This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
If you’re a lover of C2C crochet and simple designs, you are going to love this crochet reindeer blanket! Put your crochet skills to the test with this graphgan that can be made by either following graph or following the written out instructions for each row.
- Purchase the ad-free, printable download of both the graph and written instructions on Etsy or Ravelrly.
- PIN it to your boards for later.
- View the entire crochet graph and tutorial down below on my blog.
What Is A Crochet Graphgan?
A crochet graphgan is a blanket that uses color changes in yarn to create an image on the blanket. The most popular stitches to use for this type of blanket is C2C (corner to corner) or a basic single crochet. The important part is that the stitch is “square”. Since you are following a graph, each stitch will represent each square of color.
The possibilities are endless with graphgans. If you can create a graph for it, you can crochet it – big or small, basic or intricate. I used the Stitch Fiddle website to create my graph. This is optional, but the website has settings for crochet graphgans and is very easy to use.
Crochet Reindeer Blanket Overview
- This blanket uses the C2C block stitch and a graph to create a blanket with an adorable reindeer face on it.
- You will need to know how to crochet the C2C “stitch” in order to complete this project. I have a crochet tutorial on how to do the C2C, HOWEVER it is with half double crochets instead of double crochets. If you watch the tutorial, just know that for this reindeer blanket you will be using double crochets instead of half double crochets.
- For the C2C block stitch, I start my “increase” chain with 5 (instead of the typical 6) and when I’m making the double crochet blocks I chain 2 (instead of the typical 3). You can do it the traditional way, but I find that with a few less chains it gives me less gaps and I like the bit of extra structure that it gives.
- I used worsted weight yarn and a 5.00 mm crochet hook for this project. Specifically, I Love This Yarn! in Ivory, Brown, Black, Toasted Almond, and Cranberry.
- The finished size of this blanket (including the border) is about 43″ x 43″.
Tip and Tricks
- There are multiple methods of doing a grapghan and changing colors. I went with the most simple method where you snip the yarn after each color change. Since there will be a lot of ends to weave in, be sure that you are leaving long enough tails before and after each color change. You don’t want to end up with yarn tails that are too small to weave in properly.
- You may want to use some of the yarn tails to clean up the color blocks. For example, the brown blocks for the ears had some white between them so I used the brown yarn ends to sew and weave over those parts. You can see below how one of the ears looked before I wove in the ends to fill in those white gaps.
- For the best color change, pull in your next yarn color before completing the double crochet of the old color. For example, when making your last double crochet in white before changing to black, do not complete the last step of pulling through two loops. Instead, take the black yarn and pull it through those last two loops then continue onto the next block of double crochets.
- When following the graph or written instructions, use a highlighter or pen to mark off each section as you go so you can easily keep track of where you are in the graph.
- Be sure to refer back to the graph and compare it to your progress to make sure you are on the right track. With all the color changes, you will not want to find a mistake several rows back.
Crochet Reindeer Blanket Pattern
Materials
I Love This Yarn! in Ivory (5 skeins), Toasted Almond (1 skein), Brown (1 skein), Black (1 skein), and Cranberry (2 skeins)
*Use any worsted weight, medium 4 yarn. The skeins I used had 355 yards per skein.
5.00 mm crochet hook
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Pattern Notes
For this project, you will need to know how to crochet C2C.
For the C2C, I start with chain 5 and make my first double crochet into the third chain from the hook and then into the last two. When making a “block”, I start with chain two before making my double crochets. This makes the “blocks” a bit more tight knit and have less gaps.
Finished Dimensions: 43″ x 43″
Graph and Written Instructions
Crochet Reindeer Blanket Graph
Instructions
Start by printing or downloading the graph above. It’s not absolutely necessary if you are going to follow the written instructions, but it is nice to make sure you on the right track while you are crocheting.
You will be crocheting C2C and increasing on each side until the written instructions tell you to start decreasing on both ends.
Simply follow each row of the written instructions. For the first row, you will crochet one block of ivory. The next row you will increase on both sides and you will have 2 blocks of ivory. Once you have a row with color changes, it will tell you how many of each color you need in that row. For example, (Ivory) x 19, (Brown) x 2, (Ivory) x 19: You will crochet 19 blocks of ivory followed by 2 blocks of brown then 19 blocks of ivory. Again, you will be increasing on each side until the written instructions tell you to start decreasing on both ends.
For the color changes, you can use any method you prefer. I explain how I did my color changes in the tips and tricks section above.
