Hello ombre! This corner to corner crochet deer afghan will be a hit with your favorite baby, hipster or hunter! The free c2c downloadable graph pattern is below or you can purchase the ad-free PDF with written row-by-row instructions here.
UPDATE: I put together a corner to corner crochet video tutorial with lots of tips for beginners which you can find here. This photo tutorial on how to read a c2c graph and this tutorial on how to change colors and keep your yarn under control might be helpful as well! You can find all my free c2c crochet patterns here.
This little deer has been frolicking around in my brain since I learned how to do corner to corner crochet (c2c) last year. I figured an iconic deer silhouette blanket is one of the few corner to corner crochet designs that’s equally at home in a baby nursery, dorm room or man cave. I mean, how many of your crochet projects can you say that about!?
I had so much fun choosing the colors for this ombre afghan. I don’t often gravitate toward blue, but there are so many gorgeous blues in Vanna’s Choice yarn that I just decided to order myself a giant blue yarn cloud.
If this palette doesn’t suit you or your decor though, there are a bundle of beautiful pinks/reds as well as shades of green in Vanna’s Choice that I think would create a fantastic ombre effect as well.
If you’ve never worked corner to corner crochet before, do not fear! This week, I shared a step-by-step tutorial on how to c2c for beginners that will get you started. You’ll also want to check out my tutorial on how to change colors in c2c crochet to learn how to “paint” your beautiful ombre deer out of yarn! And this beginner corner to corner crochet video tutorial is a must watch to get the hang of working the corner to corner stitch.
And if you’ve worked c2c, but never to create a graphgan before, this c2c deer is pretty good one to start with. (You can see my first one here. It was a wee bit ambitious!) The large sections of color mean that the color changes are more approachable and you’ll get plenty of practice before you reach the antlers, which are a little more detailed.
If crocheting a blanket with a picture in it feels intimidating, try this beginner corner-to-corner blanket pattern to practice the basics. Then come back and try this pattern!
I’ve never written the row-by-row instructions for one of my c2c graph patterns and now I know why–it’s a TON of work! 🙂
But, I wanted to offer instructions for those crocheters who work best from a written pattern instead of a graph. So in the printable ad-free PDF, you’ll get the graph, the row-by-row instructions as well as a complete printable tutorial on c2c crochet in case you’re unfamiliar with the technique. (You can purchase the PDF here!)
The dimensions of the afghan I made are well suited for a baby blanket or chair throw. After finishing my blanket though, I thought that there would be many a burly men left out of the corner to corner crochet deer fun if I didn’t add a larger sized pattern as well. So, if you’d like to make a more adult-sized blanket, you can get the larger graph pattern with row-by-row instructions in the ad-free PDF. You can purchase it here on Love Crafts or here on Etsy.
Thanks to Lion Brand Yarn for sponsoring this post and enabling more free patterns on Make and Do Crew!
Please do not publish or share this pattern as your own. You may make items to sell with this pattern. In exchange, please link back to this post. Do NOT use my photos as your own sales photos. You can read my policies here. Now let’s make something awesome!
Related: 33+ Crochet Blanket Border Ideas
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More Free Christmas Crochet Patterns
From tree ornaments to c2c crochet patterns to adorable elf hats with ears, we’ve got you covered with many more crochet patterns for Christmas. We also have loads of quick gifts to crochet and gift ideas for crocheters to add to your own list (hint!)
See more free Christmas crochet patterns →
“BE A DEER” CORNER TO CORNER CROCHET DEER AFGHAN PATTERN
Download the baby blanket size free graph pattern here.
(Updated on 5.3.17 to adjust right ear of deer.)
Sizes:
Baby blanket: 38.5” x 42.5”
Larger Throw: 44” x 55” (available in the PDF)
Supplies:
• Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice Yarn (100 g/170 yards)
(6) Linen (13 for larger throw)
(1) Pistachio
(1) Aquamarine
(1) Aqua
(1) Peacock
(1) Sapphire
(1) Navy
• Size H [5.0 mm] crochet hook
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• corner to corner crochet deer graph
• row-by-row written pattern (optional)
Gauge:
4.5 tiles = 4”
Abbreviations (US Terms)
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
sk – skip
ch – chain
sl st – slip stich
RS – right side
corner-to-corner stitch (c2c) – explained in more detail in this post on How To Corner to Corner Crochet
Overall Pattern Notes:
• The free baby blanket size graph is a free download. Enjoy! If you’d like the written row by row instructions or the graph and written instructions for the throw-sized afghan, you can find them in the ad-free printable PDF available for $3.99 here.
• To work this corner to corner graph, begin with the pixel (tile) in the lower right corner. This will correspond to Row 1 in the written pattern.
• Each pixel in the graph corresponds with one tile in your afghan. A tile = 3 ch (the tch) + 3 dc
• It can be extremely helpful to cross off each row in the graph and/or written pattern as you work it.
• For additional C2C instruction, check out my post on How to Corner to Corner Crochet and How to Change Colors in C2C.
Adding a Border
Once final tile is completed, rotate afghan so RS is facing. Work border stitches loosely enough that they don’t cause the afghan to pucker. Increase your hook size if necessary.
