Welcome to PurelyHobby! If you want to create a stunning, intricate-looking afghan without pulling your hair out, the mosaic crochet technique is your best friend. While it looks like complex colorwork, it actually uses only basic single and double crochets, and you only work with one color per row. This geometric throw blanket creates a thick, warm, and highly visual statement piece for your modern living room or bedroom.
Materials & Tools
To get the exact high-contrast look from our tutorial, you will need:
- Yarn: Medium weight (Worsted/Aran) acrylic or washable wool blend.
- Color A (Background): Soft Cream (approx. 1200 yards)
- Color B (Pattern): Charcoal Grey (approx. 1200 yards)
- Crochet Hook: 5.5mm (US I/9) ergonomic wooden or metal hook.
- Notions: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends, and a pair of sharp craft scissors.
Stitch Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- blo: back loop only
- flo: front loop only
- mdc: mosaic double crochet (a double crochet worked into the front loop of the stitch two rows directly below)
Step-by-Step Pattern
The Foundation Using Color A (Soft Cream), start by making a foundation chain of 151 (or any multiple of 12 + 7 for your desired width).
- Row 1: Single crochet into the second chain from the hook and into each chain across. Turn. (150 stitches)
- Row 2: Chain 1. Single crochet in the back loop only (blo) of every stitch across. At the end of the row, switch to Color B (Charcoal Grey). Turn.
Building the Mosaic Pattern
- Row 3 (Color B): Chain 1. Work 1 sc in the blo of the first 3 stitches. Work 1 mdc (drop down and double crochet into the front loop of Color A from Row 1). Work 1 sc in the blo of the next 3 stitches. Repeat this sequence from * to * across the row. Switch back to Color A. Turn.
- Row 4 (Color A): Chain 1. Work 1 sc in the blo of the first stitch. Work 1 mdc into the unworked front loop of the stitch two rows below. Work 1 sc in the blo of the next stitch. Repeat from * to * across the row. Switch to Color B. Turn.
- Row 5+ (Repeating the Grid): Continue alternating colors every single row. Whenever the geometric chart requires a contrasting block, you simply work an mdc dropping down into the front loop of the same-colored row below it. If it requires the background color, you work a standard sc in the back loop.
The Border Once your blanket reaches your desired length (typically around 60 inches for a standard throw), do not fasten off your final color.
- Step 1: Chain 1 and turn the blanket 90 degrees. Work a border of single crochets evenly down the raw side edge of the blanket.
- Step 2: Work 3 single crochets into the corner space to turn smoothly.
- Step 3: Continue single crocheting around all four sides. Slip stitch to your starting chain to close. Fasten off and weave in your ends.
