How to Knit a Baby Blanket

How To Knit a Baby Blanket

Are you wondering what to give a friend who has just had a newborn baby? Consider a knitted baby blanket. A baby blanket provides a perfect way to keep the baby warm.

How do you knit a baby blanket? Knitting baby blankets may seem like a demanding task to take on, but you will be surprised how easy it is once you get the hang of it.

Image Source: Ravelry

To learn more about how to knit a baby blanket, let’s delve right in. This step-by-step video guide will also help you learn.

What Do I Need to Knit a Baby Blanket

The first step to learning how to knit a blanket is gathering all the materials and equipment. Not sure about what you need to knit a baby blanket? Here are some of the materials required.

1. 1. Knitting Yarn

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When buying yarn to create a baby blanket, you should be keen as babies have sensitive skin; therefore, not every type of yarn in your local store is ideal for them. So, when buying yarn to learn how to make a baby blanket knitting, consider the following;

• • Yarn Fibre. You may lean on yarn fibers such as mohair and alpaca as they appear soft and snuggly, but they may not be suitable for your baby. This is because these materials shed their fibers, and your child may end up swallowing them, which is not ideal for their health. So, choose soft bamboo, acrylic, cotton, or superwash wool for your baby’s blanket yarn.
  • Yarn Weight. This refers to the thickness of the yarn. For a baby blanket, heavier yarns are ideal for keeping the baby warm. Ensure that the yarn weight you choose does not restrict your baby’s movement.
  • Yarn Woven Labels. Most yarns come with labels that provide you with information about the length, the type of needles to use, and the fiber content. Other yarns have care labels that provide washing instructions. For your baby blanket, go for yarn with easy-to-clean instructions.
  • Color. You do not have to settle for the traditional blue color for boys and pink for girls. There are plenty of unisex colors that you could mix and match to create an attractive blanket for your baby. They include orange, green, purple, modern monochrome, rainbow tones, and classic primary colors, to mention a few.

      2. Knitting Needles

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Knitting needles are tools used in hand-knitting to produce a knitted garment. They are made from different materials and come in different sizes and shapes. To choose the right needle when learning how to knit a small baby blanket, refer to the instructions on the yarn labels.

      3. Tape Measure

How big is a baby blanket knitted? When you browse the internet to find the appropriate dimensions for knitted baby blankets, you’ll come across various measurements. However, it’s important to remember that these are just suggestions.

A recommended and commonly used size for a standard baby blanket is approximately 3 feet by 4 feet or equivalently 36 inches by 48 inches. However, you can knit baby blankets according to your own preferences.

A tape measure helps determine the length of your ideal baby blanket so you know when to bind it off. Consider your personal preference when purchasing a tape measure.

      4. Sewing Needles

Sewing needles help to weave in on ends once you cast off knitting your baby blanket project. Consider the needle’s eye when purchasing them for your project. The eyes should be large enough to allow the yarn to pass through them.

      5. A pair of scissors

You need a pair of sharp scissors to cut extra yarn and weave loose ends at the end of the project with ease. Consider the size of the scissors, the ease of handling them, and the type of yarn when purchasing ideal scissors for your project.

Knitting Equipment	What to Consider When Purchasing The Knitting Equipment
Knitting Yarn	Consider the yarn fiber, color, yarn weight, and yarn labels.
Knitting Needles	Consider the instructions on the yarn labels about the right size, shape, and needle type to use.
Tape Measure	Consider your taste and preference.
Sewing Needles	Ensure the sewing needle’s eyes are large enough to allow the yarn to pass through.
A pair of scissors	Consider the size of the scissors, the ease of handling them, and the type of yarn.

Best Baby Blanket Knitting Patterns

Now that you have all the materials you need to learn how to start knitting your first baby blanket, the next thing you need to know are some beginner-friendly knitting patterns. The following are the best baby blanket patterns for your first knitting project.

• • The garter rib blanket
  • The purls and triangles pattern
  • Two-tone stroller blanket
  • Corner to corner pattern
  • Rice stitch baby blanket pattern
  • Cambrie knit baby blanket
  • Triss baby blanket knitting pattern

1. 1. The Garter Rib Baby Blanket Pattern

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To create a garter rib blanket pattern, you need to use knit and purl foundation stitches. The garter rib has simple two-row patterns; therefore, it is easy to knit thus perfect for a beginner. 

      2. The Purls and Triangles Baby Blanket Pattern

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To create the Purls and triangle blanket, you need to use knit and purl stitches from the bottom up on straight needles. Learn how to knit a baby blanket on straight needles in this video.

