Crochet Blanket Shrug - Free Pattern

ByNicky
88 Comments

Spruce up your outfit with this easy beginner-friendly crochet blanket shrug pattern. This free crochet shrug pattern is cozy, comfortable, and made using a one-stitch repeat.

It's the perfect shrug to pair with some jeans and a top or wear over a dress.

Continue to read through for the inspiration behind this design or scroll down for the free pattern + guided video tutorial.

The crochet blanket shrug made with a worsted weight cotton blue yarn

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Crochet Blanket Shrug

My latest design and free pattern is the crochet blanket shrug. This simple crochet cocoon is made from a rectangle and uses basic stitches.

It's the perfect weekend project as you can have this shrug done in a day! So if you're new to crochet or more advanced and looking for a quick project, this shrug pattern is perfect for you.

I've also included a guided video tutorial to help with any tricky parts.

model wearing a crochet shrug that is made with Loops and Thread Crème cotton yarn.

Inspiration + Design

My inspiration behind this crochet cocoon came from one of my other crochet designs. If you guessed the simple crochet throw, you are right!

The simple crochet throw was one of my first crochet patterns and I loved the stitch that I used for that pattern. It's the reverse blanket stitch and it's made using only chain, single crochet, and double crochet.

Anyhow, as I was curled up on the couch with my new blanket. I thought about how this design would look so good as a shrug. So I grabbed my notepad and started sketching an idea for this design.

That's also how this shrug, got its name. It reminds me of my cozy blanket. Plus, imagine all the different outfits you can wear with this comfy shrug.

Model is showing the back side of the crochet blanket shrug pattern.

Yarn Choice

For this crochet pattern, I chose to work with Michaels Loops & Thread Crème Cotton yarn. It's a number 4 worsted weight cotton yarn that's so soft and comes in a variety of different colors.

I loved working with this yarn and highly recommend it for this project. However, you can easily substitute a different yarn for this project. Lion Brand Feels Like Butta or Lion Brand Wool-Ease would be a great alternative.

Some of my favorite colors in this line are cream and light blue. Which colors are your favorite?

long flowy crochet shrug pattern made with worsted weight cotton yarn

Sizing of Crochet Blanket Shrug

I chose to make this project one size, as I wanted a very open loose-fitting crochet shrug. The sides are not meant to close, but they can easily be closed by adding a button.

However, if you want to make a different size. You will need to adjust the initial chain and either subtract or add chains. You also need to take into account the multiple, which is four.

So to make it bigger, add additional chains, and to make it smaller, subtract chains.

How to seam the blanket shrug together?

The blanket shrug is made by crocheting one long rectangle. Once you have your panel made, you want to fold in the sides to the middle and whip stitch it together.

That's it! It's a super simple project and would be great for beginners who are getting into crochet garment making.

Other Patterns You Might Like

other free crochet cardigan + top patterns
  1. Easy Crochet Cardigan - Learn how to crochet a simple oversized crochet cardigan with this free crochet pattern + guided video tutorial. 
  2. Seaside Crochet Top - This tank top is made from only 2 rectangles! It’s made using only single crochet and double crochet + includes a guided video tutorial.
cotton crochet cocoon shrug worn with a pair of jeans and white top

Free Crochet Shrug Pattern

Description:

Crochet an easy blanket shrug using a one stitch repeat. This beautiful and effortless shrug will keep you warm and stylish!

  • Purchase an ad-free, printable, PDF pattern HERE.
  • Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue HERE.

Materials:

Gauge:

4 stitches x 8 rows = 4 inch square in reverse blanket stitch.

(stitches in 1 chain space count as 1 stitch when checking gauge)

Abbreviations:

ch – chain: Yarn over, pull through loop on hook.

sc – single crochet: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull through, yarn over and pull through last two loops on hook.

dc – double crochet: Yarn over, insert hook into stitch and pull through, yarn over and pull through first two loops on hook, yarn over and pull through last two loops on hook.

sp - space

Finished Size:

One Size (one size will fit most)

32 ½ '' wide

42 '' long

Notes

  • Pattern written in U.S Terms.
  • Pattern is worked in one long rectangle.
  • Sleeves are formed by seaming the sides together using the whipstitch method or any other method you prefer.
  • Step-by-step video tutorial is included with pattern.

