Crochet Book Blanket Project: What’s Working (and What’s Not)

I can’t believe we’re halfway through the year already, and that means it’s time for a little check-in on my crochet book blanket project. If you’re new to the idea, here’s the quick version: every time I finish a book, I crochet a square using colors from the book’s cover. It’s a way to combine reading and crochet into a year-long crochet project that keeps me motivated and gives me something to show for all the books I’ve read.

I thought it would be fun to take some time and reflect on how it’s going, what I’ve learned, what’s been harder than expected, and what I still need to figure out. Spoiler alert: I’m actually keeping up with it!

Behind the Blanket: Pattern, Yarn, and Why I’m Doing It

The idea is simple: I finish a book, I make a square. The color palette is based on the book’s cover, and I love how it gives each one its own identity. It’s basically a crochet book tracker, and it’s way more motivating than I expected. It’s also a fun twist on traditional memory blankets (like temperature blankets), turning your year in books into a book-themed blanket feels like a perfect crochet project for readers.

I’m using the HDC block stitch for this one, which gives each square a neat, textured look that works really well for showcasing colors. I’m using a contrasting cream color in every square to tie everything together and make it feel more cohesive. I’ll probably use the same cream shade for the border once the whole thing’s done too. The yarn I picked is WeCrochet Brava Worsted, mostly for their value mini skein pack. It’s affordable and soft, and the min skein pack means you have a whole range of colors to choose from.

Tracking My Crochet Book Blanket Progress

I’ve read 33 books this year, which feels like decent progress. But I’ve done the math, and if I want a big, snuggly blanket at the end of this, I’ll need closer to 80 squares. That means I’ll definitely have to read more in the second half of the year. It’s doable, but I’ll need to be a bit more intentional with my reading if I want the final blanket to be the size I’m picturing. And if that doesn’t work out? I guess I’ll just be adding a very wide border and pretending that was the plan all along.

What I’m Loving About This Year-Long Crochet Project

Honestly, it’s just really satisfying to watch the blanket grow week by week. It’s become a bit of a routine: I finish a book, reward myself with a crochet square, and then I get to see the stack of finished squares slowly grow. There’s something really fun about seeing the pile get taller and more colorful as the weeks go by.

It’s also kept me reading. Even when I wasn’t loving a book, I still felt that sense of progress because I knew I’d get a square out of it. Having that small creative reward at the end of each book has really helped me push through reading slumps. It turns finishing a book into a bit of an event and gives me a reason to keep picking the next one up, even when I’m tired or distracted.

Challenges & Frustrations Along the Way

The mini skein value pack didn’t stretch quite as far as I hoped. Whilst it was helpful to have all of those colors on hand, I’ve already had to top up some colors a few times. Also, the slightly limited color range in Brava Worsted has made matching some book covers… tricky. I’ve had to let go of the idea of finding the perfect match for every cover.

And a bit of a confession: I made a whole Instagram account for my crochet book blanket, thinking I’d post updates and mini reviews as I went. And it was really fun to begin with, especially following all of the other book blanket accounts and seeing what everyone else was doing. But honestly? I just haven’t kept up with it. Turns out I much prefer reading other people’s reviews to writing my own! So the poor book blanket Instagram is a little neglected, but hey, at least the blanket itself is going strong.

What’s Surprised Me Most About My Crochet Book Blanket

I’m still doing it. That’s the biggest surprise.

I’ve tried crochet temperature blankets before, and I usually lose steam. But something about this feels different. Maybe it’s the smaller scope and not having to update the blanket daily, or maybe I’m just more stubborn this year. I think the real reason, though, is that this project feels like MINE. It’s tied to the books I choose. It’s not just a daily task based on something external like the weather, it’s something I actually care about keeping up with.

And honestly, I’m already thinking about next year’s project. I’ve started planning my 2026 book blanket because this is almost definitely becoming a yearly thing for me. I’m already thinking about new layout, a different yarn selection, and maybe even some extra details to mark milestones or standout books. There are plenty of ideas to pull from in my How To Turn Books Into Blankets blog post.

Decisions I Still Need to Make

There are still a few things I haven’t figured out with this project. One of them is whether to add a solid square at the start of each month. I think it could help break things up visually and give me a clear sense of time passing in the layout, but I haven’t committed to it yet. I’m planning to wait until the end of the year to decide, since I might end up needing those extra 12 squares just to make the blanket big enough.

I also need to decide on a method for joining my squares. I’m absolutely NOT up for sewing all the squares together, so this part is important. I’ve been experimenting with a couple of options like slip stitch joins, but nothing has quite clicked yet. I want something that looks clean and that doesn’t add too much extra time or bulk.

And then there’s the border. Right now, I’m doing a cream border around each square to keep things cohesive, which is working well so far. But what comes after that? That’s still up in the air. I’ve thought about doing a simple HDC border all the way around or maybe something with a bit of texture to finish it off. I’ll probably just see how everything looks once it’s laid out and let the blanket tell me what it needs.

My Favorite Books and Squares So Far

Top 3 Favorite Books

• The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson – 600+ pages of epic fantasy goodness, complete with a tournament for the throne, a murder mystery, and a talking crow. Yes please.

• This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman – The 7th book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, which I cannot get enough of. If you take nothing else away from this post, it’s that you need to listen to the audiobook of Dungeon Crawler Carl. It’s chaos in the best way.

• Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins – It felt so good to jump back into the Hunger Games universe. Finishing this one made me want to reread the original trilogy straight away.

Top 3 Favorite Squares

• Of Monsters And Mainframes by Barbara Truelove – Honestly, this book could’ve gone on the favorite reads list too. It had me laughing out loud all the way through, but more importantly, the square is so striking. I’ve realized I love squares with black and bright pops of color. They just really stand out.

• Moon Soul by Nathaniel Luscombe – There’s a tiny pop of green in the middle that makes me so happy every time I see it. Simple but satisfying.

• Voyage of the Damned by Frances White – I wasn’t sure about this one because the cover has silver foil, and I wasn’t convinced gray yarn would work. But weirdly, it’s ended up being one of my favorites.

Tips for Starting a Crochet Book Blanket

• Pick a stitch you won’t get bored with. Seriously, you’re going to be using it a lot. Something simple and repetitive can make the process feel relaxing rather than tedious.

• Don’t overthink color matching. It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to get it just right, but honestly? Close enough is good enough. Most of the time, you won’t even notice the tiny differences once it’s all joined together.

• Keep your yarn in one spot. Designate a basket, box, or shelf for your project yarn so you’re not constantly digging around for the right skein every time you finish a book.

• Track your read books. I use Goodreads, but you could use a spreadsheet, a notes app, or even just snap a quick photo of each book when you finish it. It really helps to have a record so you don’t lose track of what squares you need to make.

Reflecting on My Crochet Book Blanket So Far

This project has been a great mix of relaxing, creative, and motivating. It’s kept me reading, kept me crocheting, and it’s turned into a surprisingly satisfying visual diary of my year. And I’d love to know: what’s your favorite book of the year so far? Leave a comment and tell me!

And if this post has sparked an idea for your own reading-inspired crochet project, check out my blog post full of book blanket project ideas to help you get started and come along for the ride.