That One Special Blanket: Our Favorite Crochet Afghans

We all have one. That One Blanket that we pull out of the closet or off the bed when the world gets to be too much. You grab your blanket (or crochet afghan, or knit throw) and burrow into it, making yourself a soft, warm cocoon to shut out the world until you’re ready to deal with it again. Then, you fold up the blanket and put it away, always knowing you can come back to it again.

For me, it was a brown and tan crochet afghan that my aunt had made. The pattern was pretty simple – a feather and fan pattern, I think. After a particularly bad day at school, I would come home and wrap myself up in it, breathing in the warm, earthy smell of the yarn while I watched Lord of the Rings over and over again. It was my protective shell, my external armor when all my internal armor failed.

Crocheting a blanket is a big time commitment, not to mention the expense of all that yarn. But for many people (myself included) blankets are a deep expression of love and caring. They’re the perfect thing to make for the people you most care for in your life, including yourself! I reached out to a couple of my coworkers to ask them about their own blanket stories, and what blankets they might consider making for others now.

Allison’s Quilt

“My childhood blanket was a simple quilt from my great-grandmother. It was nothing fancy: 12 squares of fabric with a border. All the fabrics were scraps from worn-out clothing . . . corduroy from my great-grandfather’s trousers, cotton from summer dresses and outgrown children’s clothing. I think I have a photo of my grandmother in a print dress that matches one of the squares!

“In the same spirit, I love the Babette Blanket crochet afghan by Kathy Merrick. Though the original is worked in a mind-blowing palette of luxury yarn, you could use yarn leftovers and random single skeins and make something equally exquisite. As stash-busters go, this is one of the all-time top 10.” – Allison Korleski, Video & Podcast Producer

Stephanie’s Vintage Afghan

“At some point during my adolescence, my mom started collecting vintage crochet afghans. Each summer, we’d scour our favorite flea market, looking for blankets with the best colors and the most interesting stitch patterns. These collected afghans served as the backdrop to summers spent out at our cottage, keeping us cozy on cool nights while we searched the sky for shooting stars and wrapping us up on the front porch as we watched the sunrise.

“To me, the key to a good afghan is something that isn’t too precious—when I make afghans for others, I want them to feel like it’s ready for any adventure. The Harvest Moon Afghan by Maria O’Keefe has those retro vibes that transport me to the happy, carefree summers of my youth.” – Stephanie White, Content Manager, Yarn

More Crochet Afghans

You can find patterns for the above crochet afghans and more for sale on our website, or for free as part of a subscription to our new platform, Interweave+. For my part, Jennifer Olivarez’s Deneb Throw has been calling my name. I love the simple-yet-striking geometric pattern of this throw, and I can easily imagine creating a burnished orange quilt to wrap myself up in on those days when the world gets to be too much. Maybe with a little Lord of the Rings, too.

Happy Stitching!
Julia Pillar
Assistant Editor, Yarn