Crochet Sedge Stitch Baby Afghan
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My friends meet your next favorite thing: The Crochet Sedge Stitch Baby Afghan.
Quite possibly the most fun you’ll have on your crochet hook!
The best crochet projects, in my eyes anyway, have 3 key components: Amazing yarn, an easy stitch pattern, and are adaptable to slight variations I might want to make. I love a brainless wonder. The kind of project you can laze around in your living room, mindlessly crocheting for hours while you drink your favorite beverage and binge watch Netflix. And if you want to take it on vacation or some such other crocheting adventure, it’s game to go without too much fuss.
This, my friends, is THAT project: Introducing the crochet sedge stitch baby afghan!
First up: Amazing yarn. I was visiting my friend Amanda’s site over on Love Life Yarn and stumbled upon this amazing blanket. And I had to know… what was this gorgeous yarn. Are you sitting down? Because it’s Red Heart Ombre.
Yup. The brand my grandma loved that is so easily available here in the United States. Walk into just about any Walmart, Joann or Michael’s and grab 2 skeins of this beautiful bit of goodness and your affordable, next favorite project is practically on your hook!
Be prepared though.. the Ombre line is so gorgeous you might have trouble deciding on the best colorway. I immediately fell in love with all the pinks and purples (check them all out here). But my coworker is expecting a baby boy, so I went for a more traditional blue. This blanket is in “Scuba” color–which might be the perfect name because it reminds of the changing colors of the ocean waves.
The crochet sedge stitch is so easy to learn. Just a single crochet, half double crochet and a double crochet in a single stitch. Couldn’t be easier to memorize and get your crochet mojo going.
And the flexibility of the pattern. The pattern is a 3 stitch repeat so it’s easy to make it larger or smaller. You can get all the details on the sedge stitch here. Note that the ombre transitions might appear a little different if you drastically change the size. I rather like the changes in a baby size blanket. The Crochet Sedge Stitch Baby Afghan would also be lovely in other worsted weight yarns and would even be a great scrap afghan project.
Are you in?! Let’s get going!
Crochet Sedge Stitch ~ A Crochet Baby Afghan
Materials Needed
- US I9/5.5 mm crochet hook
- 18 oz Red Heart Super Saver Ombre Worsted Weight Yarn, color shown is Scuba
- Tapestry needle and scissors
Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern: Crochet Abbreviations, US to UK Crochet Conversion Chart. Find links to stitches on the “Tutorial” menu: Getting Started will show basic stitches used in many patterns and Crochet Stitch Dictionary shows our growing collection of crochet stitch tutorials.
Baby Blanket Size
Sedge Stitch Baby Blanket is approximately 28″ x 28″. However if yours turns out bigger or smaller it will still be a lovely blanket!
Chain 105. (Note: to make afghan larger or smaller, chain in a multiple of 3 to the length you desire)
R1: In the 2nd ch from hook, work a hdc and a dc. *Skip 2 ch. In next ch, work (sc, hdc, dc). Repeat from * across to last ch. Sc in last ch. Turn (105 st)
R2: Ch 1, (hdc and dc) in next st. *Skip next 2 st. In next st (which is the sc from the prior row), work (sc, hdc, dc). Repeat from * to last 2 stitches in row. Skip next stitch. Sc into the last stitch. (105 st)
Subsequent Rows: Repeat row 2 to desired length. For this baby afghan, I continued until the afghan was square. At the end of the last row, fasten off and weave in ends.
Sedge Stitch Baby Blanket Border
Attach yarn with a slip stitch in a corner. Work 2 rows of single crochet evenly spaced around afghan, working 3 stitches in each corner. Fasten off after 2nd row and weave in ends. Block afghan, if desired.
I love seeing your finished projects! If you enjoyed making the Crochet Sedge Stitch Baby Afghan, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @crochet365knittoo. If you are on Facebook, stop over to the Crochet 365 Knit Too Facebook page or pop over to the Crochet365KnitToo Club and share a photo! I’d love to see your work!
I love this!!!!!! Unfortunately, I’m unable to buy any of the ombre yarn :(. But I’m definitely going to start this today!!!! Thank you so very much for this pattern <3
I used the same yarn and color for a ripple baby blanket. Reminded me of waves on the water.
This blanket is absolutely gorgeous! Pinning for future reference.
Dear Cheryl, thank you very much!
today at night has born my second grandson, Jeremiah. For him I will crochet that beautiful afghan.
Have a nice weekend!
Marianne
(from Budapest)
I absolutely love this pattern. It works up easily, quickly and beautifully. The edges are perfection, you don’t even have to put the border on. However, the border is a lovely addition. It is perfect for a gift you need at the last minute. Thank you for sharing.
Hi from Nova Scotia; teaching myself how to crochet during this pandemic; grandchild due in June; yarn is very limited at this time so can you advise how many balls of yarn I need to buy; thank you
The quantity of yarn is given in the pattern. If you want to substitute a different yarn, the best thing to do is to look at the yarn band for the yarn used in the pattern and then buy something similar. I usually will buy a little bit more because sometimes even the same weight yarn (#4 in this case) will crochet up a little differently.
