Easy Crochet Shell Stitch Baby Blanket (Free Pattern)

Shell Stitch Crochet Baby Blanket: Free Crochet Pattern

Related Resources: Blanket Patterns | Baby Patterns | Home Decor Patterns

You could use this easy free pattern to crochet a charming baby blanket that has colorful, textural appeal. The classic shell stitch pattern is both lovely to look at, and fun to work.

This blanket design is appropriate for anybody’s baby, no matter how the nursery is decorated. Just be sure to choose appropriate colors.

The colorway pictured above is intended for baby girls, but it would be easy to adapt it for baby boys as well. Just switch out the two pink accents for blues or other boy-friendly colors.

If you aren’t sure whether the new baby will be male or female, it’s a good idea to use some combination of gender-neutral colors in place of the pinks: perhaps green, red, yellow, and / or orange.

This Is an Easy Crochet Pattern.

Crochet Skill Level: Easy

Materials:

Yarn amounts are estimates. You may need a different amount than what is specified below, depending on the length of your blanket and the edging you choose.

I used the following materials to crochet my sample baby blanket, which is pictured here on this page. There are many other possibilities for yarn that would work well with this design; please feel free to make substitutions. The yarns you choose will affect your gauge, and the finished size of your afghan, so I recommend making a gauge swatch before you get started. If you don’t make a gauge swatch, at least be sure to measure your blanket before you get too far along with it, to ensure that it will be a useable size.

Yarn for Baby Girl’s Colorway

I used Caron Simply Soft yarn (6 oz /170 g / 315 yard skeins) in the following colors:

Color A: Light Pink — This is an accent color. 1 skein
Color B: Off-White — This is the main color. In the sample blanket, I used Caron’s Simply Soft yarn in the “Off White” color. 2 skeins
Color C: Light Golden Tan — This is an accent color. Color name: Autumn Maize; Caron’s Color # is 0008. 1 – 2 skeins
Color D: Dark Pink — This is an accent color. Color name: Strawberry; Caron’s Color # is 0015. 1 – 2 skeins. This would be the ideal color to use when crocheting the blanket edging. If you use this color as the edging, it is possible that you might need a second skein, depending on the edging you decide on. Otherwise 1 skein should be sufficient.

Yarn for Baby Boy’s Colorway

If you’d like to crochet a boy’s baby blanket, here’s one possible colorway you could consider making:

Color A: Green — Color Name: Sage. This is an accent color.
Color B: Off White This is the main color.
Color C: Light Golden Tan — Color name: Autumn Maize; Caron’s Color # is 0008
Color D: Turquoise Blue — Color name: Blue Mint. This is an accent color.

Crochet Hook: Size I / 5.5 mm

Other: Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

List of Crochet Abbreviations Used in This Pattern:

ch = chain
dc = double crochet
ea = each
rep = repeat
sc = single crochet
sl st = slip stitch
st = stitch

Gauge and Finished Size:

Stitch Gauge: Each pattern repeat = about 2″.

Row Gauge: The row gauge is not critical for success with this project.

Finished Blanket Size: Before adding the edging, the blanket measures about 34″ wide. The length is variable, and it depends how long you want it to be. Finished project size will depend on the measurements of both the blanket + the edging you choose.

Special Stitches:

The Shell Stitch — In this pattern, a shell stitch consists of 5 double crochet stitches worked into the same stitch. In the pattern instructions, you’ll sometimes be instructed to work into the center of the shell – meaning you’d work into the middle stitch in the shell. You’ll actually be working into the top of the middle stitch; work into the same spot under the two loops of the top of the stitch where you’d ordinarily work into any crochet stitch. If this is unclear to you, or if you’ve never worked the shell stitch before, I recommend taking a look at this shell stitch tutorial.

The Cluster Stitch:

In this pattern, cluster stitches are worked over 5 sts. To crochet a cluster, you’ll first work 5 partially complete dc sts as follows:

wrap yarn over hook and insert into next st.
Grab the yarn with your hook and pull up a loop.
Wrap yarn around hook, grab it and pull it through 2 loops.
Rep the set of instructions given above 4 more times for a total of 5 partially completed dc sts.
Then wrap the yarn again, grab it with your hook and pull it through all the remaining loops on your hook.

Design Notes:

You’ll change colors between each row. Weave in your ends as you go; if you don’t keep up with that, it will be an overwhelming task when you’re finished crocheting.

With this sort of pattern, I like to weave my ends into the row that I just worked, then crochet overtop of them for added security.

Baby Blanket Instructions:

Using color A (light pink,) ch 104.

Row 1: Using color A (light pink,) sc in 2nd ch from hook. [Skip next 2 chs, work 5 dc sts in the next ch, skip next 2 chs, sc in next ch.] rep the sequence in brackets across the entire row. You’ll end up with a total of 17 shell stitches. At the end of the row, change to color B (off-white / main color) before completing the last step in the last st.

