Looking for an easy baby blanket crochet pattern with plenty of texture but no complicated stitches? The Oliver Blanket uses simple single and double crochets to create a beautifully draping, cosy blanket that beginners can make with confidence.

Worked in DK weight yarn with a 5 mm hook, this free crochet blanket pattern is available below in nine sizes from lovey to throw, with three additional bed sizes included in the inexpensive PDF pattern.

There is something rather special about making a blanket for a new baby. Whether you are crocheting for your own little one, preparing a handmade gift or making something to donate, a crochet blanket has a wonderful way of becoming part of a family’s story.

And the Oliver Blanket has a little family story of its own.

This easy baby blanket crochet pattern is the very first design in my new Oliver Collection. It is beginner-friendly, wonderfully textured and uses nothing more complicated than chains, single crochets and double crochets.

Better still, there is no right or wrong side to worry about! The texture looks fabulous from both sides, making it ideal for a blanket that is going to be wrapped, folded, snuggled, dragged around and generally well loved.

The Oliver Blanket is also making its debut as part of my Preemie Crochet Challenge 2026. If you have been joining me throughout September, you will already know just how much I love seeing our crochet skills being used to make a difference.

And this time, I may have been designing with one particular little person in mind…

The Inspiration Behind the Oliver Baby Blanket

The Oliver Blanket is named after my great-nephew, who is due to make his entrance into the world in December 2026.

When I started thinking about designing something especially for him, I also thought about his parents and the sort of blanket I wanted to give them.

I didn’t want anything too fussy. I wanted simple stitches, understated beauty, gorgeous drape and plenty of cosy factor. Something practical enough to be used regularly but beautiful enough to feel special.

And, of course, it needed texture. You know me — asking me to design something completely flat is probably asking a little too much!

The stitch combination in this easy crochet baby blanket uses basic single and double crochet stitches in a simple repeat. Together, they create a lovely subtle texture that looks just as good on either side.

That makes the Oliver Blanket wonderfully unisex, too. Change the yarn colour and you can create something that looks completely different without changing a single stitch.

Simple Enough for Beginners, Relaxing Enough for Everyone Else

If you are a beginner looking for a baby blanket crochet pattern, this is a lovely next project once you are comfortable with the basic stitches.

You only need to know how to chain, single crochet and double crochet. There are no complicated stitch combinations to master and no intricate colourwork to keep track of.

But I certainly wouldn’t reserve this one just for beginners.

Sometimes experienced crocheters want a project that doesn’t require us to stare intently at a chart while muttering numbers under our breath! The Oliver Blanket has enough repetition to become relaxing while the texture keeps the finished project interesting.

It is the sort of project you can settle down with in the evening and enjoy the actual process of crocheting.

How Is the Oliver Blanket Constructed?

The Oliver Blanket is worked flat in rows, so the construction couldn’t be much simpler.

Once your foundation is established, you will repeat the stitch pattern until your blanket reaches the required length. There is no joining, complicated shaping or assembling afterwards.

And because the stitch pattern is reversible, you don’t have to keep checking whether you are looking at the “right” side of your blanket.

Make It in One Colour – Or Raid Your Yarn Stash!

I made my Oliver Blanket in one colour because I really wanted that beautiful texture to do the talking.

However, there is absolutely nothing stopping you from adding colour changes.

Try broad stripes, narrow stripes, random colour changes or use up coordinating DK yarns from your stash. You could even work each repeat in a different colour if you fancy something much brighter.

Just remember that changing colours will affect how much yarn you need in each shade.

Why Use DK Weight Yarn for a Crochet Baby Blanket?

The Oliver Blanket is written for #3 weight/DK yarn and uses a 5 mm (H) crochet hook.

Using a slightly larger hook with DK yarn is one of the things I particularly love about this design.

It gives the fabric room to relax rather than producing something stiff or overly dense. The finished blanket has plenty of drape, making it beautifully snuggly without feeling heavy.

At the same time, the stitch combination doesn’t create large open holes. That is particularly useful when making blankets for babies because there aren’t lots of big spaces for tiny fingers and toes to become tangled in.

And there is another rather nice bonus…

Your yarn goes surprisingly far!

I made an entire baby blanket using less than three skeins of DK yarn.

That makes this an excellent pattern when you want to create a beautiful handmade gift without needing a small mountain of yarn beside you.