Round 1: Ch 1, work 2 sc into each tile around afghan placing [2 sc, 2 ch, 2 sc] in each corner tile, sl st to first sc of round to join.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc working [sc, ch 1, sc] in each ch-2 corner space, sl st to first sc of round to join. Fasten off.
Finishing
Weave in ends and give your spiffy new work of art to your favorite hipster, huggable baby or hunter (or even better, keep it for yourself!)
Gracie says
I love this moose blanket. Any chance there is a knitted version?
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
I’m sorry, I only have a crochet version! 🙂
Robi says
Hi I ordered the PDF for this blanket but only received the top portion of the large graph. Could you pleas contact me?
Thank you,
Robi
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Just emailed you! 🙂
Sarah says
I just wanted to make sure that at the end of row 51 on the big pattern you are supposed to have 17 light tiles? I have taken it out twice and I keep ending up with 18 light tiles. Also, the row 52 says a decrease row and starts with 18 tiles. This is my firstborn c2c and Ia not certain what is going on:)
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Hey Sarah,
Yes, at the end of row 51 you should indeed have 17 linen tiles. The reason you have 18 in row 52 is because of the little indent on the left side of the deer’s face. (If you’re looking horizontally across the page, it would be aligned with the horizontal stripe of tiles where the # 70 is on the left side of the chart.)
Hope that makes sense. It’s a little hard to explain in writing. 🙂
Jess
Robi Tyrrell says
Hi, I’ve purchased the pattern to make the large throw but only the top half of the large throw is on the graph. Could you e-mail the graph please
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Emailed you! 🙂
Susan says
Would it be ok to substitute I love this yarn from Hobby Lobby in lieu of Vannas Choice? Same H hook? Thanks so much for pattern!
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Yes! As long as it’s worsted weight, you’ll end up with a pretty similarly sized blanket. 🙂
robin says
I have been wanting to make this blanket since I first saw it. I think this fall is the perfect time to start….for Christmas. I may be making quite a few down the road…experimenting with different colors!!! It’s really awesome that you price your patterns so low!!! Thank you!!! $2.50 for such a great pattern! All your patterns are great! I have a lot of them on my to do list. Keep up the great work! When I start blogging I surely will be linking to you!!!
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Thank you so much, Robin! I’d love to check out your blog when you start it. 🙂
Have fun crocheting your deer!
Jess
Randi says
Help! I’m making an afghan that is 50(w)x60(h) and I am unsure of where to my decreasing. Can you clarify? Is it after row 50, beginning 51. Thanks!
Linda says
On the free graph at what point do you start decreasing and on which sides . Yhis is my first c2c AND my first graph in yarn . I have only done filet crochet before .
Stephanie says
Hi Jess,
This pattern is beautiful! This is my first C2C and I am so confused… I am using the free pattern.. Starting from right to left on the lower part of the deers neck and counting top to bottom I read 7 colored blocks but 8 when I count them in the picture of your completed project and 8 on mine as well .. Please help ?.
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Hey Stephanie,
Do you mean you’re counting 7 on the graph and 8 in the picture? I’m not exactly sure which part you’re referencing. If you’re still having trouble, feel free to send me an email and I’ll try to help! 🙂
Jess
Florence says
Purchased the pdf pattern and am doing the large written pattern. Are there any corrections because the antlers are not matching. I’m almost finished just finished row 77 and just noticed the problem. Very frustrating and a lot of work. But love the pattern. My son would love it if It can be fixed. Thanks
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Hey Florence,
That does sound really frustrating. I did make some corrections, around May, but none since then. If you’d like to tell me which row you thing is different from the other antler, I’d be happy to check it out. Similarly, cross referencing with the graph might be a faster way to decode what might be going wrong. 🙂
Jess
Carin says
I can’t download the updated pattern of the Deer C2C. Is it possible mail it to me?
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Hey Carin,
Do you mean the PDF of the pattern? If you’ve already purchased it and just need the updated PDF, please shoot me an email and I’ll get it right to you. Jess (at) makeanddocrew (dot) com
Jess
Brandie says
I’m having some issues with the pattern. I bought the bigger pattern and have a lot of issues with going from row 51, to 52. I was hoping to get some clarification.
Tami says
I love this pattern and am making the throw size for my dad for his birthday (he is an avid hunter). I am confused on row 52. It says to decrease first tile and at the end I should have 50 tiles. I have counted and recounted and still end up with 51 tiles. Please help! I have about a week to finish it. TIA
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
That sounds like a wonderful gift! It sounds like maybe you’re not actually decreasing in that first tile? It might help to take a look at the graph and count the number of tiles you should be creating in each color against what you actually have. That’s usually my best way of decoding where I’ve went wrong. 🙂
Happy birthday to your dad!
Jess
B Tomas says
Jess, on the pattern you still have (Inc) at the beginning of Row 51. You need to change it to (Dec) and then it works to come out with 50 squares.
Jess @ Make and Do Crew says
Hey B,
The reason the inc is at the beginning of Row 51 is because you’re still building up the right side of the afghan. Then, stop one tile shy of where you usually do at the end of the row, thereby creating an edge on the left side of the afghan. This should result in 50 tiles. Once you’ve completed the top right corner of the afghan, then each row will begin with a decrease.
Hope that makes sense.
Jess