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Corner-to-Corner (C2C) Crochet Blanket for Beginners
A corner-to-corner (C2C) blanket is worked diagonally from one corner in small tiles of 3 double crochet. You add one tile per row until the diagonal is as wide as you want, then remove one tile per row to finish at the opposite corner.
Updated:
- Each C2C tile is a chain 3 plus 3 double crochet (UK treble) worked into a chain space.
- Increase phase: every row adds one tile, so row n has n tiles.
- For a square, increase until one edge has the tiles you want, then decrease on both edges; for a rectangle, decrease on one edge and keep increasing on the other until the long side is complete.
- C2C is ideal for pixel-style pictures because every tile is one square on a color graph.
- Worsted (#4) yarn and a 5 mm (H-8) hook is a common beginner combination.
What you need
- Worsted-weight (#4) acrylic or cotton-blend yarn. Choose a smooth yarn so the tiles are easy to see.
- A 5 mm (US H-8) hook, or the size your yarn label suggests.
- Stitch markers to mark the increasing and decreasing edges.
- A yarn needle for weaving in ends.
C2C uses only chains, slip stitches and double crochet. If you can make a double crochet, you can make a C2C blanket.
How the tiles work
Each tile (also called a block) is a chain 3 followed by 3 double crochet. The chain 3 forms the side of the tile and becomes a chain space that the next row works into. Tiles sit at an angle to each other like steps, so the blanket grows along a diagonal.
Every row you turn the work. In the increase phase, each row starts with a new tile built on a chain 6, then continues by slip stitching into the next chain-3 space of the previous row and making a tile there. Count tiles, not stitches: row 5 has 5 tiles, row 6 has 6.
Increasing, decreasing and shaping
| Phase | Start of row | End of row | Tiles change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase | Ch 6, dc in 4th ch from hook and next 2 ch | Last tile in last ch-3 sp | +1 per row |
| Decrease | Sl st across 3 dc of last tile and into its ch-3 sp, then ch 3, 3 dc | Stop in last ch-3 sp, no new tile | −1 per row |
| Rectangle middle | Increase on one edge | Decrease on the other edge | stays the same |
Square: increase until the bottom edges each have the number of tiles you want (for example 40 rows for a 40 × 40 tile square), then decrease every row until 1 tile is left.
Rectangle: increase until the shorter side reaches its tile count. Then decrease at the start of rows on that side while still increasing on the other, until the long side is complete. Finally decrease on both sides.
Blanket sizes and planning
Tile size depends on your yarn, hook and tension, so make 3 or 4 rows first and measure one tile along its edge. Then divide the blanket size by the tile size.
| Blanket | Common size |
|---|---|
| Lovey / security blanket | about 12 × 12 in (30 × 30 cm) |
| Baby blanket | about 30 × 36 in (75 × 90 cm) |
| Lap blanket | about 36 × 48 in (90 × 120 cm) |
| Throw | about 50 × 60 in (125 × 150 cm) |
Example: if one tile measures 1 in, a 30 × 36 in baby blanket needs 30 tiles on one side and 36 on the other. To estimate yarn, weigh your yarn before and after making 10 tiles, then multiply by the total number of tiles and add 10–15% for edging and tails.
C2C graphs and color changes
For pictures, letters or pixel art, follow a C2C graph: a grid where each square is one tile. You read the graph diagonally from the starting corner, one diagonal line per row.
- Change color on the last yarn over of the tile before the new color, so the new color starts cleanly.
- Use small separate balls or bobbins for each color area instead of carrying yarn across long distances.
- Mark off each row on the graph as you finish it.
- Expect many ends to weave in; weaving them as you go keeps the finishing manageable.
Finishing with a border
C2C edges are slightly stepped. A simple border hides that: work single crochet around all four edges, putting about 3 single crochet along the side of each tile and 3 single crochet in each corner. Add more rounds of single or half double crochet until the border looks balanced. Block the blanket by laying it flat, misting it and letting it dry.
Step by step
- Make the first tile. Chain 6. Double crochet in the 4th chain from the hook and in the next 2 chains. That is row 1: one tile.
- Start row 2 with a new tile. Chain 6, turn. Double crochet in the 4th chain from the hook and the next 2 chains to make a new tile.
- Attach to the previous tile. Slip stitch into the chain-3 space of the tile from row 1. Chain 3 and work 3 double crochet into the same space. Row 2 has 2 tiles.
- Keep increasing. Each new row starts with chain 6 and a new tile, then adds a tile in every chain-3 space of the previous row. Row 3 has 3 tiles, row 4 has 4, and so on.
- Check the size. When the edge of your triangle reaches the width you want, stop increasing on that side. For a square, both edges reach it in the same row.
- Decrease at the start of the row. Turn, slip stitch across the 3 double crochet of the last tile and into its chain-3 space. Chain 3 and work 3 double crochet there.
- Decrease at the end of the row. Work tiles across as usual, but stop after the tile in the last chain-3 space without making a new tile. The row has one tile fewer.
- Finish the last corner. Keep decreasing until a single tile remains. Fasten off, weave in all ends and add a border.
Yarny has a step-by-step corner-to-corner guide and a blanket category in its pattern library. Use its row counter to track increase and decrease rows, and its yarn color palettes to plan your blanket colors.
Frequently asked questions
Is C2C crochet good for beginners?
Yes. It only uses chains, slip stitches and double crochet, and the pattern repeats every row. The trickiest parts are the turn at the start of each row and remembering when to switch from increasing to decreasing.
How do I make a rectangle instead of a square in C2C?
Increase until the shorter side is finished. Then decrease on that side while continuing to increase on the other, keeping the same number of tiles per row. When the long side is finished, decrease on both sides.
How much yarn does a C2C blanket take?
It depends on yarn, hook, tension and size, and C2C uses a fair amount of yarn because of the double crochet tiles. Weigh your yarn before and after 10 tiles, multiply by the total number of tiles, then add 10 to 15 percent.
Why is my C2C blanket uneven?
Usually the chain 6 at the start of rows is too tight or too loose compared to the double crochet, or a tile was skipped. Count tiles in every row, and try a looser or tighter chain until the edges line up.
Can I make C2C with single crochet?
Yes, there are variations using single crochet or half double crochet tiles. They create a smaller, denser tile, which is useful for detailed graphs, but they take longer to finish a large blanket.