Three Color Baby Blanket – Free Crochet Pattern

Three Color Blanket

I had so much fun designing this Three Color Baby Blanket! I wanted to create a colorful baby blanket that was easy to make but still had lots of visual interest. I love how the three colors work together to create cheerful stripes and really show off the subtle texture of the stitches.

The finished blanket is cozy and snuggly without being too heavy, making it a wonderful baby blanket for any time of year. And because the design works with so many different color combinations, you can have a lot of fun choosing three colors to make the blanket completely your own.

There’s also a lovely textured complementary border that’s simple to make but really ties everything together and adds a stunning finishing touch.

And don’t worry about weaving in ends after every row! The yarn is carried up the sides as you work and then neatly hidden when the border is added.

It’s a very special blanket that can wrap a little one in love, be there for countless cuddles, help create the sweetest memories and become a cherished keepsake.

The pattern includes detailed written instructions and a step-by-step video tutorial showing how to crochet this beautiful blanket from start to finish.

Use the Table of Contents below to jump to any section of the pattern or keep scrolling down to view all the details, the video tutorial and the written instructions.

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Pattern Details

Skill Level

Easy

Size

The pattern creates a blanket that is approx. 31” x 31”. Instructions for adjusting the size are included in the “How to Adjust the Size” section below.

Materials

Yarn: Any size 3 (light) yarn in three colors. 

You can also use size 4 (medium) yarn – see the “Using Size 4 yarn” section below for details.

You will need approx.:

• Color A (I used yellow): 300 yds. 
• Color B (I used green): 290 yds.
• Color C (I used blue): 420 yds in total
  (280 yds for the blanket body & 140 yds for the border).

I used Softee Baby yarn by Bernat. This yarn is size 3 (light) and 100% acrylic. A skein is 362 yds / 331 m and 5 oz / 140 g. For Color A, I used 1 skein of “Lemon.”

For Color B, I used 1 skein of “Mint.”

For Color C, I used 2 skeins of “Pale Blue.”

Crochet Hook Size: H/8 (5.00 mm).

Other Materials: Yarn needle, scissors and a measuring tape. Optional: a stitch marker.

Terminology

This pattern is written for right-handed crochet using standard US terminology. If you’re more familiar with UK terms, here’s my US to UK Conversion Chart. 

Abbreviations

• approx. = approximately
• ch/chs = chain/chains
• ch-1 sp = chain-one space
• ch-2 sp = chain-two space
• dc = double crochet
• sc = single crochet 
• sl st = slip stitch
• sk = skip
• sp/sps = space/spaces 
• st/sts = stitch/stitches

Gauge

Exact sizing is not important. For reference, with size 3 yarn: 4” x 4” = 11 sts and 11 rows following the blanket body and only counting sc and dc sts (not chs or sps).

Using Size 4 Yarn

This pattern was designed using size 3 (light) yarn. However, I also tested the pattern using size 4 (medium) yarn and it worked beautifully. Using size 4 yarn will create a larger, warmer and thicker blanket while still maintaining a lovely drape. To use size 4 yarn, follow the pattern exactly as written and refer to the details below.

Details if using size 4 yarn: 

• Finished size: Approx. 37” x 37” with the border (36” x 36” without). 
• Yarn: The sample was made using Soft Classic yarn by Loops & Threads. The yarn is size 4 (medium) and 100% acrylic. A skein is 354 yds / 324 m and 7 oz / 198 g. Amount required and colors shown:
  • Color A: 375 yds – 2 skeins of “Off White.”
  • Color B: 365 yds – 2 skeins of “Sage.”
  • Color C: 550 yds in total (350 yds for the blanket body and 200 yds for the border) – 2 skeins of “Mauve.” 
• Crochet Hook Size: J/10 (6.00 mm).
• Gauge: Exact sizing is not important. For reference, 4” x 4” = 9 sts and 8 rows following the blanket body and only counting sc and dc sts (not chs or sps).
• To Adjust the Size: Follow the same instructions in the “How to Adjust the Size” section. When using size 4 yarn, 81 sts = 36“ wide, which means there are approx. 2.25 stitches in an inch.

How to Adjust the Size

The pattern creates a blanket that is approx. 31” x 31” with the border (29” x 29” without the border). 

The number of starting chains determines the width and the number of rows determines the height. To adjust the width, make more or less starting chains in multiples of 3 + 2 (meaning to take any number that you can divide by 3 and add 2 to that number i.e. 30 + 2 = 32 starting chains required). To adjust the height, repeat Rows 4 – 9 more or less times until you are 1” away from your desired height, then proceed to the Second Last Row instructions. 

As a guideline, using size 3 yarn: 81 sts = 29“ wide, which means there are approx. 2.8 stitches in an inch. You can take the width you want your blanket to be (in inches) and multiply it by 2.8. For example, if you want your blanket to be approx. 100” wide, 100 x 2.8 = 280. Round up to the nearest multiple of 3. In this example, you would round up to 282. Then add 2 to that number (282 + 2 = 284). So, you would need 284 starting chains to make the blanket approximately 100” wide. (This is a rough estimate and has not been tested but should give you a width that is close to what you want it to be).

Pattern Notes

• Chains never count as stitches.
• Always work into the first stitch (the stitch attached to the chain). 
• You will use three colors (Color A, B & C) and change colors every row. The unused colors are carried up the side. When the border is added, these strands will be covered up. Color A is used for the Start and Row 1. Color B is used for Row 2, Color C for Row 3, etc. Color C is used for the border.
• To attach a new color, place the new yarn on your hook and pull it through the loop of the old color. Always leave the old color hanging – do not fasten off until instructed. When instructed to use the color again, pick it up, place it on your hook and pull it through the loop of the old color. 
• You may find it helpful to place a stitch marker in the top of the first stitch made in every row and round. 
• I call the stitch used in the blanket body the “Modified Wattle Stitch” as it’s similar to the Wattle Stitch but it uses two chains between stitches instead of one. 

