This free crochet afghan pattern uses hexagon blocks, so you can make a modern baby blanket or easily customize the size however you wish.
If my spirit animal had a spirit shape, it would be hexagons. I love them. And if you take a look through my archives, you can see I’ve used them in my Beekeeper’s Quilt (the coolest, craziest knitting project I’ve ever taken on) and my popsicle stick hexagon shelf tutorial. They’re just the Don Draper of shapes — modern, classic and irresistibly good looking every time.
So when I was planning this crochet baby blanket pattern for some friends’ new baby, I knew it would be hexies all the way. I chose gender-neutral colors because they didn’t know if they were having a boy or a girl. (If you too are gestating a new life, here are 12 Unique + Modern DIY Ways to Decorate a Nursery!)
For this hexagon afghan I used “I Love This Cotton” from Hobby Lobby. It’s just the softest, most affordable cotton yarn I’ve found and it comes in enough colors to make me dizzy as I stand in the aisle and try to choose some. (I have no financial incentive to promote this yarn, I just like it. I’ve used it in this bunny hat pattern, for these slippers with flip flop soles and these crochet toddler boat shoes.)
MORE MAKE & DO CREW TUTORIALSGenerally, but especially for babies, I like to use natural fibers because I like the idea of a baby being wrapped up in yarn that is “from the Earth” sorta say. I know, I know. Waving my hippie flag high.
There are two great things about crochet hexagons. First, you can carry them with you. So if like me, your crocheting gets interrupted about every 1.5 stitches with a sippy cup spill, a sippy cup refill request, or a snack to accompany a sippy cup, hexagons allow you to work a bit at a time and still feel a sense of accomplishment.
Second, you can customize this crochet hexagon blanket pattern to make whatever size afghan you’d like. Each hexagon block is roughly 6” wide x 5” tall. So if you know the size of the finished blanket you’d like to make, you can use this pattern to make a stroller blanket, baby blanket, lap blanket or even a bedspread.
I was able to make about seven hexagons out of each 180 yard skein of “I Love This Cotton.” You can estimate the number of total skeins you’ll need based on the number of hexagons you plan to crochet as long as you use a similar worsted weight yarn.
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“Happy Hexagons” Free Crochet Afghan Supplies
• “I Love This Cotton” in colors: Bright Teal, Ivory, Orangeade, Pewter, Dove (1 skein per 7 hexagons you will crochet + extra in whatever border color you plan to use)
• size h hook (5 mm) (I’ve been loving this affordable set)
• tapestry needle
• scissors
• blocking board (Learn how to make your own for $2 with this tutorial!)
Abbreviations – US terms
ch – chain
dc – double crochet
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
“Happy Hexagons” Free Crochet Afghan Pattern
1. Decide how large your afghan will be and how many hexagons of each color you will make. My baby afghan is essentially stroller blanket size at about 32″x33″. I used 38 hexagons to make it.
2. Follow this pattern for a basic hexagon.
3. Crochet lots of hexagons!!
4. Block your crochet hexagons on a blocking board like my $2 DIY blocking board. If using cotton yarn, spritz each hexagon lightly with a spray bottle and allow them to dry before removing them from the board. Blocking the hexagons will help ensure they’re all the same size when you sew them together.
5. Lay your hexagons out in a way that you’re happy with. Take a photo with your phone of the arrangement in case your kid, cat or husband takes a stroll through your hexies. (Trust me on this one.)
6. Join your hexagons using this invisible seam method. If you can integrate any yarn ends into your seams, do it!
7. Weave in all ends that remain, including weaving the magic circle tail through the first round of stitches for added security.
8. Crochet a border using two rows of single crochet as follows:
Attach yarn at one hexagon corner.
Border row 1: ch 2, sc in each stitch of the hexagon sides including 1 sc per corner where the hexagons join (see below) and 3 sc in each solitary hexagon corner. When you arrive at beginning of the row, join with a sl st.
Border row 2: ch 1, sc in each stitch of the hexagon sides, putting a sc in only 1 of the corners where the hexagons join (see below) and 3 sc in each solitary hexagon corner. When you arrive at the beginning of the row, join with a sl st and fasten off. Weave in end.
9. Feel like a complete rockstar because you finished a super cozy, super modern, super awesome hexagon afghan!
What to make next? Well, I have some ideas!
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This pattern looks so easy! Love the way yours turned out. Thanks for sharing the instructions!
My pleasure, Kim! It was really fun to make. I hope the baby recipient likes it too. 🙂
Happy crafting!
Jess
Love the pattern, but I really love the Otomi-esque wall. Is it wall Paper? A Stencil? Swoon.
