How Many Chains for a Crochet Blanket?

The short formula

Crochet a swatch in the stitch the blanket uses and count the stitches across 4" (10 cm). Divide by 4 to get stitches per inch. Multiply by the width you want and round to a whole stitch. Then add the skipped chains: 1 for single crochet, 2 for half double or double crochet.

A quick word on names. US single crochet (sc) is UK double crochet (dc); US half double crochet (hdc) is UK half treble (htr); US double crochet (dc) is UK treble (tr). A chain (ch) is a chain on both sides of the Atlantic. Everything on this page uses US terms.

• Stitches = width x stitches per 4" / 4, rounded.
• Chain for sc = stitches + 1.
• Chain for hdc or dc = stitches + 2.

Why you chain more than you stitch

The first chains next to the hook raise the yarn to the height of the stitch, and you skip them. The Craft Yarn Council's pattern-reading guide shows both cases. For single crochet, 15 chains give 14 sc, because Row 1 starts in the 2nd chain from the hook. For double crochet, 17 chains give 15 dc: you work into the 4th chain from the hook, and the 3 skipped chains count as the first dc.

The same guide is firm on counting: the slip knot is not a chain, and the loop on the hook is never a stitch. Miscounting either one is the most common reason a first row comes out one stitch off.

Foundation chain by blanket width

These counts use the crochet pattern generator's own rule (stitches rounded to the nearest whole stitch, then + 1 for sc or + 2 for dc). The gauges are examples: 14 and 11 sc per 4" are the two ends of the Craft Yarn Council range for worsted yarn, and 12 dc per 4" is a sample double crochet gauge. Swap in your own swatch.

Worked example: Row 1 of a 36" blanket

Your swatch shows 14 sc in 4", so 36 x 14 / 4 = 126 stitches. Chain 127 loosely. Row 1 then reads: "Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, ch 1, turn. (126 sc)" The number in parentheses is the stitch count to check at the end of the row.

In single crochet the turning ch-1 does not count as a stitch, so Row 2 starts in the first stitch. In double crochet the turning ch-3 counts as the first dc, so Row 2 skips the first stitch and ends in the top of the turning chain. Half double crochet is the one that varies: the Craft Yarn Council treats chains on stitches taller than sc as a stitch unless the pattern says otherwise, while the generator on this site writes hdc with a ch-2 that does not count. Follow whatever your pattern says.

When the pattern asks for a multiple

Many stitch patterns say something like "chain a multiple of 3 + 2". Work out your chain count first, then move it to the nearest number that fits. For a 127-chain start, 3 x 41 + 2 = 125 and 3 x 42 + 2 = 128, so chain 128. One extra stitch in a 14-per-4" gauge adds only about 0.29" (0.7 cm) of width.

Keep a long chain from pulling in

The Craft Yarn Council asks for foundation chains made loosely, and that matters most on a blanket, where a tight chain makes the bottom edge narrower than the rows above it. A common fix is to make the chain with a hook one size larger, then switch to the pattern hook for Row 1.

Long chains are also easy to miscount. Place a stitch marker every 20 or 25 chains so a recount only covers the last group.

Check after two or three rows

Lay the work flat and measure the width after two or three rows, not just the chain. If it is more than about 1" (2.5 cm) off the target, take it out and change the stitch count, because the width will not fix itself later. The crochet pattern generator on this site takes your gauge and size and writes the foundation chain and every row with its stitch count, so you can compare your own numbers with it.

Common questions

How many chains do I need for a baby blanket?

It depends on the width and your gauge. A 30" blanket at 14 sc per 4" is 105 sc, so ch 106. Baby blankets are for awake, supervised time: the American Academy of Pediatrics asks parents to keep blankets out of a sleeping baby's crib.

Does the slip knot count as a chain?

No. The Craft Yarn Council guide says not to count the slip knot, and the loop on the hook is never counted either. Count only the finished chains.

Does the turning chain count as a stitch?

In single crochet, no. In double crochet, yes: the ch-3 counts as the first dc. For half double crochet, patterns differ, so follow the pattern.

What is a single crochet called in UK terms?

A UK double crochet (dc). The US double crochet is a UK treble (tr), so always check which terms a pattern uses before you start.