Beginner's Guide to C2C Crochet Blankets — Everything You Need to Know

C2C (corner-to-corner) is the most popular technique for making picture blankets — and for good reason. It's fast, uses less yarn than other methods, and creates a soft, reversible fabric that drapes beautifully.

If you can chain, slip stitch, and double crochet, you already know everything you need.

What Is C2C?

Instead of working rows left-to-right like normal crochet, C2C works diagonally. You start at one corner with a single block, add one block per row (the "increase" phase), then remove one block per row (the "decrease" phase) until you reach the opposite corner.

Each "block" or "pixel" is made of: ch 3 + 3 dc. That's it — the entire technique is built on this one unit.

What You Need

• Yarn: Worsted weight (#4) is most common. Acrylic is affordable and machine-washable.
• Hook: 5.0mm (H/8) or 5.5mm (I/9)
• Scissors and yarn needle
• A graph/chart — this tells you which color to use for each block

How C2C Works: Step by Step

The First Block

Ch 6. Dc in the 4th ch from hook, dc in next 2 ch. That's your first block — a small square of 3 dc stitches sitting on a ch-3 base.

Adding Blocks (Increase Phase)

To add a new block: ch 6, dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in next 2 ch (that's a new block hanging off the edge). Then sl st into the ch-3 space of the previous row's block, ch 3, 3 dc into the same space. Repeat across.

The Steady Phase

Once you reach full width, you stop adding blocks at the start of rows but keep working across the same number of blocks.

Removing Blocks (Decrease Phase)

Instead of ch 6 at the start, sl st across the first block to skip it. Then ch 3, 3 dc into the next ch-3 space. Continue across, stopping one block short at the end.

Color Changes

This is where C2C gets fun. To change colors:

1. Work the last dc of your current block until 2 loops remain on the hook
2. Drop the old color, yarn over with the new color
3. Pull through the last 2 loops
4. Continue with the new color for the next block

Tip: Don't carry yarn across more than 2-3 blocks. Cut and rejoin instead — it's cleaner and uses less yarn.

Reading a C2C Chart

A C2C chart looks like a regular pixel grid, but you read it diagonally:

• Start at the bottom-right corner
• Row 1: just the bottom-right pixel
• Row 2: the 2 pixels on the next diagonal
• Row 3: the 3 pixels on the next diagonal
• And so on, until you reach the top-left corner

Odd-numbered diagonal rows work from bottom-to-top (right side facing). Even rows work top-to-bottom (wrong side).

How Big Should My Blanket Be?

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting to ch 3 at the start of each block — this counts as your first dc
• Working into the wrong space — always dc into the ch-3 space, not into individual chains
• Tight edges — keep your ch-6 start loose so the edge doesn't curl
• Reading the chart wrong — remember, you read diagonally, not in rows

Why C2C Is Great for Beginners

• Only 3 stitches: chain, slip stitch, double crochet
• Forgiving gauge: slightly uneven tension doesn't show much
• Fast: DC blocks work up quickly — a baby blanket in a weekend
• Reversible: both sides look clean
• Uses less yarn than SC or granny pixel methods

Project Ideas

• Solid color throw — practice the technique without color changes
• Diagonal stripes — easy first color project (colors follow diagonals naturally)
• Pet portrait — the most popular C2C project on Etsy
• Baby blanket with name — pixel-font letters in a contrasting color

Try It: Free C2C Designer

Upload an image or draw a design, and our tool converts it to a C2C chart with row-by-row diagonal instructions:

Open C2C Designer →

Or try one of our free C2C patterns:

• C2C Tulip — Mother's Day blanket
• C2C Rose — floral throw