Hudson’s Bay Inspired Crib Blanket
We love the Hudson’s Bay Blanket for its classic simplicity and beauty. And maybe more, we love the underlying belief that, even in the midst of the great Canadian wilderness with its arduous cold and haunting vastness, the Hudson’s Bay Blanket will protect us.
Originally, the Hudson’s Bay Blanket’s lightweight warmth and insulation made it common barter for Native American goods, like beaver pelts, buffalo robes and moccasins. But in the last three hundred years the Hudson Bay Blanket has come a long way. Now it is practically a national symbol to many Canadians, and to the rest of the world, an unmistakable design icon.
I love the idea of a handknit version, borrowing the iconography of the original and lending it a little homemade twist! Sized for a baby’s crib, I’m also tickled by the notion of a small child wrapped in the gear of a rugged adult. No baby in sight? Use it as a gorgeous throw over your favorite chair, in front of a roaring fireplace. It may not be an open fire deep in a white pine forest, but, hey, you’re probably not a fur trapper either!
For this special project we turned to Anzula’s absolutely gorgeous For Better or Worsted. A merino, cashmere, nylon blend, it is the perfect blanket yarn with its machine washable durability and cuddly soft coziness. And its quirky hand dyed colors give the Hudson’s Bay Blanket a fresh look, warm and bright!
So, for a great barter idea this holiday season, give a handknit Hudson’s Bay Crib Blanket. In exchange, you’ll get a whole lot of love! -Whitney
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoHudsonBayBlanket. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
10 skeins of Anzula’s For Better Or Worsted, 80% Superwash Merino Wool , 10% Cashmere and 10% Nylon; each skein is 200 yards/ 100 grams.
You’ll need the following color breakdown…
- 6 skeins of Au Natural; approximately 1200 yards required.
- 1 skein of Teal; approximately 200 yards required.
- 1 skein of Ducky; approximately 200 yards required.
- 1 skein of Candied Apple; approximately 200 yards required.
- 1 skein of Juniper; approximately 200 yards required.
You’ll also need…
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 24- or 32- inch circular needles
Shop our wonderful collection of worsted/aran-weight yarn to find a suitable substitute for this project, and remember that it’s always a good idea to check your gauge before you cast on… Our All About Gauge Tutorial shows you how!
Gauge
19 stitches = 4 inches in garter stitch
Size
34 inches wide and 39 inches long
NOTE: Garter stitch has a tendency to stretch, so your blanket will “grow” beyond these dimensions.
Notes
- When this pattern refers to “ridges”, it means a garter stitch ridge which is formed by knitting two rows. Counting “ridges” is an easy way to determine how many rows you have knitted without having to count as you work. But if you find this confusing, just multiply the number of ridges given by 2 and that is how many rows you should knit (ie 6 ridges is 12 rows).
- Always change colors with the right side facing you, so that all of the tails are along the same selvedge.
Pattern
With the Main Color (Au Natural), cast on 162 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Knit until piece measures 4 1/2 inches from the cast on edge (or 21 ridges).
With the Teal, knit 6 ridges.
With the Main Color, knit 6 ridges.
With the Ducky, knit 6 ridges.
With the Main Color, knit 6 ridges.
With the Candied Apple, knit 6 ridges.
With the Main Color, knit 6 ridges.
With the Juniper, knit 6 ridges.
With the Main Color, knit for 11 3/4 inches (or 53 ridges).
With the Juniper, knit 6 ridges.
With the Main Color, knit 6 ridges.
With the Candied Apple, knit 6 ridges.
With the Main Color, knit 6 ridges.
With the Ducky, knit 6 ridges.
With the Main Color, knit 6 ridges.
With the Teal, knit 6 ridges.
With the Main Color, knit 4 1/2 inches (or 21 ridges).
Bind off loosely in knit stitch.
Weave in the ends and tada!
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
As always,your taste is impecable and your choices have a distinctly modern and classic flair. Thanks again Whitney! Thanks too,Purl!
This is so simply pure and beautiful… I'm not a big knitter but am saving this little project! Need to find out a bit more about circular needles first.. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Readers-
If anyone out there is looking for a less expensive yarn to make this blanket in here are a few suggestions:
Cascade 220- 6 Skeins of Ecru, and 1 each of the accent colors. This yarn is very reasonably priced and 100% natural wool. It isn't machine washable (neither is the original Hudson Bay Blanket!) but it handwashes beautifully. https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/649-Cascade-Yarns-Cascade-220
Cascade 128- 10 Skeins of Ecru and 1 each of the accent colors. This yarn is a slightly thicker gauge, so you would probably want to move up to a size 9 or 10 needle. It is machine washable and comes in great colors! https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/6355-Cascade-Yarns-Superwash-128
Blue Sky Cotton- 8 Skeins of Bone and 1 each of the accent colors. This is the softest, easiest to work with cotton around. It's machine washable and comes in great colors! https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/721-Blue-Sky-Blue-Sky-Cotton
Happy knitting everyone!
Hi:
I’m excited to make one of these! Can you tell me the accent color names in the less expensive options ??
Thanks!
Leah
Hi Leah,
We are excited too! I’ve seen this blanket in a few wonderful variations. I suggest you look at our Worsted Twist yarn. The colors I recommend are Peacock Blue, Red Zinnia, Cardamom Green and Yellow Yellow. I hope you like them!
Best,
Adam
I love it! If I wanted to make a full-size blanket out of this pattern, what adjustments would I have to make dimension-wise and materials-wise?
Hi – I love this pattern. I don't see the Juniper colour on your site – do you know if you will be getting any in any time soon? Thanks!
Hi Maianellen-
The Juniper should be back in stock shortly. If you'd like to place an order for it now you can go ahead and place an order. Then in the “special instructions” section just request that the order is held until the Juniper is in stock.
Alternatively you can email [email protected] and ask that they drop you a line when it comes back in stock.
Thanks for the question!
Molly
If using the Blue Sky Cotton, would you still recommend using a #7 needle?
Hi Merleelah-
If you are a tight knitter you might want to move up to a size 8 or 9. The best thing to do would be to knit a gauge and use whatever needle gives you 19 stitches over 4 inches in garter stitch.
Thanks so much for your question!