Crochet Blanket Shrug Pattern

ch 132

Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from the hook, ch 2, sc in the next ch. *skip 2 ch, 2 dc in the next ch, ch 2, sc in the following ch. Repeat from * across row. Turn.

image shows step 1 to making a crochet shrug pattern

Row 2: ch 2, skip the first stitch, make (2 dc, 2 ch, and 1 sc in the chain space). *skip next 3 stitches and make (2 dc, 2 ch, and 1 sc in the chain space). Repeat from * across row, turn.

image shows how to make a reverse blanket stitch for a crochet shrug

Row 3 – Row 82: repeat row 2

Finish off and weave in ends.

Construction: Seaming

Step 1: Starting from the right, fold the top and bottom corners to the middle. Repeat this process on the left side.

how to seam the crochet blanket shrug

Step 2: Using the whip stitch method, seam the two sides together on the right leaving a 5.5 inch opening. Repeat this process on the left side of the panel.

fold both sides of the panel to create a crochet shrug

Step 3: Once edges are seamed together, flip your blanket crochet shrug inside out. This will hide the seams.

You're done with the Blanket Shrug!

I hope you enjoyed making this pattern and that the tutorial was helpful! Don't forget to share your project with me on Facebook or Instagram at @jewelsandjones.

If you have any questions about the pattern, be sure to check out the YouTube video or you can always leave them below.

PIN IT for later

free crochet shrug pinnable image

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88 Comments

  1. Hi Jewels I ran across this beautiful pattern when my daughter asked me to make her something this Christmas to just take the chill off her shoulders, a wrap/ sweater/shawl that would stay in place but not constrict or arms- I sent her this picture, She loved the stitch and breeziness and so so I then said she needed a pocket.. o.. O , lol She is a graphic designer for Parties &, Weddings, Events and all and always working with her arms and hands so needed her hands and arms free but also toggling between her computer machinery and phone orders.. if you have any idea where i could place a pock or how I would I add a pocket, even if its a skinny tall one for a phone that would be ever so appreciated and awesome.. I was thinking I could make the rectangle longer but that would also make the sleeves then longer, negating the purpose of needed her arms /hands free Thank you! Peace to You

  2. Hi there, what a great gift idea! Yes, you could totally make the rectangle longer and add a pocket towards the bottom of the shrug. You could crochet a square using the stitch and then seam it onto the shrug using the whip stitch method. I think this work great. Thank you for sharing and for the suggestion. Have a great day!

  3. Hello. Love this shrug. Do you know the dimensions of the rectangle before you put it together?

  4. Hi there, thank you! Yes, so the rectangle is 32" 1/2 inches wide and 42" inches long.

  5. Thank you very much for the lovely cardigan shrug free pattern and tutorial !!! I will make lots of these lovely cardigan shrugs for presents and a few for me too !!!

  8. For the initial chain is that the width or length? I'm using varigated yarn and want my stripes going a certain way.

  9. Hi there, thank you for your question. The initial chain is the overall length of the shrug.

  12. thank you so much for this beautiful pattern ! would love to have same stitch pattern for a shawl. would you be making this for a shawl in the future ? Thank you, A.Parmelee

  13. Hi there, thank you so much! That's a great idea, I'm going to added to my list of things to make. 🙂

  14. Hi. My daughter asked me to make this for her prom. It seems simple enough. I have trouble reading patterns and I'm not a visual learner. I saw a question about width/length. We like the length but are concern about the width. She has broad shoulders. Any suggestions? Also, do I go by yards or weight? Thank you.

