Super Easy Baby Blanket
Every day at Purl at least one customer comes in looking for a really easy baby blanket pattern. It’s such a basic request, and, yet, my co-workers and I have a hard time offering a basic solution. The reason is that not many knit designers bother to make patterns for simple rectangles or squares, assuming that, because it would be so easy for them to figure out, it must be easy for everyone else to figure out too! I designed this blanket using Alchemy’s new yarn, Temple a super-wash, super-soft and super-beautiful hand dyed merino wool. HERE is a baby blanket that anyone who knows how to cast on, knit and cast off can make. No picking up stitches; no counting stitches; not even any purling! It’s everything people ask for, machine washable, soft, fast, and easy. You don’t need to be an expert knitter to make a beautiful heirloom blanket! I love garter stitch for a baby blanket because, besides being the same on both sides and lying flat, it is also very cushiony and cozy. My friend Roy really appreciated the cuddliness of garter stitch this weekend when the weather suddenly turned a bit chilly!- Whitney P.S. Happy first birthday to my model and buddy, Roy!
Update
Since making this pattern back in 2008, we no longer carry the Temple yarn we originally used, but we have knit Super Easy Blankets in many other yarns and sizes. In fact, Super Easy Blankets have become something of a Purl Soho institution! Explore some options…
We’ve even made a beautiful crocheted version, also Super Easy!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoSuperEasyBabyBlanket. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 7 skeins of Alchemy Yarns’ Temple, 100% superfine superwash merino wool. These colors from the top are Lantern, Citrine, Silver, Moonstone, Platinum, Topaz, and Kai’s Goldfish.
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 24 or 32-inch circular needles
- A tapestry needle
Gauge
20 stitches and 40 rows (20 ridges) = 4 inches in garter stitch
Size
Finished Dimensions: approximately 26 inches x 28 inches
Note
This yarn is superwash which means you can safely put it in the washer and dryer. However, if you’ve used any bright saturated colors (especially reds), you may want to add white distilled vinegar to your first wash in order to “set” the dyes. I read somewhere to add 3 cups; that seems like a lot, but it can’t hurt!
Pattern
With a US 7 needle (or size required by you to achieve the correct gauge) and the first color, loosely cast on 130 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Knit every row until you have knit the entire skein (which should be 18-22 garter stitch “ridges” [1 ridge = 2 rows]).
Switch to the second color at the beginning of the next row, and knit every row until you have knit the entire skein.
Repeat with each color, making sure to always switch colors on the same side.
After knitting the seventh color, loosely bind off.
Weave in the ends and you’re done! Super easy!
Hi!
I just had a few questions for you. Im new to knitting and i would love to make this blanket in an adult size, something around 50×70 inches. Are the round needles still the best way to do this project on a bigger scale? And my other question is Can you recommend another maybe more generic yarn that is still soft and washable that is at a lower price?
Thanks lots!
Alli
Hi Alli,
Yes, circular needles become even more crucial the bigger your knitting is! Circular needles are able to hold the number of stitches you'll need, and they also help to distribute the weight of the fabric you're knitting. For a 50-inch blanket, you'll be fine with 32 or 40-inch needles.
And for less expensive, but still beautiful, machine washable yarns, check out:
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/8066-Cascade-Yarns-Cascade-220-Superwash-Sport
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/6355-Cascade-Yarns-Superwash-128
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/817-Lornas-Laces-Shepherd-Worsted
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/5886-Spud-Chloe-Sweater
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/721-Blue-Sky-Worsted-Cotton
Some of these options may appear to be the same price as the Temple, but be sure to take into account the yardage! Also, these are not all sportweight options because this blanket is also nice in worsted weight yarn (especially when you're increasing the size). You can see a worsted weight version here with our Super Easy Lap Blanket: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/the-purl-bee/2013/1/6/whits-knits-super-easy-lap-blanket.html
Thank you for your questions and please let us know if you have more!