Molly
I am knitting the Hudson's Bay Inspired Baby
blanket. As far as I can tell, your estimate of how much yarn “Au Natural” is needed is way off. Perhaps my math is wrong but it seems to me that this requires almost 10 skeins of Au Natural. Please double check the pattern instructions and get back to me. Thank You. Nancy Blanford
Hi Nancy-
It definitely only took 6 skeins. Please check your gauge and the blanket measurements if it seems like you're using a lot more yarn.
Thanks for the question!
Molly
Is the Blue Sky Cotton the “worsted” cotton?
Is your Blue Sky Cotton the same thing as Blue Sky Worsted Cotton?
Hi Laurel-
It is the same thing. Thanks for your question!
– Molly
I am getting ready to start this blanket, and am just wondering if you only used one strand of yarn to knit it with? Sometimes I have seen people using two, just want to make sure I am doing it right. Thanks!
Hi Christine-
This pattern uses just one strand of yarn. Our patterns will always let you know if you need to be using two strands.
Thanks so much for your question!
– Molly
Hi Drea,
To make the blanket bigger, you should multiply the gauge-per-inch (ie 4.75) times the size you'd like (for example, 50 inches) and cast on that number (237 or 238 stitches)
Make sure to also proportionately increase the sizes of the stripes and the distances between them. For example, if you want a blanket 58 inches long (which is 1 1/2 times longer than the original 39 inches), the stripes would be 39:58 as 6 (ridges):x. So, 9 ridges (58 / 39 x 6 = 9)!
You should have plenty of the contrast colors for a much bigger blanket, and for the Au Natural color, again, figure out proportionately how much bigger your blanket is than the original and get that much more of the main color. If you overestimate, remember that you can exchange any unused, unwound skeins (within 6 months) for your next project!
Thanks for your question. If you have specific measurements in mind and are feeling overwhelmed by the math, I'm happy to figure it all out for you!
Whitney
Just wanted to say thanks so much for the beautiful pattern … and then a hearty thank-you for the less-expensive yarn option in the comment area! Much appreciated. When I did the math I realized the little crib blanket would cost upwards of $350 US for my materials only… so offering a complete breakdown of the # skeins needed and types of yarn is so wonderful. I am really excited to make this, it is absolutely adorable and looks like such a fun project. Thank you again!
I've never knitted anything. Would this be a good project for a beginner?
Hi Bagne-
The skills involved in this project are appropriate for a beginner but it is quite a lot of knitting. We usually recommend that people start out with a quicker first project, usually a scarf in garter stitch.
Thank you for your question-
Molly
I would like to make this in a washable yarn. What can I use? How much of it, etc. Thanks.
Hi Enid-
This yarn is machine washable, which is one of the (many) reasons we love it!
Thanks for your question!
Molly
thanks for the great pattern… i wanted to echo Canadian Jane… i hyperventilated a bit at the prospect of a $350 crib blanket…even tho i am excited to be welcoming another grandchild… so thanks for the options. this website is an absolute inspiration.
Just finished this blanket using some ecru yarn that was taking up space in my hope chest along with leftovers from the “Super Simple Baby Blanket” for the stripes. I love the way this blanket looks and feels. Thank you so much for reigniting my passion for knitting.
I am just starting this beautiful project! (I am Canadian, where the Hudson Bay Blanket is very much a national symbol.)
But I have a quick question; I'm opting to use one of the more cost effective cottons, the Blue Sky worsted cotton, which is listed as machine washable. But the Blue Sky website lists it as hand washable only. Do I need to do anything extra to the yarn to ensure machine washability? Silly question, but I appreciate the answer! Thanks 🙂
Hi Sarah-
It's not a silly question! Even though the Blue Sky Cotton says it's hand wash only we have machine washed countless things we've made from it and they've all been fine. You donn't have to do anything special to it beforehand.
Thanks for writing in.
Molly
Is doubling the size of the Hudson Bay baby blanket = to a usually sized afghan? Could you give me the yarn needed for same at 200 yds. per skein. Thank you very much for your reply. Ruth
Hi Ruth,
Doubling the size would result in a 68 x 78 inch throw. I would say that the “usual” afghan is something more like 48 x 58. For such a blanket you would cast on 228 stitches (provided you get the same gauge as we did). And you would need about 12 of the natural colored skeins, but I suspect you would get away with just one of each of the accent colors.
Good luck and thanks for asking!
Whitney
Help! I made this using Cascade 128 and it came out beautifully. But when I washed it (in Cold water with Color Catchers and after testing a swatch in the sink) the red ran and now the white is pink. I am just heartsick about it.
Any tips out there on anything I can try to save this? Thanks so much.
-Sara
I just love this….I had the pattern and it was on to make list….so pretty…
When you use circular needles and the pattern
calls for all garter stitch don't you knit one row
and purl the next row because of the
circular needles? Then one knit row and
purl row would be a ridge?
I love this. My neighbor (from Canada) just got married. Due to time limit, I am thinking this in a quilt would be awesome. Thanks for the perfect idea!
Hi Rhonda. Great question. In this case, the circular needles are to be treated like straight needles. You will not be working in the round, you will be working flat, back and forth. So, you will the knit every row. If you were working in the round and wanted a garter fabric, you would knit one round, purl one round. It is a small, but important difference! Let us know if you have any other questions! -Laura
Hi, Rhonda,
Regarding your question about garter stitch on circular needles, unless you are “knitting in the round”, you would knit every row. With this pattern, you are knitting flat, just on circular needles.
🙂
I just wanted to post an update with good news to say that I was able to get the red color-run out of the blanket and the ecru is ecru again! The blanket is back to normal colors and t is now drying happily. Thanks so much for the folks at Purl Soho for giving me advice. I also did some research on Ravelry that was helpful. I ended up using Carbona Color Run Remover (which says on the label to NOT use on things that have run on themselves, so I was very nervous, but not much to lose, right?) and used it very carefully without agitating the blanket and it amazingly lifted the color and the red did not bleed any more. In testing (I made and tested on a swatch first), I found that the red seems to need a bit of agitation to start to run – it didn't seem to run until I squeezed and rubbed it some, but once it starts running it doesn't stop . So if you use the Cascade 128 yarn (which is lovely and soft and cushy), I would recommend that you do not put it in the washing machine (I have a front loader and it still ran), but either spot clean, or handwash gently in cool water – do not rub/squeeze/agitate the red! 🙂
-Sara
Sara,
That is wonderful news! Thanks so much for sharing about the Carbona Color Run Remover too.