Written Instructions
← Row 1 [RS]: (Ivory) x 1 (1 square)
→ Row 2 [WS]: (Ivory) x 2 (2 squares)
← Row 3 [RS]: (Ivory) x 3 (3 squares)
→ Row 4 [WS]: (Ivory) x 4 (4 squares)
← Row 5 [RS]: (Ivory) x 5 (5 squares)
→ Row 6 [WS]: (Ivory) x 6 (6 squares)
← Row 7 [RS]: (Ivory) x 7 (7 squares)
→ Row 8 [WS]: (Ivory) x 8 (8 squares)
← Row 9 [RS]: (Ivory) x 9 (9 squares)
→ Row 10 [WS]: (Ivory) x 10 (10 squares)
← Row 11 [RS]: (Ivory) x 11 (11 squares)
→ Row 12 [WS]: (Ivory) x 12 (12 squares)
← Row 13 [RS]: (Ivory) x 13 (13 squares)
→ Row 14 [WS]: (Ivory) x 14 (14 squares)
← Row 15 [RS]: (Ivory) x 15 (15 squares)
→ Row 16 [WS]: (Ivory) x 16 (16 squares)
← Row 17 [RS]: (Ivory) x 17 (17 squares)
→ Row 18 [WS]: (Ivory) x 18 (18 squares)
← Row 19 [RS]: (Ivory) x 19 (19 squares)
→ Row 20 [WS]: (Ivory) x 20 (20 squares)
← Row 21 [RS]: (Ivory) x 21 (21 squares)
→ Row 22 [WS]: (Ivory) x 22 (22 squares)
← Row 23 [RS]: (Ivory) x 23 (23 squares)
→ Row 24 [WS]: (Ivory) x 24 (24 squares)
← Row 25 [RS]: (Ivory) x 25 (25 squares)
→ Row 26 [WS]: (Ivory) x 26 (26 squares)
← Row 27 [RS]: (Ivory) x 27 (27 squares)
→ Row 28 [WS]: (Ivory) x 28 (28 squares)
← Row 29 [RS]: (Ivory) x 29 (29 squares)
→ Row 30 [WS]: (Ivory) x 30 (30 squares)
← Row 31 [RS]: (Ivory) x 31 (31 squares)
→ Row 32 [WS]: (Ivory) x 32 (32 squares)
← Row 33 [RS]: (Ivory) x 33 (33 squares)
→ Row 34 [WS]: (Ivory) x 34 (34 squares)
← Row 35 [RS]: (Ivory) x 35 (35 squares)
→ Row 36 [WS]: (Ivory) x 36 (36 squares)
← Row 37 [RS]: (Ivory) x 37 (37 squares)
→ Row 38 [WS]: (Ivory) x 38 (38 squares)
← Row 39 [RS]: (Ivory) x 39 (39 squares)
→ Row 40 [WS]: (Ivory) x 14, (Fire Red) x 2, (Ivory) x 7, (Brown) x 3, (Ivory) x 14 (40 squares)
← Row 41 [RS]: (Ivory) x 14, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 4, (Black) x 1, (Ivory) x 4, (Fire Red) x 3, (Ivory) x 14 (41 squares)
→ Row 42 [WS]: (Ivory) x 14, (Fire Red) x 3, (Ivory) x 10, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 14 (42 squares)
← Row 43 [RS]: (Ivory) x 15, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 4, (Black) x 1, (Ivory) x 4, (Fire Red) x 3, (Ivory) x 15 (43 squares)
→ Row 44 [WS]: (Ivory) x 15, (Fire Red) x 3, (Ivory) x 4, (Black) x 1, (Ivory) x 2, (Brown) x 3, (Ivory) x 16 (44 squares)
← Row 45 [RS]: (Ivory) x 22, (Black) x 2, (Ivory) x 3, (Fire Red) x 2, (Ivory) x 16 (45 squares)
→ Row 46 [WS]: (Ivory) x 46 (46 squares)
← Row 47 [RS]: (Ivory) x 47 (47 squares)
→ Row 48 [WS]: (Ivory) x 48 (48 squares)
← Row 49 [RS]: (Ivory) x 21, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 27 (49 squares)
→ Row 50 [WS]: (Ivory) x 28, (Toasted Almond) x 4, (Ivory) x 18 (50 squares)
← Row 51 [RS]: (Ivory) x 21, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 7, (Black) x 1, (Ivory) x 21 (51 squares)
→ Row 52 [WS]: (Ivory) x 30, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 21 (52 squares)
← Row 53 [RS]: (Ivory) x 21, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 8, (Black) x 1, (Ivory) x 22 (53 squares)
Corner: Start decreasing on both ends
→ Row 54 [WS]: (Ivory) x 21, (Black) x 1, (Ivory) x 8, (Toasted Almond) x 2, (Ivory) x 20 (52 squares)
← Row 55 [RS]: (Ivory) x 19, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 10, (Black) x 2, (Ivory) x 19 (51 squares)
→ Row 56 [WS]: (Ivory) x 29, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 1, (Toasted Almond) x 5, (Ivory) x 14 (50 squares)
← Row 57 [RS]: (Ivory) x 17, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 31 (49 squares)
→ Row 58 [WS]: (Ivory) x 28, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 2, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 16 (48 squares)
← Row 59 [RS]: (Ivory) x 15, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 9, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 21 (47 squares)
