The modern granny stitch baby blanket for every nursery
This free modern granny stitch baby blanket pattern features open stitches and DK weight yarn for a lightweight keepsake that babies will love!
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Baby blankets make the most generous, most thoughtful gifts at baby showers. The new parents receiving the gift of a baby blanket will have a lasting treasure to cherish as their newborn grows. The oohs and aahs will abound when this very special gift is opened.
I love all the things that go into making a baby blanket – the soft yarn, the beautiful colors, the simple stitches that make it a great mindful project. The Floryn Baby Blanket, a modern granny stitch baby blanket, was such a satisfying crochet project and the results are stunning.
The Floryn Baby Blanket
Pattern At a Glance
- Skill Level: Advanced beginner
- Yarn: DK weight (#3) acrylic yarn
- Yardage: 1050 – 1100 yards
- Hook: G/6 (4.0 mm)
- Finished Size: 36 x 36 inches
Inspiration for the modern granny stitch baby blanket
The inspiration for this modern granny stitch baby blanket came from A) the need for a special handmade gift and B) the discovery of a wonderfully soft baby yarn.
This particular baby blanket will be gifted to a dear friend of my daughter. She, her husband and her two-year-old live in London and they’re expecting their second child any day now.
For their first child, I designed the Blissful Blocks baby blanket, a unique construction blanket with a lightweight feel and elegant look. You can find it here.
I wanted this one to be equally special.
Construction
The overall look and feel of this modern granny stitch baby blanket is delicate and cozy. Baby blankets don’t need to be heavy which is why I always choose lighter stitches and yarn.
I discovered the modern granny stitch (more on this below) and knew it would provide a perfect balance of lightweight coverage and cozy warmth. Plus, I love granny stitches!
I’m especially in love with the border. The little picots that sit atop each shell give the border the look of rows of delicate flower petals.
All of the elements – the modern granny stitch, the picot shell border, the beautiful yarn – combine to make this a very special baby blanket.
The Modern Granny Stitch
The Modern Granny Stitch is an easy to remember and easy to work two-row repeat. Once the foundation row is set up, the stitches of one row simply work logically into the stitches of the row before.
The first row of the stitch pattern is the traditional granny stitch. If you aren’t familiar with the granny stitch, you’ve certainly seen it. The traditional granny square is round after round of 3 dc worked into the same space. That’s it!
The second row of the stitch pattern is a dc3tog worked into the tops of the 3dc of the granny stitch. It becomes the mirror image of the granny stitch row.
I have a great photo tutorial on the modern granny stitch here.
Best yarn for a modern granny stitch baby blanket
When I was introduced to Sirdar yarns this past spring, I noticed the Baby Blossom DK and ordered a skein to try. I instantly fell in love with the beautiful color saturation, the fun self-striping and the soft feel of the yarn. I knew I had the perfect yarn for this modern granny stitch baby blanket.
I gravitate toward DK weight yarn for my baby blanket designs because it gives the blanket a more delicate, lightweight feel. However, it still provides plenty of warmth. This modern granny stitch baby blanket is no exception.
This modern granny stitch baby blanket is worked in a lilac color way. However, the other colors available are equally fun and gorgeous.
Here are a couple of alternatives for Baby Blossom DK:
Lion Brand “Mandala Baby” 100% acrylic DK weight (5.3oz/590yd; 150g/540m)
Paintbox Yarns “Baby DK” 55% nylon, 45% acrylic (183yd/1.76oz; 167m/50g)
Or if you’d like to use a yarn from your stash, you can use my handy Yarn Substitution Worksheet to see if the yarn you have is a good match.
Or, visit Yarn Sub to find out what they recommend.
Materials and Tools You’ll Need
Hook: I used US size G-6 (4mm) but you should choose the size that helps you get the correct gauge.
Removable stitch marker: You’ll need this to mark the corners of your border.
Tapestry needle: Use this to weave in ends. Although this blanket has few ends to weave in, you will have a few By weaving in the ends as you go, the ends will be doubly secure and be less likely to pull out with continued use.
