There are tons and tons of patterns for crib-sized blankets and receiving blankets, but I haven’t seen many that are small stroller blankets. I wanted to make this Bobble Stroller Blanket for my cousin, and she’s always on the go. She needed something small enough to grab and go, but that would still be big enough for her baby to use. This blanket is just the right size for taking with you, and unlike a lovey, it can actually be used as a blanket. Let’s get into how to make this free baby blanket crochet pattern!
Sizing blankets can be tricky sometimes. You want to make sure it’s big enough to cover the person you meant it for or that it fits the bed, but you don’t want to make it too big. You also don’t want to spend too much money buying yarn if you’re not going to need it all. I’ve had to guess how big I wanted my blanket for the longest time, but I finally got it together and made a handy little guide on how to crochet different blanket sizes. This gives me all the dimensions I need to make any sized blanket.
You can pick up the free printable here.
For this blanket, I went with simple stitches and thick stripes. You can do any color combination you like and vary the thicknesses of your stripes, but something you might want to pay attention to is the yarn you use. Babies have such soft and sensitive skin and they hold blankets against them all the time. So go for a yarn that feels super soft but doesn’t shed or fluff up much. I love using Yarn Bee’s Soft Secret for baby blankets because it’s really soft and holds up to a lot of washing.
The full free pattern is written out below. For those who’d prefer to print the pattern and take it with you for on-the-go and to markup as you go, you can buy the inexpensive printable PDF from my Etsy and Ravelry shops. The PDF is formatted without ads or comments, so it’s easy to read.
Materials:
- #4 medium weight yarn in 4 colors – I used a skein each of Yarn Bee’s Soft Secret in Mist, Light Denim, Navy, and White
- 5.00mm crochet hook
- Scissors
- tapestry needle
- 1 yard of fleece (optional)
Abbreviations:
- ch – chain
- SC – single crochet
- HDC – half double crochet
- bobble – explained in pattern
Pattern Notes:
- Skill level: Beginner
- Sizing: 16 x 20 inches
- Gauge: 3S x 4 R per inch
Bobble Stroller Blanket: Free Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern
Row 1: With your first color (Mist), chain 61.
Row 2: Turn and work 60 HDC, starting in the second chain from the hook.
Rows 3-25: *Ch 1, turn, and HDC all along the row.* Repeat this row for another 23 rows.
Rows 26-50: Switch to your second color (Light Denim). Work row 3 for another 24 rows.
Rows 51-75: Switch to your third color (Navy), and work row 3 for another 24 rows. Bind off and trim the excess yarn.
Bobble Border
Now let’s go over how to crochet the border. For the border, I started off experimenting to see what I liked. So, I took pictures using a sample piece rather than on the actual blanket.
1. Starting at a corner of the blanket, attach your fourth color (White) and work one row of SC all around the blanket. At the corners, ch 1 before turning and work into the same stitch to keep a sharp corner.
2. Once you’ve completed one round of SC, chain 5 at the corner of the blanket.
3. Into the 2nd chain from the hook, work 1 HDC but only pull the yarn through the first two loops. You’ll have two loops remaining on the hook. Work 3 more HDC the same way, being sure to only pull through the first two loops each time.
4. You should now have 5 loops on the hook. YO, and pull through all 5 loops.
5. Slip stitch into the same space to finish off the bobble.
6. Slip stitch twice into the next two chain spaces.
7. SC into each of the next two SC spaces. Repeat steps 2-7 all around the blanket.
Finishing Off
Weave in all the loose ends and trim off any excess yarn. For all of my blankets, I like to add fleece to make the baby blanket warmer and give it some weight. The moms I’ve made these for have all loved the addition of the fleece because it helps the baby blanket stay on the baby and the weight gives babies a sense of security. So, I add fleece to all my blankets now.
Cut your fleece so that it is about half an inch larger than the blanket on all sides, minus the bobble border. Then sew the fleece to the crocheted blanket using a sewing machine, making sure to fold the extra half-inch under as you go. This way, you get a clean edge.
And you’re all done!
As you can see, this baby blanket is SUPER simple to make. It’s done in back and forth rows and entirely in HDC. The main feature of this blanket is the bobble border, and although it’s a little more involved than the rest, it’s really easy to pick up. The little bobbles look so cool when the blanket is folded; they pile up on top of each other, and they’re great for kids. The baby this blanket is for loves holding onto things and pulling on them, so he’s going to be able to grab the bobbles, but because I worked them into the blanket, they won’t come loose.
Related: Oasis Stroller Blanket Free Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern
Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this pattern and if you want to try something a little more advanced, just take a look around. I have more patterns on how to crochet baby blankets, big throws, plushies and all kinds of accessories so there’s something for everyone. Also, if you sign up using the box below this post, you’ll get all my newest patterns, tips and freebies delivered right to your inbox every week. It’s totally free and it helps me create more free content to share with you guys.
See you soon 🙂
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