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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!

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.

White plaid knit blanket on white wicker trunk.

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.

Not a Subscriber?

We can fix that! Join for free to access all of my free, printable knit and crochet patterns and other useful printables. Click here to subscribe and have the Quiet Plaid Baby Blanket sent directly to your inbox.

White plaid knit blanket on white wicker trunk.

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.
Graph for the plaid on this easy knit baby blanket.

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 from 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.

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.

Blanket on blocking mat.

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.

White plaid easy knit baby blanket on white wicker chest.
Signature of Lynn

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6 Comments

  1. 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.

  2. Hi
    I haven’t started the Quiet Plaid baby blanket yet. I am going to try and make it for a baptismal blanket.

    Thank you, Eather

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