The DK yarn and larger hook combination also means the stitches work up at a satisfying pace. You get the lighter weight and lovely drape of DK without feeling as though your blanket is growing at approximately three rows per calendar month!

A Simple Scalloped Crochet Border

Once the main blanket is complete, we finish everything off with a delicate scalloped border.

And don’t worry — I haven’t suddenly thrown an advanced border at you after promising an easy pattern!

The edging uses double crochet and slip stitches to create the pretty scalloped effect you can see in the photographs.

I particularly love how this border works with the main stitch pattern. The blanket itself has an understated texture, so the gentle scallops add just enough detail without overpowering it.

It gives the Oliver Blanket that lovely finished look while keeping the whole project accessible to newer crocheters.

Oliver Blanket Sizes

One of the things I wanted from this pattern was versatility.

The Oliver Blanket has therefore been written in 12 sizes altogether, so this isn’t a pattern that has to stop being useful once baby grows up!

Nine sizes — from lovey through to throw — are included FREE right here on the blog.

The larger double, queen and king sizes are exclusive to the paid PDF version of the pattern.

This means you can use exactly the same stitch pattern for everything from a tiny comfort blanket to a full-sized bed blanket.

The PDF also includes:

Prefer the Printable Oliver Blanket PDF?

The complete ad-free PDF version of the Oliver Blanket is available to purchase from my shops.

The PDF contains all 12 blanket sizes, including the double, queen and king sizes that are not included in the free version below.

Purchasing the PDF is also a lovely way to support Sunflower Cottage Crochet and helps me continue producing free patterns and tutorials for you.

You can find the Oliver Blanket PDF here:

The Oliver Blanket and the Preemie Crochet Challenge 2026

The Oliver Blanket is premiering as part of the 2026 Preemie Crochet Challenge!

This is my seventh year hosting the challenge, and every September designers come together to share crochet patterns suitable for premature babies while encouraging crocheters around the world to make items for donation.

Throughout the month, a different pattern is featured each day with a special coupon code that allows you to download the PDF free for 24 hours.

There is one small catch — or perhaps I should say challenge, because the clue is rather firmly in the name!

In return for your free PDF, I ask you to pledge to make at least one item from one of the featured patterns and donate it to a premature baby, family or organisation that can use it.

It is a wonderful way to use our yarn and hooks to make something genuinely useful.

You can find all of the patterns and information for this year’s challenge here:

Preemie Crochet Challenge 2026 – 30 Free Crochet Patterns for Preemie Babies

And if you would like to hear about future Sunflower Cottage Crochet events and challenges, you can join my email list here:

Sign up for Sunflower Cottage Crochet event emails

Oliver Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern – Pattern Specifics

Before you grab your yarn, here is everything you need to know.

Skill Level

Confident beginner.

You should be comfortable working chain stitches, single crochet and double crochet.

Sizes

The Oliver Blanket has been written in 12 sizes but only nine sizes are available free on the blog (See above)

The double, queen and king sizes are available exclusively in the paid PDF pattern.

Gauge

Does not matter as long as tension is consistent. My gauge was 20 sts and 18 rows of main body per 4”.

For blankets, gauge may not feel quite as important as it does when making a fitted garment, but I still recommend checking yours, if nothing else, to make sure that you are consistent so your blanket does not start to look not quite straight.

Your gauge will affect both the finished dimensions of your blanket and the amount of yarn you use.

Materials

You will need:

• Any 3 weight yarn of your choosing – I used Wendy Supreme DK in color WD27 Eucalyptus
• 5mm (H) hook 
• Scissors
• Tapestry Needle
• Stitch Markers optional to mark the first or last stitch of the row.
• Measuring Tape optional.

Abbreviations Used

US crochet terminology is used throughout this pattern.

• Ch(s) – chain(s)             
• St(s) – stitch(es)    
• Fsc – foundation single crochet          
• sc- single crochet          
• dc – double crochet
• ss – slip stitch
• Sp(s) – space(s)
• YO – yarn over
• FO – Fasten off
• [ ] Everything in these brackets are worked into the same ch1 sp

Special Stitches

The Oliver Blanket uses only basic crochet stitches.

However, the stitches are combined in a repeating sequence to create the textured fabric.

