Retro Stripes Baby Blanket Pattern

The Retro Stripes Baby Blanket is a quick and easy pattern, made almost entirely in single crochet. Made with perfectly coordinated self-striping colors, any baby will love its snuggly texture.

“Retro Stripes Baby Blanket” free crochet pattern by Kim Guzman, © Aug. 2023. All rights reserved.
Technique: Regular Crochet.
Skill Level: Easy.

Crochet Pattern At A Glance

This is a free crochet pattern and the written instructions are below. If you prefer a printable download, a PDF is also available for purchase.

My Crochet Pattern Notes

I recently made a baby blanket with a border that was worked directly onto the edge, worked in a perpendicular fashion. This means that rows are added vertically, to a horizontal base. See the Wandering Cables Baby Blanket.

I’ve also added a decorative ribbing edge at the top of a scarf in this same modular join-as-you-go method. See the Diagonal Drifts Scarf.

It made me wonder whether I could do an entire blanket in this same technique, alternating strips of ribbing with short solid sections. This Retro Stripes Baby Blanket is perfect for that.

The long strips of ribbing work really well with the self-striping yarn. It shows off all the brilliant coloring of the neons in the Retro Stripes colorway.

Even though this afghan requires no seaming, I understand if maybe you don’t want to learn a new technique right now. If you like, please feel free to use the Alternative Version at the bottom of the pattern for a very similar look without the modular construction.

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Finished Size

33″ x 38″.

Yarn

Red Heart “Super Saver” yarn, size 4 weight, 100% acrylic, 236 yds/215m per 5 oz skein: 4 skeins, color: Retro Stripe; AND
Red Heart “Super Saver” yarn, size 4 weight, 100% acrylic, 364 yds/333m per 7 oz skein: 1 skein, color: White.

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Other Materials

Suggested Crochet Hook Size J-10 (6mm) or hook needed to meet gauge.
Yarn Needle for weaving ends.
Stitch Marker, or spare piece of scrap yarn.

Gauge

Working in back loop only single crochet, 13 rows measures 4″. The width of each strip is about 2.5″.

This blanket can be made in any size you like as long as the number of rows in each Strip is an odd number.

Abbreviations

This Easy Crochet Baby Blanket pattern is written in US crochet terminology.

ch=chain; RS=right side; rep=repeat; sc=single crochet; sk=skip; sl=slip; st(s)=stitch(es).

All numbers after the colon at the end of an instruction are stitch counts. Use the stitch count to check your work.

What Is Back Loop Only (blo) Single Crochet?

When working in back loops only, abbreviated in some patterns as “blo”, this is a regular single crochet except you don’t insert your hook under the top two loops of a stitch.

To work in back loops only, take a look at the normal two loops at the top of a stitch and insert your hook under the loop furthest away from you.

Working in Join As You Go Modular Crochet

This concept is different but not difficult. Relax and give yourself some time. Learning a new technique can take some time. If you prefer, you could instead use the Alternative Version which requires seaming.

In order to maintain the same right side and wrong side of the Strips of the baby afghan, it’s necessary to make a short chain first then attach it to the last row worked. This is different than the typical method of joining the yarn then chaining up.

The first row of the Strip is then worked into the chains. When you turn, you will be twisting that row toward the remainder of the work.

Work the single crochet toward the Separator rows that have been worked in a solid color. Then you’ll work back and forth in this fashion, forming rows and attaching them as you go.

Free Crochet Pattern Instructions

The Strips of crochet are worked in a join as you go method. It’s not difficult but it’s a little fiddly working in a vertical direction onto a horizontal row. If this is too fiddly for you, the blanket can be easily worked in individual Strips then joined. (See Alternative Version below.) Either way is acceptable and will look very similar. This pattern introduces a new technique for you that doesn’t require seaming.

First Strip

Row 1: With Retro Stripe, ch 10, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn: 9 sc. Mark the last sc of this row for placement of Separator (below).

Row 2 (RS): Ch 1, working in back loops only (see above), sc in 8 sc, sc in both loops of last sc (for greater stability), turn: 9 sc.

Rows 3-119: Rep row 2. Fasten off after final row.

Separator

Row 1: With RS facing, join White with sl st at marked sc of first row of previous Strip, begin working along sides of rows, ch 1, sc in sides of each row across, turn: 119 sc.

Rows 2-3: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn: 119 sc. Fasten off after final row.

Second Strip

When working the Strips directly onto the previous work, you will be working in a modular fashion, perpendicular to the work. Don’t try to turn the entire blanket over for each new row of the Strip. You just need to flip over a little bit of the blanket, back and forth. (See notes above for further instruction.)

Row 1: With Retro Stripe, ch 9, with RS facing, join with sl st at first sc of row 3 of Separator, begin working vertically to match previous Strip, sc in each ch just worked, turn: 9 sc.

Row 2: Ch 1, working in back loops only, sc in 9 sc (the ones just worked), sk 1 sc of Separator, sl st in next sc of Separator, turn: 9 sc.

Row 3: Working in back loops only, sc in next 8 sc of Strip, sc in both lps of last sc (for greater stability), turn: 9 sc.

Rows 4-119: Rep rows 2-3. Fasten off after final row.

Rep Separator and and Strips until there are a total of 9 Strips (ending with a Strip).

Border

Round 1: With RS facing, join White with sl st at any corner, ch 1, *3 sc in corner, sc evenly along side, rep from * around, sl st to first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, working in back loops only, sc in each sc, with 3 sc in each 2nd sc of corner, sl st to first sc, fasten off.

Finishing

With yarn needle, weave in all ends securely.

Alternative Version

Make 9 Strips independently, as for “First Strip”. Make 1 round of Border on each one. Join the Strips by seaming or crochet join. Make 2 rounds of Border.

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TERMS: To my fellow crafters, you have my permission to use my patterns to make and sell your projects* anywhere you like. You cannot use my images to sell your projects, though. You must take photos of your own work. All patterns have been tested but mistakes can happen. If you find a mistake, please let me know. Everything at MakeItCrochet.com is protected by copyright to Kim Guzman. Other than the permissions previously given, no one other than Kim Guzman has permission to: reproduce, copy, publish or distribute this pattern, its parts or photos in any way or form, including, but not limited to, translations into foreign languages & video production.

*Not intended to be blanket permission for mass production.