Crochet Blanket Size Guide: Standard Dimensions from Baby to King

📅 Last updated: February 2026

Standard Blanket Sizes at a Glance

Choosing the right blanket size before you start crocheting is essential for yarn planning, time estimation, and ensuring the finished product serves its intended purpose. A baby blanket that's too small won't tuck around a car seat properly. A bed blanket without sufficient overhang will look skimpy rather than luxurious. This guide provides standardized dimensions used across the crochet community, along with recommendations for each use case.

Baby & Toddler Blanket Sizes: What New Parents Actually Need

Baby blankets are among the most gifted crochet items, and getting the size right matters both for safety and usefulness. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against loose blankets in cribs for infants under 12 months, so "baby blankets" are primarily used for car seats, strollers, tummy time, and as swaddling wraps rather than as crib bedding for very young babies.

The standard baby blanket at 30×36 inches is the most versatile size — large enough to swaddle a newborn, drape over a car seat carrier, and serve as a play mat for tummy time. Receiving blankets (30×30 inches) are smaller and ideal for swaddling. Stroller blankets (30×40 inches) are slightly longer to tuck around a seated child. Lovey blankets (12×12 inches) are tiny squares attached to a stuffed toy — they serve as comfort objects rather than warmth.

For toddlers (ages 1-3), a 42×52 inch blanket fits a toddler bed and serves as an excellent nap blanket. This size is large enough to grow with the child for a few years but small enough to be portable. Many crocheters gift toddler-size blankets because they remain useful longer than baby-size ones.

Throw Blankets: The Most Popular Crochet Blanket Size

The 50×60 inch throw blanket is by far the most popular size among adult crocheters. It drapes beautifully over a couch armrest, covers one person comfortably while watching TV or reading, and serves as a decorative accent when folded over a chair or sofa back. This size is also the most practical for gifting — it's universally useful regardless of bed size.

At approximately 1,050 yards of worsted weight yarn (about 5 skeins), a throw is a manageable project that can be completed in 2-4 weeks of regular crocheting. It's large enough to feel like an accomplishment but small enough not to become an overwhelming multi-month commitment. For first-time blanket makers, the throw is the ideal starting point.

Bed Blanket Sizes: Adding the Right Overhang

When crocheting a blanket intended to cover a bed, the critical detail that many crocheters overlook is overhang. A mattress has a specific width and length, but a blanket needs to extend beyond those dimensions on three sides (both long sides and the foot) to drape attractively. Standard overhang is 10-12 inches per side.

A twin mattress measures approximately 39×75 inches. With 12 inches of overhang on both width sides and the foot: 39 + (12×2) = 63 inches wide, and 75 + 12 = 87 inches long. The standardized twin blanket at 66×90 inches provides exactly this coverage. Queen mattresses at 60×80 inches need blankets of approximately 84–90 × 92–100 inches. The standard 90×100 queen blanket provides generous coverage.

Yarn Yardage by Blanket Size and Yarn Weight

The following table provides estimated yardage for each blanket size across popular yarn weights. These estimates are for basic stitch patterns (sc, dc, hdc). Textured stitches add 15-30%. Use our blanket size calculator for instant estimates with your chosen size and yarn weight.

Best Stitch Patterns for Crocheted Blankets

Moss Stitch (Linen Stitch): Alternating sc and ch-1, this stitch creates a beautiful woven texture that lies perfectly flat with no curling edges. It's reversible, making it ideal for throw blankets where both sides are visible. Moderate yarn usage — similar to basic sc.

Granny Square: The classic blanket method. Work individual squares and join them, allowing portability and multi-color creativity. Each square can be made during commutes or short crochet sessions. Extra yarn needed for joining (about 10-15% more than the squares alone).

Corner-to-Corner (C2C): Worked diagonally using small dc blocks, this technique creates stunning pixel-art designs. Popular for graphghan blankets featuring images, names, or logos. Moderate to high yarn usage due to chain spaces between blocks.

V-Stitch: Simple, elegant, and quick. The (dc, ch-1, dc) repeat in each space creates a light, airy fabric with natural drape. Uses slightly less yarn than solid stitches, making it economical for large blankets.

Tips for Crocheting Large Blankets Successfully

Use a foundation chain alternative. Traditional chains for 200+ stitches produce a tight, rigid bottom edge. Use a chainless foundation (fsc, fhdc, or fdc) for a flexible edge that matches the rest of your blanket's drape.

Invest in a yarn winder. Center-pull balls are easier to work from than skeins that roll across the floor. A yarn winder also helps you manage multiple skeins efficiently for color changes.

Count stitches every few rows. On a queen blanket with 315+ stitches per row, losing even one stitch every 10 rows creates a noticeable width change over 400 rows. Use stitch markers every 25 stitches for segment counting. See our stitch counting guide for techniques.

Plan your yarn purchases. Large blankets require significant yarn investment. Purchase all skeins from the same dye lot at once. Use our yarn yardage calculator with your personal gauge swatch to get a precise estimate before buying.

Frequently Asked Questions