Free Crochet Pattern {Granny Stripe Blanket Tutorial}

Granny stripe blankets are among my favorite to make. They're ridiculously easy, beautiful, and the color combinations are endless. I follow the general tutorial on the Attic 24 website. The tutorial is written in UK crochet terms, but a quick google search will teach you the differences. I'll show you exactly how I did mine at the end of this post!
Most of the yarn I used for this project is Hobby Lobby "I Love This Yarn!" The only exception is the cornflower blue. These yarns make very soft blankets and baby hats. I used six different colors in a random stripe pattern.  This particular blanket is a doll-sized blanket My girls love having small blankets for wrapping babies, having picnics, and covering stuffed animals. I hope the soon-to-be three year old is as thrilled with this blanket as my girls are with theirs.  These also make great stroller blankets for those times you don't want to tote around a full-sized lovey. 

In case you want to make a blanket just like mine, here's how I made it.  Finished size is approximately 20" square. 
Materials: -J crochet hook
-6 colors of worsted weight yarn
-Tapestry Needle for weaving ends
-Scissors

Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Yarn - $3.52
from: Craftsy.com

Notes: 

dc cluster - work three dc into the same stitch

Directions: 

ch 63. 

Row 1: work 1 dc into the third chain. *Skip 2 stitches, work dc cluster into the next stitch* across. Repeat 18 more times (total of 19 clusters). Make 2 dc into the last chain. Ch 2, turn.

Row 2: Work dc cluster into the first space between the clusters on the previous row. Do this all the way across (total of 20 clusters).  End with one dc into the top of the ch 2 at the end of the row. Cut yarn and weave ends. 

Row 3: Join new color with a sl st. ch 2, 1 dc in the same space. Work dc clusters into all spaces. Work 2 dc in the top of the ch 2 at the end of the row. Ch 2, turn. (19 clusters made)

Row 4: Work dc clusters in all the spaces across. End with one dc into the top of the ch 2 at the end of the row. Cut yarn and weave ends. (20 clusters made). 

Repeat rows three and four 18 more times. 

Border: 

Round 1: sc around the entire blanket working 3 sc into each corner stitch. Cut yarn and weave ends. 

Round 2: join second border color and sc around the entire blanket again working 3 sc into each corner stitch. Cut yarn and weave ends. 

Round 3: join white yarn. You'll now be working a picot edging. Join yarn, *sc in the next five stitches, ch 3, hdc in the first chain* around. I like to have a picot in each corner so I fiddle with the stitches between picots to make that happen. I used to have a cow if the spaces weren't exact, but I've come to realize that once the blanket is finished, you won't even notice! 

My stripe pattern is as follows: A, B, C, D, E, F, A, B, C, E, D, B, A, F, C, E, F, D, B, A.
Border: Round 1 in B, Round 2 in D, and Picot in white (which happens to be F in this blanket). 

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