Easy Knit Baby Blanket
This Easy Knit Baby Blanket pattern requires you to know only how to knit and how to purl; there are no fancy or complicated stitches here! The pattern of knits and purls creates a tone-on-tone plaid pattern. In fact, this simple combination of knits and purls makes this baby blanket knitting pattern reversible, meaning it looks equally attractive on both sides. You can use a contrasting color for the border.
I struggled with what to call this free baby blanket pattern, but one of my readers suggested ‘Quiet Plaid Baby Blanket,’ playing off the quiet, tone-on-tone plaid and the ‘hopefully’ 🤞quiet baby under the blanket! I like it, so that’s what we are going with.
This sweet little blanket is headed to the brand-new grandson of two of my college buddies!
Table of Contents
I added a crochet border to the knit blanket, but you could also knit an applied i-cord border or add a few seed stitches to each edge. I’m hesitant to recommend a garter stitch border as I fear it may flare, but I haven’t tried it.
The free, printable, easy baby blanket pattern includes directions for knitting an applied i-cord, but you may also want to refer to this post on how to add an applied i-cord to any knitting project.
Materials for this Easy Knit Baby Blanket
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- 1106 yards of light worsted weight yarn. I used 11 skeins of Valley Yarns Southwick – Natural.
- 105 yards of lightweight worsted yarn for contrasting trim. I used 1 skein of Valley Yarns Southwick – Mineral Green.
- Size US 6 (4.0mm) straight knitting needles. Feel free to use circular knitting needles if you prefer.
- Size G6 crochet hook for crochet edge OR US 6 (4.00mm) double-pointed needles for knit edge
- The Free Quiet Plaid Knit Baby Blanket Pattern is available to all subscribers of Nourish and Nestle. The pattern has written instructions and a graph to show the plaid pattern. You can nab the pattern in the Subscriber Library. (Don’t remember the super secret password? No problem. It’s at the bottom of every Monday’s News from the Nest Newsletter). Also, feel free to reach out if you can’t find it. But if you want the pattern sent directly to your email inbox, we can do that, too. ➡️ click here! ⬅️
- This video will guide you through the crochet Camel Stitch border.
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Tips for This Easy Knit Baby Blanket
- Take time to knit a swatch for a gauge. While you may not be as concerned about the size of a blanket as you would a sweater, you don’t want to have too loose or too knit stitches.
- This is an easy pattern, but make sure you have consistent tension.
- Counting…the plaid pattern is an easy 16-stitch repeat. When you get in the groove, you’ll realize that the horizontal repeat is three groups of five stitches, with one stitch running through the larger block. Vertically, the repeat is 22 rows, three groups of seven rows with a single row running through the larger block.
What’s the Best Yarn to Use for a Baby Blanket?
There are several considerations when choosing the best yarn for your baby blanket.
- Fiber – I am a cotton gal, but some other options are bamboo, acrylic, and washable wool. I always prefer cotton or cotton blends primarily because it is hypoallergenic, making it a safe bet for sensitive skin. It is washable, soft, and smooth. Merino and superwash wools can also be great options, but check with the new mom beforehand. Acrylic yarn has the benefit of also being hypo-allergenic, washable, and won’t shrink. I find some acrylics a little scratchy, so check before you buy. Bamboo (and blend) yarns are similar to cotton, with a bit more durability. Regarding pilling, animal fibers (wool) will pill more than cotton or acrylic.
- Washability – make sure your blanket can be washed. I always recommend a cold, gentle wash with as little dryer time as possible…mostly to fluff it up.
- Temperature – where the newborn lives might influence your choice of yarns. A baby in hot climates would probably prefer a cotton or bamboo (or blend) yarn, whereas one in colder climates would appreciate the warmth of merino wool.
- Yarn Weight – stay away from heavy, bulky, and chunky yarns, opting for lighter weight DK and worsted weight yarns.
Some of my favorite baby blanket yarns are:
Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission off of the sale of these products to help defray the costs of operating this site, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.
- Berroco Modern Cotton is a 60% Pima cotton/ 40% viscose yarn that is machine washable and comes in a wide array of colors. I used this yarn for my Eyelet and Argyle Baby Blankets. Modern cotton comes in worsted and DK weights.
- Lana Grossa Soft Cotton Big is a 70% Cotton/ 30% Polyacrylic that is also machine washable with a nice variety of colors. I used this yarn for my Polka Dot Blanket. Soft Cotton Big is a worsted/heavy worsted yarn. It has since been discontinued, but Cascade Sarasota is a pretty good match and is also a cotton/microfiber blend.
- Natural Cotton Maxcolor 4/6 by Circulo is a 100% cotton yarn, is machine washable and comes in a wide array of colors. It’s a little heavier than the other two but not too heavy for a baby blanket. It does knit up quickly. I used it for my Rosebud and Ruffles Blanket.
- Valley Yarns Southwick is a 52% Pima Cotton/48% Bamboo Viscose, DK-weight yarn that is ideally suited for those with sensitive skin as it is completely hypoallergenic. Walmart also carries Valley Yarns Southwick, so be sure to shop around for the best price. Lion Brands LB Collections Cotton Bamboo Yarn is also a good substitute. I used Southwick in my Quiet Plaid Baby Blanket.
Block your Blanket
Once you’ve finished this sweet baby blanket, make sure you take the time to block it. I published a post on how to wash and block your knit and crochet projects here.
More Baby Blanket Knitting Patterns
I love to design and knit baby blankets, so you’ve got a few sweet options. All of these are free knitting patterns!
Bookmark this page or pin the following image to refer back to this Easy Knit Baby Blanket Pattern in the future.
I would like to knit your new Plaid Knit Baby Blanket on circular needles. Any chance you will provide that pattern in the future? I don’t read charts.
Thanks for your Beautiful and inspiring website. You are truly a gift to all of us.
HI Corky, the pattern is written out in addition to the chart. And you could absolutely use circular needles!
Happy Knitting,
Lynn
beautiful!! can’t find the password!!!
I’ll send it to via email, Francine.