Free Beginner Snowball Blanket Pattern

Pattern Description:

The Crochet Beginner Snowball Blanket is a beginner-friendly, polka dot blanket designed to resemble puffy snowballs. 

It uses only two stitches for ease of making. This baby blanket is made with Bernat Blanket Yarn for a puffy texture and was inspired by Mem Fox’s book, Roly Poly.

Materials Needed & Measurements:

• Yarn: Bernat Blanket (100% polyester, 300 g/10.5 oz, 201 m/220 yds)
• Yarn Quantity: 3 skeins White
• Hook: Size M/9.00mm hook
• Notions: scissors, tapestry needle
• Measurements: Finished size 34 in x 36 in

Stitches & Abbreviations Used:

• SC – Single Crochet
• DC4tog – Double Crochet 4 Together (Bobble)
• CH – Chain
• YO – Yarn Over

Instructions for Making the Beginner Snowball Blanket Pattern:

Here are the detailed instructions for making the Beginner Snowball Blanket:

Getting Started: Foundation Chain

Begin by creating a foundation chain. You will Chain 70 stitches. If you wish to make a larger blanket, you have the flexibility to adjust the starting chain; simply ensure that your chosen number of chains is any multiple of 10.

Establishing the Base Rows (Single Crochet)

After your foundation chain, you will begin working in single crochet rows to establish the base of your blanket before introducing the bobbles.

• ROW 1: Starting in the second chain from your hook, work 1 Single Crochet (SC). Continue to work 1 SC into each of the remaining chains across the row. By the end of this row, you should have a total of 69 SCs made.
• ROW 2: To start the next row, Chain (CH) 1 and turn your work. Then, work 1 SC into each stitch across the row. You will still have 69 stitches at the end of this row.
• ROW 3: This row is a direct repeat of Row 2. Again, CH 1 and turn, then work 1 SC into each stitch across.

Introducing the Bobble Rows (Snowballs)

The “snowball” effect is created by alternating two different types of bobble rows.

Bobble Row Type 1 (e.g., Row 4):

This row positions the bobbles at regular intervals, starting near the beginning of the row.

• ROW 4 (Bobble Row): CH 1 and turn your work. You will then begin a repeating pattern: Work 1 SC into each of the next 9 stitches. Following these 9 SCs, in the next stitch, work 1 DC4tog bobble. 

You will repeat this entire sequence (9 SCs, then 1 DC4tog bobble) across the row. To finish the row correctly after your last bobble, you will end with 9 SCs.

Interim Single Crochet Rows:

After each bobble row, you will work a set of single crochet rows to create space and definition between the bobble lines.

• ROWS 5 – 7: For these three rows, you will simply repeat Row 2. This means for each of these rows, you will CH 1, turn, and work 1 SC into each stitch across. This sequence of 3 SC rows will be consistently worked in between all bobble rows throughout the blanket.

Bobble Row Type 2 (e.g., Row 8):

This second type of bobble row staggers the bobbles, creating a more dispersed “snowball” pattern.

• ROW 8 (Bobble Row): CH 1 and turn your work. Begin this row by working 1 SC into each of the next 4 stitches. In the fifth stitch, work 1 DC4tog bobble. 

After this initial bobble, you will begin the main repeating pattern for this row: Work 1 SC into each of the next 9 stitches, followed by 1 DC4tog bobble in the next stitch. 

You will repeat this pattern (9 SCs, then 1 DC4tog bobble) across the remainder of the row. To conclude this row, you will end with 4 SCs after your last bobble.

Continuing the Blanket Pattern

To complete the main body of the blanket, you will continue to alternate the two types of bobble rows and the intervening single crochet rows.

• The general rule is to work 3 rows of single crochet in between each bobble row.
• For the bobble rows themselves, you will alternate starting on the 10th stitch (as seen in Row 4, where the first bobble comes after 9 SCs, so on the 10th stitch relative to the previous bobble row’s pattern repeat) and the 5th stitch (as seen in Row 8, where the first bobble comes on the 5th stitch of the row). You will continue this alternating pattern of bobble rows until the blanket reaches your desired length.

Adding the Border

Once you have completed the main body of the blanket and have woven in all your loose ends, you can add a finishing border.

• Pull up a loop in any corner of your blanket.
• Chain 1.
• Work 1 SC into each stitch around the entire blanket. When you reach the side edges where you were working rows, you should aim to work 1 SC per the end of each row.
• Crucially, when you reach each of the four corner spaces, work 3 SCs into that corner space to create a neat turn.
• At the end of the round, join with a slip stitch.
• Chain 1 and turn.
• You can work as many rounds as you wish for your border. 

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