–Purl Bee
Help, yes, my head is hurting from the math- hate to be a suck, but I would love to do a larger version of this for the hockey games, if you could do the math! Maybe a double bed size- guessing that is the size of most afghans? Thanks so much.
Sherri
Hi Sherri,,
To figure out how many to cast on just multiply your gauge by the width of the blanket. For example, if like me, you get 4 3/4 stitches to the inch in garter stitch and you want a 48-inch wide blanket, you would multiply 4.75 x 48 and cast on 228 stitches!
Let me know if you have any other questions! Sounds like a really cozy hockey game!
Whitney
Hi I'm knitting this for a baby who is going to born in a few months. About how long does theism take to knit. (This pattern is absolutely adorable!)
Hi Catherine,
That's so hard to say! Maybe between 18 and 22 hours? It depends so much on your speed, but at least it's easy!
Thanks for asking and good luck getting it done!
Whitney
My daughter wanted to knit this for a friends baby. I know you said about 18-22 hours, but how long would it take an 11 year old?
Janie
Hi Janie,
It depends on the 11 year old, but I will say it's an awful lot of knitting! If she's a confident young knitter with a lot of patience and stick-to-it-iveness, I would hate to discourage her!
What a wonderful idea she has; I wish her tons of luck!
Whitney
Hi there,
This blanket is so beautiful and I'm hopefully going to have a crack at making it in the coming weeks, but I just have a little question: if I wanted to make this in the 'full-grown' size (48×58), would I still use the same length of needles (32″), or would I need to go up to the next length?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Josette,
You could probably get the stitches onto a 32-inch needle, but I imagine that a 40-inch might be more comfortable!
Thanks for your question and I love your idea!
Whitney
I'm relatively new to knitting and was wondering if you could give me an idea on the best way to switch colors when knitting this blanket? I absolutely adore it but there seem to be so many different ways to change colors out there. And on circular needles, to me, is a little confusing. Thanks so much. Ann
Hi Ann,
To switch colors you cut the yarn that you're not using any more, leaving at least an eight-inch tail that you will later weave in. Then you simply knit the first stitch of the next row with your new yarn (again leaving a generous tail). There's nothing tricky to worry about, and any looseness you may notice in that first stitch will be remedied when you weave in the tail.
I hope this helps. Thanks so much for your question!
Whitney
Im a new knitter and was wondering if you could you post the exact instructions for making this into a larger size blanket-
thanks
Hi sarajoe-
Unfortunately we don't have the time right now to change the scale of this blanket but thank you so much for writing in with the suggestion!
Best-
Molly
I'm planning to make this, but bigger — do you think I could do double the size with still just one ball each of the accent colours?
Hi Kristel,
I'm afraid that the best answer I can give you is probably! I'm 90% sure that you'll be fine, but I can't honestly remember how much yarn I had left over, and the remainders have long since been made into hats and mittens and who-knows-what!
Thanks for asking and good luck!
Whitney
Ok I'll be sure to weigh as I go! Thanks!
I need help! Left my knitting at my boyfriends grandmas house and I came back to find she had tried to work on it, but has connected several rows into the round, and knitted back on herself for a couple rows!
I want to frog about 5 rows to get it right again, but I have never frogged with garter stitch, can someone tell me how to?
Hi Amelia,
That's a great story, although you may not see it that way!
On fixing the fiasco… If you don't want to risk dropping stitches, you can remove the needle and insert it along the row where you start knitting. Just like with stockinette, you should pick up the right leg of each stitch, basically weaving over one leg and under then next, then rip out the knitting to that point.
I hope this gets you back on track! Watch out for grandma!
Whitney
I just tried to order the au natural for this blanket, but you didn't have all six skeins available. I ordered 4 so I can get started as I have a very long car ride ahead of me. Can someone notify me when the other 2 become available? Also, can the skeins be "wound" before shipping? Thanks for your assistance!
Hi June-
Please email customerservice AT purlsoho DOT com and they will be happy to get all of this done for you. Good luck with the project and thanks so much for getting in touch!
Molly
What a beautiful blanket! I'm writing an article on DIY blankets for SheKnows.com and would love to include one of your images, with a photo credit and link back to this post. Please let me know if I have your permission. Thanks very much! (My deadline is Thursday 9/5)
Hi Elaina-
You may use one of our images as long as you link back directly to this project.
Thanks so much for getting in touch!
Molly
Fantastic. Yes – I will include a link and direct readers here for all the details. Thanks so much!
Good morning! Just wanted to send over a link to my article featuring your beautiful blanket: http://www.sheknows.com/home-and-gardening/articles/1015719/12-diy-throws-bloggers-have-shared
Thanks and have a wonderful day!
Any chance you could price out the cost of the yarn for me? I'd love to make this, but want to calculate the cost first. I have the needles.
Thanks so much for all the beautiful patterns and ideas you provide!
-Willow
Hi Willow-
Please contact customerservice AT purlsoho DOT com and they can help you with this!
Thank you!
Molly
I saw this baby blanket on the Spud and Chloe website. I made the baby blanket version for my three oldest grandkids. We also have an original Hudson bay blanket at our cabin, so my husband wanted me to add the black stripes to each one – for how many beaver hides it would take to trade for this blanket. The kids love their blankets and it was a fun project.
Hello everyone!
I know literally nothing about knitting, no one in my family knits, but I decided to give it a go with this blanket and I'm really enjoying it. Except, I'm maybe a quarter of the way through and it's literally riddled with holes. This, according to a friend, will mean the whole thing will unravel, as the holes are all over and all from dropped stitches. Is there any way I can salvage this?
Thanks, Isla
Is this blanket available for purchase anywhere, I am so so in love with it and have no clue how to knit!
Hi Cassie-
We don't sell any of our finished projects. But if you ever feel like learning to knit this is a very easy pattern!
Thank you!
Molly
Hi Isla,
Holes are very common for first-time knitters. Often they aren't caused by dropped stitches, but rather by having brought the yarn over the right needle before you began a stitch.This kind of hole will not unravel. To find out if you do, in fact, have dropped stitches in your knitting (which, it's true, will unravel), gently tug on each hole to see if the hole is stable or if it could get bigger.
