Crochet Starting Chain Calculator
How many chains to start a crochet blanket, from lovey to king, for any yarn and stitch.
Blank = typical 12. Use your swatch.
Blank = typical 7.
sc 1, hdc 2, dc 3
1 = none
e.g. 6 + 2
Typical gauges are starting points based on the Craft Yarn Council yarn weight ranges. Your own swatch always wins: enter it above and every number updates. A pattern multiple applies to the starting chain, the way most patterns write it.
About the Crochet Starting Chain Calculator
How many chains for a blanket comes down to three things: how wide the blanket is, how many stitches your yarn makes per 4 inches, and the turning chain your stitch needs. This calculator multiplies your width by your gauge, adds the turning chain (1 for single crochet, 2 for half double, 3 for double) and snaps the total to your pattern multiple if it has one. Pick a size from lovey to king or type your own in inches or centimetres, choose a yarn weight from lace to jumbo, and enter your swatch if you have one. You get the starting chain, stitches per row, row count and a rough yarn estimate.
How many chains for a blanket?
Multiply the blanket width in inches by your stitches per inch, then add the turning chain: 1 for single crochet, 2 for half double, 3 for double crochet. A 50 inch wide throw in worsted double crochet at 12 stitches per 4 inches is 50 × 3 = 150 stitches, so you chain 153. If your pattern has a stitch multiple, round the chain to the nearest number that fits it.
The table gives starting chains for double crochet with a turning chain of 3 that does not count as a stitch. It uses typical double crochet gauges of 14 stitches per 4 inches for DK, 12 for worsted, 9 for bulky and 7 for super bulky. The last column is the row count for worsted at 7 rows per 4 inches.
| Blanket | Size (in) | DK (3) | Worsted (4) | Bulky (5) | Super bulky (6) | Worsted rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovey | 12 × 12 | 45 | 39 | 30 | 24 | 21 |
| Stroller | 30 × 36 | 108 | 93 | 71 | 56 | 63 |
| Receiving | 40 × 40 | 143 | 123 | 93 | 73 | 70 |
| Crib | 45 × 60 | 161 | 138 | 104 | 82 | 105 |
| Lap | 36 × 48 | 129 | 111 | 84 | 66 | 84 |
| Throw | 50 × 60 | 178 | 153 | 116 | 91 | 105 |
| Twin | 65 × 90 | 231 | 198 | 149 | 117 | 158 |
| Full | 80 × 90 | 283 | 243 | 183 | 143 | 158 |
| Queen | 90 × 100 | 318 | 273 | 206 | 161 | 175 |
| King | 108 × 100 | 381 | 327 | 246 | 192 | 175 |
The sizes are the standard crochet and knit blanket sizes widely shared in the craft community and often credited to the Craft Yarn Council. Bed blankets vary with mattress depth and how much drop you want, so treat them as a starting point.
Where the typical gauges come from
The Craft Yarn Council Standard Yarn Weight System gives a single crochet gauge range for each yarn category, for example 11 to 14 sc per 4 inches for medium (worsted) and 8 to 11 for bulky. The calculator uses a figure inside each range (13 sc for worsted, 10 for bulky) and typical ratios for the taller stitches. Half double and double crochet come out slightly narrower per stitch and much taller per row. These are averages. Hook size, tension and the brand of yarn can move your gauge by two or three stitches per 4 inches, which on a throw is 25 to 40 chains.
How to measure your gauge swatch
- Chain about 25 with the yarn and hook you will use for the blanket and work in your blanket stitch for at least 5 inches.
- Wash and dry the swatch the way you will wash the blanket. Acrylic relaxes and cotton can shrink.
- Lay it flat without stretching. Count the stitches across 4 inches in the middle, away from the edges, including half stitches.
- Count the rows in 4 inches the same way.
- Enter both numbers in the calculator. They replace the typical gauge for every result.
Worked example: a worsted throw in double crochet
- Target size: 50 × 60 inches, worsted yarn, plain double crochet.