→ Row 60 [WS]: (Ivory) x 16, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 1, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 2, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 9, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 14 (46 squares)
← Row 61 [RS]: (Ivory) x 23, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 21 (45 squares)
→ Row 62 [WS]: (Ivory) x 15, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 1, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 2, (Toasted Almond) x 5, (Ivory) x 19 (44 squares)
← Row 63 [RS]: (Ivory) x 21, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 21 (43 squares)
→ Row 64 [WS]: (Ivory) x 14, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 1, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 2, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 1, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 20 (42 squares)
← Row 65 [RS]: (Ivory) x 19, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 5, (Brown) x 2, (Ivory) x 14 (41 squares)
→ Row 66 [WS]: (Ivory) x 14, (Brown) x 1, (Ivory) x 3, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 2, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 18 (40 squares)
← Row 67 [RS]: (Ivory) x 17, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 21 (39 squares)
→ Row 68 [WS]: (Ivory) x 20, (Toasted Almond) x 2, (Ivory) x 16 (38 squares)
← Row 69 [RS]: (Ivory) x 15, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 21 (37 squares)
→ Row 70 [WS]: (Ivory) x 19, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 1, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 14 (36 squares)
← Row 71 [RS]: (Ivory) x 35 (35 squares)
→ Row 72 [WS]: (Ivory) x 18, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 15 (34 squares)
← Row 73 [RS]: (Ivory) x 33 (33 squares)
→ Row 74 [WS]: (Ivory) x 17, (Toasted Almond) x 1, (Ivory) x 14 (32 squares)
← Row 75 [RS]: (Ivory) x 31 (31 squares)
→ Row 76 [WS]: (Ivory) x 30 (30 squares)
← Row 77 [RS]: (Ivory) x 29 (29 squares)
→ Row 78 [WS]: (Ivory) x 28 (28 squares)
← Row 79 [RS]: (Ivory) x 27 (27 squares)
→ Row 80 [WS]: (Ivory) x 26 (26 squares)
← Row 81 [RS]: (Ivory) x 25 (25 squares)
→ Row 82 [WS]: (Ivory) x 24 (24 squares)
← Row 83 [RS]: (Ivory) x 23 (23 squares)
→ Row 84 [WS]: (Ivory) x 22 (22 squares)
← Row 85 [RS]: (Ivory) x 21 (21 squares)
→ Row 86 [WS]: (Ivory) x 20 (20 squares)
← Row 87 [RS]: (Ivory) x 19 (19 squares)
→ Row 88 [WS]: (Ivory) x 18 (18 squares)
← Row 89 [RS]: (Ivory) x 17 (17 squares)
→ Row 90 [WS]: (Ivory) x 16 (16 squares)
← Row 91 [RS]: (Ivory) x 15 (15 squares)
→ Row 92 [WS]: (Ivory) x 14 (14 squares)
← Row 93 [RS]: (Ivory) x 13 (13 squares)
→ Row 94 [WS]: (Ivory) x 12 (12 squares)
← Row 95 [RS]: (Ivory) x 11 (11 squares)
→ Row 96 [WS]: (Ivory) x 10 (10 squares)
← Row 97 [RS]: (Ivory) x 9 (9 squares)
→ Row 98 [WS]: (Ivory) x 8 (8 squares)
← Row 99 [RS]: (Ivory) x 7 (7 squares)
→ Row 100 [WS]: (Ivory) x 6 (6 squares)
← Row 101 [RS]: (Ivory) x 5 (5 squares)
→ Row 102 [WS]: (Ivory) x 4 (4 squares)
← Row 103 [RS]: (Ivory) x 3 (3 squares)
→ Row 104 [WS]: (Ivory) x 2 (2 squares)
← Row 105 [RS]: (Ivory) x 1 (1 square)
Border
Use cranberry color yarn.
Row 1: Attach to corner of blanket. Ch 1, 3sc, *ch 2, sc in between c2c squares, repeat from * around making sure to make 3 sc in each corner, join to first st
*You can see in the photo below where I put the single crochet stitches. My border did come out a bit rippled. If you want it very straight, I would suggest doing ch 2 between every other block and just ch 1 between the other blocks. If you choose to do this, monitor how the border is looking and adjust as necessary.
Row 2-4: Ch 1, hdc in each st around and making 3hdc in each corner, join to first st
Change to ivory color yarn.
Repeat Row 2-4.
Change to cranberry color yarn.
Repeat Row 2-4.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Leave a Reply