Haha–thank you, Kristen! It’s a stencil! Here’s a link to it on Etsy.
It’s in my daughter’s room and it makes me happy to see every time I go in there 🙂
Can’t get enough of this!! I don’t normally crochet, but these hexis are so much prettier than any knit ones I’ve seen. As always, your color choice is impeccable.
Thanks sweet, SIL 🙂 I haven’t seen a lot of knit hexies, but I love these because I can make one in less than 30 minutes. (Which, ironically, is the same amount of time it took me to knit each one of those wee little hexies for the Beekeeper’s Quilt).
As usual, I really stressed about the colors, so thanks for thinking they’re okay!
Hi I am Annemarie, I missed your explanation how to do an invisible seam to join the hexagons. I just know
the not so good looking way of crocheting them together!Please could you advise!I am an Austrian living in SA and I find your way of crocheting very interesting! Thank you for your inspirations!
Hey Annemarie,
You can find the tutorial to join the hexagons with an invisible seam right here. 🙂
Happy crocheting!
Jess
Love this! Just curious- how many hexagons do you think I will need to make an adult size blanket?
Hey Nikki,
Are you thinking like a lap blanket or more of a bedspread? Each of my hexagons was about 5×6″, so you could do a bit of math to determine the approximate number you’d need based on the dimensions of the blanket you’d like. Also, if you wanted to adjust the size of the hexagons, you could always add more rows by simply continuing in the same pattern of increases on each row. Does that make sense?
Jess
Hi, i would like to make this blanket in the exact colors shown. However, i am having trouble finding “i love this cotton yarn’ online. Amazon has very few colors available. Has the line been discontinued?
Thanks!
Meira
Hey Meira,
Do you live near a Hobby Lobby? You can find lots of it there. I believe you can order it online from Hobby Lobby’s website too.
Happy crocheting!
Jess
I love this pattern..I also think the hexagon is cool looking..my third grandchild will be born in April and this is the perfect project for this grandma to work on…thank you so much….now to pick the colors…..
Thanks, Colleen! Picking the colors is always the hardest part for me. Congrats on your impending grandchild! How exciting.
Jess
Hi Jess,
I want to thank you for this lovely Hexagon Crochet pattern. I am new at crochet but like you, I love hexagons, especially in my quilting…. I am going to persevere, with much practice, as I want to make a lovely rug for my Queen size bed fir summer, in cotton, much thanks once again, Pamela
Hey Pamela,
My love affair with hexagons first started with quilting too! In fact, I just came across some unfinished English paper piecing hexagons today. 🙂
That bedspread idea sounds so lovely! And it cotton it would be so perfect for the warmer months. Please send me a picture when you undertake it! I’d love to cheer you on.
Jess
Why can’t I print the half hexagon pattern?
I am having a baby in April and we are not finding out the gender. I love this blanket, and I would love to use the same colors that you chose. How many hexes of each color did you make?
Congratulations! I was able to get about 7 hexagons out of each 180 yd skein of this yarn and I think I made 35-40 hexagons for my afghan. It’s so fun to crochet for little ones while you anticipate their arrival! Enjoy!
Jess
Gostava de saber s em vez de ser com 6 lados também da com 5
I live in Canada and went to a local lens mills store for yarn and did not see the brand you mentioned. I ended up picking a acrylic yarn because it was very soft and had the appropriate colours…is the cotton just a preference? I am worried I will regret acrylic.
Hey Heather,
I think the “I Love This Cotton” is only available at Hobby Lobby. Do you have those in Canada? Cotton is totally just a preference for me and acrylic can work too. I tend to like the softness and weight cotton provides, but there are some really soft acrylics out there too. (Plus acrylic is easily washable for a baby.)
Happy crocheting!
Jess
How did you determine the layout of your hexies? Did you follow a pattern or was it completely random? It looks amazing!
Thanks so much for sharing the instructions!
Thank you Cynthia! I basically just tried some random arrangements until I found one I liked (and then tried not to step on it and screw it up over the course of days until I could sew it together.) 🙂
Happy crocheting!
Jess
Hi Jess! I’ve been trying this pattern for a week or two now, but I can’t seem to get the start and stop point of the rows correct. My hexagons are pentagons! I think the problem occurs early on- I start with six two double crochets but then I get five the next round. Any ideas what I’m doing wrong and how to fix it?
Hey Lisa,
Hmm. That sounds tricky! I’m wondering if it might be happening with either the first or last stitches of the round. Something that might be helpful would be to mark each chain “corner” as you go so that you guarantee that you’re ending with a total of six at the end of the round. Doing so might help you trouble shoot where one of the sides is disappearing to. If you don’t have stitch markers, safety pins work well!
