The Sandy Dunes Binky is a beginner-friendly granny square blanket pattern. Originally written as a Stroller Blanket, I’ve since updated the pattern to include instructions for 7 additional sizes from Baby Blanket through California King. As part of the charity spotlight series, I share more details about how to donate your version to The Binky Patrol.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links.Yarn for the sample was generously provided by Lion Brand.
May’s Featured Charity: The Binky Patrol
The Binky Patrol is a volunteer-led, nonprofit organization that has been distributing handmade blankets, known as binkies, to children facing health challenges or living with trauma throughout the United States since 1996. You can contribute locally through one of 160 Binky Patrol chapters or mail your donations to the national headquarters.
You can find more information about Binky Patrol on their website, including information about hosting your own “Bink-a-Thon,” how to send in donations, and free crochet, knitting, quilting, and fleece blanket patterns.
Tips for Making Great Binkies
Binkies can be sewn, quilted, knitted, crocheted, or made with fleece and should be at at least 3′ (1 m) square. Many Binkies are given to children in hospitals, so they are only accepted from smoke-free homes. Choose an easy care yarn that can be washed and dried in the machine. Be sure to weave in your ends securely. Don’t use fringe, which can pose a choking hazard for infants and toddlers. Since most blankets are distributed to children in shelters or hospitals, choose easy care yarns that can be machine washed and dried. Never include religious messages and don’t forget to add a Binky Patrol label, which you can pick up from your local chapter or request by mail from the national headquarters.
Looking for more inspiration for blankets to donate to Binky Patrol? Try these free patterns:
- Back to School Blanket (in either size),
- Checkerboard in Primary Colors Blanket (in Baby Blanket or Twin Blanket sizes),
- Circle in a Square Baby Blanket,
- Classic Granny with a Twist Blanket,
- It’s a School Night Night Blanket,
- Lullabies Blanket (in Baby Blanket size),
- Mod 9 Patch Blanket,
- Modern Heirloom Blanket (in either size),
- Tadley’s Diagonal Blanket,
- Tinted Mayapple Flower Blanket (in Baby Blanket, Child Blanket, or Throw sizes), or
- The Wripple Blanket.
If you make your own Sandy Dunes Binky, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Bluesky as @UndergroundCrafter, Facebook as @UndergroundCrafter, or on Instagram as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
Add the Sandy Dunes Binky to your favorites or queue, or buy the ad-free PDF on Ravelry.
Sandy Dunes Binky
Granny Square Blanket Crochet Pattern by Underground Crafter
Update 6/29/2026
This beginner-friendly granny square blanket makes a great stashbuster. It’s also idea perfect for donation to the Binky Patrol, an organization that provides handmade comfort blankets to kids in need. Pattern is written for Stroller Size with instructions for 7 additional sizes from Baby Blanket through California King.
Finished Size
- Adjustable. Photographed Stroller size sample measures 30” (76 cm) wide x 36” (91.5 cm) long. Instructions include square counts and layouts for 7 additional sizes.
Materials
- Lion Brand Heartland yarn (available online at available online at Lion Brand | Herrschners | Amazon) (100% acrylic, 5 oz/142 g/251 yd/230 m) – 2 skeins each in 109 Olympic (CA), 124 Big Bend (CB), and 098 Acadia (CC), or approximately 500 yds (457 m) in any ea of 3 colors in any medium weight yarn.
- US Size I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain gauge.
- Yarn needle.
Gauge
- Completed Square = 3” (7.5 cm) in pattern. Exact gauge is not critical for this pattern.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- CC – Color C
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- rep – repeat
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- * Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- For a scrappy version, you’ll need approximately 6.25 yd (6 m) in each of 2 colors for each square.