If you do have dropped stitches and you have no one to help you fix them (consider visiting your local yarn shop for help!), then I would recommend sewing down the dropped stitches to prevent them from unraveling further.
Thanks for asking and congratulations on your first knitting project!
Whitney
Hi! I just wanted to confirm – this calls for a circular knitting needle?? I am new to knitting and from what I can tell, circular needles tend to be used more for hats and things that are rounded. Just wanted to be sure before I started and bought everything. Thanks!
Hi Claire-
Yes this calls for a circular needle. A circular needle has a long cable that connects its two ends. In this case you will not be knitting in a circle (or "in the round" in knitter's speak) but rather just using this cable to hold the wide width of all of the stitches. You just use the circular needle as you would two straight needles!
Please let us know if you have any more question!
Molly
If I wanted to do just red and Blue stripes, could I still get away with 1 skein of red and 1 of blue, or should I get 2 skeins of each? Thanks!
I started making this as a throw by casting on 228. (I think that it will end up being a bit larger because I am getting 4 stitches to an inch). I'm trying to figure out the math for changing the proportions of each color…could you help? Thank you very much!
I would like to make this as throws for my grown children. Can you help me adjust the pattern and also the amount of yarn I will need.
Thanks
Hello Joyce,
What a lovely idea! What dimensions would you like your blanket to be? This blanket is 34 inches wide and 39 inches long with a gauge of 19 stitches per 4 inches in garter stitch. If you wanted to knit up a blanket that is 40″ by 50″ you woulds cast on 190 stitches and knit until you get to 50 inches. You should be ok with one skein of each color and I would suggest getting an extra three skeins for the main color. You may only need 2 extras, but I would get a third just in case!
I hope this helps and let us know if have any further questions!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Hi Melissa,
I think you'll be okay with one skein of each. If you want to be very sure, you can buy two of each but leave the second skeins unwound. They'd be returnable for store credit within six months of the time you purchase them. But, as I said, I think you'll get away with two!
Thanks for asking and good luck!
Whitney
Hi Angelika,
If the width of your blanket is 57 inches (228 divided by 4) then you should make the first Main Color section 71/2 inches; the stripes and the spaces between the stripes 2 1/8 inches; and the middle Main Color section 19 3/4 inches.
I hope this gets you on the right path! Thanks for asking and good luck!
Whitney
I love this pattern! Is there a Hudson's Bay lap blanket pattern available?
HI Sarah,
We don't have a lap blanket version of this pattern, but if you have specific dimensions in mind, let me know and I can help you with the proportions.
Thanks for asking!
Whitney
I'm very excited to start this project! I'm doing it with a bunch of DK yarn I've inherited in exactly the right colors for this. I'm wondering if you could advise how many I should cast on, given the finer gauge? I know there is the accounting for how tighty I'm knitting, but a general idea would be much appreciated.
Thank you!
Hi Katie-
You need to do a gauge swatch to figure out how many stitches you are getting per inch with your particular yarn and needles.
The finished size of this blanket is 34-inches wide so when you determine how many stitches you are getting per inch just cast on 34 X that number. For instance, if you were getting 5 1/2 stitches per inch you would cast on 34 X 5.5 = 187.
Hope this helps and good luck with the project!
Molly
I really love this, especially being Canadian. And thank you for sharing these patterns, especially helpful for newbies like me. I'm actually going to make this and will likely use it as a lap blanket for our guest bedroom.
Hi,
I'd like to use the Blue Sky cotton yarns for this blanket. What colors do you recommend to use for the strips? Thanks!
Hi Kitty,
The color whizzes at the store suggest for the stripes you use 2 skeins each of 633 Pickle, 641 True Red, 638 Dandelion and 632 Mediterranean, and for the body of the blanket, 8 skeins of Bone.
Sounds nice! Please let us know if you have any more questions and good luck!
Whitney
Hi!
This is the first project I will be knitting from your website. I have knitted many things before but this project looked like so much fun! I was wondering if to get a straight edge if you slipped the first stitch of every row? Also, I am using the Blue Skys Alpaca yarn and I only bought one skien of each color for the stripes. Do you think that that will be enough? The pattern looks great and thanks for it!
Thanks!
Megan
Hi Megan,
Sure! We like to slip the first stitch of every row knitwise with the yarn in back, and when you're changing colors, knit the first stitch instead of slipping it.
I think you'll get away with one skein, but it's close! Maybe work the first stripe and weigh the remaining skein. If more than half is left over, you'll be all set!
Thanks for your questions and please let us know if you have any more!
Whitney
Regarding the “jog” of color changing on the edge: I slipped the 1st stitch of each new row for a smooth edge. In order to minimize the appearance of the “jog” when changing colors I knit the last stitch of the row in the new color, then slipped it as the 1st stitch of the new row/color when I turned. Hoped this might help someone else!
Thanks so much for sharing the tip Judy! Best of luck! -Alyson
I'm thinking of doing this in the cascade yarns Ultra Pima in just two colors (natural and marigold) How many skeins would I need of each.? Alternatively, do you have any other yarn suggestions that would make for an elegant crib blanket with great drape? Thanks!
Hi Haley,
I would get 6 or 7 skeins of the main color and 2 or 3 skeins of the contrast color. I think the Ultra Pima will make a very nice crib blanket (and I love your colors!). Other plant fiber yarns (like linen and bamboo) would also have a nice drape, but the Pima is machine washable (which is good!) and has a very subtle, "elegant" sheen!
Thanks for your questions. I think it's going to be really lovely!
Whitney
Made this in Cascade 220 for an upcoming grandchild due to be born in Yellowknife in August. To make it more authentic, I added three and a half "points" (thin black lines) just above the green strip to indicated the weigh of the yarn used in the blanket. I have enough of the yarn left over to make baby a hooded Hudson Bay Blanket Sweater similar to the coats worn by the Hudson Bay Company and Northwest Company voyageurs in the 18th and 19th C. Might even add a proper Metis sash.
Hi,
I am thinking if making this blanket using Manos Del Uruguay Maxima, I just want to confirm that this would be a good yarn to use for the pattern? I'm a new knitter so I' just a bit unsure! Also, if Maxima is an okay yarn to use, would you be able to suggest what colours would work best?