- Gauge: 12 dc and 7 rows per 4 inches, so 3 stitches and 1.75 rows per inch.
- Stitches per row: 50 × 3 = 150 dc.
- Starting chain: 150 + 3 turning chain = ch 153. Work the first dc in the 4th chain from the hook. If your pattern counts the chain 3 as the first dc, chain 152 instead.
- Rows: 60 × 1.75 = 105 rows.
- Pattern multiple: a shell pattern written as a multiple of 6 + 2 needs a chain like 152 (25 × 6 + 2), the closest fit to 153.
- Rough yarn: about 1,800 to 2,400 yards of worsted. Check a yarn blanket calculator or your pattern before buying.
C2C blankets need a different count
Corner to corner crochet does not start with a long chain. Every C2C blanket starts with chain 6, and you then count tiles instead of stitches. In worsted with a 5 mm hook a tile is roughly 0.9 inches, so a 50 × 60 inch throw is about 56 tiles by 68 tiles and a 40 inch receiving blanket about 45 by 45. Increase on both sides until you reach the shorter edge, then decrease on that side while the other keeps growing.
Tips for a long starting chain
- Chain with a bigger hook. Starting chains are usually tighter than the rows above them. Go up one hook size for the chain so the bottom edge does not pull in.
- Place markers every 25 or 50. Counting 250 chains twice and getting two answers is normal. A marker every 25 makes recounting quick.
- Chain a few extra. Add 5 to 10 spare chains. Pull out what you do not need at the end of row 1. It is easier than adding chains.
- Try a foundation row. Foundation single or double crochet builds the chain and first row together, stays stretchy and makes counting easier on queen and king blankets.
- Measure after 10 rows. Check the width once the fabric settles. If it is off by more than an inch, change hook size now, not at row 80.
How to use the Crochet Starting Chain Calculator
- 01Tap a blanket size preset (lovey 12×12 up to king 108×100) or switch to cm and type your own width and length.
- 02Choose your yarn weight (CYC category 0 lace to 7 jumbo) and the stitch: single crochet, half double, double or C2C tiles.
- 03If you made a swatch, enter your stitches and rows per 4 inches; otherwise the typical gauge for that yarn weight is used.
- 04Set the turning chain and any pattern multiple (for example a multiple of 6 + 2), then read the starting chain, stitches per row, rows and rough yardage.
Frequently asked questions
How many chains for a baby blanket?
For a 40 × 40 inch receiving blanket in worsted yarn, chain 123 for double crochet (120 dc at 12 per 4 inches, plus a turning chain of 3) and work about 70 rows. In single crochet, chain 131 for 130 sc per row. A 45 × 60 inch crib blanket in worsted dc needs a chain of 138.
How many chains for a throw blanket?
A 50 × 60 inch throw in worsted yarn needs a starting chain of 153 for double crochet, giving 150 dc per row and about 105 rows. In bulky yarn the same throw needs about 116 chains, and in DK about 178.
How many chains for a chunky blanket?
For a 50 × 60 inch throw in bulky (category 5) yarn, chain about 116 for double crochet and work about 75 rows. With super bulky blanket yarn (category 6) at 7 dc per 4 inches, chain about 91 and work about 60 rows.
How many chains for a lap blanket?
A 36 × 48 inch lap blanket in worsted yarn takes a starting chain of 111 for double crochet (108 dc per row) and about 84 rows. In bulky yarn chain about 84.
How many chains for a queen size blanket?
A 90 × 100 inch queen blanket in worsted double crochet needs a starting chain of about 273, which is 270 dc per row, and roughly 175 rows. That long a chain is easy to miscount, so many people use a foundation double crochet row instead.
Does the turning chain count as a stitch?
It depends on the pattern. If it does not count, chain your stitch count plus 1 for sc, 2 for hdc or 3 for dc. If the chain 3 counts as the first double crochet, chain one fewer: 152 instead of 153 for a 150-stitch worsted throw. Tick the box in the calculator to switch.