Here’s what to love about the pattern
- Modern granny stitch creates the perfect balance of lightweight comfort and cozy warmth
- An airy, delicate fabric—ideal for baby blankets without feeling heavy
- A stunning picot shell border that adds a sweet, flower petal–like finish
- A relaxing, repetitive stitch pattern that’s enjoyable to crochet
- A beautiful combination of texture and detail that makes the blanket feel extra special
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this modern granny stitch baby blanket easy to make?
Yes! This pattern uses an easy two-row repeat. If you can make a single crochet, double crochet, and chain, you can handle this beginner-friendly pattern. Plus, I’ll give you detailed explanations and tutorials to help you along.
Q: How do I crochet the modern granny stitch?
I’ve created a photo tutorial for the modern granny stitch that will help you work through this baby blanket. Or if you prefer to see the stitches in action, the post also links to a video tutorial, which walks you through the modern granny stitch, step-by-step . How to Crochet the Modern Granny Stitch can be found here.
Q: Where can I find more patterns that use the modern granny stitch?
The modern granny stitch is one of my favorite variations and I have used it in everything from home decor to fashion accessories. If you love this stitch pattern, don’t miss the Wagon Wheel Granny Square, the Aria Cowl, and the Kate Cowl.
Where to get the PDF for the Floryn Baby Blanket
The Floryn Baby Blanket is a free pattern here in this blog post. Scroll down to view the free version.
Upgrade to the premium PDF to get a printer friendly, downloadable version of the pattern, available from any of my shops. The PDF version includes detailed written instructions and a photo tutorial for the modern granny stitch.
The premium PDF can be uploaded to your favorite mobile device so you can take your crochet baby blanket project with you to work on whenever you’re out and about. The PDF is easy to read and beautifully formatted without ads for a great experience.
Get your copy today!
The Floryn Baby Blanket Free Pattern
General Information
Yarn
Hayfield “Baby Blossom DK” 70% acrylic, 30% nylon (3.5oz/362yd; 100g/332m)
Color 0352 (Little Lavender) – 3 skeins (You will need nearly all of the 3rd skein so be sure your gauge is correct.)
Hook
US size G-6 (4mm) or size needed to achieve gauge
Tools
- Removable stitch markers (for Border corners)
- Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Finished Size
Approx. 36″ x 36″ including border
Gauge
Approx. 5.5 GS x 4 pairs of rows = 4”
Note: This yarn and stitch pattern have a fair amount of stretch, making the gauge a bit difficult to determine. Be sure to lay the piece on a hard surface, not fabric, to get the most accurate measurement possible. You will run out of yarn if your gauge is too loose.
Skill level: Advanced beginner
Abbreviations – US crochet terminology
- beg – beginning
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- dec – decrease
- rep – repeat
- rnd(s) – round(s)
- sc – single crochet
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- YO – yarn over
Special Stitches
Double crochet 3 together (dc3tog) – (YO, insert hook in next st, YO, draw up loop, YO, pull through 2 loops) 3 times, YO, pull through 4 loops.
Granny stitch (GS) – 3 dc in the same st.
Picot 5-dc shell – (2 dc, ch 3, slip st in the 1st ch of the 3 just made to form a picot, 3 dc) in the same st (This shell is worked along all 4 edges of the blanket).
Picot 7-dc shell – (3 dc, ch 3, slip st in the 1st ch of the 3 just made to form a picot, 4 dc) in the same st (This shell is worked at the corners only).
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Pattern Notes
- A ‘ch-3’ may be substituted for the STsc at the beg of the row. Be sure the turning ch sits straight and doesn’t bow out. If it does, ch 2 instead.
- Each row begins and ends with 2 dc. This gives stability to the sides of the blanket and provides a foundation for working the border.
- The dc3tog is worked in the 3 sts of the GS. The ch sp between each dc3tog is not worked into in the following row but instead creates the distance needed to ensure the row lays flat.