Whitney
does any one have areal easy baby blacket pattern to make that would not take so long
This blanket is beautiful! I would love to make it and use some of these colors. I am having trouble locating the Lantern, Platinum, and Silver. Do you still sells those colors in the merino wool? many thanks!
Hi Eleni-
Please email customerservice AT purlsoho DOT com and they can answer this question for you.
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
Hello! I've just finished my baby blanket but the Koigu Kersti version. It's more a square than a rectangle and (newbie question) I wondered whether blocking would help me 'mould' it into a rectangle? Cold water blocking? Steam blocking? Thanks! (I should've checked my gauge but I've made the blanket before on the same needles, same yarn, diff colours and ended up with a rectangle). Not quite sure what that's all about given it's so simple in design…maybe my knitting's whack! Ha!
Hi Kristen-
That is curious! Blocking won't help because you don't want to pull your stitches too much, and blocking is always temporary. So you can either just keep it a square or you can pull out the bind off and add another block of color to make it a rectangle.
Thanks for getting in touch and good luck with it!
Molly
I was wondering how you would suggest adapting this into an adult size blanket?? It's so cute I want to make it for myself!
Hi Megan,
We have a Super Easy Lap Blanket pattern, sized for adults, right here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/the-purl-bee/2013/1/6/whits-knits-super-easy-lap-blanket.html
Thanks so much for your question and please let us know if you have any others!
Whitney
Good Evening,
Silly Question: I am using POUND OF LOVE yarn by LION BRAND ( MEDIUM, 1020 YARDS, 16 oz). I was wondering what Size needles I would use ( to make it go faster) and how many stitches?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Rita-
We are not familiar with that particular yarn but I would recommend doing a gauge swatch in garter stitch on the needles suggested on the yarn label. Once you figure out how many stitches you are getting per inch multiply that number by 26 (inches) to get the cast on number. For instance- if you are getting 4 stitches per inch 4 X 26= 104 stitches to cast on. Then knit each of the 7 colors for 4-inches each and you'll have a 26 X 28-inch blanket.
Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Molly
Good Morning,
Sorry to bother you again. I know that you are NOT familiar with RED HEART REFLECTIVE YARN ( BULKY, SIZE 10 NEEDLES) but I wanted to make your blanket as a STROLLER BLANKET. I just do not know how many stitches to Cast On or what size Needles to use. She wants a Small STROLLER BLANKET. Is your Blanket Dense? Thank You.
Hello Rita!
This pattern is a stroller blanket and isn’t very dense since it uses Sport weight yarn. Since your yarn is much thicker and I’m assuming you don’t want a very dense blanket, I would recommend following these instructions: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2012/11/30/super-easy-crib-blanket-in-super-soft-merino/, just going down to a US #11 needle instead of #13 like the pattern suggests. That should give you a plush and flexible fabric perfect for cuddling in the stroller!
Hope this helps and happy knitting! -Alyson
My sister is making a baby blanket. She’s ready to quit because she totaled her stiches and it came to 85,000. Is this any where near correct? Thanks for the answer. – Leslie
Hi Leslie-
I’m not sure I understand your question. For this blanket you cast on 130 stitches and knit approximately 280 rows to finish the blanket. That’s approximately 36,000 stitches for the whole blanket. It sounds like maybe your sister is adding stitches as she goes, which is an easy mistake to make. If her blanket is getting wider as she goes she might want to take it into a local yarn store and they can probably tell her what she is doing wrong.
If I misunderstood your question please let me know!
Best-
Molly
hi!
Im new to knitting and wanted to make this for a dear friend for her baby. In a previous comment you mention that Cascade 220 superwash sport would be a substitution for the Temple yarn. Would I sub it exactly, like 7 skeins for 7 skeins? Ive never attempted a project this big before and want to make sure that I do it right! Thanks!