- An assembly diagram for the Stroller Size version is included in the pattern. To adjust the size, follow the guidelines below. Arrange the blocks in order (A through F) until each row is complete and begin the following row with the next block in order.
| Blanket Size | Number of Squares | Layout | Approximate Yardage (Meterage) |
| Baby Blanket (36″ x 36″) | 144 (24 each) | 12 per row x 12 rows | 1,800 yds (1,646 m) |
| Twin (39″ x 75″) | 325 (55 in A; 54 each in B, C, D, E, F) | 13 per row x 25 rows | 4,062.5 yds (3,715 m) |
| Twin XL (39″ x 81″) | 351 (59 each in A, B, C; 58 each in D, E, F) | 13 per row x 27 rows | 4,387.5 yds (4,012 m) |
| Full (55″ x 75″) | 450 (75 each) | 18 per row x 25 rows | 5,625 yds (5,143.5 m) |
| Queen (60″ x 81″) | 540 (90 each) | 20 per row x 27 rows | 6,750 yds (6,172 m) |
| King (78″ x 81″) | 702 (117 each) | 26 per row x 27 rows | 8,775 yds (8,024 m) |
| California King (72″ x 84″) | 672 (112 each) | 24 per row x 28 rows | 8,400 yds (7,681 m) |
- A helpful video for joining granny squares with a slip stitch seam is available below.
- If you can’t see the slip stitch seam video above, watch it on YouTube.
- This pattern does not include a border. To add a border, after assembly start with a single crochet edging by working 1 sc in each stitch around with (sc, ch 2, sc) in each corner ch-2 sp.
- You can find 27 free crochet border patterns here.
- Donation guidelines for Binky Patrol have changed since this pattern was designed and this pattern is now too small to meet their guidelines. (The Baby Blanket, Twin, and Twin XL sizes in the chart above are currently acceptable.) Always confirm requirements before donating your handmade items to charity.
Pattern Instructions
Motif – Make 20 each for Stroller Size or follow chart in Pattern Notes for other sizes
- Motif A: CA center, CB border.
- Motif B: CA center, CC border.
- Motif C: CB center, CA border.
- Motif D: CB center, CC border.
- Motif E: CC center, CB border.
- Motif F: CC center, CA border.
Motif Center
- Ch 4, skip 3 sts, join with sl st to first ch to form ring.
- Rnd 1: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch-1 sp), *dc, ch 1 in ring; rep from * 5 more times, dc in ring, sc to top of ch 3 to join (counts as ch-1 sp). (16 sts)
- Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same ch-1 sp, ch 1, *2 dc in ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * 5 more times, 2 dc in ch-1 sp, sc to top of ch 3 to join. (24 sts)
- Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in same ch-1 sp, *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in ch-1 sp; rep from * 6 more times, sc in next 2 sts, sc in first ch-1 sp, fasten off and join new color with sl st to first sc. (32 sts)
Motif Border
- Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in same st and next st, hdc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st, ch 2, 2 dc in next st, *hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st,ch 3, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around to last 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, join with sl st to first sc, fasten off with 12” (30.5 cm) yarn tail for joining. (52 sts)
Assembly
- Following placement diagram for Stroller Blanket below, or chart in Pattern Notes for other sizes, join squares together to form rows and then join rows together as follows: with right (front) sides of squares facing and working on the wrong side, begin with hook and yarn tail in last ch of ch-3 sp. Line up sts and join with slip stitch seam (see Pattern Notes) through back loops of each layer, skip last 2 ch of ch-3 sp. Use CC to join rows together in same fashion.
Finishing
- With yarn needle, weave in ends on wrong side.
- To add edging and borders, see Pattern Notes.
Thanks, Marie! It so very much appreciated when donations are made . . . and it really is not hard. As crafters we have such an opportunity to give back providing comfort, care, support and even inspiration through our generous handmade gifting!! Thank you for this special pattern and spotlighting a special charity. How wonderful that you are taking the time to feature such an important venture!!!
Thanks for commenting, Darlene! I try to spotlight charitable organizations that work with crocheters and knitters (and in this case, seamstresses and quilters) because I know so many of us want to help.