6 Day Star Blanket Crochet Pattern: Free + 12 Variations
If you have scrolled crochet TikTok or Instagram in the last couple of years, you have seen it: a seven-pointed star blanket blooming out from a tiny centre ring in dazzling stripes of colour. That is the 6 Day Star Blanket crochet pattern, and it has become one of the most-made crochet blankets in the world for a very good reason — it is genuinely free, genuinely fast, and genuinely addictive.
The pattern is the work of designer Beth McKee Elliott, better known as Betty McKnit. She publishes it free on her own website, and this guide will point you straight there. Below you will find everything you need before you start — the right yarn, the right hook, how much yardage to buy — plus a curated roundup of twelve free variations of the star, from lacy 14-point Superstars to shawls, ponchos and Christmas tree skirts.
Quick answer: The 6 Day Star Blanket is a free, centre-out, seven-pointed star blanket by Betty McKnit. It uses only chain, single crochet and double crochet, works in six repeating rounds, and most crocheters finish one in about six days. Get the official free pattern at bettymcknit.com.
What is the 6 Day Star Blanket crochet pattern?
The 6 Day Star Blanket is a centre-out crochet blanket that grows into a seven-pointed star. You begin with a small ring, work a series of setup rounds that establish the seven peaks, and then repeat one six-round sequence over and over until the blanket is the size you want.
It is a spin-off of Betty McKnit’s original 6-Day Kid Blanket, first published back in 2007 — a granny-ripple chevron afghan worked in rows. The Star takes that same six-round rhythm and bends it into the round, which is what produces those crisp radiating points.
Why is it called the “6 Day” star blanket?
Two reasons, and they reinforce each other. First, the body of the blanket is built from six repeating rounds — once you have them memorised you barely need to look at the pattern again. Second, that repetition makes the project fly: most crocheters finish a throw in roughly six days of normal evening crocheting. It is not a promise, it is a nickname, but it turns out to be a fairly honest one.
What skill level do you need?
The designer rates it easy, but not a true beginner pattern. The stitches themselves are simple — chain, single crochet, double crochet, plus a couple of clusters (dc2tog and dc3tog) — so if you are comfortable with the basic crochet stitches you have everything you need. The challenge is the setup rounds, where the seven points get established and a miscount is easy. Take those slowly, count obsessively, and the rest is autopilot.
Because you start in the round from a centre ring, it also helps to be confident with the magic circle. Never made a blanket before? Start with our beginner’s guide to crocheting a blanket first, then come back to the star.
Materials: the best yarn and hooks for a 6 Day Star Blanket
This pattern is famously yarn-agnostic — it works with almost anything, which is a large part of its appeal. That said, some choices make the star look dramatically better than others.
How much yarn do you need?
These are the designer’s own figures from the official pattern page:
| Yarn weight | 40″ baby blanket | 60″ throw |
|---|---|---|
| DK / #3 | ~1,600 yards | ~2,800 yards |
| Worsted / #4 | ~1,500 yards | ~2,500 yards |
You can also stop early for a lovey size at around twelve rounds, or simply keep repeating the six-round sequence until you run out of yarn or patience. If you want to plan a custom size, our how much yarn to crochet a blanket guide has a full conversion chart.
Which hook size should you use?
This is the single most important technical detail in the whole pattern, and it is where most people go wrong. You need a larger hook than you would normally use for your yarn.
Betty’s advice is to start with the hook size printed on the yarn label, and keep two larger hooks on hand — one 0.5 mm larger and one 1 mm larger. If the points of your star start curling upward during the setup rounds, that is your signal to go up a size. Curling means your fabric is too tight to lie flat as the circumference grows.
A smooth hook with a comfortable grip matters here more than usual, because this is thousands of stitches of the same motion — see our guide to choosing the best crochet hooks if your hands tend to ache on big projects.
The best yarn types for a star blanket
- Self-striping cake yarn — the runaway favourite. Because the blanket grows outward in concentric rounds, a gradient cake produces perfect rings of colour with zero planning and almost no ends to weave in.
- Smooth worsted acrylic — cheap, washable, comes in every colour, and shows the stitch definition that makes the points crisp. The safest choice for a first attempt.
- DK cotton or cotton blends — beautiful drape and excellent for warm climates, though the blanket will be heavier and take longer.