Pattern Instructions
Ch 137. (Multiple of 3 + 1)
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (136 sc)
Row 2: STsc, dc in next st, sk 1 st, GS in next st, [sk 2 sts, GS in next st] 43 times, sk 1 st, dc in last 2 sts, turn. (44 GS, 4 dc)
Row 3: STsc, dc in next st, ch 1, dc3tog in 3 dc of next GS, [ch 2, dc3tog in 3 dc of next GS] across, ch 1, dc in last 2 sts, turn. (44 dc3tog, 43 ch-2 sp, 2 ch-1 sp, 4 dc)
Rows 4-69: Rep Rows 2-3 33 times.
Row 70: Rep Row 2.
Do not fasten off. Continue to the Border.
Border
Notes
- The ‘ch 1’ at the beg of each rnd does not count as a st.
- Do not turn after any rnd.
- In Rnds 2 & 3, the corner st is identified as the middle st of the 3 sc worked at the corner in the previous rnd. Place a marker in the middle st of each corner to easily identify it.
- The picot shells sit very close together. Your border may begin to bunch. That’s OK; it’s meant to look like a collection of flower petals!
- Carefully count the sc between corners in Rnds 1-3. Accurate st counts means you’ll end up with the correct number of sts for Rnd 4. That’s super important so count often!
Rnd 1
Side 1: Rotate blanket 90 degrees, ch 1, sc in the end of the 1st row of the side, (2 sc in the end of each row) 68 times starting in the 2nd row of the side (137 sc along side).
Bottom edge: Rotate blanket 90 degrees, 3 sc in 1st st of foundation row, sc in next 66 sts, sc dec over next 2 sts, sc in next 66 sts (133 sc between corners), 3 sc in last st of foundation row.
Side 2: Rotate blanket 90 degrees, (2 sc in the end of each row) 68 times, sc in the end of the last row (137 sc along side).
Top edge: Rotate blanket 90 degrees, 3 sc in 1st st of top row, sc in next 66 sts, sc dec over next 2 sts, sc in next 66 sts (133 sc between corners), 3 sc in last st of row, join with slip st to beg sc.
(133 sc across top/bottom edges, 137 sc across each side, 3 sc in each corner)
Remember to place a marker in each middle corner st.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st to next middle corner st, [3 sc in middle st of corner, sc in next st and in each st across to next middle corner st] 3 times, 3 sc in middle st of last corner, sc in last st, join with slip st to beg sc. (135 sc across top/bottom edges, 139 sc across each side, 3 sc in each corner)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st to next middle corner st, [3 sc in middle st of corner, sc in next st and in each st across to next middle corner st] 3 times, 3 sc in middle st of last corner, sc in last 2 sts, join with slip st to beg sc. (137 sc across top/bottom edges, 141 sc across each side, 3 sc in each corner)
Rnd 4: (STsc, dc, ch 3, slip st in 1st ch to form picot, 3 dc) in same st as slip st join (this is the 1st picot 5-dc shell), sk 1 st, slip st in next st, sk 1 st, [picot 5-dc shell in next st, sk 1 st, slip st in next st, sk 1 st] across to next middle corner st, * picot 7-dc shell in middle corner st, sk 1 st, slip st in next st, sk 1 st, [picot 5-dc shell in next st, sk 1 st, slip st in next st, sk 1 st] across to next middle corner st, rep from * 2 times, picot 7-dc shell in middle corner st, sk 1 st, slip st in next st, join with slip st to top of first st of first picot 5-dc shell. (34 picot 5-dc shells along top/bottom, 35 picot 5-dc shells along each side, 4 corner picot 7-dc shells)
Fasten off and weave in ends. Block if necessary.
Your modern granny stitch baby blanket is ready to be enjoyed!
More baby blanket patterns from MadameStitch
I love this blanket pattern. I do lapgans for vets and this will be perfect. Thank you! I noticed in a picture, on your download page, a really cute coaster under your mug. I searched your patterns under “categories ” but could not find it. I would love to do some of those for Christmas gifts, for my husband’s unit, for coffee cups on desks. Could you please let me know where i can find the pattern. Again Thank you.
Lucinda,
What a wonderful service you provide for veterans. I’m sure they enjoy receiving your lapghans!
The coaster is not a published pattern. The only way to get the pattern is to subscribe to my email list. It eventually comes to your inbox as a free gift!
Best,
Debbie