Bubblegum Kisses Baby Blanket – Free Crochet Afghan Pattern
Last Thanksgiving, my little brother and his wife arrived to our family Thanksgiving and as soon as I saw her I knew she was expecting. Now, as everyone knows, you do not just go up to a woman and ask such a question, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go over to your little sister and whisper in her ear that you are 99.9% sure that our little brother is going to be a dad again… so I did just that. Jess and I both impatiently waited for about 7 hours that day before they spilled the beans and confirmed they were expecting a new baby in July. Then, just after Christmas they shared with us that they were expecting a baby girl so I did what ever other eager crocheter would do and I started digging through my yarn stash so I could make my new niece a blanket.
I ultimately chose Lion Brand Yarns Pound of Love for this crochet baby blanket for a couple reasons: I wanted a soft afghan with the perfect pop of color, I wanted a nice acrylic that would hold up well to the many washings that baby blankets receive, and I had all 3 colors on a shelf so I didn’t have to wait for a yarn order to arrive to begin the project. Both the yarn choice and simple crochet stitch combines to make the Bubblegum Kisses Baby Blanket a perfectly modern crochet baby blanket to gift to your favorite tiny human.
You can find the free crochet blanket pattern for the Bubblegum Kisses Baby Blanket in this post below, or an ad-free print friendly version on Love Crafts here, Ravelry here, or on Etsy here.
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YARN
For this crochet blanket, I chose Lion Brand Yarns Pound of Love, which is a worsted weight yarn. Pound of Love is a 100% premium acrylic yarn that is available in 28 gorgeous colors. Although Pound of Love is classified as a Craft Yarn Council 4 / worsted weight yarn, I’ve found that it is on the lighter side of most worsted weight yarns.
I’ve had many tell me that they don’t like the feel of acrylic yarns, but Pound of Love becomes SO incredibly soft after a quick wash and dry! It’s the perfect yarn for so many different projects and the yardage in one ball is incredible at 1,020 yards!
BUBBLEGUM KISSES BABY BLANKET – FREE CROCHET AFGHAN PATTERN
The free pattern is below, but if you love to work offline, I’ve got a couple other great options for you.
Purchase the ad-free, printable PDF, including all photo tutorials, on Love Crafts here, Ravelry here, or on Etsy here.
Save this pattern to your Ravelry favorites here.
Pin it for later here.
This post contains affiliate links.
Materials
- Yarn: Worsted Weight / 4 yarn, Lion Brand Yarns Pound of Love, was used for the crochet blanket shown in the photos. 100% Acrylic (372 yards / 340 m / 200 g / 7 oz)
- White (MC): 400 yards
- Soft Pink (CC1): 150 yards
- Bubblegum (CC2): 220 yards
- Crochet Hooks: K/10.5/6.50mm (My favorite crochet hooks are the Clover Amour Hooks, I’ve never had an ache in my hand since switching)
- Scissors
- Yarn Needle
- Scrap piece of yarn or stitch marker
Many of these materials are available for purchase through our affiliates below:
Clover 1053/K Amour Crochet...Shop on Amazon 
Fiskars 154110-1001 Non-sti...Shop on Amazon 
Lion Brand Yarn 400-5-5002 ...Shop on Amazon
Gauge
- In sc: 9.5 sts = 3″; 8 rows = 2.25″
Difficulty Level
- Easy
Finished Size
- 36″ W x 44″ L (easily adjustable)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch(s): chain(s)
- sl st(s): slip stitch(es)
- st(s): stitch(es)
- sc: single crochet
- yo: yarn over
- sp(s): space(s)
- rep: repeat
- Rnd: round
- RS: right side
- MC: Main Color
- SM: stitch marker
- CC1: Contrasting Color 1
- CC2: Contrasting Color 2
- Join yarn with a standing sc – (click here for tutorial)
Notes
- Turning chains are not included in stitch count, unless noted otherwise.
- The first stitch of each row is worked into the same stitch as the turning chain, unless noted otherwise.
- Yarn Notes: Lion Brand Yarns Pound of Love, worsted weight yarn, was used for the sample shown in the photos. 100% Premium Acrylic, (1,020 yards / 454 g / 16 oz / 932 m)
- Yardage:
- White (MC): 400 yards
- Soft Pink (CC1): 150 yards
- Bubblegum (CC2): 220 yards
- Yarns similar in fiber and weight can be substituted.
