a timeless, free pattern and such a rewarding make if you haven’t tried it yet. Anita is a brilliant designer, and I love keeping up with her on Instagram and in her Facebook groups. I’ll be joining in on more of her patterns in the future!

Cosy Winter Wishes

This blanket had been sitting on my crochet watch list for over a year. Designed by Anita Gibney, it’s an alternative version of her Christmas Eve Wishes blanket. When I first came across it, I remember thinking, “There’s no way I have the skills to pull that off.” But as time went on and my confidence grew, I finally decided to give it a go—and I had the perfect recipient in mind: my lovely mum.

The colours match her living room beautifully, and I knew she would truly appreciate it, look after it, and treasure it. Once I got started, I really enjoyed the process. The blanket is worked in rows, so at times it felt like progress was slow—but then, all of a sudden, I’d look down and realise I had this gorgeous, large blanket taking shape.

What kept me going was the way each section changed colour and pattern—it added variety and made the project really engaging. That said, this was quite an intense pattern! You had to follow charts carefully and change colours multiple times within a row, so it wasn’t the kind of blanket you could zone out with while watching TV. You definitely had to stay focused, but it was well worth the effort.

I finished it just after Christmas and was so happy to finally gift it to my mum. She has it displayed on the back of an armchair in her living room, and it looks absolutely lovely there. It makes me smile every time I see it, knowing how much love went into every stitch.

Sirdar Hearts and Flowers CAL

After Christmas, having just gifted that beautiful blanket to my mum, I made a little promise to myself: this year, I’ll be good and use up my yarn stash instead of buying more. Well… that didn’t last long!

I spotted a new crochet-along being launched by Sirdar on Facebook called Hearts and Flowers, designed by the talented @sweetSharna. At first, I told myself firmly, “No, I don’t need to make that.” But then I kept seeing more and more people buying their kits, sharing their excitement, and falling in love with the design. Eventually, I gave in—and treated myself to the official yarn pack from the Sirdar website!

Just like previous CALs, the pattern was released over six weeks, with a new section to work on each week. I honestly loved every second of making this blanket. The colours were so vibrant and cheerful—it was a joy to crochet. As soon as I saw the first images of the finished piece, I knew exactly who I wanted to make it for: my daughter. She’s full of life, fun, and energy, and I thought this blanket would be the perfect gift—something special that she could always have, knowing it was made just for her.

The blanket was made in separate sections that were joined together at the end, which made it much more manageable and comfortable to work on—no giant blanket weighing down your knees as you go! It featured lots of granny squares and textured stitches, and I just love how it all came together.

Some people chose to use up their own yarn stash and the results, shared in the Facebook group, were absolutely gorgeous. I followed the official colours this time, but after seeing all those creative versions… I’m definitely tempted to make a second one using stash yarn too!

What’s Next?

The Hearts and Flowers project has only just come to an end, but of course, my mind is already buzzing with the question… what am I going to make next? If you’re a fellow crafter, you’ll understand—there’s always a new idea on the horizon, and your brain never really switches off from planning the next project.

Over the next couple of months, I’ve got two more blankets on the list—both for summer babies. I haven’t quite settled on the patterns or yarn yet, but I’m thinking something light and breathable, maybe a lovely soft cotton to help keep them cool. And, just as I was trying to be good, I’ve spotted that Sirdar is releasing a summer CAL… so I have a feeling I won’t be able to resist that one either!