  15. Hi there,

    Thank you for your question. I would recommend making the width longer so it would fit better on her shoulders (possible add an extra 2" inches). So I would adjust the beginning chain and add extra chains to it to make it bigger and then follow the same amount of rows for the length. The stitch pattern multiple is 4, so you can make it as long as you need to, just make sure that it's a multiple of 4. For the second questions, I would go by yards. I hope this helps, let me know how it works out! 😊

  16. I really love this blanket shrug and would like to make it. I'm wondering, since it uses cotton yarn does it need to be blocked before creating the sleeves? Also, it's probably hand wash and lie flat to dry?
    Thank you for the lovely pattern.
    Donna

  17. Hi there, thank you. Yes, I definitely recommend blocking the panel before making the sleeves and I recommend handwashing the shrug and then laying it flat to dry. 😊

  18. I'm using acrylic yarn. Do I need to block the sleeves as well? If I do could you please explain why and what is blocking? Thank you for your previous answer to my questions.

  19. Will this work in an acrylic yarn? I have lots of acrylic in my stash but no cotton right now. Thanks so much for the pattern it's beautiful!

  20. Hi there,

    Thank you so much! So acrylic yarn will definitely work for this pattern. I would recommend a worsted weight acrylic yarn, as the pattern calls for a #4 yarn. Good luck with the shrug! 🙂

  21. Hi there,

    Of course, no problem. Blocking is a way of helping shape your project to it's desired size. It also helps with stitch definition and gives your project a more polished look. I do recommend it for this project, however, this pattern is very forgiving as it's a shrug. So it's totally up to you. If you want to block it, I would recommend laying it flat out and pinning it down on some pinning boards and then gently steam blocking it. You have to be careful when applying heat to acrylic as the yarn can actually melt. So I find a light steam blocking does the trick to help shape and bring out the stitches.

  22. Help. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I get to the end and it looks nothing like the picture. It's uneven. I have done a multiple of 4. I've counted my stitches. I get to row 3 and I'm not sure how to end it.

  23. Hi there, I'm sorry your having a bit of trouble with this stitch. Your last stitch (sc) should go in the chain space and then you want to ch 2 and turn for the next row. Have you checked out the video tutorial of this stitch yet?

  24. I really want to make this shrug, bought the cotton yarn suggested, but I am having trouble with the gage. Using an H hook seems way too small to get a gage of 4 stitches and 8 rows for 4". What am I doing wrong? Please help. The yarn says use a K hook & 16 stitches for 4".

  25. Hi there, thank you for your question. So the gauge can be little tricky to get accurate when making a swatch because of the way the stitch is. But you want to count all the stitches within the chain space as 1 and then the same for the amount of rows. I hope this helps, but let me know if you have any other questions.

  26. Hello and thank you for such an easy and beautiful pattern! I am using a size H hook, the exact yarn you recommended, started with a 132 chain, and did my 82 rows. However, when I measured (what I thought was) my finished rectangle it only measured 27 1/2” x 36” instead of the 32 1/2” x 42” finished size as noted in your written directions. Do you have any suggestions as to why mine isn’t measuring out like it should be? Can I just keep adding additional rows to get it to the 42” length at this point? And, do you have instructions somewhere on how to do the whip stitch for finishing? Thank you

  27. Hi there, thank you so much! Yes, I would definitely continue adding additional rows until you get the exact measurements. The stitch used in the pattern is very "flowy" and stretchy, so that could be why the pattern is off by a few inches. So I would make a few additional rows and you can always add a border to it if you wanted to make it longer on the sides. I don't have any written tutorials yet how to whipstitch a piece together, but the video included in the pattern shows how to whipstitch the corners together. It should be towards the end of the video. I Hope this helps, if you have any other questions please let me know. 😊

  28. Thank you for the lovely pattern and so easy. I'm wondering about the foundation row- this is totally straight with no cluster design. It looks like it forms one of the sleeves. Would it be possible to add a row to make it wavy like the other sleeve?

  29. Hi there, thank you so much! Yes, you can definitely add a wavy border to the foundation chain. I would reattach the yarn, and work row 1 of the pattern on the foundation chain. That should give it a nice wavy border. I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any other questions.

