Can a beginner really crochet a blanket?
Yes — a blanket is one of the most beginner-friendly crochet projects because it's just a rectangle. No shaping, no increasing or decreasing, no fitting. You pick a yarn and stitch, work rows until the piece is the size you want, and finish off.
The main challenge of a beginner blanket isn't skill — it's patience. A lap throw takes 40–60 hours of work, typically 6–10 weeks of evening crochet. That's longer than every other project in our beginner projects guide. If you've never finished a full-size crochet project before, make a smaller scarf first to be sure you enjoy the stitching before committing to the blanket.
If you're genuinely new to crochet, finish a dishcloth or two before starting a blanket. See our how long to learn crochet guide for a realistic progression.
Choosing the right blanket size
Standard blanket sizes, worked in chunky yarn on a 6mm hook:
Baby blanket: 75×100 cm. Roughly 800 g of yarn. 20–30 hours of work.
Lap throw: 100×150 cm. Roughly 1,500 g of yarn. 40–60 hours of work.
Single bed throw: 130×180 cm. Roughly 2,200 g of yarn. 60–90 hours of work.
Double bed throw: 180×220 cm. Roughly 3,500 g of yarn. 100–150 hours of work.
Most beginners should start with a baby blanket or lap throw. A baby blanket gives you the full experience of the project in a realistic timeframe. A lap throw is the classic beginner choice if you want something for your own sofa.
Full bed blankets (double, king, super king) are multi-month projects — realistic for experienced crocheters but demoralising for first-timers. Build up to them.
Three beginner-friendly blanket approaches
Approach 1: single-colour double crochet rectangle. The absolute simplest. Chain a foundation the width of your blanket, work double crochet rows until the piece is the length you want, finish off. Zero decision-making after yarn choice. Best for: people who want pure repetitive calm and a finished object.
Approach 2: granny square blanket. Make dozens of granny squares and join them together. More visually interesting, easier to pick up and put down, and you can work on one square at a time (makes it feel more achievable than a growing rectangle). Best for: people who like variety and want to break the project into bite-sized pieces.
Approach 3: stripe blanket. Work double crochet rows in alternating colours — change every 4–10 rows. Uses only the basic stitch but looks more intentional than a single-colour throw. Best for: people who want visual interest without learning new techniques. See how to change colour in crochet for the colour-change technique.
Other intermediate options once you're confident: the moss stitch blanket, the waffle stitch blanket, or a ripple/chevron pattern. Save these for your second or third blanket — a simple rectangle is the right first project.
Choosing yarn for your first blanket
Yarn weight matters more than brand. Chunky or super-chunky yarn produces faster, cosier blankets than DK or aran — but also heavier and more expensive per blanket.
Aran weight (our recommendation for a first blanket). A middle ground. Drops Paris aran (~£2.50 per ball) is our go-to — soft, cotton, washable, good stitch definition. About 15 balls for a lap throw. Total cost: ~£38.
Chunky weight. Faster, warmer, a bit bulkier. Drops Nepal aran or Lion Brand Wool-Ease are popular picks. About 10 balls for a lap throw. Total cost: ~£35.
Super-chunky weight. The 'arm-knitting' style yarns — huge stitches, finished blanket in 15–20 hours. Drops Polaris or Wool and the Gang Crazy Sexy Wool are standard. More expensive per ball (~£8–15) but fewer needed. Total cost: ~£60–100.
Avoid DK or 4-ply weight for your first blanket — they work up slowly (100+ hours for a lap throw) and look thin unless you specifically want a lightweight summer throw.
For washability, pure cotton (Drops Paris) and acrylic blends (Lion Brand Wool-Ease) are easiest. 100% wool felts in the washing machine — only use it if the recipient will hand-wash.
How to crochet a simple rectangular blanket — step by step
Step 1. Pick your blanket size and yarn. For a 100×150 cm lap throw in aran yarn: buy 15 balls of Drops Paris aran, a 6mm crochet hook (Clover Amour), scissors and a tapestry needle. Full kit breakdown on our crochet starter kit page.
Step 2. Make a foundation chain. For a blanket width, aim for roughly 2–2.5 chains per centimetre in aran yarn. For a 100 cm wide blanket, chain 200–250 stitches. Keep your tension moderate so the chain doesn't tighten.
Step 3. Row 1: work double crochet into the fourth chain from the hook, then into each chain across. If your chain was 200, you should have 198 double crochets (the first three chains counted as the first dc).
Step 4. Turn: chain 3, turn your work. The chain-3 counts as the first dc of the next row.
Step 5. Row 2: work double crochet into each stitch across the row. The last dc goes into the top of the chain-3 turning chain from the previous row.
Step 6. Repeat row 2 for as many rows as you need. For a 150 cm long blanket in aran, you'll need roughly 125–150 rows.
Step 7. Periodically measure the piece against your target dimensions. Stop when you reach your length. Finish off by cutting the yarn with a 15 cm tail, pulling it through the last loop.
Step 8. Weave in all your yarn ends with a tapestry needle. For a single-colour blanket, you'll have just 2 ends (start and finish). For a stripe blanket, you'll have 2 ends per colour change.
Optional step 9: add a border. A simple single crochet border around the whole blanket tidies the edges and adds a crisp finish. Work single crochet along each side, putting 3 sc into each corner to turn.
How long will it actually take?
Honest estimates for a lap throw (100×150 cm) in aran yarn on a 6mm hook, assuming double crochet throughout:
If you crochet 1 hour a day, 5 days a week: 10–12 weeks.
If you crochet 2 hours a day, 5 days a week: 5–6 weeks.
Weekend-warrior sessions (6-hour Sunday bursts): 7–10 weekends.
Most beginners realistically finish a first blanket in 8–12 weeks. Don't be discouraged by the calendar time — the actual work adds up in small sessions.
Chunky yarn roughly halves these numbers. Super-chunky yarn cuts them to around 15–20 total hours.
Common beginner blanket mistakes
Foundation chain too tight. The whole blanket starts puckering from row 1. Fix: work your foundation chain with a hook one size larger than the rest of the blanket, or consciously loosen your tension on the chain.
Uneven stitch count row to row. The blanket comes out trapezoidal instead of rectangular. Fix: count stitches at the end of every row for the first 10 rows. Usually the issue is missing the last stitch of the row (the one into the top of the turning chain).
Yarn running out mid-row. Stressful but fixable — join new yarn at the end of the previous row, not mid-row if possible. Weave in both ends later. Avoid tying knots; they show on the back.
Abandoning the project at 60% done. Common, and preventable. Set small weekly milestones (e.g. 'finish two more rows this week'), not a single 'finish the blanket' goal that feels endless.
Yarn colour bleeding after the first wash. Always pre-wash a test swatch in the same water temperature you'll use. Bright reds and dark blues are the worst offenders. If in doubt, choose a light tonal palette that won't run.
What to try after your first blanket
Once you've finished a simple rectangle blanket, natural next steps: a textured blanket using moss stitch or waffle stitch for visual interest, a granny square blanket (if you started with plain rows), or a ripple/chevron blanket (adds a zigzag pattern using simple increase and decrease techniques).
For children's blankets, consider amigurumi-inspired blankets that incorporate small crocheted characters or motifs. For hand-made gifts, a granny square cushion cover is a faster win at 8–12 hours of work.