100 Best Crochet Blanket Patterns of 2016
These crochet afghan patterns were your favorites this year! Check 'em out!
It's time to take a look back on 2016, and so AllFreeCrochetAfghanPatterns put together our very own best-of list for the year. From crochet baby blankets to ripple stitch designs, granny square patterns to elegant lace patterns, we have the best of the best in this collection of free afghan crochet patterns. And by searching for and clicking on these projects in our newsletters, you the readers have helped us compile this extensive list.
No matter what type of project you're looking for and what your skill level is, you'll find your next favorite project here. We're huge fans of the fast and quick afghans, but the crochet lace designs would be so perfect for a simple summertime throw. We also found some of the top baby blankets to make, so when you're in need of a homemade gift but don't have too much time to spare, you'll be able to find something perfect.
Table of Contents
Fast Crochet Afghan Patterns
You don't often think of crochet blanket patterns as being fast and quick designs, but there are ways to speed up your progress and work up a blanket faster than you might think! Mile a minute crochet patterns are types of patterns that are worked individually in long strips and then are joined together, similar to how a granny square afghan is constructed.
You can also use bulkier yarn to increase the size of your crochet stitches, making them take up more space for fewer rows.
Crochet Baby Blanket Patterns
Crochet baby blankets were some of the most popular type of pattern on our site this year - and it's not hard to see why! These designs feature everything you know and love from full-sized afghans and throws, only condensed into a miniature version that doesn't take quite as long to work up. Try the Oceanic Crochet Baby Blanket, pictured, for a baby-sized shell stitch afghan. Or, give the Dreamy Basket Weave Afghan for a thick, plush and quick design that features the super easy basket weave crochet stitch.
Crochet Granny Squares and Afghans
There are two types of granny square afghans: there's the type that is worked up by joining numerous individual granny square designs, like the Crochet Refreshing Throw, and then there's the type that's formed by working a simple granny square in the round and continuing to increase the size of it, like in the pictured Crocheted Granny Lapghan. Whichever you prefer, you'll find your next favorite crochet granny square afghan in this list.
Ripple Blanket Patterns
Ripple crochet blankets are stunning and feature a lovely zig-zag pattern throughout. Made by simple increases and decreases, the chevron design of these rippleghans can be extreme, like in the Crochet V Stitch Ripple Afghan pictured to the left, or more gentle and wavy, like in the Easy Everyday Crochet Blanket. Use multiple colors to create a striped effect, or simply let the ripple stitch work its magic in one color - the choice is yours!
Lace Crochet Blanket Patterns
Crochet lace designs come in all sizes and yarn weights. Though these crochet blankets are typically worked in a lightweight yarn, you can also use heavier yarn as in the worsted weight Lacy Shades of Pink Shells, pictured at left. You can even work supremely detailed, delicate designs by using a type of crochet called Irish Lace Crochet, a style that heavily influenced the Irish Lace blanket.
More Crochet Blanket Patterns
As if all those crochet blanket patterns weren't enough, we have a few more for you to work through! These crochet patterns didn't quite fit into any other category, so we decided to just group them on their own. Our favorites include the Lattice Crochet Cable blanket that features, as the name suggests, crochet cables work in a lattice design, and the Lilac & Sage Raised Rib Crochet Blanket, pictured at left, uses half double crochet stitches and front post double crochet stitches to create a fun texture you'll love.
What type of crochet blanket were you looking for in 2016?