If you are expecting a new arrival or you have a friend who will be adding another one to her brood, perhaps a handmade baby blanket is the perfect way to welcome the newest member of the family. There is a wide selection of crochet baby afghan patterns available, from the antique designs of your ancestors to brand new, trendy styles of today. The most experienced crocheters may not need a crochet baby afghan pattern at all; but prefer to design their own blankets using their favorite stitches and colors. This is the perfect choice if you want to customize your gift for a specific nursery style. However, you can also individualize a ready made pattern by using your own choice of yarn and perhaps a unique trim or a few embellishments.

Most Popular Stitches

Many of the most common crochet stitches will work up quite beautifully in a crochet baby afghan pattern. Granny squares are always a good choice as long as you don't mind stitching your pile of squares together once they are complete. Another fun stitch that actually looks more like knitting is the afghan stitch crochet pattern, which is also known as Tunisian crochet. This stitch requires a different kind of crochet hook, known as an afghan hook. These hooks have a similar end to other types of crochet hooks, but they have a much longer handle that is designed to hold multiple stitches at the same time like a knitting needle.

Using the Afghan Stitch

The advantage to using this stitch in a crochet baby afghan pattern is that you will end up with a thick, warm blanket that will be perfect for cold days when Baby needs a little extra warmth and protection. These blankets can be created in a single piece of afghan stitch crochet or in squares that are joined together. If you choose a crochet baby afghan pattern that uses squares, you can go with a checkerboard effect or random colors of squares throughout. It can also be fun to add an embellishment to a few squares in the pattern, such as an embroidered star or other shape. You could even stitch the baby's initials into a few of the squares. The grid of this stitch makes the perfect background for cross stitching on top.

A handmade baby gift is a wonderful way to welcome a precious new bundle into the world. With the right crochet baby afghan pattern, you can give a gift that will become a family heirloom for generations.