Free Heart Motif Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern

Pattern Description:

This Heart Motif Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern uses tapestry crochet and wide HDC to create a design where yarn is carried along the back of the work to switch colors easily.

The hearts are built by slowly increasing white stitches on each row against a darker background to prevent colors from peaking through. The pattern includes a border made with back loop half double crochet ribbing.

Materials Needed & Measurements:

• Yarn: Caron Simply Soft (100% acrylic, 170 g/6 oz, 288 m/315 yds)
  • Colors/Skeins: 4 skeins Soft Green, 1 skein White
• Hook: Size H/5.00mm hook
• Notions: Tapestry needle, scissors
• Measurements: Finished size 32 in x 34 in

Stitches & Abbreviations Used:

• Half Double Crochet (HDC): Yarn over (YO), insert your hook, YO and pull up a loop, YO, pull through three loops.
• Wide Half Double Crochet (WHDC): YO, insert your hook between stitch posts, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through all three loops on hook.
• Chain (CH): Implied, as “Chain 101” is mentioned.
• Slip Stitch (SL ST): Implied, used in the border instructions.

Instructions for Making the Heart Motif Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern:

Starting the Blanket Base

Begin by using Caron Simply Soft yarn in Soft Green with a Size H/5.00mm hook.

• CH 101 with Soft Green. (To adjust the blanket size, you can chain any multiple of 10, then add 1).
• ROW 1: Starting in the 3rd CH from the hook, work 1 HDC in each CH across the row. CH 2 and turn.
• ROWS 2 – 3: Work 1 WHDC in each space across the row. CH 2 and turn. From this point onward, you will always insert your hook between the stitch posts of the previous row.

Creating the Heart Motif

The hearts are designed to be built visually rather than by strictly counting stitches for each color change on every row. The concept involves slowly increasing white stitches on each row against a darker background to prevent colors from showing through.

• ROW 4 (Starting the first heart base): Work 1 WHDC in each of the first 9 spaces with Soft Green, then 1 WHDC in the next space with White. Repeat from to the end of the row. CH 2 and turn.
• Building the Heart Shape (Subsequent Rows):
  • After the initial row, focus on visually building your heart by placing white stitches on either side of the white stitches from the row below.
  • You will essentially add one white ST on every row until you have a total of 6 white STs.
  • On the next row, you will work 6 white STs with 1 Soft Green ST in the middle to begin the curve of the heart.
  • Following this, on the subsequent row, you will take the sides of your heart back in by working 4 white STs with 2 Soft Green STs in the middle to further define the curve.
  • Each completed heart set should have a total of eight rows that contain white stitches.
• Between Heart Sets: After completing your first set of hearts, you can cut the White yarn. Then, work 4 rows of WHDC entirely in Soft Green. If you wish to space your hearts out more, ensure you have an even number of rows between the heart motifs so the stitches align correctly.
• Repeat: To create additional sets of hearts, repeat the process starting from ROW 4 (or the heart building instructions). The designer made a total of eight sets of hearts for her blanket.

Adding the Border

The border for this blanket is created using back loop half double crochet ribbing.

• Round 1:
  • Work 1 HDC in between the posts around the entire blanket.
  • For each corner space, work 3 HDC.
  • Along the sides, work 1 HDC per row.
  • At the end of the round, join with a SL ST to the first HDC.
• Round 2 (Ribbing Formation):
  • Working in the same direction, CH 7 (note: the designer chained 7 for a slightly less thick border, while her mom chained 9; you can chain any number for your desired thickness).
  • In the 3rd CH from the hook, work 1 HDC, then continue to work 1 HDC into each CH for a total of 5 HDC.
  • SL ST into the next ST on the border, and then SL ST into the subsequent ST.
  • Turn your work. Skip over the SL STs you just made, and then work 5 HDC into the back loops of the HDC stitches you just created down the chain.
  • CH 2 and turn.
  • Work 5 back loop only HDC back down to the edge of the blanket.
  • SL ST into the next two spaces along the blanket edge.
  • Repeat this process down the entire side of the blanket.
• Corner Treatment for Border:
  • When you reach a corner, instead of slip stitching over two times, you will SL ST into the corner space three times in a row.
  • This means that after you work the HDC stitches up and down the chain, you will SL ST back into the same corner space three times, which helps to fan the work around the corner.
  • After the corner, return to slip stitching over the next two spaces as usual.

Finishing the Border:

• Continue around the entire blanket.
• When you complete the last corner, SL ST 3 times into the same space.
• End your work on the outside edge of the blanket.
• Tie off, leaving a long tail.
• Sew the last edge to the first edge of the border to seamlessly join it.
• Finally, weave in all remaining ends for a neat finish.

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