I love the hexagons, but I’m kind of weird about wanting to square or rectangle blankets out. Do you have any suggestions for closing the gaps? Thanks for the pattern!!
Haha–I can relate to that, Brittany. I haven’t designing a piece to go in the triangle shaped edges, but you could definitely use my half hexagon pattern to fill in the sides.
I LOVE the I Love this Cotton yarn! I use it for nearly all my baby blankets! I also really love the colors you chose! I’m making this blanket for my friend who is not finding out the gender and using Charcoal, Gray, Cream, Black, and Mint…only not using the same colors as you because I had scrap black and mint left and the hubby already whines about the back stash of yarn all over the house 🙂
LOVE all your patterns, by the way!!!
I love that color palette! In fact, it sounds so nice I almost want to make another blanket using it! 🙂
Tell your hubby he’s lucky your yarn isn’t all over your living room windowsills like it is in my house. (Or maybe that’s where yours is to?!)
Love this pattern and hope to make it before my baby comes in July! Just wondering – does the blanket (and the individual hexagons) hold its shape after being washed?
Hey Sarah,
Congrats on your pregnancy! I love crafting for an upcoming baby. It’s so exciting!
To be honest, I gifted this blanket, so I’m not sure how well it washed. I believe if you washed it on cold, laid it flat to dry and then tossed it in the dryer for a few minutes to soften it up, it should hold its shape well. This cotton is really soft, so I imagine it would soften up really nicely even after being air dried.
Hope that is helpful!
Jess
I’m in the process of putting on my border and I got to the 2nd row but I seem to be having troubles. My corners keep curling up and do not lay flat. I don’t know if I’m maybe adding to many SC? I get confused at the solid hexagon corners on row 2 where I previously stitched 3sc?
Hi!
I made this blanket and it turned out great. I’m actually in the process of making another. Before I put the next one together I’m just wondering if you have tips for weaving in all those ends. It took me so long and some of them keep poking out. I’m a novice at crochet and just feel there has to be a more effective and easy way to do this. Thanks!
Hey Kristin!
Oye, the ends! The bane of any crocheter’s existence. One thing I found helpful was to leave fairly long tails on each hexie so I could use those ends to sew the hexagons together. That eliminates at least some of the extra ends. Also, I haven’t tried any yet, but I know there are some methods for how to crochet hexagons or squares together (instead of sewing them together), which might allow you to crochet over your tails at the same time instead of weave them in. This is one example I just came across that might be interesting to try. 🙂
Hope that helps!
Jess
I love this! I have three nephews that I want to make blankets for, but have a question on the yarn. I love cotton yarn because it gives great stitch definition, is more natural, and is breathable, but I have really only used it for more craft-type items, not a baby blanket. How well does I Love This Cotton hold up? I have heard the colors bleed and fade from that yarn – just wondering it that’s true. Of course I always advise hand washing handmade items with a mild detergent, but I would hate for the darker colors to bleed into the lighter ones and look muddy. Also, does it shrink quite a bit – wondering if I should make the blanket an extra hexagon around to compensate for shrinkage? Thank you! PS: I love your blocking board idea!!
Thanks Mary! You know, I can’t exactly speak to the fading because I gave this blanket away and didn’t have the experience of washing it myself. I think if you washed it on cold, you would minimize both shrinkage and bleeding. I do really like this yarn because it’s extremely soft and I just like using natural fibers for babies. Of course, you can really use any washable yarn for this pattern and it will be beautiful!
Happy crocheting!
Jess
I was wondering if the two rows for the border could be repeated at all to make a thiker boarder?
Sure! 🙂
I was making this pattern into a queen sized blanket for my sister. After 132 hexagons, I am ready to be done but that definitely won’t cover the bed. I want to make a boarder around them thick enough to finish and make it the correct size. Have you ever filled in the the hexagons around the outside edge, to make a clean rectangle ? If so, do you have a pattern for this? Thanks so much for this great pattern! I loved to be able to work on the little hexagons wherever I was.
Hey Kelly,
I can understand wanting to be done with a project, lol. This pattern for half hexagons might be useful!
Jess
My round 1 keeps coming out flower shaped instead of looking like a hexagon. 😣 I can’t figure out what I am doing wrong, I even have a sheet to keep track of my stitches. I really want to make this blanket.
Hey Niki,
Round 1 tends to look a little like a blob, but the shape develops more distinctly as you work. Are you still having trouble with it looking right after a few more rounds?
Jess
I never made it that far, I kept looking at your photos and though I screwed up, I will give it a try again soon and let you. Thank you.