  30. Hello,
    I made this in a gray ombre worsted weight acrylic and it turned out beautiful! I crochet tight, so I used a K/6.5 hook.
    I was concerned when I put it on it was going to look like a square crop top. However, it fits just like your picture shows.
    I know sizing depends on many things including type of yarn, hook size, etc. For reference in my case I'm 5' 2" and weigh 105.
    I'm a long-time quilter and crocheter, though I'm new to crocheting clothing items. Your instructions were very clear and easy to follow.
    Thank you so so much for sharing your time, talent, and this lovely pattern!

  31. Hello,

    Thank you so much for your sweet comment. I'm so glad you enjoyed making the pattern and that it fits well. Makes me so happy! 😊

  32. What are the measurements of the rectangle of the Blanket Shawl? I always lose count of rows and prefer to go by measurements.

  33. Made this shrug. So easy and fast. It came out beautiful. Especially the scallops around all the edges.

  36. Hi, your pattern is lovely, thank you for sharing. I have a question I am using a UK double (dk) knit yarn, which I believe is a 3 in the US? I’m using a size 4 (g) hook. I know I will have to adapt my starting chain size, but would like to clarify that that should be about 42” working to make it 32.5” long? I’m not sure if I am confused about the which measurement is for the chain length. Hope that makes sense?! Many thanks!

  37. Hi there, thank you so much! To answer your question, you want to make your starting chain 32 1/2" inches long (width) and then you want to make it 42" long (height). So yeah you probably have to adjust the chain length to accommodate for the yarn and also add a couple of more rows. I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any more questions. 😊

  38. @Nicky,
    Thank you for responding Nicky! I cant believe I am just seeing this. That is exactly what I did and I turned the pocket sideways and its gonna work great for a phone. Love this , Have a beautiful day

  40. I was wondering if there is any other brand of yarn you could recommend

    Or can I use this brand

    KnitPal - 100% Cotton Yarn for Beginners, DK Weight, 10 Balls (1200 yards/500 Grams), Pastel and Jewel Tone Colors (Emerald Green

  41. Hi there,

    For this pattern, I would recommend a worsted weight yarn, instead of a DK weight yarn. You could use the DK yarn, but you will probably have to add more rows and additional chains to the beginning to get the correct measurements. Another yarn that would make a good substitute is Lion Brand Feels Like Butta yarn. It has the same consistency as the yarn used in the pattern. 😊

  42. If I use verigated yarn, the stripes will come out vertical? How do I make them come out horizontal?

  44. Hi there, I don't think it's possible to get the stripes to come out horizontal. The only thing I can think of is to switch the measurements around and see if that works. I would make a small swatch though to see how it turns out first. I hope that helps. Good luck!

  45. The pattern looked amazing. I've tried, and it looks beautiful. I didn't have to even watch through the whole video, so easy it is. Thank you.

  47. I just finished my shrug and wondered if you had a pattern for a crochet collar I could add on to it,,, I love the shrug but it does not fit right around my neck and shoulders ( I think a little too big) and thought a collar would be nice,Thanku!

  49. Hi there,

    You could always do a simple single crochet border around the shrug.😊

  50. Hi there,

    I don't have a crochet collar pattern, but I think a single crochet border would work really well for this shrug. So all you would do is reattach your yarn to the bottom of the shrug and work a couple of rounds of single crochet. 😊

  51. I made this and it is beautiful but very big for me. I am 5’3” tall and weigh 100 lbs. how can I make one smaller to fit me? I am probably a high beginner crocheted.
    Thank you

  52. Hi there, I would measure out how long you would like to shrug to be and then base your chains of that amount. Then I would follow the pattern as is and you could always add a border as well.

  53. I LOVE this pattern. It was so easy to make and wearing it is like wearing a hug. If only I had more days in Florida when I COULD wear it. For my part, I only required 3 skeins of the recommended yarn. Thank you for sharing!

  54. Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed making it. Yes, I totally understand 😊. I've got so many cute crochet scarfs and beanies, but it only gets cold here in Florida a few weeks out of the year.