Hi Adriane-
No, it doesn’t sub out exactly like that but you will still need to buy 7 skeins. Then, instead of knitting to the end of the skein, knit each skein until you have 4-inches and then start the next skein.
Thanks for your question and good luck with the project!
Molly
If I was to do this pattern in a bulky yarn, would doing the same amount of stitches work? Or would I have to change it up a bit?
Hi Sara-
We actually wrote a version of this pattern for a chunky weight yarn which you can see here:
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2012/11/30/super-easy-crib-blanket-in-super-soft-merino/
Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Molly
I want to make this blanket with 100% cotton yarn. Can you recommend a yarn and what needle size to use for this pattern? Would it be the same needle size listed? I’d like the blanket to be as bulky and cozy as possible.
Hi Noelle-
We would recommend the Blue Sky Worsted Cotton. It comes in great colors and is super cozy. You may want to move up in needle size, especially if you are a tight knitter but but other than that it should be a fairly straightforward substitution. They final blanket will also be a tad longer because there is more yardage in a the Worsted Cotton, but that doesn’t seem like a bad thing!
Thanks for getting in touch and please let us know if you have any more questions!
Molly
Can you knit a blanket with wool?
Hi Tooba-
Yes! We have a lot of wool blanket patterns, aside from this one, that you can see here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/category/knit/projects-knit/home-projects-knit/blankets-decor-home-projects-knit/
Thank you for writing in!
Molly
Hi,
Can I make this blanket with the Manos yarn? which one would you recommend?
Hi Micheline-
Yes, you can do this with Manos Maxima yarn by following the Worsted Twist version of this pattern found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/09/22/super-easy-blankets/
Here is a link to the Maxima: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/7529-Manos-Del-Uruguay-Maxima
Thank you for getting in touch!
Molly
Hello! I know this is a silly question, but exactly how big is the blanket in this pattern? Thank you
Hello Olivia,
Thanks for writing us! The blanket comes out to about 26″ by 28″. Since everyone knits a little differently the size may vary by an inch or so but if you are getting the correct gauge you should end up with a blanket at these dimensions!
Good luck and let us know if you have anymore questions!
Happy Knitting!
Jake
I am very excited to make this blanket, but I have never cast on with circular needles before. I just bought 7 skeins of Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell and the recommended US size 8 (5mm, 74 cm) circular needles. Will I need to unroll the skein and roll the yarn in a ball beforehand? Is there a helpful tutorial video out there to show me how to properly cast on? Hopefully it isn’t too difficult as I really want to get started. Thanks in advance! -Sam
Hi Sam,
Thank you for the comment! When yarn comes in skein form it is one large loop that needs to be wound into a ball or else it becomes a tangled headache. Here’s a tutorial on how to do that; http://www.instructables.com/id/Hand-Wind-a-Ball-of-Yarn/
Here’s a great tutorial from our blog for a basic cast on that works great with this pattern called a long tail cast on; https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2006/09/29/long-tail-cast-on/
Also if you’d prefer a video version there are a lot of great ones on youtube!
I hope these references help and feel free to respond if you have any future questions!
Happy Knitting!
Jake
Hi there, I’m a beginner at knitting and would love to knit a blanket for my nephew. So I apologise if this sounds silly but I have never used circular needles and If I was to use straight needles to make this blanket would it be the same size needle as the circular needles and also same number of stitches?
Hi Collette-
Although we used circular needles for this project, we knit the blanket flat, meaning back in forth in rows, turning the work at the end of each row. The reason we sometimes use circular needles for flat knitting is to accommodate a lot of stitches. Cramming a blanket’s worth of stitches onto long straight needles can be pretty cumbersome and sometimes even, impossible. To use circular needles for knitting flat you simply finish a row, turn the work so the other side is facing you and put the needle that was in your right hand into your left hand and the needle that was in your left hand into your right hand, ready to go on the next row!