Pattern Notes

• The Oliver Blanket is worked flat in rows.
• The pattern is written in US crochet terminology.
• The turning chain DOES NOT count as a stitch unless otherwise stated.
• The ch1 sp between the sc and dc does count as a st.
• The blanket has no designated right or wrong side.
• Instructions for nine sizes, from lovey through throw, are provided free below.
• Double, queen and king sizes are exclusive to the paid PDF.
• You may change colours as often as desired.
• When changing colour, change yarn on the final yarn-over of the last stitch before the new colour is required.
• Gauge will affect your finished dimensions and yarn requirements.
• The border is worked after completing the main body of the blanket.
• Stitch counts are provided within ( ) at the end of the row instructions.
• Where the counts differ for each size within the pattern sizing will be indicated as lovey (security, preemie. baby, receiving, toddler)( swaddle, crib, throw, double, queen, king)
• I recommend reading through the pattern before beginning.

Free Oliver Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern

This is a free pattern on the Sunflower Cottage Crochet blog. If you are reading this anywhere else it is stolen content. Please do not copy and paste any part of it or print this pattern out. Please bookmark this page and use the website to work up your pattern. This helps my small business greatly as it provides a little bit of ad revenue which will in turn will allow me to continue to create free content for you!

Row 1: Ch30 (42, 66, 90, 120, 126)(141, 135, 156, 270, 288, 324) sc in second ch from hook and each ch across. (29 (41, 65, 89, 119, 125)(140, 134, 155, 269, 287, 323) sts)

Row 2: Turn, Ch1 (does not count), sc in first st, *[sc, ch1, dc] in next st, sk2* Rep from * to * until you have 1 st left, sc in last st.

Row 3: Turn, ch1 (does not count), sc in first st, work [sc, ch1, dc] into each ch1 sp across. SC in final st.

Rows 4-onward: Repeat row 3 until your blanket measures 9 (16, 21, 34, 39, 51)(46, 59, 59, 107, 107, 107)” tall

Row 5: Turn, ch1 (does not count), sc in each st and ch1 sp across. (29 (41, 65, 89, 119, 125)(140, 134, 155, 269, 287, 323) sts)

Adding the border:

Note: this border technically has a right side and wrong side – but both sides look great!

Round 1: Turn, ch1, sc in each st across, [sc, ch2, sc] in corner st, sc into each row down the blanket, [sc, ch2, sc] in corner st, sc in each st across the bottom of your blanket, [sc, ch2, sc] in corner st, sc into each row up your blanket, [sc, ch2] in final corner st, ss to first sc to join.

Round 2: Decide which side is the back of this blanket. Have that side facing you.

Ch1, [dc, ss] in first ch2 sp, *dc in next st, ss into next st* across around ensuring that you place a [dc, ss] or a [ss, dc] into each ch2 sp for the corners. Note: it does not matter whether you start your corner with a dc or ss! SS to top of first dc to join.

FO and weave in ends.

Give your finished blanket a gentle block if required, taking care to follow the washing and care instructions for the yarn you have chosen.

And that’s it — your Oliver Blanket is finished!

Make Your Oliver Blanket Your Own

One of the lovely things about a simple baby blanket crochet pattern is just how much freedom it gives you to play.

Keep yours in one colour for the understated look of my sample, or introduce stripes. Try two contrasting shades, work with a palette of soft neutrals or make a cheerful rainbow version.

You could also use the pattern beyond baby blankets. With nine free sizes going all the way up to a throw, it can become a lap blanket for the sofa, a cosy throw for chilly evenings or a thoughtful donation blanket.

And if you fall completely in love with the stitch pattern and decide your bed needs one too — the double, queen and king instructions are waiting for you in the PDF!

Most importantly, don’t worry about making every stitch absolutely perfect. Blankets are made to be used, snuggled under and loved. A handmade blanket carries a little bit of its maker with it, wonky stitch and all.

I am particularly excited to see your Oliver Blankets because this is only the first design in the new Oliver Collection. There is plenty more to come!

When you make yours, please share it with me. Tag Sunflower Cottage Crochet so I can see what colours you chose and where your Oliver Blanket ends up.

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Whether your Oliver Blanket is destined for a brand-new arrival, a donation box, a much-loved family member or your own sofa, I hope you enjoy making it just as much as I enjoyed designing it. Simple stitches really can make something rather special. 🧶