Row 2: Using off white / main color, ch 3, turn. This will count as the first dc st in the row. Work 2 more dc sts into the same st for a total of 3; this counts as half of a shell st. [sc in center of next shell st, work 5 dc in next sc st.] Rep the sequence in brackets across the row. When you get to the end of the row, sc in the center of the last shell st, then work 3 dc sts in the last sc st. Before completing the last step of the last st, change colors to color C (golden tan / autumn maize.

Row 3: Using color C (golden tan / autumn maize,) ch 1, turn. Sc in the first st in the row. [Work 5 dc in the next sc st, sc in the center of the next shell st.] Rep the sequence in brackets all the way across the row. At the end of the row, work 5 dc in the next sc st, then work 1 sc st into the top of the turning chain from the previous row. Before completing the last step of the last st, change colors to off-white / main color.

Row 4: Using off-white / main color, ch 3, turn. This will count as the first dc st in the row. Work 2 more dc sts into the same st for a total of 3; this counts as half of a shell st. [sc in center of next shell st, work 5 dc in next sc st.] Rep the sequence in brackets across the row. When you get to the end of the row, sc in the center of the last shell st, then work 3 dc sts in the last sc st. Before completing the last step of the last st, change to dark pink / strawberry / color D.

Row 5: Using color D (dark pink / strawberry,) ch 1, turn. Sc in the first st in the row. [Work 5 dc in the next sc st, sc in the center of the next shell st.] Rep the sequence in brackets all the way across the row. At the end of the row, work 5 dc in the next sc st, then work 1 sc st into the top of the turning chain from the previous row. Before completing the last step of the last st, change colors to color B (main color / off-white.)

Row 6: Using off-white / main color, ch 3, turn. This will count as the first dc st in the row. Work 2 more dc sts into the same st for a total of 3; this counts as half of a shell st. [sc in center of next shell st, work 5 dc in next sc st.] Rep the sequence in brackets across the row. When you get to the end of the row, sc in the center of the last shell st, then work 3 dc sts in the last sc st. Before completing the last step of the last st, change to color C (golden tan / autumn maize.)

Row 7: Using color C (golden tan / autumn maize,) ch 1, turn. Sc in the first st in the row. [Work 5 dc in the next sc st, sc in the center of the next shell st.] Rep the sequence in brackets all the way across the row. At the end of the row, work 5 dc in the next sc st, then work 1 sc st into the top of the turning chain from the previous row. Before completing the last step of the last st, change colors to color B (main color / off-white.)

Row 8: Using off-white / main color, ch 3, turn. This will count as the first dc st in the row. Work 2 more dc sts into the same st for a total of 3; this counts as half of a shell st. [sc in center of next shell st, work 5 dc in next sc st.] Rep the sequence in brackets across the row. When you get to the end of the row, sc in the center of the last shell st, then work 3 dc sts in the last sc st. Before completing the last step of the last st, change to color A (light pink.)

Row 9: Using color A (light pink,) ch 1, turn. Sc in the first st in the row. [Work 5 dc in the next sc st, sc in the center of the next shell st.] Rep the sequence in brackets all the way across the row. At the end of the row, work 5 dc in the next sc st, then work 1 sc st into the top of the turning chain from the previous row. Before completing the last step of the last st, change colors to color B (main color / off-white.)

Rows 2 – 9 form the pattern repeat. Repeat these rows until the blanket is almost the length you want it to be. In your last pattern repeat, work up through row 8 and change colors to color A (light pink.) Omit row 9 and finish as instructed below.

Last Row: ch 1, turn. sc in 1st st. Work a cluster st over the next 5 sts, ch 2. [sc in middle of next shell, ch 2, work a cluster over the next 5 sts, ch 2.] Rep the sequence in brackets all the way across the row. At the end of the row, work 1 sc st into the last st in the row.

End off. Weave in any remaining loose ends.

Add an Edging to Your Baby Blanket

I’m still in the process of designing some edgings to add to this baby blanket. There are so many lovely choices that it’s difficult to pick one.

With this type of colorful blanket, simple edgings are nice — especially for baby boys’ blankets.

If you don’t already have an idea of which edging you’d like to use with this pattern, you can’t go wrong with a simple edging of single crochet worked all the way around the edges. You can work a couple of chain stitches to form each corner.

If you’d like a more elaborate edging than just single crochet, you might want to visit this page about blanket borders. You’ll find some fantastic free patterns for different edgings, plus some basic instructions for crocheting edges around your blankets.

So there you have it: That’s the free pattern for the Easy Crochet Shell Stitch Baby Blanket. I hope you’ll find this pattern useful and enjoyable. Happy crocheting!