Tutorial: Beautiful Cluster Blanket for Babies

Hi everyone, and welcome to my new tutorial! Today, I’m excited to show you how to make this super beautiful cluster blanket. As you can see, it's a rather large blanket that I made for a baby that's arriving very soon (not mine, just to clarify!). This blanket has become so popular on Instagram and Facebook that everyone has been asking me to create a tutorial for it, and here it is!

This stitch looks great on both the front and the back, so you can enjoy both sides. Here's a look at the front, and here's the back—personally, I actually prefer the back, though that might sound a little crazy! But let's get started with the tutorial for this lovely blanket.

If you're new to crochet and need help with things like making a slip knot and chaining, be sure to check out my beginner series (I’ll link that below). But if you're ready to start, let’s dive right in!

Starting the Blanket: To begin, create your slip knot and insert your hook. Then, make your foundation chain. You’ll need to chain an even number of stitches, depending on the size you want. For this sample, I did 22 chains.

Row 1: To start the first row, do a double crochet (UK terminology, single crochet in US) into the second chain from the hook. Then, continue by doing a double crochet into each stitch across the row, with a chain 1 and skip 1 in between. Repeat this pattern all the way to the end.

When you get to the last few stitches, instead of chaining between the last two stitches, simply do a double crochet in each of the final two stitches.

Row 2: To start the second row, chain 4 and turn your work around. Now, we’re going to create the clusters! For each cluster, yarn over and go into the first chain 1 space from the previous row. Yarn over and pull up, then yarn over again and pull through the first two loops on the hook. Repeat this process until you have 5 loops on your hook. Once you have all 5 loops, yarn over and pull through all of them, securing the cluster with a chain 1.

Repeat this process all the way across the row into every chain 1 space.

When you get to the end, do a treble crochet (UK term) into the top of the last stitch, and then proceed to change color (if desired).

Changing Colors: If you want to change colors, don’t complete your treble crochet; leave the last two loops on your hook. Then, add your new color by pulling it through the loops and securing it with a chain 1. Now you can continue your work with the new color.

Row 3 and Beyond: In the new color, chain 1 and turn your work. Do a double crochet into the base of the first stitch. Then, continue with the same pattern as Row 2: chain 1, skip the space between clusters, and double crochet into the next chain 1 space.

Continue repeating this pattern across the row, and when you reach the end, do a double crochet into the top of the last stitch.

For the next rows, continue alternating between clusters and double crochets as described. You’ll keep repeating these steps until your blanket reaches the desired size.

Finishing: When you’re happy with the size of your blanket, you can finish by weaving in the ends and securing any loose threads.

I really hope you enjoyed this tutorial! It’s one of my favorite patterns for baby blankets, and I hope it becomes a favorite of yours too. Please feel free to tag me on Instagram if you make a blanket from this tutorial—I love seeing what you create!