Hi Karley,
Sounds great! Just keep in mind that the Maxima is thicker than the For Better or Worsted so you'll probably want to use a bigger needle (try a US #10), and to get the same size as this blanket, you'll need to cast on fewer stitches. To figure out how many, knit up a gauge swatch, measure the number of stitches per inch you get and multiply that number by the width you'd like your blanket to be.
And for a kind of funky interpretation of the colors, you could use Natural for the background and Kelly, Coral, Highlighter and Helium for the stripes. Or if you'd like to talk about your options, always feel free to call our store (212 420-8796) for a one-on-one color consultation!
Thanks for much for your question and please let us know if you have any more!
Whitney
I’m finally doing this! I am making it in Cascade 220 and am making it a bit larger. Wondering when you say to change colours to do it on the right side- how do I know what the right side is? It’s easy to tell when I’m knitting one side and purling the other, but when it’s all knit? Sorry if it’s a dumb question!
Hi Sherri-
Great question! When you add the second color, you are at that moment determining the right side! Whichever side is facing you when you add that second color is now the right side, and you should always change colors with that side facing you. (You’ll notice that the wrong side has a less tidy color change.)
Thank you so much for asking and please let us know if you have any more questions along the way!
Whitney
Thanks so much- sorry I didn’t see my last comment when I was checking. Please disregard!
How do I know what the right side is when it’s in garter stitch? You mention changing colours on the right side so that the ends are all on the same side. I have wanted to make this blanket for years- so excited! I am making it a bit larger though. Thanks.
I feel like I’m being a pain- but I’m starting to panic. I am making this in Cascade 220. Cast on 228 stitches. When I purchased it, the yarn shop sold me 6 balls of the main colour, 1 of each additional colour. I have only just started, but I’m just over 4 inches and 1 ball is almost used up. I’m certainly not a rocket scientist, but if I do the stripes 21/8 in as suggested, and middle section 19 3/4, how short am I going to be? I’m worried about matching colours if I need to buy more, as the yarn shop is a few hours away from me.
Help!
Hi Sherri,
It sounds like you’re going to need some more yarn! Since your blanket is bigger than the one in our pattern, I’d suggest getting two more of the main color (only wind one into a ball in case you don’t end up needing the other, which you would then be able to return for store credit within six months). And if you want to make two 2 1/2-inch stripes with each skein of contrast yarn and one skein yields you 4 inches, then you’ll need to either get another skein of each color or modify the design to 2-inch stripes!
Most importantly, rest assured that Cascade 220 is quite consistent between dye lots and that, in this case, you can easily make sure that your different dye lots aren’t actually touching each other!
Please let us know if you need more help and good luck!
Whitney
Reading all the comments on gauge so I decided to measure mine… i’m just casting on. and I’m pretty stoke. I’m using Rowan pure wool worsted and it seems a little too thin. I’m getting 9 st per inch! I’m measuring my cast on stitches. Will I get a true read doing it like this and is the yarn I got ok? I had wanted to make it larger, but now I’m a little nervous and might just follow the pattern as stated. :/. Love you guys! 🙂
Hi Marlene-
You need to knit a swatch to measure from, usually 4-inches square, to get a good sense of your gauge. I know it seems like a pain but it will save you a headache later! I am not familiar with that yarn but if it is a worsted weight it will probably work out fine. For a blanket like this the gauge doesn’t need to be spot on- since it doesn’t have to fit like a sweater would- but you do need to make sure you are getting a similar gauge by knitting a gauge swatch before you get started.
Thank you for your question and please let us know if you have any more!
Best-
Molly
I love love love this blanket! I’ve purchased the yarn and it’s ready to go, but I’m just wondering if anyone has attempted this blanket using single crochet instead of garter stitch. Knitting this seems a bit daunting to me!
Hi Jenny-
We don’t have a crochet version of this but we did just post a crochet version of out Super Easy Baby Blanket which might be of some help: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2014/11/07/crocheted-super-easy-baby-blanket/
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
I’ve just ordered enough yarn for a 48″ x 58″ throw. Can you please help me figure out the measurements for each of the sections? My math gets me to 7 1/2″ of natural; 9 rows of each color and natural alternating; 19 1/2″ natural; 9 rows of each color and natural alternating and 7 1/2″ of natural again. Please let me know if this sounds correct. Very excited to get started! Thanks.
Hi Barbara!
Your math looks ok to me at first glance! Enjoy the blanket!
Happy Knitting!
Thomas
Correction to my 48″ x 58″ throw measurements and yarn requirements (see last comment).
I did not have enough yarn to knit 9 RIDGES (not rows) of each color twice with one skein of yarn.
So I am knitting 8 RIDGES of each color.
And, it’s looking great.
Simply beautiful project.
If I wanted to knit this as a full blanket, what kind of needles would I need? I have a 36in circular that I haven’t worked on yet. The lady at Michael’s said it would be fine…. but I don’t feel confident in her info
Hi Elizabeth-
I think a 36-inch circular could probably work but you may want to get a 40 or a 60 just to be safe depending on how wide you want to make the blanket.
Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Best-
Molly
Please help! I am knitting this blanket and started the green instead of the red. I only knit 6 stitches, but how do you suggest I undo this without ruining my work so that I can change to the correct color?
Hi Colleen-
You will have to un-knit the previous 6 stitches. You can search YouTube for “frogging garter stitch” and you should come up with a lot of helpful videos!
Thanks for getting in touch and please let us know if you need any more help!
Molly
Am hoping to make this as a throw (similar in size to the super easy lap blanket). Want to use Cascade 220. Wondering how much yarn I need and what adjustments I need to make to the Hudson Bay blanket. Thanks so much!
(Already made the super easy lap blanket-gorgeous! And the seed stitch wrap – incredible). Love your site!
Hi Mishi!
You shouldn’t have to make any adjustments! The yardage is very similar, so you should probably need the same number of skeins. Since it’s also worsted weight, you should also be able to get the gauge pretty easily!
Happy Knitting!
Thomas
Mishi – what color Cascade 220 did you use for the main color? aran or white? I’ve got a cart saved and ready to order, but wasn’t sure if the Aran was a nice sub for the main color. Thanks!
Hi, I have a quick question. While I love the Hudson Bay traditional look, I am knitting this as a baby blanket for a family member and want stripes throughout it. Could I just continue in the “six ridges one color, six ridges main color” pattern throughout the whole blanket?
Hi Kate!