By the way, once you get the hang of it, you may find that you never use straight needles again, even for projects without so many stitches. Circular needles are just easier to keep track of (no losing one in the cushions of your couch!), and they never poke the person sitting next to you!
Thank you for your question!
Molly
Loving cotton classic many years ago I bought a skein every time I went into a yarn store. Thus, I have many skeins of cotton yarn. Could this yarn be used for this blanket?
Hi, Karna!
Thank you for your question! It looks like the Tahki Cotton Classic is a similar gauge to the Alchemy Temple that we used in our original pattern so you can totally use it to make the Super Easy Baby Blanket. I recommend making a test swatch to see what your knitting gauge is with the Tahki Cotton Classic and if your gauge is different you might want to make a needle adjustment (if you want your blanket to fit the same dimensions as ours). Also, the yardage of the Tahki Cotton Classic is 108yds whereas the Temple is about 128yds so your blanket might end up being slightly shorter. If you are uncomfortable with that you could add an 8th stripe. Again, thank you so much for writing in, if you have further questions, please let us know!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
How many yards are in a skein? And how do you knit something flat with a circular needle?
Hello Heather,
Thank you for your question. We no longer carry the yarn this blanket was originally knit in but we have re-done the pattern in various other yarns. If you have a specific yarn in mind let me know and I can let you know the yardage. If you are looking at yarn on our website it will tell you the yardage per skein in the “product Details” section.
As for knitting something straight on circular needles it is very easy: simply turn the work as you would if you were working with straight needles and work the other side.
I hope that helps. Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Happy knitting!
Allison
How many skeins of yarn would I need to make a blanket 36×36 in I am not using the garter stich I am not shure what the stitch’s name that I am using but I knit 1 purl 1 for a row and then the next row I knit the entire row
Hello Heather,
Thank you for your question. What yarn are you using to knit the baby blanket? Also, how many stitches per inch are you getting when you are knitting. This information will help me be able to give you a rough estimate.
Thanks so much!
Allison
Hi everyone,
since i stumble upon one of this blankets almost every time I´m on pinterest I´d really like to know, which yarn you used for the blue, whitw, yellow, orange one. And also if it could be delivered to Germany.
Thanks
Hi Tiffy,
Thanks for your kind words! We do deliver internationally and definitely to Germany! The version of the Super Easy Baby Blanket that you are referring to is made with Koigu Kersti. The pattern and the list of colors can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2012/08/18/new-super-easy-baby-blanket/
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I have never used circular needles. How does one cast on circular needles?
Hello Karen,
Thanks for writing us! Using circular needles is easy. Just cast on to the needle and let the cord hold all your cast on stitches. When you have cast on the correct amount, turn your work as if you were working with one really long flat needle and use the other end of the circular needle to start knitting your live stitches. I hope this helps. Good luck!
Best,
Adam
My yarn is just regular wool that would need to be hand washed. Would it be a bad idea to use this yarn for a blanket for my toddler? Or is it better to get the machine washable wool? I am just afraid it wont be as cozy as the wool yarn I already have will be.
Hello Zoe,
While superwash wool is very practical, something about the process takes away some of the natural softness from the yarn. I think that you could use the yarn you already have for this blanket, but you should consider hand washing it. IF you’d like another alternative I’d look at Anzula – For Better or Worsted. This yarn is a work horse and perfect for baby blankets. It is superwash, has cashmere for softness and does not pill very much at all. Even more, the colors are magnificent! Your toddler will love it!
-Adam
Am I able to purchase the sea glass kit for the super easy crib blanket. Having trouble getting it online. Thanks pat
Hello Pat,
Thanks for writing in! Most of those colors in Super Soft Merino have unfortunately been discontinued. However, if you are still interested, you could look for some of those colors in our sale section. We might still have a few!
