My daughter Haley is continuing her crochet journey by learning how to add clusters around the edge of her blanket. Since the stitch in the blanket is half double crochet, I taught her the half double crochet clusters. 

I think they made her blanket super cute and she did a good job! I love the colors she chose and I think this makes a really cute baby blanket.  

Here’s a video for this blanket you can watch before you get started!

Materials

Caron Simply Soft (100% acrylic, 170 g/6 oz, 288 m/315 yds)

2 skeins Victorian Rose, 2 skeins Grey Heather, 2 skeins White

Size H/5.00mm hook, tapestry needle, scissors

Size

Finished size 32 in x 32 in

Gauge 2 in = 7 st and 7 rows of WHDC

Stitches

Half Double Crochet (HDC): Yarn over (YO), insert your hook, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through three loops on hook.

Wide Half Double Crochet (WHDC): YO, insert your hook between stitch posts, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through three loops on hook. 

HDC 4 Together Cluster (HDC4TogCL): *YO, insert hook into stitch, YO and pull a loop back through, repeat from * 3 more times. YO and pull through all loops on your hook. 

Pattern 

With Grey Heather, chain 110. (Or you may chain any number if you’d like to make a larger blanket.)

ROW 1: HDC in the third chain from the hook. HDC in each chain across the row. CH 2 and turn. 

ROW 2: WHDC in each space between the stitches across the row, ending the last stitch between the last stitch and the turning chain. CH 2 and turn. 

ROWS 3 – 4: Repeat the instructions for row 2. On the last step of the HDC stitch in row 4, lay Victorian Rose across the hook and pull through to change colors. 

ROWS 5 – 8: Repeat the instructions for row 2. On the last step of the HDC Stitch in Row 8, lay Grey Heather across the hook and pull through to change colors. 

Repeat changing colors every 4 rows until your blanket measures approximately 32 inches in length. 

Tie off and weave in all the ends before starting the border.

Border

With Victorian Rose, pull up a loop and chain 2 in the last space before the turning chain, (as if you were chaining and turning to continue making the blanket.) Work 1 HDC into that space. Work WHDC in each space across the row. When reaching the end of the row, work 3 HDC around the turning chain. 

SIDE ONE: Continue working HDC down the side of the blanket by working one HDC at the end of each row. Work 3 HDC into the bottom corner. 

BOTTOM END: Work WHDC in between each stitch across the bottom of the blanket. Work 3 HDC into the corner space. 

SIDE TWO: Continue working HDC up the side of the blanket by working one HDC at the end of each row. Join with a slip stitch to starting ch 2 after working one HDC into the corner. CH 2 and turn. 

ROUND 2: Work WHDC into each space between the stitches around the blanket. When working around the corners, work 2 HDC in between the first and second stitches, and 2 HDC in between the second and third stitches. Join with a slip stitch to the chain 2 turning chain after working the final 2 HDC between the stitches that make the corner. CH 2 and turn. 

ROUND 3: Work WHDC into each space between the stitches. When working the corners, work 3 HDC in the space between the 2 sets of HDC pairs from the row below. (Still work 1 HDC in between the pair of stitches on either side.) Join with a slip stitch to the ch 2 turning chain. CH 2 and turn. 

ROUND 4: Repeat Round 2 instructions. 

ROUND 5 POLKA DOTS: *Slip Stitch in each of the next 6 stitches. CH 3. Work 1 HDC4TogCL in the first chain of the CH 3. Slip stitch into last stitch slip stitched into. Repeat from * around entire blanket. Join with a slip stitch at the end of the round, tie off and weave in the ends. 

Click here or on image below for printable pattern