 So, you will create a garment that features alternating triangles but ensure you are keen on your yarn selection for the best results. The pattern uses simple knit and purl stitches; therefore, it is beginner-friendly.

      3. The Two-Tone Stroller Blanket Pattern

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To create the two-tone stroller pattern, you need to knit some areas of the blanket using the seed stitch and others with the stockinette stitch. You will further need circular knitting needles to help you hold all the knitted stitches. 

      4. The Broken Rib Baby Blanket Pattern

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The broken rib baby blanket pattern is characterized by ribbing columns of the stockinette stitch you create by separating the bumpy garter stitch texture rows.

      5. The Corner To Corner Baby Blanket Pattern

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The pattern requires that you knit diagonally from one corner to another. The corner-to-corner baby blanket pattern is simple to create. Therefore it is perfect for beginners and experienced knitters, especially if you want to learn how to change colors in knitting projects.

      6. Rice Stitch Baby Blanket Pattern

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The rice stitch blanket pattern is perfect for beginners and veteran knitters as it entails lots of stitch repetition. In addition, the design further helps you learn how to twist and untwist stitches. To create the pattern, you can either use the broken rib stitch or the rice stitch.  

      7. Cambrie Knit Baby Blanket Pattern

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The Cambrie knit pattern is perfect if you know how to knit and purl. This is because the design only requires knits and purls stitches with rich texture, so you should be keen when choosing the suitable yarn for your baby blanket project.

      8. Triss Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern

Image Source: Ravelry

The Triss baby blanket knitting pattern is ideal for beginners as it requires simple knit and purl stitches.

How to Knit a Baby Blanket For Complete Beginners

Now, if you know how to knit a scarf, knitting a baby blanket is a walk in the park since both fabrics’ right and wrong sides are visible; therefore, the knitting process is similar. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to knit an easy baby blanket for beginners.

Step 1: Make a Knit Stitch and Place it on The Right-Hand Needle. 

To learn how to knit a baby blanket for beginners, you should first know how to make a knit stitch to achieve the best knit stitch for baby blanket. You should therefore hold a strand from two different skeins of yarn and loop them two times around the index and middle finger. Next, you should pull the first loop through the second one while pulling the thread to tighten the knot. 

Let the loop fall off of your fingers into your right-hand needle. The knit stitch, also known as the slipknot, makes your first cast-on stitch and is included in the total number of cast stitches. Making a slip knot is easy, especially when you know how to finger knit.

Step 2: Cast On The Desired Number of Stitches

Don’t know how to cast on knitting? To cast on, you need to keep working with the two strands from your slip knot. You should then loop the working yarn around the tip of the left-hand needle then insert the right-hand needle into the loop. 

Next, wrap yarn around the right-hand needle, then pull it through the two stitches. Repeat the process until you get to your desired number of stitches.

Step 3: Knit Across all The Rows to Work on The Body of The Blanket

Depending on your project pattern, you should choose the appropriate stitch to bring out the desired results. There are various types of stitches you could familiarize yourself with as you learn to sew and knit, including;

• • Garter stitch
  • Seed stitch 
  • Rice stitch 
  • Stockinette stitch
  • Bamboo stitch

You, therefore, should bring the working yarn on the right-hand side of the cast-on stitches for the garter stitch. The next step is inserting the right needle into the first stitch, then wrapping the yarn over the tip of the needle. You should then let the initial stitch slip off of the needle as the new one takes its place. Repeat this process until the row is complete, but remember to turn the workaround once you get to the end of each row.

Step 4: Change The Stitch and Color to Add Texture

When learning how to knit, ensure that you equip yourself with knowledge about the various knitting stitches, as this goes a long way in creating your desired pattern.

You may decide to switch colors to break the monotony of a single color yarn giving your blanket a chunky striped look. To change colors, ensure that you tie the end of one strand of yarn to the beginning of the next. Repeat this whenever you want to switch the colors and cut the extra cord after switching.

Switch the yarn at the end of a row for ease. Alternatively, you could switch the thread in the middle of the row but ensure that you know how to join knitting in the round.

Step 5: Keep Working on The Blanket Body Until You get to The Desired Length

Continue working on the blanket’s body while changing the color and stitches when need be until you run out of yarn or when you get to your target length.

Step 6: Cast Off the Last Row to Finish The Baby Blanket

To complete your first knitted baby blanket project, you now need to know how to cast off knitting. There are various casting off techniques, including;

• • Standard bind off
  • Stretchy cast-off
  • Picot cast off
  • Invisible ribbed bind off

If you decide to use the picot cast off, you first need to know how to increase a stitch in knitting. So, you should add new stitches at the end of the row and take the first stitch and loop it over the second one. 