Best,
Adam
Can you give details on how to make the finished edge. Thanks
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for writing in! We did nothing special here to finish the edges. The blanket is knit just as we described with no additional edging. If you tend to get garter edges that are a little messier than you would like, you could slip the first stitch of every row knitwise with the yarn in back. When you’re changing colors, knit the first stitch instead of slipping it. This tends to neaten up the edges if you are not finding them to your liking. If you have already completed the blanket, you could add an attached icord using a single color to give the blanket a more polished look.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi!
I love the blanket. Where can I buy this yarn..? Thank you for your wonderful pictures, designs and beautiful things in webshop.
Thanks.
Hi Borgny,
Thank you for the kind comment! We have made this blanket in many yarns and don’t sell the Alchemy Temple anymore. Click here for some options that you can purchase online. Thanks again!
Adam
Beautiful ! It looks like the edges are done differently or edges, or something Could you please tell me what method was used ? Thanks!
Hi Debby,
Thanks for the question. In some of our Super Easy Baby Blanket samples we have slipped the first stitch knit-wise with yarn in back. This is why some of the edges look different than the others.
All the best,
Adam
Hi! This blanket is beautiful! I’m new to knitting, and this is probably dumb, but how do you join the different colors together? Thank you!
Hi Gwen,
Thanks for writing in! To join a new ball of yarn stop knitting with the old ball when there are at least 8 inches of yarn remaining. To begin the new ball, put the right needle into the next stitch. Leaving an 8-inch tail of the new yarn, begin knitting with the new yarn as usual. Do not tie a knot.
This leaves two tails. It also leaves stitches that seem loose and a small hole in your knitting, but never fear! You will fix this at the end of the project when you weave in the ends. At that point, you will cross the tails so that you weave the right tail to the left of the hole and the left tail to the right.
It’s a good idea to add new balls of yarn a few stitches from the beginning or end of a row, rather than in the middle of the row. This way your woven ends will be near the edge of the knitting rather than conspicuously in the middle.
Best,
Cassy
I love the blanket, but I’m confused. The directions say to CO 130 stitches, If the gauge is 4″ and the blanket measures 26×28, wouldn’t that be 104″? That’s a big difference and I don’t want to start the blanket until I have the CO right. Thank you!
Hi Diana,
Thanks for writing in. The gauge for lovely project is 20 stitches and 20 ridges = 4 inches in garter stitch which is 5 stitches per inch. The cast on of 130 stitches per inch divided by 5 will give you a length of 26″.
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Hi!
I just made this blanket, it is so lovely and such fun to make–thank you! Next time, I think I’ll do it with a two-stitch icord edge. I’d love a prettier edge.
Thanks!
Hi, I am currently knitting the blanket. I have made 3 previously and strangely don’t remember having to use the circular needles? Anyway, my question is, I am knitting every row but am getting a garter stitch one row and the arrow style stitch the next row…how do I correct this?
Hello Natalie,
Thank you for writing in! The reason we suggest circular needles is because of the width of the blanket. It just makes things a bit easier, and transportable, but technically you could knit it on long straight needles. If you are knitting every row it will come out as Garter stitch, if you alternate knitting and purling every row you will get stockinette stitch. If this is still confusing, feel free to send us a photo of your blanket at store@purlsoho.com and we can take a look.
I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
i’m interested in a color block baby blanket, but i want a yarn that is machine washable. i can’t imagine new parents wanting to hand wash a baby blanket. what would you suggest since temple is no longer available?
gee, i just saw an answer to my question in an earlier post.
sorry.
i’d like to take back my take back in my second message. i found that some of those links are no longer live.
what are some machine washable/superwash yarns for this blanket?
thanks
Hi Jean,
Thanks for writing in! For a washable alternative, I would suggest Anzula For Better or Worsted!
Best,
Cassy
thanks
About how long does it take to make this blanket?