Cheryl this was so much fun to make!!! Thank you for sharing ❤️
Hi Cheryl.
I’ve been practicing the pattern before getting started with the actual yarn.
in the directions, ” R2: Ch 1, (hdc and dc) in next st. ” I’m working that (hdc and dc) in the same stitch as I did the Ch 1. If I go to the ‘next stitch’ for the (hdc and dc), the row doesn’t work out. I just want to be sure i’m reading and doing this correctly. As a new crocheter, I’m always a little uneasy with those first stitches.
Thanks so much.
The (hdc, dc) goes into the next stitch which is the last sc from the prior row. At the END of the row you stop when you have 2 stitches left, then skip the first stitch and work a sc in the last stitch. I’m wondering if those last 2 stitches are throwing you off—the rest of the row you are skipping 2 stitches, but at the end we work it differently. If thats not it, count your stitches from row 1 to makes sure that it’s still 105 stitches. The pattern is a 3 stitch multiple so every row needs to have a stitch count divisible by 3.
Love your baby blankets and the colors you use! For borders – I am ok with the top and bottom of a blanket but not real sure about how to do the sides. Just wondering if there is a formula for the sides – like if there is a single crochet at the end of a row, do you do one single crochet for the border – or if there is a double crochet at the end of a row, do you do two single crochets for the border?? I’m a self taught crocheter and seem to have trouble getting borders to lie flat!
Thanks!
There is no ‘formula’ for the sides. For single crochet I do usually start with one in each side stitch, but then I see how it is laying and adjust as I go along so that it lies flat. I often just try to keep my crochet rhythm going and put the hook into where it naturally wants to go. It can definitely take some fiddling to get it to lie flat. My best advice is to take it slow and be willing to rip out a bit if you find that it’s pulling too tight or puckering with too many stitches. Once you make it through that first row, the border is much easier!
I love this blanket and I was wonder what yarn and colors did you use in the stripe version on Pinterest.
Thank you so much
This is the only color way I’ve made the afghan in. I used Red Heart Super Saver Ombre Worsted Weight Yarn, color shown is Scuba. Hope that helps!
Did you use the ombré yarn for the border or a solid color that matches the darkest color?
I used the same yarn, I just started with the darker part of the color.
Hi Cheryl! I have been checking into the lovely Sedge Stitch, and I am going to be crocheting an adult size blanket ( I think!). Your baby blanket in the Scuba Ombre yarn is beautiful and instructions clear. However, I have a question about the 1st row. I have been experimenting and find the 1st row really pulls the foundation chain, leaving gaps (which I don’t see in yours). And then when adding border, may really show. Would it be ok to add a row of sc for 1st row and then start the Sedge Stitch with row 2 and then row 3 and repeat? I have tried with 12 stitches I know I should have 12 ( or whatever 3 repeat) for starting and each row ( like your 105) but I’m not coming out like the pattern no matter how I start. Do you have any suggestions in working this out? I tried chain of 3 + 1 but does not look right after a chain 1 turn and start with hdc, dc in 1st stitch…. Also, if working sc border, I guess the other 3 sides would have 1 row of sc whereas the bottom would have 2. I’m rather confused! Any help would be appreciated! I plan to use Malabrigo Rios yarn which I love, so I really want to plan this right! I wanted a simple textured pattern but really nice yarn with a striping pattern, and I am getting rather stressed! 😉 Sorry so lengthy message. I really appreciate your time…. Terri
Hi Terri. I really would keep to the chain when you start. I don’t think skipping 2 sc is going to give you the same effect as skipping 2 chains. You could use a larger hook for the chain and that might help the pulling effect. The multiple is 3, so you should chain a multiple of 3. It’s possible you’re somehow losing a stitch going across that first row or something (otherwise I’m at a loss on why it’s not working out for you). I absolutely love Malabrigo Rios yarn, but be aware that even though it is classified as worsted, Red Heart Super Saver is considerably thicker. You likely will need to chain more to get the size you’re looking for. Probably your best bet is to make a small sample and experiment with all those things and then do some math to get to the size blanket you ultimately want. I hope all that helps!
I love this blanket! Very fun to crochet and easy to learn for someone who is a step beyond a beginner! My question for you is when using the Ombre yarn for this blanket, how do you figure out when to switch to the new skein of yarn to ensure the best transition of colors? If use up the first skein you end up with a lighter color, but the new skein starts with a darker color. Any advice? Thanks in advance!
Most of the time I just let the yarn flow as it will. If it’s a stark contrast, I might unwind from the new skein a bit to get to a better point for color transitions. It is a good idea to make sure that the color transitions in the same order as your previous skein. Most of the time, that’s how the skeins are wound anyway, but a double check doesn’t hurt. 🙂
I am a beginner crochet person and this is the first pattern I tried after practicing my stitches and getting a straight block. Thank you so much for this pattern, it was easy to follow and easy to complete. I will gifting this to a friend’s first grandchild.