Hi guys! Welcome to my first blog post about this easy weighted crochet blanket. Isn’t she beautiful? In this post, we are going to talk about the process of making your own crochet weighted blanket using scrap yarn. You can find the free tutorial below.
Handmade blankets often get a bad rep for being repetitive, boring, lengthy, and yarn guzzlers; especially crocheted blankets. There are times when I agree with every one of these statements. Some blankets take a long time to finish, especially when you have to sew 1000 granny squares together. Blankets can also be boring and repetitive when you are working one or two stitches, 16,000 times. Blankets are no joke; they require a lot of time, and yarn, which can be draining on both our bank accounts and our souls! I understand the negativity towards blankets, but I hope this blanket will change your mind.

About this Weighted Blanket:
As fiber artists, or yarnies, we have probably accumulated a lot of yarn over time. And chances are, that while we have been trying our best to work away at this stash, we can’t use it up as quickly as we would like. I started this blanket in the hopes of using up more than half of my yarn supply. Did it happen? No. Why? I have TOO much yarn hahaha. So, I realized that I am going to have make a couple more of these blankets, before I reach my goal. That is okay by me.
The best part of this weighted blanket, and the part that will keep you excited and motivated to finish it, is creating your own colour combinations! In order to use as much yarn as possible, I crocheted with 3 Strands of yarn.
Before we dive into the tutorial, let’s gather our supplies.
Pin this Project for Later – Here!

*Continue scrolling down for the free version on the blog with ads.*
You can purchase an INEXPENSIVE Ad-free Printable PDF of this pattern on Etsy HERE or Ravelry HERE. This 9 page PDF includes the complete blanket making process, pattern, and photo tutorials, so you can follow along on paper, highlight and make notes.
What you will need for this project:
- Lots of yarn! (This project will help you use up some of your yarn stash)
- 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 OR 10.0 mm crochet hook
- 1 – 5 yarn needles (depending on how many you misplace during this project – I always lose mine!)
- Scissors
- Patience, motivation, and a bit of creativity!
Yarn Choice for this Crochet Weighted Blanket
For this blanket, I used every medium 4 worsted weight yarn that I had in my stash! I was determined to use what I had, and use as much of it as I could. At the time, my yarn stash consisted of a few skeins of Bernat Premium, Red Heart Super Saver, Red Heart Soft, and I Love This Yarn Solids and I Love This Yarn Prints. I also had random bits of yarn from my nana’s collection, as well as from thrift stores.
You can mix different fibers, like acrylic and wool, as long as they are in the same weight category. Just make sure to check the washing instructions on your wool blend because it might be more delicate than an acrylic yarn; wash your blanket according these instructions.
Colour Combinations

Before you start crocheting, get organized! Pull out your yarn bins, and lay out the skeins you want to use for the project. This will make it easier to create colour combinations and transitions because you can see what you are working with. When making colour combinations, it’s important to have fun and let yourself be creative!
Each colour combination will consist of 3 strands of yarn (or 4) to add weight to your blanket.
Here are two colour combo options to get you thinking:
- Choose two similar colours, and use a 3rd colour to make the combo pop. This helps to create contrast between the colours, without being overwhelming!
Example: The picture to the left shows burgundy and burnt orange, two similar colours, and light blue for a pop of colour.
- Create colour combinations using 3 shades of the same colour. I did this a lot in the green, blue, and purple sections of my blanket because I had a lot of different shades of the same colour!
Blending Colours as you Crochet
This weighted blanket is really colourful; and that can seem overwhelming to the eye.
To make the colour transition more fluid as you switch between each 3-stranded colour combination, try to blend your colours.
To blend colours in your blanket, use 1 or 2 colours from the previous combination, and then slip in a different 3rd colour.
Example: The picture to the left, shows the colour burgundy, red, and yellow. I chose these colours because the last combination was burgundy, burnt orange, and blue. So, the colour burgundy is seen in both combinations; red is a similar colour to burnt orange, so it blends better; and yellow is the new 3rd colour.
Making a Rainbow with Yarn
To make this a true rainbow blanket, work each section in the ROYGBIV order. Each section should have different shades of the dominant colour, but you can throw in some “highlight” colours to add some contrast. These highlight colours can be the 3rd strand of yarn that you mix with the other two shades.
Here is a list of the highlight colours I used in each section of my blanket:
- Red Section Highlight Colours: Purple, Pink, Orange, Blue and Brown.
- Orange Section Highlight Colours: Yellow, Blue, Brown, and Red.
- Yellow Section Highlight Colours: Orange, Light Purple, and White.
- Green Section Highlight Colours: Yellow and Blue.
- Blue Section Highlight Colours: Green, Purple and Gray.
*This weighted crochet blanket is all about having fun and experimenting with colour. So if you don’t like how a certain colour combination is turning out, you can always unravel your stitches and try a different combination!