Hi Erika,
Thanks for writing in! It is hard to say just how long it will take to knit a project because it is very dependent on the individual knitter’s speed and experience. However, garter stitch is probably just about the easiest, fastest stitch to knit for all skill levels! If you are looking for an even speedier version, we also have a Super Easy Crib Blanket in Super Soft Merino which is very similar but is worked with larger needles and yarn.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi, Did this pattern use to include a cool colour change trick where you alternate the colours as you are starting a new block? I am almost positive I made this for my first baby two years ago and want to make the same for baby number two. I appreciate the help!
Hi Karen,
Hmmm, that is a tough one! Although some of our newer blanket patterns, such as the Nature’s Palette and Muhuroosa blankets, use a series of stripes to change colors, they were released within the last year and all of our older blankets are simply color blocked. You could always try browsing through all of our blankets to see if any of them ring a bell!
Best of luck!
Julianna
Hi. I am keen to have a go at the Super Easy Baby blanket.
I had instructions to use 7 balls of 8 ply Avalon with a 4.50mm circular needle with 132 stitches.
I would like to use neutral colors- beiges, light greys, cream.
Can you advise on what to order with the pattern for the blanket.
Regards Anne
Hi Anne,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately I’m not familiar with the yarn you are planning on using, but we used a worsted weight yarn, which is equivalent to a 10-ply weight yarn, on a US 7 or 4.5 mm needle. The yarn in this original blanket has been discontinued, but for our most recent Super Easy Baby Blanket we used our Worsted Twist, which comes in many lovely neutrals!
Best,
Julianna
Hello, love the colour combos you’ve created! For the crochet version, can you please confirm what the stitch is?
It looks like single crochet but just wanted to check.
Thank you
Hi Amelia,
Thanks for reaching out! You are correct – our Crocheted Super Easy Baby Blanket is just easy peasy single crochet!
Happy stitching!
Julianna
Can I make a super easy baby blanket using Cotton Pure yarn? I am allergic to wool.
Hi Jessica,
Great question! Yes, with a bit of modification, Cotton Pure would be absolutely lovely for a Super Easy Baby Blanket! Cotton Pure is a bit lighter weight than the yarn we used here, so I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch in garter stitch on a US 4 or 5 needle. You can then multiply your stitches per inch by 26 inches or the desired width of your blanket to determine how many stitches to cast on. Because Cotton Pure has more yardage than Temple, one skein each of seven colors should be more than enough yarn for a blanket this size, even at the smaller gauge!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi, I bought some yarn that seems bulkier than the one in the picture. The needle size for it is 7 or 8 US size and I am using 8. I live overseas so the brand I bought is “Alize Superlana Maxi” and says its made in Turkey. Would I need to cast on more stitches or change anything else in this pattern?
Thanks in advance!
Dee
Hi Dee,
Thanks for reaching out! If the yarn uses a US 7 or 8 it should be a worsted weight like we used in the pattern, so you should be good to go! I would recommend working a gauge swatch first and comparing that to the gauge of the pattern, you can then make any adjustments to the cast on if necessary from there!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hello again! I have finished my first stripe in this blanket and I would like to switch colors. I am slipping every first stitch purlwise of every row so when I switch colors do I knit the first stitch or purl it? And do I switch colors on the first stitch right?
Thank you in advance
Dee
Hi Dee,
Thanks for reaching out again! To start your next color, you can slip the first stitch purlwise to maintain the boarder, and then begin knitting with the new color! Then when you work the 2nd row (working back across the row) you will then knit the last stitch that was previously slipped to bring the new color to the end of the row!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hello! So I have a finished baby blanket (garter stitch), and I casted off so its basically finished. But I noticed I dropped a stitch and never noticed it when I was knitting. Is there any way to fix the dropped stitch even though I ended the blanket?
Thanks so much again 🙂
Hi Dee,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately, there is not a great way to fix a dropped stitch once the knitting is finished. I would recommend taking out your cast off and placing the stitches back on the needles. You can then use the drop-down method to go down to the dropped stitch, and using a crochet hook to work the stitch back up the row!
I hope this helps!
Gianna