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Video Tutorial

Watch the step-by-step video tutorial below or keep scrolling down for the written instructions.

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Just a Reminder!

This pattern is also available as a PDF, which includes everything listed here but as a printer-friendly, ad-free PDF that you can instantly download, save, print, make notes on and keep forever.

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Pattern Instructions

Blanket Body

Start: With Color A (I used yellow), ch 122.

For Row 1 (only) work into the back ridge loops. 

Continue using Color A for all of Row 1.

Row 1:

In the second ch from the hook, (sc, ch 2, dc). 

*Sk 2 chs. In the next ch, (sc, ch 2, dc).*

Repeat from * to * across until there are 3 chs left. 

Sk the next 2 chs.

In the last ch, sc. 

(Stitch count: 81 sts (reminder: chs never count as sts) and 40 ch-2 sps). 

Note: every time you ch 2, you create a “ch-2 sp” that you will work into on the next row. This ch-2 sp is under the 2 chs and between the sc and dc sts. 

Attach Color B (I used green). Reminder: always leave the old color hanging – do not fasten off. 

Row 2: Ch 2 and turn.

In the first st, dc. 

Until the last st of the row, only work into ch-2 sps, not into tops of sts. 

In the first ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 2, dc).

*In the next ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 2, dc).*

Repeat from * to * across until there is 1 ch-2 sp left.  

In the last ch-2 sp, sc.

Ch 1. In the top of the last st, dc. 

(Stitch count: 81 sts, 1 ch-1 sp and 39 ch-2 sps – the starting ch-2 does not create a ch-2 sp.)

Note: The rows start and end differently to create straight sides. 

Attach Color C (I used blue).

Row 3: Ch 1 and turn. 

In the first st, sc.

Ch 2. In the ch-1 sp, dc.

Until the last st of the row, only work into ch-2 sps, not into tops of sts.

*In the next ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 2, dc).*

Repeat from * to * across. 

In the top of the last st, sc. 

(Stitch count: 81 sts and 40 ch-2 sps)

Row 4: With Color A, repeat Row 2.

Row 5: With Color B, repeat Row 3.

Row 6: With Color C, repeat Row 2. 

Row 7: With Color A, repeat Row 3. 

Row 8: With Color B, repeat Row 2.

Row 9: With Color C, repeat Row 3. 

Row 10 and on: Repeat Rows 4 – 9 consecutively until you are 1” away from your desired height. Then proceed to the Second Last Row instructions. 

(This means: Row 10: Repeat Row 4, Row 11: Repeat Row 5, Row 12: Repeat Row 6, etc.)

My blanket body before the Second Last Row had a total of 81 rows (Row 81 was a repeat of Row 9 with Color C). After Row 81, my blanket body measured 28” high and 29” wide. Exact sizing is not important. 

Second Last Row: With Color A, repeat Row 2. 

Fasten off Color A (cut the yarn that’s attached to the skein). 

Last Row: With Color B, repeat Row 3. 

Do not fasten off Color B or C. Proceed to the Blanket Border. 

Blanket Border

Pick up Color C. Use Color C for the entire border.

Fasten off Color B (cut the yarn that’s attached to the skein). 

Weave in all loose ends (the starting tails of Colors A, B and C and the ending tails of Colors A and B). 

Border Round 1: Ch 1 and turn.

TOP – In the first st across the top, make 3 sc.

Working across the top, make 1 sc in the top of each st and 1 sc in each ch-2 sp until there is 1 st left. 

In the last st, make 3 sc.

SIDE (DOWN): Sc evenly down the side.

When working down or up the side: 

• Exact st placement and exact number of sts are not important. The goal is to have evenly spaced sc sts down and up the side.
• Work into sts at the end of each row (you can work under 1 loop or 2, but not into sps around the st).
• In each sc or ch-1, I made 1 sc.
• In each dc or ch-2, I made 1 sc into the top and 1 sc into the bottom.
• Work over the strands of unused colors to cover them – when you make a sc st, insert your hook under the unused color and sc normally around it.

BOTTOM – In the first ch across the bottom, make 3 sc in the same ch.

Sc in each ch across the bottom until there is 1 ch left. (I worked into 1 loop of each unworked ch and into 2 loops of each ch that was worked into on Row 1). 

In the last ch, make 3 sc in the same ch. 

SIDE (UP) – Sc evenly up the side (follow the same instructions for working down the side).

Sl st into the top of the first sc of the round to join.

Border Round 2: Ch 2. Do not turn. 

In the first st, dc. 

In the next st, make 5 dc (first corner made). 

Dc in each st around except at the 3 remaining corners. 

At each corner (the middle st of the 3 sc sts made in each corner in the previous round), make 5 dc in the same st.

Sl st into the top of the first dc of the round to join.

Border Round 3: Ch 1 and turn.

Sk the first st (this is the sl st that joined the previous round and never gets worked into).

*In the next st, sl st.

In the next st, dc.*

Repeat from * to * around.

Nothing special happens at the corners.

Your final st should be a dc in the last st. If your last st is a sl st, make a dc in the same st (so your last st will be a (sl st, dc) in the same st).

Sl st into the top of the first sl st of the round to join.

Fasten off Color C (cut the yarn that’s attached to the skein and pull the end through the loop that was on your hook). Weave in all loose ends. 

And now you have a new blanket! 

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