- Scrap yarn — genuinely one of the best stash-busters in crochet. Betty has a dedicated scrap yarn tips guide for exactly this. If you have a bag of leftovers, this is its destiny — and our yarn scrap ideas can use up whatever remains.
- Avoid very fuzzy or chenille yarns for your first star. They hide the stitch definition, and worse, they make it nearly impossible to see where you went wrong during the setup rounds.
Planning a colour sequence before you start saves a lot of frogging. Betty offers a free 6-Day Star Blanket Planner for mapping out stripes round by round.
Star vs Superstar vs Supernova: which should you make?
Once the star blanket went viral, Betty designed two siblings. They are all free, and they are all built on the same six-round logic — but they look and feel quite different to make.
| 6-Day Star | 6-Day Superstar | 6-Day Supernova | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 7, all equal | 14, all equal | 14 — 7 large, 7 small |
| Look | Classic bold star | Rounder, lacier | Dynamic, most striking |
| Difficulty | Easiest | Trickier setup, then repetitive | Hardest — least repetitive |
| Curling | Minimal | Most prone to curling | Minimal |
| Best for | A quick, easy first project | Wanting a bit more challenge | Crocheters chasing a showpiece |
Short version: make the Star first. It is the easiest and the fastest, and once you know the rhythm the other two are a straightforward step up.
12 free 6 Day Star Blanket crochet patterns and variations
Every pattern below is free on Betty McKnit’s own website, and every link goes directly to the original source so the designer gets the visit she has earned. Ad-free PDF versions of most are available to buy in her shop if you prefer to print.
1. The 6-Day Star Blanket — the original
The one that started it all. Seven equal points worked from the centre out, using only chain, single crochet and double crochet. Endlessly resizable from lovey to king-size, and forgiving enough that it works with practically any yarn in your stash. If you only make one blanket from this list, make this one.
→ Get the free 6-Day Star Blanket pattern at Betty McKnit
2. The 6-Day Superstar Blanket
Fourteen equal points give this version a softer, rounder, distinctly lacier silhouette — less “star” and more “sunburst mandala”. The setup is a little more involved than the original, and it has a greater tendency to curl, so be ready to size up your hook. Worth it for the finished effect.
→ Get the free 6-Day Superstar Blanket pattern
3. The 6-Day Supernova Blanket
Fourteen points, but alternating — seven large and seven small. The result is the most visually dramatic blanket in the family, and the most demanding to crochet, because the rounds are less repetitive and require genuine attention. This is the one to make when you want people to ask who designed it.
→ Get the free 6-Day Supernova Blanket pattern
4. The 6-Day Kid Blanket — the original chevron
The pattern that spawned the whole family, published in 2007. This one is worked flat in rows rather than in the round, producing bold granny-ripple chevrons. The original calls for bulky #5 yarn — about 170 yards each of seven colours — on a 5.5–8 mm hook, finishing at roughly 36″ × 33″. A resize chart lets you adapt it to any yarn weight. If you like ripple blankets, start here.
→ Get the free 6-Day Kid Blanket pattern
5. The 6-Day Ridgy Didge Star Blanket
The same seven-pointed star, but worked with textured ridges that catch the light and add real depth. Beautiful in a single solid colour, where the texture rather than the striping becomes the feature. There are Ridgy Didge versions of the Superstar and Supernova too.
→ Get the free Ridgy Didge Star pattern
6. The 6-Day Sweetheart Star Blanket
A romantic variation that works heart motifs into the star structure. An obvious choice for Valentine’s gifts, wedding presents and anniversary makes — and a lovely one for a baby blanket in soft pinks and creams.
→ Get the free Sweetheart Star pattern
7. The 6-Day Star Blanket for Juniper Moon Farm
A crochet-along version designed around a specific degradé yarn, complete with its own custom border. Excellent if you want the gradient look without doing any colour planning yourself — the yarn does the work.
→ Get the free Juniper Moon Farm CAL pattern
8. The 6-Day Eras-Inspired Superstar Blanket
A Superstar with a striping sequence built to match a run of album colour palettes. A brilliant gift project for the Swiftie in your life, and a genuinely clever demonstration of how much the colour sequence changes the character of the same pattern.
→ Get the free Eras Superstar pattern
9. The 6-Day Star Poncho
Proof that the star does not have to stay on the sofa. This wearable adaptation turns the same construction into a cosy star-shaped poncho — the points fall beautifully over the shoulders and arms.
