Crochet Pattern Sampler Afghan

Do you ever have a hard time figuring out which sorts of pattern(s) you should use when you decorate? Do you have a hard time choosing between different patterns like stripes, checkerboards, diamonds, etc?

So do lots of people. You’re not alone!

The answer can be as simple as this: don’t choose one; try out a bunch of them.

This pattern sampler afghan allows you to do just that.

Take a bunch of different patterns. Crochet small squares out of the ones you like. Skip using the ones you don’t like. Use colors that fill your heart with joy. Put ’em all together to create an eye-catching, unique, interesting afghan that is ALL YOURS and reflects your style, your personality, and the patterns you like.

Along the way, you’ll have a chance to use different crochet techniques and needlework techniques to make each square extra-special — and also to keep you from getting bored with the project. That’s one fabulous thing about this project. Although it’s a large one, there’s little danger of getting bored — because each square can be new and different.

You can make this afghan in any size you like, but there are instructions for crocheting 5 different blanket sizes:

Baby’s Receiving Blanket
Baby’s Crib-Size Blanket
Twin-Size Blanket
Full / Queen Size Blanket
Throw

Get the Free Patterns for the Squares in This Blanket:

Checkerboard Crochet Square
Crochet Square With Angled Stripes
Pine Tree Square
Heart Squares
Mini Checkered Square — This design is available on our website; however, the chart available is a different colorway than the one I used here. Feel free to use either colorway, or even better, to choose your own preferred colors for this design.
Design Your Own Custom Afghan Squares — If you’d rather design your own squares, it’s easy to do. Use graph paper to design a tapestry crochet square measuring 25 stitches wide and 25 stitches high. For best results, use only two colors per row; that will help to ensure that your gauge stays consistent throughout the project.
There are a few more designs in this series that are temporarily unavailable online. I am really, really sorry about that. I originally posted the charts for these squares online at another website. They have apparently removed the charts from their site. The good news is, I still own the copyrights to the charts, so I will be able to re-post them here. It will take me some time to do it, as it is time-consuming to format these pages. Please have patience with me as I get them formatted and uploaded. Thank you for your interest! I really appreciate it.
This is an ongoing series of designs. I’m working on adding other square patterns; please sign up for our free newsletter to receive updates letting you know about when these and other patterns are added to our website.

The Free Blanket Pattern:

Colors:

My sample afghan is crocheted using three different colors of Caron Simply Soft yarn. I used combinations of Blue Mint, Sage and Bone throughout the entire afghan.

When you crochet your own afghan, you can make yours as colorful as you like; there’s no need to limit yourself to using only three colors. You could crochet each square in different colors if you want to.

Afghan Themes:

My sample afghan features a random mix of interesting patterns — some geometrics, some hearts, some checkerboards, etc. You can stick with a random theme or get more specific by choosing squares that emphasize a particular theme.

The photo above shows you one example of how such an afghan might look, but if you use your creativity you’ll be able to use these squares to design afghans that look radically different. An example would be this Christmas blanket. The Christmas blanket is also a three-color design, but in this afghan I’ve chosen to only use two different squares alternated. The choice of squares and colors work together to convey a Christmas theme.

Crochet Hook Size: I suggest using a size H / 8 – 5.0 mm crochet hook, or the size necessary to give you the correct gauge.

Gauge and Finished Size for One Square:

I worked my sample blanket at the following gauge:

1 square = about 6.5 inches square; 4 sts = 1 inch.

It is not critical for you to match this gauge exactly unless you need to ensure that your afghan will turn out to be the exact size stated in the pattern. If your gauge is a little off, your finished measurement will be different than the final measurement given.

If your afghan turns out smaller than expected, you can compensate by adding more squares. For example, it is typical for this type of square to turn out not-exactly-square; your squares might turn out a little shorter or longer than they are wide. If your afghan turns out too short, you can always add another row of squares onto the top or bottom to make it longer.

Afghan Sizes:

Feel free to make the afghan in any size or colors you choose. I’ve designed the basic afghan pattern in five different sizes for you, but you can feel free to make it in any size you like; just add or subtract squares to make your afghan as large or small as you want it to be. Then you can choose which edging you want to add for the finishing touch.

Baby Blanket Sizes:

Receiving Blanket Size: This is the smallest size, and it is roughly square. Crochet 16 squares total; the blanket will be 4 squares wide by 4 squares high. Be sure to make your edging at least 2 inches on each side for a total measurement of 30 inches square.

Crib Size Baby Blanket: Crochet 54 squares total. The blanket will be 6 squares wide by 9 squares high. If your edging measures 2 inches on each side, your finished afghan will measure 43 inches wide by 62.5 inches high.

Child and Adult Afghan Sizes:

Twin Size Afghan: Crochet 140 squares total. You will make your afghan 10 squares wide by 14 squares high. If your edging measures 2 inches on each side, your finished afghan will measure 69 inches by 95 inches.

Full / Queen Size Afghan: Crochet 196 squares total. You will make your afghan 14 squares wide by 14 squares high. If your edging measures 2 inches on each side, your finished afghan will measure 95 inches by 95 inches.

Throw Size: Crochet 72 squares total. You will make your throw 8 squares wide by 9 squares high. If your edging measures 2 inches on each side, your finished afghan will measure 56 inches by 62.5 inches.

Afghan Instructions:

Choose or design the squares you want to use; crochet them in the colors of your choice. Before joining the squares, it’s a good idea to lay them out and decide how you want to order them in your final afghan design.

Join your squares using the method of your choice. My sample afghan is whip stitched, but there are quite a few other possibilities that could work well for your afghan.

Edging Options for the Custom Crochet Afghan:

I recommend using this easy crochet afghan edging pattern to finish your custom afghan. This pattern is a no-brainer; it’s practically guaranteed to match your afghan, assuming you use harmonious colors to crochet it.

Checkered Afghan Edging Pattern: The edging on my sample afghan is a variation of the edging linked above; this one is crocheted using a two-color checkerboard pattern. It’s an interesting change from plain single crochet stitch, although it’s perhaps a bit “busy.”

At the time I originally published this pattern, I had shared a free pattern for the edging, too. Apparently, it has been removed from the website where it was originally published and is now temporarily unavailable.

More Edgings: If neither of those edgings are quite what you want, there are bunches of different edgings you could try.

More Crochet Square Patterns

Granny Squares: Over 25 Creative Ways to Crochet the Classic Pattern by Stephanie Gohr, Melanie Sturm and Barbara Wilder, Published by Trafalgar Square Books

Related Resources:

Crochet Afghan Revival Book, Published by Leisure Arts

This page was last updated on 9-13-2021.

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