Changing Colour Technique
Here is a photo tutorial to show you how to change colours throughout the blanket.
- Picture A: Make the last half double crochet in your current colour combo, but before you complete the stitch, drop your yarn (you should have 3 loops on your hook).
- Picture B, C & D: Pick up your new colour combo, and pull it through the remaining 3 loops on your hook to complete the stitch.
- Picture E: Begin crocheting with your new colour!





How to Roll Your Own 3-Stranded Balls of Yarn Tutorial
You can skip this step all together if you prefer to crochet straight from your skeins! It’s actually more time consuming to roll your colour combos into balls, but it does help you visualize the order of your colours. I used this method for my blanket, but gave up halfway through and crocheted straight from the skeins.
To roll your own 3-stranded yarn balls, take a strand of yarn from each colour, and lay it on your hand (Picture A). Wrap the yarn around your hand, about 10 times (Picture B), and slip it off, while holding the center (Picture C) – this protects the yarn from getting tangled. To secure the ball, continue wrapping the yarn in different directions (Picture D), until you run out of yarn OR you are satisfied with the size of your ball.




Weight of the Blanket & Choosing your Crochet Hook
One last note before we get to the pattern. This blanket is crocheted with 3-strands of yarn, which means that it is considered a super-bulky weight blanket.

One last note before we get to the pattern. This blanket is crocheted with 3-strands of yarn, which means that it is considered a super-bulky weight blanket.
The best crochet hooks to use for super bulky weight yarn to create tight stitches vary between 7.0mm, 8.0mm, 9.0mm or 10.0mm. If you work with a 7.0mm crochet hook, your stitches are tighter and more compact than if you use a 10.0mm. The tighter and more compact your stitches are, the more rigid and inflexible your blanket becomes. This means that your blanket will weigh more than a blanket with looser and more flexible stitches.
Before you begin to crochet this blanket, you have to choose a crochet hook. I worked my blanket with an 8.0mm crochet hook, and the stitches were very tight. My finished blanket weighs about 5 -7 pounds, and it’s the perfect weight to throw on top of your duvet or comforter while you sleep. The extra bit of weight that this blanket offers, keeps me calm and grounded during the night; so I don’t have a restless sleep. If you decide to crochet with a larger hook, your blanket will be looser, and may not weigh as much. Choosing a larger crochet hook is much easier on your hands though!
Weighted Crochet Blanket Measurements:
This blanket measures 60″ wide by 76″ long.
Customizing the Size of Your Blanket:
This blanket is worked lengthwise, so your starting chain determines the length of your blanket. When you crochet more rows, your blanket becomes wider.
- Changing the Length: To make your blanket shorter, chain less; to make your blanket longer, chain more.
- Changing the Width: To make your blanket less wide, work fewer rows; to make your blanket wider, work more rows.
Abbreviations:
- Ch – chain
- St – stitch
- Hdc – hdc
Pattern:
Notes:
- The beginning chain 2 does not count as a stitch
- To get straight edges along your blanket, make your last hdc in the ch-2 of the previous row, instead of in the last hdc of the previous row.
Ch 172
Row 1: Make a half double crochet (hdc) in the 3rd chain (ch) from the hook. Then make a hdc in each ch across to the end of the row. Turn your work. (170 hdc)


- Row 2: Ch 2, make a hdc in the 1st stitch (st) of the row, and in each st across to the end of the row. Turn your work. (170 hdc)


- Row 3 – 105: Repeat Row 2.