That’s the wonderful think about knitting, isn’t it? You can certainly continue with stripes throughout! You might want to consider getting a little bit more of the contrast colors, and a little less of the au natural though.
Happy Knitting!
Thomas
Thank you so much! I am about 1/3 of the way done with it, and it is looking great!
I would love to make this blanket and wanted to try the soft merino yarn you carry. Do you think that yarn would work as a good substitute and how many skeins would you estimate I should order?
Thanks!!
Tracie
Hi Tracie-
That yarn is much thicker than the yarn called for in this pattern so I’m afraid it won’t be a good substitution. Our Worsted Twist yarn would be a great option though. You can see that here: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/9239-Purl-Soho-Worsted-Twist
Or, you might want to check out our Super Soft Merino Projects here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/tag/purl-sohos-super-soft-merino/
Thank you!
Molly
I made this blanket in 2013 when i was living on Wards Island, in Toronto. I enlarged it to a throw and love it, use it a lot and have friends who are procrastinating about making one as well. The yarn was brilliant to work with. Would consider making another one but with more vibrant colours………
Hello,
Can the Anzula natural color be ordered or is there a substitute you recommend?
Thank you!
Jane
Hey Jane,
Thank you for the comment! The Anzula Au Natural color is on order and will hopefully be in soon. If you’d like some other options I would look at the Madeline Tosh Merino which is a lovely hand dyed, superwash, merino yarn! They have 2 natural colors one called antler and the other is paper and I think either would make a lovely substitute.
You can browse those colors on our website here; https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/8234-Madelinetosh-Tosh-Merino
I hope this helps and feel free to respond if you have anymore questions!
Happy Knitting!
Jake
Why did you use a size 7 needle while the yarn calls for an 8? Just wondering. Getting ready to start this had an eight ready and realized you had used a seven.
Hi Jessica,
Thank you for the comment! We used a size 7 needle because we wanted to get a slightly denser garter stitch. Everyone knits differently though so I always recommend doing a gauge swatch to try out what needle size creates a fabric you are most happy with. This will give you a stitches per inch that is true to your knitting which will give you a better idea of the size of the finished blanket as well.
I hope this helps clarify and feel free to respond if you have anymore questions!
Happy Knitting!
Jake
If I want to make a larger blanket – how do I figure out how many stitches to cast on and how much yarn to buy. I’m a new knitter so I really need you help! Thx!
S
Hi Susan,
To figure out how many stitches to cast on, you take the gauge, i.e. the number of stitches you are knitting per inch, and multiply it by the number of inches wide you would like your blanket.
For example, our blanket’s gauge is 19 stitches = 4 inches, that means per inch the gauge is 4.75 (19 divided by 4 = 4.75). We wanted our blanket to be 34 inches wide and so we multiplied 34 x 4.75 and got 161 (okay, we cast on 162 stitches, but close enough!). Note: Be sure of your gauge before you make these calculations!
And, unless you’re thinking of making your blanket much bigger, one skein of each stripe color yarn will probably be enough. And depending, again, on how big you intend to scale up, you should buy one, two, maybe three more skeins of the Au Natural.
Please let us know if you have any more questions and good luck!
Whitney
Love this blanket. Made one for my granddaughter in Japan to remind her of her Canadian roots. Working on a second and wondering how to avoid the previous colour showing up in the first stitch of the new colour row. Hope that makes sense. Thanks.
Hello Jane,
Are you referring to the jog of the previous color showing up throughout the row on the wrong side of the blanket? Unfortunately there is no way for that to be invisible. We recommend changing colors always on the same side, so at least all the changing color rows will be on one side.
If you’re worried about the colors slightly overlapping along the edges of the blanket, don’t worry too much! You’ll be able to hide and manipulate the color slightly when you’re weaving in your ends!
We’re so glad you like the blanket and happy knitting! -Alyson
Are you talking about the little color dots? If so, Techknitter has an explanation of why it happens and how to correct it. Search her index for “Color, texture and ribbing without the icky dots–a mystery of knitting, explained”. I tried it and it works, but it takes adjusting your row counts for each color.
Hi, I’m just getting ready to switch colours, and I’ve been slipping the first stitch of each row as if to purl. Do you recommend carrying the main colour along or cutting it?
Thanks!
Hello Gillian,
I wouldn’t recommend carrying up the main color since the stripes of the contrasting colors are so wide. You will be able to see a significant bar of the main color along the edge of the blanket. Even though it will take a lot more weaving in of ends…it will be a more finished looking piece in the end!
Best of luck! -Alyson
Hi,
Am thinking of knitting this for a future baby coming into my life and am wondering how many yards of yarn each of the stripes took? Sounds like the natural color uses all of the skeins, but am thinking that the stripes use less yardage than in one skein.
Thanks!
Hilary
Hello Hilary!
You’re totally right! You don’t use the entire skein at all for the stripes. Were you thinking of reducing the amount of colors used for the stripes? Let us know what you’re thinking and we can do our best to help you estimate!
Happy knitting! -Alyson
How many yards is a skein of the anzula’s for better or worsted?
Hello Alice!
Each skein is handmade, but they are estimated to be roughly 200 yards per skein. Thanks for asking! -Alyson
I have just started knitting the Hudson Bay blanket. To make a smooth edge, I have been slipping the last stitch of each row purl wise with the yarn in front..
Could you tell me the best way to start a new color?
Thank you.
Hi, Vickie!
Thank you so much for writing in! The Slip 1 purl wise wyif makes such a lovely, neat edge! I recommend starting a new color in the same way that you would join a new skein of yarn.
If you have further questions please let us know! Again, thank you for your question!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
Hi Purlbee – I’ve had this on a Pinterest page for years and years, and would finally like to do it, hey I might get it done by next fall! I’d like to do it on a knitting-peg -loom though, do you know what i mean? My question is: i’d plan to loom-knit each ‘stripe’ separately, but then do you have any advice on a stitch i can use to attach the stripes together? Thank you! Maya.
Hello, Maya!
Thank you for writing in! You could use the mattress stitch to seam your stripes. If you have further questions please let us know!
Best,
Kumeko
Hi! I love this blanket, thank you for sharing it! I was wondering does it have to be a #7 circular needle or is it 34 inch circular needle? I am new to knitting and still understanding the language. Thanks!
