Easy Knit Baby Blanket for Effortless Crafting

A knit baby blanket offers an ideal canvas for knitters of all skill levels, making them perfect projects for beginner and experienced knitters alike. They are easy enough projects for beginners and at the same time perfect for experienced knitters who love a simple pattern that can be knit so-called on autopilot.

In this guide, I’m here to take you through every step of a knit baby blanket. From offering practical tips to sharing a color block baby blanket pattern, I’ve got you covered. By the time you’re done, you’ll have a beautiful, handcrafted baby blanket that’s as unique as the little one it’s meant for.

Knitted baby blankets combine creativity with practicality and make wonderful knitted gifts for expecting parents. Whether you’re planning to gift it or keep it as a cherished family heirloom, your baby blanket will be a symbol of your affection.

So, grab your knitting supplies, and let’s begin crafting a warm and cozy knit baby blanket that will wrap a baby in love and comfort.

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A knit baby blanket folded on a wooden stool next to a house plant

Materials and Tools for a Knitted Baby Blanket

You will need the following materials and tools for this color block knit baby blanket:

Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern Details

Skills Required: Cast on, bind off, knit, purl

Dimensions: About 30 inches (76cm) wide and 35 inches (89cm) long

Yarn: About 1,000 yards (915m) or 19oz (540g) of medium weight (worsted) yarn

Needles: Size US 8 (5mm) or according to your personal knitting gauge

Gauge: 4 sts per inch

By following this pattern, you will create a knit baby blanket in size Stroller (30×35 inches or 76x89cm).

I am using Red Heart Super Saver yarn, which is 100% acrylic. It feels very soft and provides nice stretch especially when knitting in double moss stitch. As this color block baby blanket will behave two colors, my color A is Soft White and color B Orchid.

I am using US 6 (4mm) circular needles. I opted for a bit smaller needles as recommended for this yarn because I tend to knit pretty tight.

It is very easy to make this knitted baby blanket larger or smaller by increasing the number of stitches. Just remember to add or reduce the stitches or rows by four to match the pattern.

A knitting project next to a skein of yarn and circular needles with butterfly needle caps

How To Make a Baby Blanket

This baby blanket knitting pattern is a simple yet elegant double moss stitch design with an easy four row repeat. It’s very simple to make this baby blanket, which makes it a great project also for beginners. Once finished, you will have a beautiful baby blanket with a reversible texture in your hands.

You will be knitting the baby blanket with circular needles in flat to ensure that there’s enough space for all your stitches on the needles. Just simply do not join in the round and turn your work each time you reach the end of row.

Basically, you will be stacking two knit stitches on top of each other for two rows and two purl stitches on top of each other for two rows for the entire length of the baby blanket. This pattern is easy to memorize with a four-row repeat. The only thing you will need to pay attention to is changing the color of the yarn.

Cast on 120 stitches with color A.
Knit 2, purl 2 for 2 rows.
Purl 2, knit 2 for 2 rows.
Repeat these 4 rows with color A for 6 more times.
Switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 4 times.
Switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 3 times.
Switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 2 times.
Switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 4 times.
Switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 6 times.
Switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 4 times.
Switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 2 times.
Switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 3 times.
Switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 4 times.
Switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 6 times.
Then work rows 1 to 3.
Bind off in pattern and weave in the ends.

1. Cast On

Measure about 71 inches (180cm) of yarn in color A for the long tail cast-on.

Next, tie a slip knot and place it on one of the circular needles. I recommend taking also one double pointed needle in the same size and placing the slip knot also around it. This way, the stitches that you will cast on will be not that tight.

Then cast on the stitches so that you’ll have a total of 120 stitches on your needles.

Multiple cast on stitches made of white yarn on two needles — Cast on a total of 120 stitches on two needles in order to avoid a cast on that is too tight.

Since you are casting on this many stitches, it might be difficult to keep track of how many stitches you have. You can use a locking stitch marker as a help if you need to count the stitches. For example, I placed a stitch marker at 100 stitches so I didn’t have to count all stitches from the start again when I lost the count.

Several white cast on stitches on circular needles and a sheep shaped stitch marker attached to one of the stitches — Use a locking stitch marker as a help when counting the stitches.

Once you are done casting on, remove the extra double pointed needle if you used one.

2. Knit the Rows

Start knitting in double moss stitch:

Rows 1 and 2: Knit 2 stitches and purl 2 stitches. Repeat to the end of the row.
Rows 3 and 4: Purl 2 stitches and knit 2 stitches. Repeat to the end of the row.

An unfinished white baby blanket on needles showing two knit stitches — First, knit two stitches and purl two stitches for two rows.

An unfinished white baby blanket on needles showing two purl stitches — Then, purl two stitches and knit two stitches for two rows.

Tip! Remember to move the yarn back of the work when you turn the work after reaching the end of each row.

Continue repeating these four rows with color A for 6 more times. At this point, you will have a total of 28 rows.

Then, cut the yarn leaving a short tail.

Now, switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 4 times (16 rows) and then cut the yarn. At this point, you will have a total of 44 rows.

