Crochet blanket sizes for the UK, in cm and inches

How big a blanket is decides everything else: the chart, the yarn and the time it takes. This guide gives sizes in cm and inches for UK cots, prams, throws and beds, and the stitch and block counts Bobble works out for each at DK tension, its default, and at a typical aran tension.

Baby blanket sizes in cm: comforter, pram, Moses basket, cot and cot bed

Baby blankets are sized by where they go. These are common crochet sizes, in cm first, with the counts Bobble makes for each at its DK tension. Moses baskets and cribs have no standard size, so measure yours.

How big is a cot blanket?

For a UK cot, about 90 × 120 cm. A UK cot mattress is 60 × 120 cm, and a blanket needs to be wider than the mattress so it can be tucked in down both sides: 60 cm plus about 15 cm tucked under each side makes 90 cm. It need not be longer than the mattress. A cot bed, at 70 × 140 cm, takes about 100 × 140 cm. The 36 × 52 in (91 × 132 cm) size often quoted online is the US crib quilt, longer than a UK cot mattress.

Is 30 × 30 big enough for a baby blanket?

It depends on the unit. 30 × 30 cm is a comforter, a small square to hold. 30 × 30 in (76 × 76 cm) is a pram blanket.

Lap and throw sizes

A good throw for an adult is about 120 × 150 cm or 127 × 152 cm (50 × 60 in): long enough to cover most adults on a sofa from shoulder to feet.

Bed sizes

UK beds are sized by the mattress. A blanket that covers the top of the bed is the mattress width plus twice the drop you want down each side, by the mattress length plus one drop at the foot. With a 25 cm drop:

In rows, every bed size needs more than the 300 rows Bobble charts, at DK or aran tension, so chart a bed blanket in C2C, or in panels to join.

Tension (gauge): stitches and rows per 10 cm

Tension depends on the yarn, the hook and your hands. Bobble starts from the DK figures below. For aran or chunky, enter that row’s figures, or better, your own swatch’s, under Tension and stitches on the Advanced tab, and Bobble uses them.

A C2C block is a chain of 3 and 3 trebles in UK terms (3 double crochet in US terms), about 2.5 cm across in DK. See the C2C graphghan guide for the stitch, and pixel, C2C or tapestry for choosing a method.

How many stitches and chains for each blanket size

These are the grids Bobble makes for each size at the tension above, width by height. DK is its default; it makes the aran grids once you enter the aran figures as your tension.

In DK

In aran

In rows, chain one more than the stitches across: Bobble’s written rows start with that chain and work row 1 into the 2nd chain from the hook, so a 216-stitch throw starts with 217 chains. Borders are extra, so take the width of your edging off the target before you size the chart. C2C has no foundation chain: it starts from one block in a corner.

How chart resolution affects detail

A 100×100 chart will look like the photo at room distance. A 50×50 will look like a pixel-art version. A 200×200 will look almost photographic, at the cost of much more time. As a rule of thumb:

• Under 40 squares per side: only suitable for very graphic images (logos, silhouettes, simple icons).
• 40 to 80 squares per side: good for stylised images, pets, simple landscapes, abstract patterns.
• 80 to 150 squares per side: recognisable photos, pet portraits, family snapshots.
• 150+ squares per side: near-photographic, but only worth it for special pieces.

Plan a blanket size in Bobble

In the app, the Size tab asks for the finished size in cm, or in inches if you choose them under Units on the Advanced tab, with presets for a Baby blanket (75 × 100 cm), a Throw (120 × 150 cm), a Cushion and a Wall hanging. The photo is cropped to the size’s shape, never stretched. Enter your swatch on the Advanced tab, the stitches and rows per 10 cm, and the grid follows your tension, up to 300 stitches or blocks a side. Bobble lists the yarn for each colour in metres and balls of DK, matched to Stylecraft Special DK or Paintbox Simply DK, and Make Mode keeps your place while you work. A PDF with the chart and row-by-row written instructions is part of Pro for every chart, Bobble’s own free designs included.

FAQ

What size is a crochet baby blanket in cm?

About 75 × 100 cm for a blanket that will see a pram and then a cot; that is Bobble’s Baby blanket size. A pram or Moses basket blanket can be smaller, 55 × 70 to 76 × 91 cm.

What size blanket should I make for a newborn?

A pram blanket, 76 × 91 cm (30 × 36 in) or a little smaller. It fits a car seat and a pram, and is small enough to carry about.

How many chains do I need for a blanket?

For rows, one more than the stitches across. At Bobble’s DK tension of 18 stitches to 10 cm, a 120 cm throw is 216 stitches, so chain 217. C2C has no foundation chain.

Does the blanket pattern look stretched if I change the dimensions in Bobble?

No. Bobble works the rows out from your tension, so the picture keeps its proportions instead of coming out squashed. With Keep the proportions on, the lock between the width and the height on the Size tab, changing one changes the other. To make the blanket a different shape, turn the lock off, set both, then move and zoom the picture to fit.