Hi Cori,
We are glad to share it! So happy you like it! US 7 refers to the needle gauge, or how big the needle is, while 32″ refers to the cord length. You’ll need to knit this on a corded needle because there are so many cast on stitches. Let me know if you have any other questions!
-Adam
This is a beautiful blanket. My son and his wife are expecting a baby in June so it will be warm weather. My daughter-in-law has requested white, yellow and gray. I was looking at the Cascade Ultra Pima Yarn and thought it would have a nice drape and not be too warm for summer weather. A couple of questions: 1) Which color would you make as the main color? 2) How much yarn of each will I need to purchase? 3) Will I need to adjust the pattern and/or needle size? Thank you.
Hi Amy,
Thanks for writing in and congratulations! To modify this blanket to work with a thinner yarn, you will need to do some modifications as this pattern is written giving the number of ridges to knit rather than the length of each stripe. For our version approximately 4.5 ridges equals 1 inch. You may want to choose 4 ridges or 5 ridges for your blanket.
To make a blanket of equal size, you will cast on 204 stitches on a US 5 or 6 using the Cascade Pima. I think that you will need about 4-5 skeins of the main color and then a single skein of each of your stripes. For the color palette that your son is requesting, I think White as the main color would work well with stripes of Gold, Gray, Silver and Buff.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I really appreciate Purl Soho! I’m making a felted wool tote bag (for myself) and am using the HBC colours and someone asked me if I’m allowed to use the HBC colour/identity in my project. Could you comment on borrowing identity?
Hello Yolande!
Thank you so much for writing in! You are welcome to use our Hudson’s Bay Inspired Crib Blanket colors for your felted tote bag. We are delighted that you found inspiration from one of our projects.
Best wishes,
Kumeko
I was wondering if i could use wool-ease thick & quick yarn by lion and if so, what size circular needle would be used. Would i follow the same pattern or would i have to cast on a different number.
Thank you
Hi Sharon!
Thank you for your question! You can certainly substitute Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn in this pattern. You can use a US 13 24 or 32-inch needle. Since the Thick & Quick is a chunkier yarn you’ll need to adjust the pattern slightly. We always recommend making a gauge swatch to help figure out your cast on. For example, if you get 2.25 stitches per inch you would multiply 2 x 34 (the width of the blanket) to get 68. You would cast on 68 stitches.
Next, knit with the main color until you get 4 1/2-inches. Then for the striping, knit each stripe to be about 1.5 inches. Then, once you get to the end you’ll knit with the main color until you get 4 1/2-inches. Finally, you’ll bind off loosely in knit stitch.
Does that make sense? Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
What cast on method do you recommend for this blanket?
Thanks!
Hi Maggie,
The long tail cast on will do just fine!
-Adam
love this pattern, I want to make it for a newly pregnant friend of mine, any suggestions of yarns to use that will make it affordable? with a total of 10 of these skeins, it seems like I can’t afford to bust out $350 for a baby blanket 🙁
Hi Angela,
Thanks for writing us! I’d look at Blue Sky Cotton for a less expensive version. Hope you like the recommendation!
-Adam
How much of each color would one need to scale this up to a queen size blanket? Thinking of investing the time into making something timeless for our home 🙂
Hi Loren!
It’s hard to tell how much yarn you would need to change the size of the blanket but I did a little blanket research and it seems like anywhere from 2,500 yards-3,500 yards of a worsted weight wool would be enough for a queen sized blanket.
I hope this helps!
Carly
Hi, I’ve just finished knitting this blanket and before casting off I thought I would try an applied I-cord. Do you think this would add or detract from the beauty of the blanket? Also, since the finished blanket is a bit heavy, do you think I should pick up two and skip one along the long sides to prevent sagging. Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for writing in! You can certainly add an applied i-cord here if you like! I tend to like the total simplicity of the garter stitch! If you decide to give the i-cord a go, I would knit a few inches picking up every row and then a few inches picking up every other and see which you prefer. You may also want to try picking up 2 for every 3 stitches. There are no hard and fast rules here and what looks best to you tends to be the right answer!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I’m planning on using your blanket as a start to making a king sized blanket in strips to be sewn together later
Hello Cat,
Thank you for writing us! This sounds like a lovely idea- let us know how it goes!
Warmly,
Marilla
I am VERY new to knitting but I want to try a simple, small blanket. I have only done scarves. This might be a dumb question, but can I knit this as one solid piece (aside from the color changes) or am I knitting portions together? It’s hard to imagine fitting this all on my needles. Thanks for helping a newbie.
Hi Molly,
Thanks for writing in and welcome to the world of knitting! For this blanket, we knit it in one solid piece, changing yarn colors when we get to them!
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.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Good Evening
I am wanting to Knit a Hudson Bay scarf. Unfortunately as yet I haven’t been able to find a pattern.
I am wondering if I divide the Hudson Bay Crib Blanket stitches of 162 stitch in 1/2 it would be 80 stitches for a Scarf.
But since I would like to make a wide and long scarf 80 stitches doesn’t seem to wide enough. So how does a 100 stitches instead for a Hudson Bay Scarf ?
I would follow the pattern as you have shared with us, the pattern would be just be a tad smaller.
Instead of 6 skeins of Natural (White) how does 3 skeins sound instead? The other colours would still be 1 skeins, even if I don’t use all of them.
I am a Canadian and presently live in Vancouver, BC and have shopped at the Hudson Bay stores for many years, as did my Mother. In the beginning it was called Morgans and then changed to the Hudson Bay Company.
Thank you for sharing all your glorious patterns and yarns to inspire us that we too can be creative and knit anything we
wish to do.
Wishing you and the Purl Soho Staff and Team along with your family’s, a most Happy New Year for 2018.
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for writing in and thank you for your kind words! We are happy to help! Were you to cast on 81 stitches (half of the cast on number for the blanket), you would have a 17 inch wide scarf. Most of our scarves range from 8-12 inches wide and our wraps range from 18-20 inches wide. A cast on of 100 stitches would give you a 21 inch wide scarf. For a scarf that is 21 inches wide and 70 inches long, you will need 5 skeins of the main color and 1 of each of the contrast. As garter stitch does have the tendency to grow over time, the finished length will be less than 70 to begin but after blocking and wearing will be the correct length.
I hope that this helps and happy new year!
Cassy
I also love the idea of a scarf in this pattern (I just finished the crib blanket). How many stitches would I need to cast on for 12 in wide, and how many skeins of the main color would I need?
