Crochet Blanket Do’s and Don’ts for Beginners
Blankets are the first thing that a lot of people try to crochet. Whether it’s creating granny squares or working up some rows to practice your new craft, blankets are a lot of people’s crochet origin story.
Today I’ll share my top do’s and don’ts to help you get to grips with crocheting blankets, and hopefully avoid several of the mistakes I’ve made over the past decade in the hobby.
DO These Things When You Are Crocheting Blankets
Let’s start with the more positive angle. Here are some things to remember!
DO use a bigger hook size for the starting chain
If your blanket begins with a starting chain, size your hook up by .5 to 1mm. Tensioning on chains is often tight, and it can pull one end of the blanket in tighter than the rest of the working rows. Sizing up a little solves this issue before you’ve even begun.
DO note the hook size
There is nothing that annoys me more than pausing a project, returning to it, and realising I have no idea what sized hook I used*. Write it on a scrap of paper and pin it to the WIP, or snap a picture with your phone to help you remember.
DO check the yarn dye batch
And note this down too! Yarns come in dye lots, and they can vary quite a lot between them. When buying your yarn make sure all the hanks have the same code.
DO plan your colors carefully
Color palettes can make or break a crochet project. Before you begin, lay out your yarn skeins together on a plain surface and make sure you are happy with how they match. If your blanket is destined for a particular room in my home, I take the yarn into that room, pop them down and step back to ensure I’m totally happy with how they go with the decor.
DO weave in your ends as you go
You won’t hide them totally at this stage, but you’ll make your job much faster later on.
DO leave long tails
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to hide stubby loose ends. Be generous with them, the length of your forearm seems excessive but it works for me!
DO consider using a border
I love how borders look on crochet blankets, and they are a great way to hide loose ends and little issues. For example, if you miscount stitches in a couple of rows so the edges aren’t totally even, you can use a border to help straighten that out.
DO sew your ends in
There is absolutely a place for hooking in your loose ends. Thick fibers and very short ends are better hooked than sewn. But in general, sewing in the ends* is much fater and in my experience easier to be neater as well.
DO watch your tension
If you’ve crocheted for a few years, your tension is probably pretty consistent. But even the most experienced among us can end up with wonky tension when we are interrupted, or become frustrated and tense up.
DO store it carefully
When you aren’t working on your blanket, don’t just shove it in a bag. Speaking as a frequent crochet bag shover, this never ends well. Use a box, a cardboard delivery box will work fine, or fold the pieces down into a draw. Storing everything neatly won’t just save time later, it’ll keep your blanket in a nicer condition.
DO block your work
I know, I know, blocking is boring. But it is such a good way of getting your crochet blanket laying flat, looking consistent and will make you more enthusiastic about joining it up together later if it’s granny squares you’re working on.
DON’T Do These Things When Crocheting Blankets
Now for those dreaded negatives. Don’t worry, they aren’t that arduous!
DON’T rush your crochet blanket
It’s natural to want to get a project done as quickly as possible, but actually I find taking my time always somehow ends up with a shorter duration. You don’t make as many mistakes, you avoid frogging and you keep calm.
DON’T buy yarn as you go
Yarn comes in dyelots, so you want to make sure that all the yarn in your project is an exact match. And sadly, brands do frequently cancel particular lines of yarn, or even go under all together. Leaving you with a project that you can’t complete in the way you would have wanted.
DON’T be afraid to combine styles
There are benefits to both modern and traditional crochet techniques, but when you merge them together within one blanket it can look really beautiful as well as unique.
DON’T use an uncomfortable yarn texture
Blankets take a while to work up, so this yarn will be winding it’s way around your hands for potentially several weeks. Make sure you like working with the fiber. I always pause for a moment after the first square and ask myself if I like the feel of it, and will I still like it in thirty squares’ time!
DON’T work through pain
Arm, wrist, hand and shoulder pain are common in crocheting. If your body starts to hurt, stop the activity. Working through the pain will make sure that you need to wait longer to recover.
DON’T worry about storing the project and returning to it later
Blankets don’t need to be crocheted in one batch. Many of us have several WIPs on the go at any one time. Neatly pop it away, and come back to it later refreshed if you want to.
DON’T aim too high
Keep your crochet blanket realistic. Don’t make it too huge or too complicated, you’ll only put yourself off.
DON’T share it if you want to keep it
If you are crocheting this blanket with someone in mind, great, go for it. But if you are making it for yourself, and someone else asks for it at the end. And they’ll do so with much flattery and compliments, don’t give it up unless you want to. Your time and money went into this gorgeous creation, but be embarrassed to say “No. It’s mine!”
*The products linked in this pattern were carefully selected by Lucy Kate Crochet. If you decide to purchase using the links provided, we may earn a small commission on that sale. This is at no extra cost to you.