- If you’d like to make a larger crochet afghan, checkout this list of common blanket sizes. Click Here
- Color Changes: Join your new color, on the last pull thru, of the last stitch of the row before working the new color.
Special Stitches
- Join with a standing single crochet: Begin with a slip knot on your hook, insert your hook into the stitch or space indicated, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through both loops on your hook. (click here for tutorial to join with a standing sc)
Bubblegum Kisses Baby Blanket Instructions
Row 1 (RS): With MC & a 6.50mm crochet hook, ch 29, working into the back hump of the chain, sc in the 2nd ch from your hook, sc in each remaining ch. Turn. (28 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 26 sts, 3 sc in the last st. Turn. (30 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in the first st, 3 sc in the next st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (32 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 28 sts, 3 sc in the next st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (34 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 2 sts, 3 sc in the next st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (36 sts)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 30 sts, 3 sc in the next st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (38 sts)
Row 7: Ch 1, sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 4 sts, 3 sc in the next st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (40 sts)
Row 8: Ch 1, sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 32 sts, 3 sc in the next st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (42 sts) *Place a SM in the middle sc of the 3 sc group.
Continue on to Increasing.
Increasing
Note: From this point on, place a SM in the middle sc of the 3 sc group in each row. The middle sc is where you’ll work the 3 sc in the following row. Move the SM up as you complete each row.
For this section, you will repeat only 1 row (the Increase Row as written below), but you will switch colors in the following sequence:
Color Sequence – Repeat the entire color sequence for a total of 4 times (112 rows – not including the beginning 8 rows)
6 Rows of CC1 (Soft Pink)
8 Rows of MC (White)
6 Rows of CC2 (Bubblegum)
8 Rows of MC (White)
Increase Row: Ch 1, sc in the first st, sc in each st across to the st marked with a SM, work 3 sc in the st marked with the SM, sc in each remaining st. Turn. *Stitch count increases by 2 sts each row.
Adjusting the size of your blanket: If you prefer a bigger blanket, simply continue to repeat the color sequence.
LAST ROW: After you’ve completed your last row, place a SM in the 1st st of the last row to mark where you will join yarn to Prepare 2 Sides for the Border.
Fasten off. Weave in ends. Continue on to Prepare 2 Sides for the Border.
Prepare 2 Sides for the Border
Note: The photos below are of a different color blanket, but the technique is the same.
In this section, you will only work along the 2 sides that are opposite of the last increase row. I worked a sc into the sides of each of these rows and changed colors to match the stitches I was working into. See photos below.
Work the following: Turn to work on the RS. Join MC yarn with a standing sc in the side of the st marked with the SM (green arrow on the left), sc across the edge of the blanket working into the sides of the rows and changing colors as you work to match the stripes in the blanket, work 3 sc in the corner, rotate to work across the next edge of the blanket in the same manner, ending at the next corner (red arrow on the right).
Fasten off. Weave in ends. Continue on to the Border.
Border
Rnd 1 (RS): Join CC2 yarn with a standing sc in any corner st, work 2 more sc in the same corner st, sc in each st across to the next corner, (work 3 sc in the corner st, sc in each st across to the next corner) 3 times. Do not join. Work the remainder of the border in continuous rounds without joining. *Stitch count is not crucial.
Rnds 2 – 6: Work 1 sc in each st around and 3 sc in each corner st. Do not join. Each round will increase by 8 sts. At the end of Rnd 4 join with a sl st to the 1st st.
Fasten off. Weave in ends & block, if desired.
Give your work a professional finish by blocking it! Click here to learn 3 different ways to block acrylic yarn. I prefer to steam block, which technique will you choose?
MORE FREE CROCHET PATTERNS FROM A CROCHETED SIMPLICITY
If you enjoy this crochet afghan pattern, you may enjoy these other projects as well. And if you just want to browse, you can find all of our free crochet patterns HERE.
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Love that this blanket is both simple and unique. You took simple stitches and ordinary colors and turned them into an extraordinary, one of a kind blanket. Well, it was one of a kind until all your followers make theirs. 🙂 Thank you so much for this lovely pattern. (Lucky babies in your family.)