Fasten off, and weave in your ends with a yarn needle!
And You’re Done!
You have finished your first rainbow weighted crochet blanket. Congratulations! I hope you made a nice dent in your yarn stash, and had fun playing with colour. I can’t wait to see all of your creations. Comment below to tell me about your blanket making experience, or tag me on Instagram @ThisPixieCreates, so I can see your beautiful blankets.
Check out some more fun and budget-friendly crochet patterns on this blog.
Disclaimer: You are welcome to sell items that you’ve made from this pattern; however, you are not allowed to use my pictures or sell my pattern as your own (Copyright @ ThisPixieCreates).
Love, Dayna
This was so easy. I choose a 10 hook and I didn’t roll my yarns together before hand (no patience at the moment), but I did run three strand of differing shades and blended in one new color ever few rows to change the coloring as the rainbow progressed. It was so calming to work. I’m about half way finished and already planning the next one. The weight is amazing. It feels like a quilt. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Terri,
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you’re enjoying this blanket! I definitely feel you with the patience; I started rolling balls of yarn when I first started my blanket, and then gave up haha. I can’t wait to see your finished rainbow blanket. 🙂
I hope you have an awesome day!
Sincerely,
Dayna
I can’t wait to try this blanket! The look and weight of it sounds perfect. I just hope I can combine colors as well as you did. Your color choices are terrific!
Hi Anna,
I’m so glad you like this blanket! I hope you have fun playing with colour. I questioned my colour choices a lot when I was making this blanket, but somehow, it all came together in the end. I’m sure the colours you choose will look amazing. Can’t wait to see how your blanket turns out. 🙂
Sincerely,
Dayna
This looks so great. love the way it looks with the yarn.
Thanks so much
Arina,
The Netherlands
Hi Arina,
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you like it. I hope you enjoy making one for yourself.
Enjoy your day. 🙂
Sincerely,
Dayna
I want too make this but in a toddler size how many chains also how do you keep your rows straight when turning
Hi Elaine,
Great question! To make this a toddler size, chain until you’re happy with the length, then add an extra 2 chains to your length. I’m guessing that toddler blankets are anywhere between 45′ – 60″ in length. Also, to keep your rows straight when turning, I work the final half double crochet of the row into the beginning chain 2 of the previous row, instead of into the last stitch of the previous row. I hope this makes sense!
Sincerely,
Dayna
I don’t normally leave my thoughts for others to read, but you impressed me enough I couldn’t not leave a compliment! Beautiful blanket and an excellent explanation of stash busting! I’m excited to bust my stash! Thank you and keep up the good work!
Hi Jacque,
I’m glad you took the time to leave a comment because it made my day!! So thank you very much. I hope you enjoy making this blanket and using up your stash. Enjoy your evening. 🙂
Dear Dayna I am looking forward to try this blanket. I have used up most of my scrap wool to make toques for the homeless in our area. But I still have some scraps so I will start a blanket soon. Thanks for the pattern. Donna Taylor Dorchester Ontario Canada
Hi Donna,
That is so kind of you to donate your toques. I bet those were appreciated this winter during those extremely cold days. It’s nice to see a fellow crocheter from Ontario!! I hope you enjoy making your scrap blanket, and have a great evening. 🙂
Holy cannoli, this blanket is absolutely stunning! It’s so beautiful that I’m a little bit intimidated, to be honest. I’ve been told that my color-blending/-coordinating/-matching skills are great, but this will put that to the test for sure. One of my favorite things to do when I knit (and crochet, but I’m really just starting to branch out into crochet) is to use up scraps and oddballs, though I tend to get neurotic when the weights aren’t absolutely identical. I’ll likely incorporate all weights of yarn, though, as I have loads of sock yarn, DK weight, and bulky to stash-bust as well.
Thanks for such gorgeous inspiration, as well as for your clear, detailed, doable instructions!.
Hi Nicole, I’m so glad you like the blanket. Please do not be intimidated by the colours; I questioned my colour choice throughout the entire blanket. It always looks a bit weird when you are first starting, but it all comes together in the end. If you really don’t like a colour combination though, you can always rip out your stitches and try a new one.
