Quick Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern "The Riley"

If you’ve ever wondered how to crochet a quick and easy crochet baby blanket, then you’ll love this design. The Riley is a beautiful one-of-a-kind heirloom baby blanket created using a random stripe pattern.

You can use the crochet stitch explanations, yarn details and beginner-friendliness of this blanket pattern to create your own adorable crochet baby blankets.

Keep on scrolling down to find the quick crochet baby blanket pattern and to start crocheting today.

Only 2 Easy Crochet Stitches

“The Riley” blanket is an easy, free crochet baby blanket pattern that uses two basic crochet stitches: the half double crochet and double crochet.

Half Double Crochet

Abbreviation: hdc
Difficulty Level: Easy
Learn this stitch →

Patterns Using This Stitch →

Double Crochet

Abbreviation: dc
Difficulty Level: Easy
Learn this stitch →

Patterns Using This Stitch →

If you don’t know either of these crochet stitches, the links above will take you to our tutorials on each of them. Once you’ve mastered these two, you will be able to crochet this unique baby blanket easily.

This easy pattern is worked in a two row stitch repeat of a row of half double crochets and then a row of double crochet clusters, so you’ll be able to crochet it fast. Learn more about each crochet stitch below used in the easy blanket.

Half Double Crochet Stitch (HDC)

Use the written tutorial below to learn the HDC stitch for this blanket, or watch the HDC video tutorial instead.

YO (yarn over) Insert hook from front to back of the designated stitch, YO the hook and pick up a loop.
YO the hook and pull back through all three loops on the hook.

Double Crochet Stitch (DC)

Use the written tutorial below to learn the DC stitch for this baby blanket, or watch the DC video tutorial instead.

Wrap the yarn over (YO) the hook, insert the hook into the specified st.
YO the hook again, draw the yarn through the st, so there are 3 loops on the hook
YO the hook again draw it through 2 loops, so there are 2 loops on the hook
YO the hook, draw it through the final 2 loops.

The Yarn For this Easy Crochet Baby Blanket

For this baby blanket I used Caron Simply Soft a four weight, 100% acrylic yarn from Yarnspirations that is available in a wide array of colors such as pastel, solids and variegated varieties. You’ll love how soft this yarn is. It crochets up into a cozy blanket that is perfect next to babies sensitive skin.

I knew before I started that I wanted to create a striped blanket, so I could use the new stripe generator here on the blog. I chose three different yarn colors in varying even row widths as shown below in Persimmon, White and Country Blue.

Caron Simply Soft Yarn – White, Country Blue & Persimmon

You can add more colors to your baby blanket or even less if you prefer. A one color baby blanket would mean fewer ends to weave, which is a great option for those of us who dislike weaving in yarn ends on multicolored yarn blankets.

However, a baby blanket with a wide variety of colors and stripes comes out insanely beautiful and would make a great baby shower gift in any color.

Luckily, this baby afghan is easy to customize with any color. You can change the colors to any combination you find. Make either a baby boy or baby girl crochet blanket by just swapping out one color for another.

How to Make a Crochet Baby Blanket

The crochet blanket pattern below creates a baby blanket that has a finished blanket size of 30 inches by 26 inches (76 x 66 cm) and uses 550 yards (506 meters) of yarn.

To create the striped design in the Riley baby blanket, I used the pattern stripe generator. Take a look and be warned, you are going to love it and made sure to set the rows to have an even number of rows such as 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.

I wanted even rows since the blanket stitch pattern is worked in a row of half double crochets and the double crochet stitch clusters. Because of this, the rows of the blanket are even, and we will not end up with any color changes in the middle of a sequence.

Let’s Get Started

Are you ready? Let’s get started on your new favorite baby blanket crochet pattern! Here is “The Riley” baby blanket pattern.

Easy & Free Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern

Skill Level: Easy

Materials

Caron Simply Soft (550 yards/506 meters) or any other medium weight (aka worsted weight yarn) #4 yarn
- Persimmon (195 yards/180 meters)
- White (195 yards/180 meters)
- Country Blue (160 yards/146 meters)
Crochet hook size G – 4 mm
Yarn needle
Scissors
Measuring tape

Gauge

Approximately 13 sts x 7 rows = 4″ x 4″

Finished Size

30″ X 26″ (76 x 66 cm)

Notes

This pattern is written in standard US terms
Learn how to change yarn colors in crochet with our simple tutorial.
To change the size use a multiple of 3 +5
Multiples of 3: 3,6,9,12,15,18,21,24, 27,30,33,36,39,42,45, 48,51,54,57,60,63,
66,69,72,75,78, 81,84,87,90,93, etc.

Row Color Chart

This is the chart I used to create this blanket, but you can always use our pattern stripe generator to create a unique one of your own.

The Crochet Baby Blanket Free Pattern

The number of rows for each color is shown in () in the chart.

FOUNDATION ROW: Ch 86, in 2nd ch from the hook sc, sc in each st across. (85) work in color of choice

Start following color chart shown above

ROW 1: ch 3, in 1st st make a dc, *sk 2 st’s, dc 3 times in next st, repeat from* across ending with 3 st’s, skip 2 and 2 dc’s in the last st, turn.(The turning chains count as a dc in these rows when counting sts)

ROW 2: ch 1, in first st make a hdc, hdc in each st across, end with a hdc in last st, turn. (or the top of the turning chain).

ROW 3: ch 3, in 1st make a dc, *sk 2 st’s, dc 3 times in next st, repeat from* across ending with 3 st’s, skip 2 and 2 dc in the last st, turn. (The turning chains count as stitches in these rows when counting)

ROWS 4–51: rep row 2 and 3 as indicated in the color row chart above.

FINISHING: Weave in loose ends throughout the pattern with a yarn needle.

I hope you enjoyed this free crochet baby blanket pattern! If you prefer to add a crochet border on a baby blanket, have a look at my blanket edging tutorial.

If you make this baby blanket, please share it over in the Easy Crochet Facebook group! We are nice. Promise.

More Free crochet baby blanket patterns

I love crocheting up baby blankets. Below are some other free patterns I’ve created.

Riley baby blanket crochet pattern from easy crochet

2 Comments

Dee Thomas says:

December 3, 2021 at 12:22 pm

Oh my gosh, this was so easy. I am new to making baby blankets, so this was great. Thank you very much.

1. Krista Cagle says:
  
  December 3, 2021 at 9:28 pm
  
  You are welcome, Dee! I am so glad you enjoyed this blanket!
  
  Happy Crocheting,
  
  -Krista

The Riley: Easy & Quick Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern