Crochet Blanket Sizes + Printable Chart & More

Blankets are popular projects among crocheters. They add comfort to our homes, make great gifts and range in skill level. There’s no denying the satisfying feeling of finishing a cozy crocheted blanket. But one thing can throw a wrench in the works: Crochet Blanket Sizes.

When it comes to blankets, first we consider what size we want to make. From there, we can search out patterns that fit our goal or decide to make our own blanket from a stitch we love.

But if you aren’t familiar with crochet blanket sizes, how do you decide what size a blanket should be?

And, if you aren’t familiar with creating your own projects without a pattern, how do you figure out how many chains you’ll need for your chosen blanket size? 

Let’s answer those questions and go over all of the typical crochet blanket sizes we see in patterns today.

Do we have to match “standard” Crochet Blanket Sizes?

If you’ve ever wondered about crochet blanket sizes, you may have wondered whether or not it needs to match a specific “standard”. You’re not alone!

It’s easy to become overwhelmed with size options, with our own perfectionism and thinking we have to fit a mold.

And, online search results for crochet blanket sizes often include results from mattress manufacturers that either say a blanket has to be a specific size or don’t include sizes we’re looking for at all.

While results like this can make us feel like our blankets need to be an exact size and if it isn’t that size, we’ve messed up…

That’s categorically untrue.

The best thing about crochet is that our projects are unique to us – regardless of what we make and if we follow a pattern.

As crocheters, we are allowed to make any size of anything we want. You don’t have to fit into specifics here for your blanket to be “good”.

Consider this list of crochet blanket sizes to be a goal but not a law.

It’s okay if you aim to make a baby blanket that’s 30 x 30 inches but it turns out to be 31 x 31 inches. It’s still going to be cozy, the baby is still going to be loved and I would bet money the baby will cherish that blanket forever because YOU made it.

Similarly, you don’t have to make a blanket in the sizes listed here. These are general ideas for sizes. It’s your project and it’s unique to you, after all!

General Crochet Blanket Size Names and Who They’re Intended For

There are a lot of crochet blanket sizes out there and it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of numbers.

Typically, though, it’s pretty easy to look at them in categories and then look at your goal blanket size from there.

When breaking down the categories of crochet blanket sizes, consider them like this:

• Blankets for Babies: Lovey, Preemie, Cradle, Stroller, Receiving, Crib and Swaddle
• Blankets for Children: Toddler, Child and Teen Throw Blankets
• Blankets for Adults/Couch: Lapghan, Small, Medium and Large Throw Blankets
• Blankets for Bedding: Twin, Double, Queen, King, California King

Crochet Blanket Sizes Charts

The charts below are broken down into categories of crochet blanket sizes, similar to how they’re written out above.

Crochet Blanket Sizes for Babies

Baby Blanket Size	Inches (in)	Centimeters (cm)
Common Pattern Sizes	30 x 30 or 36 x 36 or 42 x 42	76 x 76 or 91 x 91 or 107 x 107
Lovey	12 x 12	30 x 30
Preemie	18 x 24 or 20 x 20	46 x 61 or 51 x 51
Cradle	14 x 30	36 x 76
Stroller	30 x 36	76 x 91
Receiving	40 x 40	102 x 102
Crib	40 x 60 or 45 x 60	102 x 152 or 114 x 152
Swaddle	48 x 48	122 x 122

Notice the wide range of sizes for baby blankets. I have included “Common Pattern Sizes” as this is what you’ll typically see the most in patterns.

Crochet Blanket Sizes for Children

Child Blanket Sizes	Inches (in)	Centimeters (cm)
Toddler	36 x 48	91 x 122
Child	42 x 54	107 x 137
Teen	48 x 60	122 x 152

These blankets are typically considered “throw” blankets, or blankets for comfort or to cuddle in and watch a movie. These aren’t sized for bedding.

Crochet Blanket Sizes for Adults (or the couch!)

Adult Blanket Sizes	Inches (in)	Centimeters (cm)
Lapghan	36 x 48	91 x 122
Small Throw	48 x 60 or 50 x 60	122 x 152 or 127 x 152
Medium Throw	54 x 66	137 x 168
Large Throw	60 x 72	152 x 182

Again, the goal with these blankets is more for comfort and cuddling in while on the couch.

Crochet Blanket Sizes for Beds

Bedding Blanket Sizes	Inches (in)	Centimeters (cm)
Twin	66 x 90	168 x 229
Double	84 x 90	213 x 229
Queen	90 x 96 or 90 x 100	229 x 244 or 229 x 254
King	108 x 90 to 100	274 x 229 to 254
California King	104 x 108	264 x 274

Want all the sizes above in a printable chart? I’ve got you covered! Click the button below to download the PDF.

How to determine starting chains for your blanket size (without a pattern)

You don’t have to follow a pattern to crochet a blanket. You absolutely can make blankets on your own using any stitch you like.

Making a blanket on your own does raise the question of how many starting chains you’d need for your blanket to turn out the size you want.

Perhaps one of the most commonly asked questions I receive as a designer is: “How many starting chains do I need to make a blanket X size using Y stitch?”

The answer? It depends.

Yarn weight, hook size, your tension, the stitch you choose, whether or not you want a big border or a small one… These are all variables that can change how many chains you’d need to create a crochet blanket in the size you desire.

The bad news is: It’s not always super easy for designers to answer this question directly (such as: “Easy! 100 chains!”), especially when it isn’t our pattern, we don’t know what yarn weight or hook size you’ll use or the stitch you’ve decided on.

The good news is: It’s actually a lot easier to figure out your starting chain amount than you’d think. All you have to do is make a gauge swatch and do a little bit of basic math.

I use the math below all the time when designing patterns. My 2023 Crochet Temperature Blanket turned out how I wanted because I did this math.

Crochet Blanket Sizes Chain Length: The Math

To figure out how many chains will be required for your crochet blanket size, you first need to make a gauge swatch with the specific yarn, hook size and stitch pattern you’ll be using.

Crochet a gauge swatch that is at least 4 inches wide and 4 inches tall. You can learn more about gauge, how to make a gauge swatch and how to measure your gauge swatch in my Gauge Master Post.

Don’t cut the yarn when you finish your swatch. You can unravel this swatch and use the yarn in your blanket!

Once your swatch is completed, measure how many stitches make up 4 inches across the row. Make sure to include all stitches (and chain 1 spaces, if your stitch pattern has chain 1 spaces like the Moss Stitch).

Let’s say for the sake of example that 15 stitches makes up 4 inches and let’s say we’re looking to make a lapghan which is typically 36 inches wide.

To figure out how many stitches we’d need to make up 36 inches in width, and therefore how many starting chains we’d need, we’ll do some easy math:

We know that 15 stitches makes up 4 inches. What we now need to know is how many times would 4 inches fit into 36 inches.

To find this answer, divide 36 inches by 4 inches and our answer is: 9

Note: If this isn’t a whole number, that’s okay! You can use that number, do the rest of the math as listed here and round the final result (number of chains) up or down to a whole number.

Now we multiply the amount of stitches that make up 4 inches (15) by the amount of times 4 inches fits into 36 (9). 15 x 9 = 135.

This means we would need approximately 135 stitches to make up the 36 inches in width. You would begin with 135 chains + turning chains for the start of your first row.

Things to consider after you find how many chains you’ll need for your crochet blanket size:

• Always consider the resulting number result to be approximate. You may notice a slight difference in width but you should be close to your goal.
• If your stitch pattern requires a certain stitch multiple to work properly, you will need to keep this in mind.
  • For example, if your stitch multiple requires 3 stitches, you will need to make sure your chains are a multiple of 3 stitches.
  • Example: 136 is not a multiple of 3 stitches but 135 is.
• Don’t be afraid to go up or down in number for your starting chains by a couple of chains, especially if you need a certain stitch multiple.
• Don’t forget to add the turning chains to your chain count. Using the example above, we would need 135 STITCHES but we will need to begin with more chains to count as our turning chains for the first row.
• Borders will affect finished crochet blanket sizes. If you plan to create a border that is 1 inch wide, make sure to make your blanket 2 inches less wide than your goal. 1 inch on each side of the blanket will add 2 inches in width and 2 inches in height. 

You might be asking: “Can’t I just make a chain about as wide as I want the blanket to be?”

You could… But chain length doesn’t always equal finished width. You’ll likely find that your blanket isn’t the size you want if you just create a length of chains without doing a gauge swatch.

Chains are ambiguous in size. While we can make them tighter or looser, what really matters is our tension in the stitch. The stitch itself will push and pull on those chains causing them to change length.

This is why it’s so important to do a gauge swatch, even for projects without patterns. You can try to get around the gauge swatch with Foundation Stitches like FSC but these can still be a little ambiguous in size, though not as significantly as chains.

How to change the size of blanket patterns

Changing the size of blanket patterns from designers can vary in how easy or hard it is.

Blankets made in simple rows are the easiest to change size (usually).

Typically, designers will include the stitch multiple that is used for their blanket. Knowing the stitch multiple is your key to changing the size of the blanket.

With a stitch multiple in hand, you can add or remove that multiple of stitches from your starting chains to change the size.

Additionally, you can make the blanket longer or shorter by repeating the rows in the pattern more or less times than specified.

Borders can help add size to a blanket if you just need a little extra width and length.

Of course, borders can change the size of the blanket, too! Add a bigger border to make the blanket both longer and wider or make your border more simple than the designer’s border to make it a little smaller.

Blankets made from squares seamed together are also fairly easy to change the size of.

You can make more or less squares to seam into your desired blanket size, add an extra border onto each square or use thicker yarn and a bigger hook.

Changing a blanket pattern becomes more difficult if: you don’t have a stitch multiple, the blanket has several stitch multiples (like a stitch sampler blanket or the Harmony Throw Blanket CAL and Serenity Throw Blanket CAL), it’s worked as a square from the center out and has many intricate stitches, etc.

In these cases, you can try reaching out to the designer and kindly asking them their opinion and for their help.

Some blankets will be difficult to change the size of (or sometimes nearly impossible).

In cases like this, you have an option but it’s not a bulletproof one. If you want the blanket to be bigger, use a heavier weight of yarn and a bigger hook. If you want the blanket to be smaller, use a thinner weight of yarn and a smaller hook.

Again, this isn’t bulletproof and a designer can’t say specifically the size it will turn out OR how this will change the yarn requirements of your project. But… your blanket will be bigger or smaller.

Blankets like the Serenity Throw Blanket can be very difficult to change the size of because they have so many different stitch multiples.

A final thought for Crochet Blanket Sizes…

Now that we’ve gone over crochet blanket sizes, how to figure out starting chains and other tips, here’s a little something interesting to think about:

Manufacturers of mattresses generally agree on a standard size of blankets for bedding, though many manufacturer websites now include several baby blanket sizes.

I found that mattress manufacturers tend to say that a baby blanket is anywhere from 14 inches wide by 16 inches long to 18 inches wide by 24 inches long. This is likely because they’re thinking of bedding.

The interesting thing, though, is that crocheters generally think of baby blankets as more square shaped and typically aim for about 30-36 inches by 30-36 inches.

Perhaps this comes down to our goal of having a blanket that the baby can grow with and use well into their toddler years and keep as a cherished, nostalgic item as they grow older.

This data doesn’t really matter when it comes to deciding your crochet blanket size.

What this is showing is our experience with crochet ultimately changes how we see “standards”.

We think in terms of love, comfort and being wrapped up in something cozy. We aren’t thinking like a manufacturer.

This is something we should remember when we set out to crochet our own blankets: Our goal and our love put into the blanket means more than a “standard” blanket size.

FAQ

How big should I make my blanket?

That’s up to you, of course! Consider who or what the blanket is for, your goal of the blanket, etc. This will help you decide on the right size of blanket for your project.

How should I care for my crochet blanket?

Crochet blankets are a big item that will need to be washed now and then. Make sure to keep the yarn care information from your skein label somewhere you’ll remember to check it, if needed.

You can usually wash and dry your blanket according to the instructions on the skein label, though you’ll want to wash the blanket alone (so nothing snags the stitches) and typically on a gentle cycle so that it isn’t agitated as much.

I like to air dry my blankets regardless of if the skein label says it can be dried in a dryer or not. I find this helps the yarn keep its integrity longer. If you opt for air drying, make sure to lay the blanket (or other crocheted item) flat to dry so the stitches don’t get pulled and warped.

Do I have to do a gauge swatch for blankets?

Technically, no you don’t have to – But gauge swatches can help make sure our projects turn out the way we expect them to so they are very highly recommended.

What’s the difference between an Afghan, a blanket and a quilt?

While “Afghan” seems like it’s a category in itself and therefore would have a specific size, it doesn’t. Afghan is a term used to reference blankets made of distinctive textiles – which relates to crochet or knit and therefore Afghan is used interchangeably with blanket.

Quilts are typically referred to in sewing in which one makes a large blanket from several pieces of fabric. Crocheters don’t usually use the term “quilt” though it has been used to reference blankets made of squares that are sewn together.

How long does it take to crochet a blanket?

It depends largely on how fast you crochet, how large the blanket is, how intricate the stitch is, etc. It’s nearly impossible to say exactly how long it would take you to crochet a blanket, though you can expect to put several hours into the project regardless of size.

What if my gauge doesn’t match the pattern? Will that change the crochet blanket size?

Yes, it will. If you want your blanket to turn out more or less the same as the pattern, you’ll need to match the the designer’s gauge.

If your gauge is too big, go down a hook size and make a new gauge swatch. If your gauge is too small, go up a hook size and make a new gauge swatch.

What are the most popular crochet blanket sizes?

The most popular crochet blanket sizes are typically a general baby blanket (30-36 inches x 30-36 inches) and throw blankets (50 inches x 60 inches).