Then, switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 3 times (12 rows) and then cut the yarn. At this point, you will have a total of 56 rows.

Switch again to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 2 times (8 rows) and then cut the yarn. At this point, you will have a total of 64 rows.

A purple and white colored knitting project on circular needles — Switch between colors A and B to create color blocks.

Next, switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 4 times (16 rows) and then cut the yarn. At this point, you will have a total of 80 rows.

Finally, switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 6 times (24 rows). At this point, you will have a total of 104 rows.

A large color block knitting project on circular needles — Once halfway through, you will repeat the previous steps in a reverse order to achieve a symmetrical pattern.

To achieve a symmetrical pattern, you will now repeat the previous steps in a reverse order. First, switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 4 times (16 rows) and then cut the yarn. At this point, you will have a total of 120 rows.

Then switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 2 times (8 rows) and finally cut the yarn. At this point, you will have a total of 128 rows.

Next, switch again to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 3 times (12 rows) and then cut the yarn. At this point, you will have a total of 140 rows.

Now, switch to color B and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 4 times (16 rows) and then cut the yarn. At this point, you will have a total of 156 rows.

Finally, switch to color A and repeat rows 1 to 4 for 6 times (24 rows). Then work rows 1 to 3. At this point, you will have a total of 183 rows.

3. Bind Off

Now, it’s time to bind off in pattern, which will be the last row (184 rows) of the baby blanket. To bind off, purl the first two stitches from your left-hand needle onto your right-hand needle.

Next, insert you left-hand needle into the first stitch you purled on your right-hand needle. Then pull the first stitch over the second stitch and drop it off the needle.

A white colored knitting project worked on circular needles with the left needle slipping a stitch from the right needle — Bind off by slipping first stitch over second until one stitch remains.

Continue this to bind off all stitches on your left-hand needle until you have one stitch left on your right-hand needle. Remember to bind off in pattern, meaning that you will knit or purl the stitches as the double moss stitch pattern requires.

Then cut the yarn leaving about 8-inch (20cm) tail and pull it through the last loop.

4. Finish

Finally, weave in all tail ends with a tapestry needle and cut off any extra length.

An edge of a knitting project with several tail ends being weaved in with a tapestry needle — Finally, weave in all tail ends with a tapestry needle.

Carefully block the piece of work if desired. Check out the easy instructions for how to block knitting here.

A folded knit baby blanket made of white and purple yarn

Tips for Knitting a Baby Blanket

Here are some practical tips for knitting a baby blanket and for ensuring the blanket is both safe and comfortable for the baby:

Yarn Selection: The type of yarn you select can make all the difference in the final product. Opt for a soft, hypoallergenic, and machine-washable yarn, such as a cotton or acrylic blend. These materials ensure your baby blanket remains gentle on sensitive baby skin and easy to maintain, two essential factors when knitting for a little one. You can read about different types of yarn here and yarn substitution here.
Color and Design: Select colors and patterns that are visually appealing and suitable for a baby. Pastel shades and gentle, simple patterns are often preferred. For a classic baby blanket, a simple garter stitch is perfect as it creates a soft, cozy feel. You can also experiment with other stitches, like the ribbing, seed stitch, moss stitch, or lacework, to add unique patterns and textures to your blanket.
Size: Decide on the blanket’s dimensions. A standard baby blanket is around 30×35 inches (76 x 89cm), but you can adjust the size to your preference. Check out a chart for more baby blanket sizes in this guide.
Washability: Babies can be messy, so opt for a machine-washable yarn that is easy to keep clean. To keep your baby blanket looking and feeling its best, follow the care instructions on your yarn label. It’s best to use a gentle cycle and mild detergent to maintain the softness of the yarn. Avoid using fabric softeners as they can irritate a baby’s skin. Caring for your handmade creation will preserve it for generations to come.
Personalization: Make your baby blanket extra special by adding personal touches. You can incorporate stripes or blocks of colors to match the nursery theme or the baby’s gender. You can also add the baby’s initials, name, or birthdate into the blanket using Swiss darning or duplicate stitch for a truly personalized gift.
Durability and Safety: Make sure your stitches are secure and that the finished blanket can withstand regular use and washing. In addition, ensure there are no loose threads or yarn ends that could pose a choking hazard. Make sure the blanket is free of any small, detachable embellishments.
Borders and Edging: Consider whether you want to add an edging or border to the blanket for a polished finish. This is important especially if you’re using pattern, such as stockinette stitch, that tends to curl instead of laying flat.

These tips will help you to create a baby blanket that’s not only visually appealing but also safe, cozy, and a treasured keepsake that can be passed down through generations.

A knit baby blanket with white and purple color blocks

Conclusions

Creating a knit baby blanket is a cozy and rewarding project for both beginner and experienced knitters. These blankets aren’t just for keeping babies warm; they also make wonderful gifts that show you care. It’s a timeless tradition that combines creativity and practicality.

Whether you’re making a cherished keepsake or a thoughtful gift, knitting a baby blanket lets you express your love and care in a cozy and lasting way. So, grab your yarn and needles and begin creating a one-of-a-kind knit baby blanket that will keep a little one snug and warm.

Happy knitting!