You should then knit a new stitch on the left needle and slide the second stitch over the new stitch. Finally, remove the stitch from the left needle and repeat the process until you have cast off the entire blanket.

Step 7: Tie the Final Stitch and Weave in The End

Once you have cast off the entire blanket, you should tie a knot on the last stitch to prevent unraveling. You should then cut the yarn six inches from the knot.

Next, you should learn how to weave in ends in knitting. Weaving in ends helps to secure the cast-off. You should insert yarn in your needle and weave it in and out the edge of the blanket. 

Step 8: Add a Satin Border at The Edges of The Blanket

You should purchase a satin border to put it around the blanket to protect the edges. Next, cut the border to complement the perimeter of the blanket. You should then learn how to sew to attach the satin border in place.

Here is a video on how to knit a small baby blanket for complete beginners:

How to Knit a Baby Shawl

You may still have yarn left behind after learning how to knit a baby blanket. You could use the extra yarn to knit your baby a shawl. Don’t know how? Here is a guide on how to knit a  baby shawl;

Step 1: Gather the knitting materials

Step 2: Make a knit stitch

Step 3: Cast on. Slip the knit stitch onto the knitting needle. Then, use the working yarn to wrap over the right-hand needle. Next, insert the needle from the front to back into the stitch.

Step 4: Knit across the row, and then turn the work to create the shawl’s body. Repeat this process until you get to your desired shawl length.

Step 5: Bind off the stitches. Once you get to the desired length, you should cast off the shawl, tie off the yarn at the end of the row, and weave loose ends.

Step 6: Add embellishments such as flowers to the knitted shawl. This is optional.

Terms	Definition
Casting On	This is a technique used to add new independent stitches to a knitting needle.
Casting off	This is a technique used to end a stitching column.
Stockinette stitch	This is a stitch pattern that comprises alternating rows of purl and plain stitches.
Garter Stitch	This is a knitting pattern whereby both sides of the knitted fabric look the same.
Purl	This is a stitch created when you pull a loop of yarn from the front of the fabric to the back through the previous stitch.

 

Tips for Beginners: Knitting a Baby Blanket

• Select a baby blanket pattern that primarily uses the garter stitch, involving knitting every row. This stitch creates a textured fabric that is perfect for cuddling. You can opt for a free pattern as there are many free knitting patterns available online where you can choose your favorite one for your newborn baby.
• For baby items, it’s important to use soft, gentle, hypoallergenic, and breathable yarn for both the normal and cozy baby blanket. Cotton yarn is gentle on sensitive skin and easy to care for. Look for machine washable options for convenience.
• Consider the weight of the yarn. For a simple knit baby blanket, a medium-weight yarn is a great choice. It strikes a balance between warmth and durability.
• Enhance the appearance of your baby blanket by incorporating a garter stitch border. This involves knitting every stitch on every row and helps prevent curling of the edges.
• Stitch markers are valuable tools for tracking specific sections in your knitting. Use them to mark the garter stitch border, pattern repeats, or color changes, ensuring a symmetrical and even design.
• Adding a touch of color can make your creation even more delightful. You can incorporate colorful elements to make a colorful baby blanket. You can achieve this by selecting a multicolored yarn or using stripes or patterns made with different colored yarns.
• Pay attention to the tightness or looseness of your stitches and aim for uniformity throughout the project.

Frequently asked questions

How much yarn is needed for a baby blanket?

The amount of yarn needed for a baby blanket varies based on the size you plan to make. Generally, for a worsted weight blanket, you can expect to use approximately 700 to 1500 yards of yarn. If you opt for a typical 3.5 oz skein with 220 yards, you will require around 3 to 7 skeins to crochet the baby blanket.

Can I use regular yarn for a baby blanket?

It is crucial to opt for fibers that are safe and gentle on a baby’s sensitive skin. An ideal choice would be acrylic yarn, cotton, or a non-wool blend, ensuring comfort and ease of care. It’s recommended to select yarns that can be easily washed in a machine without causing any irritation to the baby’s delicate skin.

Can I wash a knitted baby blanket?

Most knitted baby blankets can be safely washed, but it’s essential to follow the care instructions specific to the yarn you used. Some yarns may require gentle handwashing, while others can be machine washed. Always check the yarn label for washing instructions.

 

Conclusion 

Knitting a baby blanket is an excellent project for both beginners and veteran knitters. To knit, you should gather the required supplies, including yarn and knitting needles.

You should then make a slip knot, cast on, work on the rows in your preferred stitch while keeping the blanket pattern in mind, and cast off to complete the knitting project. If you need more input on how to knit a baby blanket, this video will help. Did you get an idea of how to knit a baby blanket?