A crochet striped blanket in bold red and white, with raised loops that run across every stripe, gives a plain throw the look of a chain of tiny rings.
The Crochet Striped Blanket
This crochet striped blanket is built from broad bands of solid colour, each one separated by a ridge of small raised loops in a contrasting shade. In red and white, the loops sit on the red fabric like white beads on a cord. The base fabric is dense and flat, with tight little vertical stitches that give it a woven look. Neat edges frame the piece, and a plain white band closes the lower border. A navy and golden yellow version shows the same idea in a deeper, sportier palette. The design reads as graphic from across the room, yet each loop rewards a closer look. It suits a sofa, a pram, a bed end or a cosy reading chair.
The same stitch also works in many colour pairs, so the blanket can follow your room, a team, a season or a gift recipient. Small swatches make charming coasters, pot holders or cushion panels. Short fragment: pattern, colour, comfort.
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Materials
For a crochet striped blanket like this, choose a smooth, tightly plied yarn with a slight sheen. The stitches in the photos are crisp and well defined, which points to a mercerised cotton or a smooth acrylic of light worsted weight. Plan on two colours, one for the base stripes and one for the loop rows, plus a third if you want a separate border band as the red version has in white. A hook around 3.5 to 4 mm suits this kind of yarn, and a slightly smaller hook gives the dense, firm fabric you can see here. Cotton gives clear stitch definition and a cool, sturdy feel, while acrylic is lighter and easier to wash. A stitch marker, a tapestry needle for weaving ends and a tape measure complete the kit.
Yarn and Size Planning
The fabric is dense, so it uses more yarn than an open stitch of the same size. Buy extra of the base colour, because it covers most of the surface, and keep the contrast colour in a smaller quantity.
Buy all skeins of each colour in the same dye lot. Stripes make colour differences very obvious, especially in white and pale shades, where a slight change in tone shows as a band.
Decide the size before you start. A lap throw needs far less yarn than a bed blanket, and the weight of dense cotton grows quickly. If the finished piece will be large, acrylic or a cotton blend keeps it from becoming heavy.
Swatch first. Work a small square, wash it, and measure again. Cotton can relax after washing, and knowing this early saves you from a blanket that grows longer than planned.
The Loop Stripe: The Detail That Defines It
The signature of this blanket is the row of raised loops. In the close views, the contrast yarn sits on the front of the work in small rounded links, while the base colour shows through the middle of each ring. It looks like a chain, but it is formed within the fabric itself rather than added afterwards.
The loops appear to be worked from the contrast yarn while the base colour is carried along the row, so the two strands travel together. The navy and yellow sample shows this clearly: the navy yarn trails along the edge while the yellow stitches continue above.
The choice you face is how firmly to pull each loop. Loose loops sag and lose their round shape, while overly tight ones pucker the row and make the stripe wavy. Aim for loops that sit evenly, like beads of the same size.
Pause the video at the moment the contrast yarn is picked up, and watch which strand the hook enters and in which direction the yarn is wrapped. This is the move that creates the ring, and replaying it a few times makes the rhythm clear.
Understanding the Stripe Repeat
The blanket alternates a band of solid base fabric with a single loop row. In the red sample, there are several rows of plain red between each white loop line, which keeps the rings spaced and prominent. Count your base rows and keep the number the same for every stripe.
Each colour change needs a tidy approach. Carrying the unused yarn along the edge works well here, as the navy sample shows, but keep the carried strand relaxed so the side does not pull in.
If the edge starts to look bulky from carried yarn, trim the strand and begin fresh with a new tail at each stripe, then weave in the ends later. It takes longer but gives a flatter side.
Use a stitch marker on the right side of the work. With stripes this regular, losing track of which row is the loop row is the easiest mistake to make.
Keeping Edges Straight
Edges are where a striped blanket gets untidy. If the sides pull in, you are probably working the turning stitches too tightly. If they ripple outward, you are adding extra stitches. Counting the stitches at the end of each row catches both problems early.
The red and white sample has a clean, firm edge that looks almost braided. To get this, keep the turning habit identical on every row and do not change how you grip the yarn when you switch colours.
Colour Planning
Red and white is a classic, high-contrast choice, and the loops pop against the base. Navy with golden yellow is bolder and more graphic, with the dark rings sitting on a sunny field.
For a calmer look, try oatmeal with soft sage, or dusty rose with cream. Lower contrast makes the rings subtle and the blanket quieter. For a nursery, soft grey with white gives a gentle, modern feel.
Avoid two colours of similar depth. If both shades are mid-tone, the loops blend into the base and the signature detail disappears, leaving a flat, muddy surface.
Border and Finishing Tips
The red blanket ends in a thick white band, which frames the stripes like a cuff. A border in a solid colour gives the piece a finished, deliberate look. Choose the base shade for a quiet frame, or the contrast shade to echo the loops.
Weave in ends with a tapestry needle along the back of dense stitches, going in two directions so nothing works loose. Because the fabric is firm, ends hide well, but a stray tail near a loop row can show through on the front.
If the finished piece curls or feels stiff, steam it lightly or wet block it flat and let it dry. Cotton responds well to blocking, and it evens out the loops so they sit uniformly.
If the fabric feels too stiff for a throw, the hook was likely too small for the yarn. Next time go up half a size, or choose a softer yarn with more drape.
How to Style a Crochet Striped Blanket
Fold the blanket in thirds over the arm of a sofa so the stripes run in clean lines. The red and white version suits a neutral grey couch, where the colour becomes the focal point.
Lay it across the foot of a bed, with the border edge facing out. The navy and yellow sample suits a boy’s room or a study, where its bold pairing feels playful rather than loud.
Use it in a pram or car seat, as the dense fabric blocks drafts. Or carry it on a picnic as a ground cover, since cotton handles washing well.
As a gift, a small blanket in a team’s colours or a couple’s favourite shades feels personal. Pair it with a matching cushion cover made from a swatch of the same stitch.
Caring for Your Blanket
Wash cotton on a gentle cycle in cool water, because heat can shrink dense fabric and relax the loops. Use a mild detergent to keep the whites bright.
Dry flat, away from direct sun, which can fade the red and yellow. Hanging a wet blanket stretches it, so lay it on a towel and reshape it by hand.
Wash a new blanket on its own the first time. Dark navy and deep red can release a little dye next to white, so check the rinse water before drying.
A Bold Handmade Classic
This crochet striped blanket is a simple idea made special by one detail: a row of raised loops running through solid bands of colour. It looks complex, yet it relies on one repeating rhythm.
Four things decide how it turns out. Choose a smooth yarn with good definition, keep the loop tension even, count your base rows for each stripe, and pick colours with real contrast.
Watch the video once through, then replay the loop row slowly. Rings in a row, stripe by stripe.
Video tutorial by Örgü Diyarı. Follow the video on their channel to learn the crochet striped blanket stitch step by step.
Video tutorial
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Tutorial and photos of this striped blanket by: Örgü Diyarı KNİTTİNG .