Basketweave Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern

By
Kathryn Vercillo
Kathryn Vercillo, contributing writer
Kathryn Vercillo
Kathryn Vercillo is an award-winning crochet expert who has designed patterns and written about the craft of crochet for over a decade. Kathryn has authored three books, "Crochet Saved My Life," "Hook to Heal," and "Mandalas for Marinke," and she is a columnist for the digital crochet site Happily Hooked.
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Updated on 11/02/20
Project Overview
  • Skill Level: Beginner

Basketweave crochet is a beautiful textured stitch that is easy to make once you've learned how to crochet post stitches. It is perfect for baby blankets because it is thick, cozy, and warm. More importantly, it is dense, without holes between the stitches for the baby's fingers and toes to get caught up in.

Tip

The idea behind this tutorial is to provide information that helps you to make your own baby blanket design, which means that the materials you choose to use are entirely up to you! You can use lightweight yarn and a small crochet hook, bulky yarn and a large crochet hook, or anything in between.

Basics of Basketweave Stitch

Basketweave crochet stitch is created using both front and back post stitches. Double crochet post stitches are most common, but you can create this stitch in half double crochet, treble, and taller post stitches if you desire. The basketweave design is created by alternating sections of front post stitches with sections of back post stitches. A common choice is to make five front post stitches followed by five back post stitches across the row. However, you can do fewer or more as you prefer.

The key to basketweave stitch is that after a certain number of rows, you reverse the pattern—working back post stitches into the front post stitches and front post stitches into the back post stitches. You can alternate after any number of rows you want, although it is common to switch after the same number as the number used across; if you crocheted five front post and five back post across, then you'll also crochet five rows before reversing. This is what gives the most even, checkerboard feel to basketweave crochet.

Post Stitches for Basketweave Crochet
The Spruce / Kathryn Vercillo

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 1 Size N crochet hook

Materials

  • 3 colors bulky-weight yarn (one skein each)
  • 1 color novelty yarn

Instructions

  1. Choose the Blanket Size

    You can make your blanket any size you wish, of course. When you look at standard bed and blanket sizes, you'll see that crib blankets are typically 45 x 60 inches, although daily use blankets are much smaller—around 26 x 34 inches for preemies and up to 36 x 44 inches for toddlers. Square baby blankets are common and may be as small as 18-inches-square for preemies or as large as twice that for other young babies. The great thing about crochet baby blankets is that the size really doesn't have to be exact.

  2. Start Your Foundation Chain

    Crochet a chain that is slightly shorter than your desired blanket width. Your foundation row needs to have enough chains to accommodate your choice, so if you're going to crochet five of each stitch, make sure you begin with a chain that is a multiple of five plus the number needed for your turning chain (three if you are using double crochet).

  3. Row One

    Crochet your chosen stitch into each stitch across. So, if you are using double crochet, make one double crochet in each stitch across the row.

  4. Row Two

    Now you begin your post stitches. Begin with your turning chain. Alternate front and back post double crochet stitches across the row in groups; for example, 5 front post double crochet, five back post double crochet across the row. You may wish to end with a double crochet stitch in the top of the final stitch for a more even edge.

  5. Next Group of Rows

    Crochet several rows (four more if you want to do rows of five before reversing). Each row will alternate whether you begin with fpdc or bpdc (because you are turning the work you must work back into front and front into back so that the stitches always protrude out on the same side). 

  6. Reverse Direction, First Row

    When you've completed a set of rows, you are ready to reverse direction. Now you will want to crochet the opposite way so that the texture of your post stitches protrudes in the opposite direction. In this instance, you are going to crochet the same stitch into each stitch (instead of working a front post into a back post as before, you are going to work a front post into a front post—becauseyou have turned the work, this results in opposite-facing textures).

  7. Next Group of Rows

    After you've crocheted the first new row, go back to before, alternating so that you work front posts into back posts. You'll continue working rows, reversing direction every few rows (five if you're following our pattern) to the end of the project.

    Tip

    One of the choices that you get to make to customize this baby blanket is to crochet it in different colors. You can use the same color throughout or change as many times as you want. Feel free to choose whatever color changes feel right for your baby blanket.

  8. Add a Border

    Continue your basketweave crochet pattern until your baby blanket has reached almost the desired final length. End off with a slip stitch. Now you can add any border of your choosing to the blanket to give it a finished look. A single crochet edge of novelty yarn is a nice choice.

    Basketweave Crochet Edging
    The Spruce / Kathryn Vercillo

Step-By-Step Instructions

You have all of the information that you need to crochet your own basketweave baby blanket design. But if you're working on the blanket for your first time, it might help to have a step-by-step pattern.

  1. Chain 63. Double crochet in the fourth chain from hook. Double chain in each stitch across (Total 60 double chain).
  2. Chain three, turn. Five front post double crochet, five back post double crochet across row ending with a double crochet in top of the last stitch.
  3. Chain three, turn. Five back post double crochet, five front post double crochet across row ending with a double crochet in top of last stitch.
  4. Repeat steps two and three one time. 
  5. Repeat step two twice. (The second time reverses the direction and begins the second section of basketweave crochet.)
  6. Repeat step three, then step two.
  7. Repeat step six.
  8. Repeat step four twice.
  9. Repeat step five.
  10. Repeat step six twice.
  11. Change color. 
  12. Repeat steps eight through 10.
  13. Change color.
  14. Repeat step 12 two times.
  15. Finish off, weave in ends.
  16. Join novelty yarn in any color. Chain one. Single crochet in each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch to join to chain one. Finish off and weave in ends.