How to knit a baby blanket

Celebrate a little one’s arrival with Sandra van Katwijk’s modern baby blanket knitting pattern! There’s nothing like a cosy keepsake blanket to welcome a new baby into the world. We’ll show you how to knit a baby blanket step by step with pictures in this guide. Gifting hand-knitted blankets will show the new mummas just how excited you are to meet their newborn, especially as handmade blankets are expensive. Ideal for tucking into a cot or pram, the stockinette stitch baby blanket’s smaller scale also makes it a great introduction to intarsia – the technique of knitting motifs with multiple colours. We have a full guide to intarsia here on Gathered as well as a beginner guide to knitting to help you master the technique.

Sandra’s modern baby blanket knitting pattern is worked in soft chunky yarn in contemporary colours so you can gift it to both boys and girls. The yarn originally used in this design is now discontinued, but you can swap in other chunky weight yarns instead. For more about yarn weights and substitutions, check out our yarn weight conversion chart. The original yarn used was 100% wool, but it can be kinder on new parents to choose a yarn with some acrylic to help with laundry! See our best yarns for baby blankets for some more ideas and tips.

If you want to up the style stakes, knit the letters in black for a monochrome look, or choose soft pastels for a subtle finish. Once you’ve knitted your baby blanket why not crochet some adorable baby booties or cute DIY baby mobile to go with it? Or for more knitting patterns for little ones, try our baby booties knitting pattern or our how to knit baby booties for a beginner-friendly guide. We also have a whole bunch of new baby card ideas here on Gathered so you can give a completely handmade gift to new parents. But now it’s over to Sandra van Katwijk for her modern baby blanket knitting pattern.

How to knit a  baby blanket: Materials

• Phildar Phil Alaska, 100% wool, 50g/31m per ball, five balls in Ecru (0032) (Yarn A) and one ball each in Orange (0005) (Yarn B), Eglantine (0003) (Yarn C) and Fjord (0002) (Yarn D)
  This is a chunky weight yarn that is now discontinued. Swap in other chunky weight yarns instead
• 10mm (UK 000, US 15) circular knitting needles at least 60cm (23 ⁵⁄₈“) long
• Yarn needle

How to knit a baby blanket: Tension

Approx. 9 sts and 13 rows to 10cm (4″) over st st on 10mm needles. For more about tension and why it is important, see our guide to knitting tension squares.

How to knit a baby blanket: Abbreviations

This pattern uses standard UK knitting abbreviations. For a full list see our knitting abbreviations guide.

st(s) stitch(es)

k knit

p purl

st st stocking stitch

RS right side

If you’re from the USA make sure you check out our yarn weight conversion chart and guide to knitting abbreviations.

Modern baby blanket knitting pattern finished size

Approx. 58 x 58cm (23 x 23″)

How to knit a baby blanket

The main body of the blanket is knitted in stocking stitch with a moss stitch border, while the letters are added using intarsia. Unlike techniques such as Fair Isle, only one colour is worked across the row with intarsia, so you won’t carry the yarn across the back of the work.

Prepare your yarn before you begin, as each area of colour in the chart requires its own yarn supply. You’ll use an entire ball for the larger areas, but use yarn balls cut to the correct lengths for the smaller areas.

On the intarsia chart (above), each new colour on the first row is labelled. You’ll need the following lengths for Yarn A and C:

Yarn A

A1 – 6m (6yrds)

A2 – 2m (2yrds)

A3 – 6m (6yrds)

A – all remaining Yarn A

Yarn C

C1 – 7m (7yrds)

C – all remaining Yarn C

Modern baby blanket knitting pattern