I think using different weights will be a lot of fun, and give the blanket some texture. I can’t wait to see how your blanket turns out. 🙂
Thank you Dayna! I commented on this again earlier, having completely forgotten *this* comment. (That’s a little alarming!) I’m diving in!
This is so gorgeous that I am at once super excited to start, and also apprehensive that I won’t be able to choose colors as well as you did, to do this blanket justice! But I’ve always been told that I have a great sense of color, so I’m going to give it a go.
One question before I start: I want my blanket to be striped width-wise, so if you have any suggestions as to how many chains to begin with, I’d appreciate it. How long did your finished blanket end up? I can eyeball/guesstimate how many to use myself from that figure. Thank you!
Hi Nicole,
I’m so excited that you are ready to start your blanket. Don’t worry about your colour choices. You will make something amazing regardless of what colours you choose. I second-guessed my decision the entire time. If you test out a colour combination, and aren’t pleased with it, you can always frog it, and try a new combo.
To answer your question, my blanket ended up being 76″ long, and I chained 170. That works out to approx. 2.24 stitches per 1″. To guesstimate, try multiplying 2.24 by the width you’d like, and that will give you a rough estimate of how many chains to work. 🙂
Question!
I want to make this for a friend. I want it to be relatively heavy but still soft and stretchy. Will 3 strands with a 10mm hook get this? I tend to crochet my stitches right. So maybe I should only do 2 strands? Thoughts?
Not right I meant “tight “
Hi Mackenzie,
Great question! I’ve tried 3 strands with a 10mm hook and the stitches are still soft and stretchy. You can test it on a small swatch (maybe work a couple of stitches and rows) to see if you like the drape of it; otherwise, you can go down to 2 strands. 🙂
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Dear Dayna,
I have tried several other projects with multiple strands and failed MISERABLY. Any helpful hints? It probably stems from how I hold my hook. I hold my yarn and the hook like a knitting needle in my right hand while holding my work in my left hand. Looping the yarn over the same as if I were knitting. Weird I know hee hee. Any hints you can give would be great.
Many thanks from Nova Scotia
Hi Trina,
I am sorry for the late reply! Working with multiple strands of yarn can be tricky because it’s hard on your hands, and sometimes you lose one or two of the strands as you crochet. My one suggestion is to crochet slowly. Take your time getting used to holding the yarn, grabbing it with your crochet hook, and completing each stitch. Your hands will get into a routine, and then you will be able to crochet faster with fewer mistakes (dropping strands). Would a video of me crocheting the first few rows help?
Wishing you luck from Ontario! 🙂
Hi!
I started crocheting this blanket last week and I’m almost halfway finished (I had a lot of free time on my hands). I absolutely love love love the pattern, and your blanket looks absolutely gorgeous. For me it turns out i had a smaller yarn stash than i expected – i don’t have anything of this yarn weight left! I’m considering buying yarn to finish the blanket hahaha.
Hi Eva! I am so glad you are enjoying the pattern so far. I can’t wait to see how your blanket turns out. I’ve run into the same problem with stash buster projects too hahaha – I usually wind up using what I have and making a trip to the yarn store to finish. 🙂
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I am so pumped to make this blanket! My 4yo son has sensory issues and needs a weighted blanket to sleep and he just so happened to ask for a rainbow blanket! Your tutorial couldn’t be more perfect! Thank you for such a fantastic post!
You’re so welcome Cayte! I hope he loves his weighted rainbow blanket; and I hope you have fun making it for him. 😀
Sincerely,
Dayna
Do you know an average about how many yarn i need. I dont have a big stash yet so probably need to buy some more.
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for asking! A normal blanket this size uses anywhere from 2000 – 3000 yards of yarn, but because you are using three strands held together at a time, it would be roughly 5000 – 8000 yards. It’s a yarn eater and perfect for using yarn that you want to get rid of. I hope this helps! 🙂
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This is a great tutorial! I’m going to try this out!
I hope you enjoy making your blanket Riya! 🙂