  55. I am confused as to where the straight sided starting chain is on the finished project. Every edge seems to have the scallop.

  56. Hi there, yes the foundation chain will be a lot straighter than the other sides. However you can re-attach the yarn to the foundation chain and repeat row 2 to create the same scalloped edge.

  57. I made this 2 years ago, & it came out HUGE! I’m 5’4”, 125 lbs., but have broad shoulders (size 8 in dresses). It looked like I was wearing an afghan! 😆 Not sure what I did wrong. Eventually, I took it apart & thought I’d try again sometime. I just rediscovered the yarn I used-Mary Maxim Starlette 3 1/2 oz. 100% acrylic. Do you have any suggestions on making it more my size?

  58. Hi there, did you make a gauge swatch? Sometimes even 1/2 an inch of a stitch can make a huge difference. I'm so glad you're giving this pattern another chance though 😊. I would recommend measuring from tip to tip (right hand to left hand). Then I would make my foundation chain the same length as my measurement. You just want to make sure that the number is a multiple of 4. So if your number is lower or higher, just adjust it to be a multiple of 4. It's a little bit of extra work doing it this way, but I think it will give you a more customized look. Goodluck and let me know how it goes. 😊

  59. Think I can do this FABULOUS shrug...understand your illustration so CLEARLY done...Big thank you..

  61. Thank you for responding so quickly! For some reason, I’m just now seeing it. I made a swatch recently & found that I needed to use a J (6mm) hook instead. I chained 132 & made the 1st row. It measures 36 1/2 inches. Should I go back & chain less? If so, how much?

  62. Hi there, I would go back and chain less so you have the correct measurement. Just make sure that the chain amount is a multiple of 4 because the stitch used is a multiple of 4.

  63. Hi! Not sure if this was already sent or not... if it was I am sorry for repeating myself.
    I measure 40 inches in my bust area and the 32.5 inch chain doesn't seem like it will be big enough to fit me. It seems as though it will be rather tight. Any suggestions? Thanks!
    Sharon Williams

  64. Hi there, that's totally ok. 😊 I would recommend adding a border around the shrug. I would work a couple of rows of double crochet or single crochet. This will add extra length to the shrug.

  65. Thank you for the pattern. Quick question...if I chain to the desired 32.5" width (because I'm using lighter weight fiber) if the stitch count matters. It seems like it would need to be mulriples of 2, but not 100% sure.

  66. Hi there, so the stitch multiple used in the pattern is 4. So you can adjust the foundation chain, just make sure its an even number so the stitch pattern comes out correctly. I hope that helps😊.

  67. Hi there! I would love to make a smaller version for my 8 year old on her birthday. Any tips on how to adapt for her?
    Thank you!
    Tami

  68. Hi there, thank you so much! I personally haven't made it in a child size, but I would measure from fingertip to fingertip and then chain that amount. This will give you a rough estimate on the size. Plus, you can always add a border to to extend the sides if you need to make it a bit bigger. I hope that helps.

  69. Hi. I really love this beautiful pattern and that it is so easy to follow. But I am having trouble understanding measuring fingertip to fingertip, my case it is about 50 inches, do I chain (in multiples of 4) a length equal to 50 inches (seems way way too big) or my foundation row will be 52 chains? Now that I said it out loud (haha) 52 chains makes sense plus some extra for looseness. Am I on the right track now?
    Thank you.

  70. Hi there, yes, so you would want to chain in multiples of 4 till you reach 50 inches. It may seem big, but remember you'll be folding in the corners to create the sleeves of the shrug. It also allows for a little bit of looseness. So yes, I think you're on the right track. 😊

  71. I am 5 feet tall and 120 pounds. I would love to make this but would like it to be a shorter cardigan to fit my height better. In order to do that, I was wondering if I need to adjust my starting chain or do I simply just crochet fewer rows? Thank you so much. And the video is super helpful and easy to follow!

