Crocheting a blanket, also known as an afghan, can be tedious and intimidating, especially for beginners. Identifying the fastest crochet stitch for a blanket will make a crocheter’s life easy, take the stress off such a big project, and help one complete a project faster where there are time constraints. Read our article and find out Is Crocheting Hard?
Let’s explore which stitch is the fastest to crochet a blanket.
Fastest Crochet Stitch for a Blanket
Crochet has four basic stitches, namely the single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and triple crochet, the single crochet being the shortest stitch and the triple crochet being the tallest stitch.
These stitches have hundreds of combinations and variations that form many other beautiful stitches and patterns. All these can be fast crochet stitches once you get the hang of them, but which one is the fastest stitch to crochet a blanket?
The views on the fastest stitch for a blanket vary as some say it’s muscle memory; the repetitive motion gets embedded in your memory, resulting in an increased speed.
Others say the taller the stitch, the faster you can complete your project. This means the triple stitch would be the fastest. While others are of the view that the stitch with fewer yarn overs is faster, meaning the single crochet would be the fastest stitch. Therefore there is no definite answer.
Based on the above arguments, the double crochet stitch would be the fastest stitch and best crochet stitch for a blanket as it encompasses all the views raised above.
A blanket’s core function is to provide warmth. Therefore, aside from looking for a fast stitch, you would want to select a stitch that is fit for the purpose; thus, choosing the right stitch may be daunting, but it need not be.
The taller the stitch, the more gaps it has, so the double and triple crochet stitch may therefore seem to not be ideal for a blanket.
Applying variations or combinations of the stitch that covers up the holes, such as a double crochet V-stitch, double crochet cross-stitch, or a granny square stitch, can be considered easy crochet stitches for blanket would work up as fast as the double crochet but with more coverage.
There are many other crochet stitches for blankets that can be considered but will not work up as fast as the basic double crochet.
For example, textured stitches will provide more coverage and a beautiful finish than the basic double crochet stitch but may not be the fastest as they can be complex and cumbersome.
You will need to continuously keep track of the stitch count and sequence on the pattern, which in turn can slow you down.
Best Yarn for Fast Crocheting
An important factor to consider when crocheting a blanket fast is the yarn used for the project.
Category 1, 2, and 3 yarns are thin and delicate and require smaller hooks, which generally take longer to complete a project and are not ideal for crocheting a blanket. Bulky yarns that use a bigger hook or arm crocheting work up faster and, depending on the choice of hook and stitch, will provide coverage for a blanket.
If you don’t have bulky yarn, you can also crochet a blanket by holding two yarns together, which can achieve the same finish as bulky yarn and create a beautiful colorful finish when you use multiple yarn colors.
Crocheting using bulky yarn can be strenuous on the wrist, so this should be borne in mind.
The pattern of choice will also determine the yarn you will use. While choosing a bulky yarn to crochet a blanket fast may seem like an obvious choice, bulky yarns are not suitable for all patterns.
For example, you can easily work a granny square blanket using a worsted yarn which is a category four yarn. The same pattern wouldn’t provide an aesthetically pleasing finish when mega chunky or jumbo yarn.
Crochet Blanket Ideas
There are many crochet blanket ideas available online, and you can search using search engines or on social media.
YouTube, Pinterest, and craft websites, such as Ravelry and Etsy, are the most popular websites where crocheters find their inspiration and crochet blanket ideas.
Some of the simplest ideas are to use the crochet granny stitch, granny squares joined together, or just a simple double crochet stitch.
Here are four quick crochet blanket ideas that are fast crochet stitches to start you off.
- Easy double crochet blanket
- Rippled Fast Crochet Blanket
- Classic Granny Square Crochet Throw
- Cozy Winter Crochet Blanket
How Long to Crochet a Blanket
Every crocheter works at a different speed, depending on experience and skill level. Therefore the timeline will ultimately vary from person to person. However, other factors will determine how fast one can crochet a blanket.
Firstly, the type of yarn. It takes longer to work with thin and fine yarn. Hence, it’s faster to work with thicker and bulkier yarn.
Secondly, the stitch of choice plays a role in how long to crochet a blanket. Taller stitches work up faster than shorter stitches as they have a bigger gauge. Therefore, it makes sense that while single and half double crochet may provide more coverage, it will work up much slower than double or triple crochet stitches.
Thirdly, the pattern of choice may have a variation of stitches as well as yarn color changes which will result in the crochet project taking longer to complete. Textured crochet patterns, which are cool crochet stitches for blankets, usually take much longer than simple stitches.
Patterns with multiple color changes can also be complicated and slow you down. Therefore when looking for crochet blanket ideas that are fast, simple, and basic would be the best choice.
Parting Thoughts
The fastest stitch for a blanket is the double crochet, which is a tall stitch, and a variation will provide the required coverage. The double crochet stitch pattern must be straightforward with few or preferably no color changes and uses medium to bulky yarn.
One should also remember that speed comes with experience, so be patient with yourself as you work the blanket.