→ Get the free 6-Day Star Poncho pattern
10. The 6-Day Star Shawl
A half-circular shawl with five large points and a striking dragon-scale border. Much quicker than a full blanket, which makes it a perfect way to test the technique before committing to 2,500 yards of yarn.
→ Get the free 6-Day Star Shawl pattern
11. The 6-Day Superstar and Supernova Shawls
Two more wearable versions. The Superstar Shawl has nine small points finished with a dainty shell border, while the Supernova Shawl alternates five large and four small points and closes with a camel stitch border. Both are lighter and faster than the blankets.
12. The 6-Day Star Holiday Tree Skirt
The star shape is a natural fit around the base of a Christmas tree, and this festive adaptation leans right into it. There are Superstar and Supernova tree skirt versions as well — start one in autumn and you will have an heirloom by December.
→ Get the free Star Tree Skirt pattern
Betty maintains her own complete roundup of every star variation, including several members-only designs such as 8-pointed and 16-pointed stars, if you want to go deeper.
Tips for a flawless 6 Day Star Blanket
- Watch the video tutorials. Betty has a full YouTube playlist for the star blanket, including a left-handed version. The setup rounds make far more sense watched than read.
- Use a stitch marker on every point. Seven markers, one per peak. This single habit prevents almost every error people report with this pattern.
- Count your stitches at the end of every setup round. An error in the first nine rounds compounds forever. An error in round forty is barely visible.
- If the points curl, go up a hook size. Do not try to block your way out of it later — fix it in the first few rounds while frogging is cheap.
- Weave in ends as you go. A striped star can easily have sixty colour changes. Leaving them all to the end turns a joyful project into a chore.
- Block the finished blanket. Even a light wet block sharpens the points dramatically. It is the difference between “nice” and “how did you do that”.
- Finish with a border you love. The pattern includes a border, but this shape takes a decorative edging beautifully — browse our crochet blanket border ideas for alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 6 Day Star Blanket crochet pattern really free?
Yes. The full pattern is published free, supported by ads, on Betty McKnit’s website. She also sells an ad-free printable PDF in her shop for anyone who would rather pay a small amount for a clean copy — a fair way to support a designer who gives her work away.
Can you really finish it in six days?
Plenty of people do, working a few hours each evening on a baby-sized blanket in worsted yarn. A 60″ throw in DK will take most crocheters considerably longer. The name describes the six repeating rounds as much as the timeline, so do not feel you are behind schedule.
Why is my star blanket curling or cupping?
Your tension is too tight for the growing circumference, which is by far the most common issue with this pattern. Go up a hook size — 0.5 mm first, then 1 mm if needed. If it only starts curling much later, you may have missed increases at the points, so recount a round.
Can beginners make the 6 Day Star Blanket?
An ambitious beginner absolutely can, provided you are comfortable with double crochet and can follow a written pattern in the round. Work the setup rounds slowly with the video open beside you. Many crocheters report the star blanket was the project that made everything click.
What is the difference between the 6-Day Kid Blanket and the 6-Day Star Blanket?
The Kid Blanket is worked flat in rows and produces chevron stripes. The Star Blanket is worked in the round from the centre out and produces a seven-pointed star. They share the same six-round repeating logic and the same designer, but they are different patterns with different finished shapes.
What yarn makes the best-looking star blanket?
Self-striping cake yarn, almost without exception. Because the blanket grows in concentric rounds, a gradient cake creates flawless rings of colour automatically, with hardly any ends to weave in and no colour planning required.
Ready to cast on?
There is a reason the 6 Day Star Blanket crochet pattern has been made hundreds of thousands of times: it is generous, forgiving, endlessly customisable, and it delivers a genuinely spectacular result from three basic stitches. Whether you make the classic seven-pointed star, push on to the Supernova, or turn the whole thing into a tree skirt, you are working from a free pattern by a designer who has given the craft community something special.
Pick your yarn, grab a hook one size larger than you think you need, and start in the middle. Six repeating rounds is all that stands between you and a finished star.
→ Start with the free 6-Day Star Blanket pattern at bettymcknit.com
Looking for more? Try our easy Bernat star blanket pattern, the cuddly Pipsqueak star blanket, or browse 25 crochet stitches to add texture to your next make.
All patterns featured in this roundup are the copyright of Beth McKee Elliott (Betty McKnit®) and are linked to their original source. Please access them on the designer’s own website rather than reposting them elsewhere.
