How to Add Width to a Crochet Blanket
Learn how to make a crochet blanket wider! This page offers six unique ways to add width to crochet blankets. So helpful!
There’s nothing like wrapping yourself in an oversized cozy handmade blanket. But sometimes you finish a blanket and you realize that it’s just not as big as you were hoping it to be or needed it to be. This begs the question, how to add width to a crochet blanket?
The quick fix is to add a decorative border to the blanket. But that's not the only solution on how to make a crochet blanket bigger. There are other options to increase the width of a blanket, some of which you can do even before you pick up your crochet hook to start your project.
Those include using a thicker yarn weight, a larger crochet hook, or starting with a longer foundation chain. We’ll go over these options and a few others in this article as well as the aforementioned adding a border.
With these six unique methods for adding width to crochet blankets, you'll no doubt have a better idea of how to get the size you want before you start your next crochet blanket pattern.
P.S. If the crochet project you are working on is getting smaller or larger and you don't want that, then be sure to read our guide, How to Stop Crochet From Getting Smaller (or Too Large).
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Add Width to a Blanket by Crocheting With a Thicker Yarn
One of the quickest and easiest ways to increase the width of your blanket is to work with a thicker yarn. You can do this with pretty much any pattern you choose. Just be sure to increase your crochet hook size as well so that your stitches look clean and lay flat.
Your best bet would be to work a gauge swatch with your desired yarn and crochet hook so you can get a feel for how the two will work together. Below is an example of how increasing the yarn weight will add width to your project.
I crocheted a square of double crochets with both examples (a medium weight vs. a chunky weight). Starting with the same length for the foundation chain (a chain of 20) and working the same number of rows for both (10). As you can see, using the thicker yarn weight produced a square that was larger.
Add Width to a Blanket by Crocheting With a Larger Crochet Hook
Another quick option to increasing the width of a blanket is to use a larger crochet hook. The one thing to keep in mind with this option is that if your crochet hook is too large for your yarn your blanket won’t provide much warmth since the stitches will be much larger. Depending on the stitch pattern, your blanket may look like a piece of lace.
Below I have used the same yarn and the same pattern but have stitched each square using a different size crochet hook. In order from top to bottom, I used the suggested hook size for the yarn (H), then went up two hook sizes (J), and finally up four sizes (L).
Add Width to a Blanket by Increasing the Stitches in Your Pattern
This option may require a little trial and error, especially if you are trying to follow a pattern that involves various stitches (ripple, windowpane, tulip, etc.).
If you are working on a pattern that just consists of the same stitch – for example, a blanket of only double-crochets – you can just start off by making a longer foundation chain, but, if you are following a decorative pattern you will have to figure out the stitch count to create the pattern and then increase your foundation chain by that amount.
Add Width to a Blanket by Crocheting With Multiple Strands
Crocheting with multiple strands of the same yarn weight is a fun way of getting extra width. You end up with a blanket that has multiple colors woven together throughout the blanket (as opposed to changing the colors every few rows).
This also means there are fewer ends that need to be woven into the blanket once finished. Always a plus. For this example, I started with a square of double crochets with a single strand of yarn. I then made a square of double crochets holding three strands of yarn together. As you can see, this greatly increased the size of my square.
Add Width to a Blanket by Adding a Border
This by far is the most common way to increase the width of any blanket. Once your blanket is done you can add a border using a complementary or contrasting color to the main color.
The simplest border involves working single crochets around the entire blanket. Below is an example of this. The first picture is a square with no border, the second with one row of single crochets around, and the final picture with two rows of single crochets.
Adding more rows to the border will continue to increase the width of your blanket. Single crochet isn’t the only border that you can add on. You can also do a border of shells, scallop or lace.
P.S. Looking for border options? Simple edging can be added to just about any project out there. It makes your design look complete and a bit more sophisticated. Find all the best options in 30+ Crochet Border Patterns.
One More Quick Option for How to Add Width to Crochet Blankets
If you are working on a blanket that is patchwork style – think granny squares or squares of different stitches and/or patterns – you could simply make more of the squares.
As you work on the squares lay them out to form the blanket to get the length and width you want. You could also add a border to the finished blanket to tie it all together and increase the size.
Up Next
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Which is your favorite method of adding width to a blanket?
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