  72. Hi there, I would recommend crocheting fewer rows. I would keep the starting chain the same, but I would decrease the amount of rows for the panel. You could always hold the panel up against yourself and see if you like where it's hitting (hold it by the shoulder). If the panel is too long, decrease the amount of rows, and if its to short, add additional rows. I hope that helps! 😊

  73. Thank you for this pattern. My daughter wants me to make it for her but she wants the normal sleve. Is there any way to make a shrug look (with the curved bottom) but without the open skeves. Maybe somehow crochet sleves in the round? Any ideas or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

  74. Hi there, I would make the pattern as its written and then I would crochet in the round for the sleeves. I think this would work best and it'll still look like a shrug. So you want to reattach the yarn to the sleeve part and then repeat row 2 in the round. I hope that helps! 😊

  75. Hi. I’m late to this pattern. Have gotten quite a few rows in and think it won’t be wide enough. Can I add a border? If so, how?

  76. Hi there, yes, you could always add a border at the end to make it bigger. I would recommend a simple single crochet border for the stitch that is being used. So you would want to reattach your yarn to the rectangle and then start making single crochets all the way around the rectangle. After making a few rows, you could pin the rectangle together with some stitch markers and see how it looks on you. I would do this first before seaming it together, this way you can add some more rows if needed without having to take out the seaming part. I hope that helps! 😊

  77. Hi,
    Came across you on YouTube. Very good and helpful content! And I love this pattern, especially with the scalloped edges. I’ve made a couple lap blankets. Then, I found this shrug! I’m basically at the blanket and scarf level, but wanted to attempt some sort of shawl for working in front of a window. I think this will do nicely.
    I’m not sure how to ask this, but, about the sizing… I’m larger than the picture, about a size 18. I’m thinking I might have to add to the chain size a bit just to make sure it fits around and hangs properly. But I’m not sure how or where to measure in order to adjust the chain. (Clarifying that the chain is the measurement that goes around you) I’d hate to get half way through it and have it too tight. Any guidance would be appreciated. TY

  78. Hi there, thank you for reaching out. Yes, this pattern is very forgiving in terms of sizing, since it's just one big rectangle. To adjust the size, I would recommend measuring your self first from shoulder to hip. This will give you a good estimate of how many extra rows you need to add since you're changing the width. Then for the width, I would recommend measuring from tip to tip (right hand to left hand). Once you have figured out your width, then you can make your foundation chain as long as your width. Just make sure your foundation chain is a multiple of 4 because the stitch used is a multiple of 4. I hope this helps, let me know how it goes! 😊

  79. Just finished - thank you for this lovely pattern! I really liked how intricate the pattern looks, even though it is so easy to make. Not a fan of full-length sleeves, so I like how these "sleeves" worked up. (But let's just say that it took me longer than a weekend to get this done 🙂

  81. @Nicky, I had some yarn that I want to use for a second shrug. The yarn is Lion Brand Heartland (weight 4/5oz), 100% acrylic. Though it's the same weight as what you used, this yarn is much "fuzzier." I realize that it won't look quite the same no matter what, but can you suggest a hook size? (I crochet loosely.)

    Given the change in yarn, I assume I should chain in multiples of four until I get to 32.5." I didn't make a gauge swatch last time, but did you mean 4 clusters of 4 x 8 rows?

    Thanks so much!

  82. So your beginning edge of the starting chain is straight but all other sides have the form of the double crochet to single. How do you hide that as being different?

  84. @Janet, Hi there, I was just wanting to suggest, if you make your starting chain equal the height of the rectangle and not the width, then you would just crochet until the rows equal the width, which would also mean you'd have less rows to do, but that swapped around way would solve this for you.

  85. I absolutely love this and the stitch, and especially the heaviness of it. I finished it but the only thing is it keeps falling off my shoulders. I have to keep pulling it back up. Any suggestions?

  86. ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!
    fits perfectly and is so warm. What a beautiful stitch and so easy to make.

  87. Aww, thank you so much! I'm so glad you love it. It's one of my favorite stitches.

  88. Hi there, I'm so glad you love it. I would recommend adding a button or some people have even added a cute brooch. You can also add a border around it, that should work as well. 😊

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