Thanks for your help! Jenn
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for writing in! For a 12 inch scarf you will need 1 skein of each contrast color (you will have left overs) and 4 skeins of the main color! You will want to cast on 57 stitches!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I could use some expert help selecting yarn for a blanket I am crocheting for a mom who wants to use her grown children’s favorite colors so I am having a problem selecting yarn that goes well with the 4 colors to work with: Blue, Green, Purple, Orange. Geez Louise, I didn’t think it was going to be hard, but it really is. I finally caved in and decided to do a stripe, but then found that wasn’t easy either. Then, I saw this pattern and thought it would make the best choice. Can you suggest bulky choices that would look nice? Thanks, Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Happy to help! Those are some challenging colors but I think that we can help! I would suggest going with a gray as the main color, perhaps a charcoal. I think that it would set off the brightness of the colors and perhaps in an order of Orange, Green, Blue and Purple, they will seem a bit more intentional! I think that Cascade Superwash 128 would be a great choice here! A washable, bulky yarn that has some great color options and a fantastic charcoal gray that I think would make a lovely blanket!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I would love to knit this for my expected grand child this summer. I see you recommended Blue Sky cotton as an option. Can you tell me which colors you would use and how many skeins of each? Thank you
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out! I would use Drift as the main color, and Pickle, Tomato, Dandelion, and Indigo for the contrast colors. You will need 8 skeins of Drift and one of each of the contrast colors.
Best,
Julianna
Hi!
Would the cotton pure make a nice fabric for this blanket? Baby will be living in Florida-so must be cotton. Do I need to make any changes to the pattern?
thanks for the help!
Hi Mar,
Thanks for writing in! Cotton Pure does make a lovely blanket, but it is somewhat thinner than For Better or Worsted so you will need to knit a gauge swatch to see if you need to adjust the cast on. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by 34 inches and cast on! Unfortunately Cotton Pure does not come in a palette similar to the original Hudson’s Bay Blanket, but I think you could create quite a few different beautiful color combinations! You will still need 6 skeins of your main color and one for each contrast stripe color.
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi Julianna, I see your advice above to knit a gauge swatch, if someone wanted to knit this using the Cotton Pure. If using that yarn, would you still use a #7 circular needle or should you use the size recommended for the Cotton Pure yarn? Thank you for your help!
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for writing in! I would suggest using a needle size that we recommend for Cotton Pure, so between sizes US 3 and 5. Your gauge will end up being different from the gauge of For Better or Worsted on size US 7 needles, which is why Julianna is recommending to adjust the cast-on number as well! Hope this clarifies things.
All the best,
Lili
WIll you be getting more of the au naturel in stock soon?
Hello Nicole,
Thanks for writing in! We will hopefully be getting more Au Naturel in For Better or Worsted back in stock soon! In the mean time, you can sign up to be notified when we get it back in stock. To do so, go to the product page, select the color that you are interested in and enter your email address. When we get it back in stock, we will email you!
Warmly,
Marilla
What would be a similar less expensive yarn that would have the same pallet available?
Hello Gabriel,
Thank you for your interest in this lovely blanket! I would recommend exploring the colors of Manos Del Uruguay’s Maxima. It is 100% Merino and beautifully hand dyed.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I love the look and idea for the Hudson Bay crib blanket.
I would like to make a queen size one and would like to know how many skeins of the au natural yarn I would need as well as how many skeins of each of the contrast colors. Can you tell me how many stitches I should cast on and how many rows of each stripe?
Thank you!
Hi Karen,
What a great idea! A queen size throw is roughly 86 x 88 inches which is about 6 times the size of the throw that we made here! With that in mind, you would need roughly 6 times the amount of each yarn. You would need to use 3 skeins of each of the colors per stripe. The number of rows will depend on your personal gauge! Additionally, your cast on will also depend on the gauge that you are getting! If you are getting the same gauge that we are here, you would multiply 4.75 stitches per inch by 86 inches and cast on 408 stitches!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you!
How many rows of each stripe do I knit for the queen size
blanket?
Thanks,
Karen
Hi Karen,
Good question! Unfortunately, I do not have a solid answer! We have not scaled this blanket up ourselves and thus have not knit it at the larger size. Additionally, personal gauge can change this pretty dramatically! With a little bit of back of the napkin math, I think that with 3 skeins per stripe, you would get 16 ridges or 32 rows per color. Again this may differ based on your personal gauge so a good option would be to use almost all of the 3 skeins per stripe being sure that you knit a full ridge before switching to the next color.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you so much!
Karen
I just love the ease and look of this timeless crib blanket. I’ve made the super easy baby blanket countless times. I’d really love to use a sport weight cotton yarn (like Debbie Bloss Eco Cotton), or maybe a bamboo, for a blanket like this. Do you have suggestions for yarn and conversions?? Thanks ahead of time!
Hi Megan,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, we are all out of our favorite sport weight cotton – our own Cotton Pure – but we should be receiving the new version soon, and it would be just perfect for a crib blanket! If you can’t wait, Cascade Ultra Pima would also be a good option, or if you are open to non-cotton yarns, Anzula Cricket is washable and perfectly soft for babies. Whatever you choose, since you will be changing the gauge of the balnket, I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch on US 5 needles or whatever size is recommended on the label. You can then multiply your stitches per inch by 34 to determine your cast on number. You can then knit the pattern as written!
Best,
Julianna
Bought the yarn from you, made this blanket. It’s become my grandson’s go-to blanket at bedtime. The yarn is washable, but would you advise drying it or drip-dry?
Thanks.
Hi Kaye,
Thanks for writing in! It’s always wonderful when a hand knit present is so well received! Anzula For Better Or Worsted can be machine washed in cold water on a gentle cycle, but Anzula does not recommend machine drying their yarns. For best results, the blanket should be laid flat to dry.
Best,
Julianna
Do you end up having extra of the colored yarn? I want to make a 100% Cotton version and the yardage for the yarn I am looking at is 175 a skein.
Hi Haley,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately, we don’t have information on exactly how much yardage was used for the stripes in this blanket, but you should probably get two skeins of each contrast color to be on the safe side! Based on the yardage required for the main color of the blanket, we probably used most or all of each skein of For Better or Worsted, which has 200 yards, for each contrast color.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi there
I would like to knit this blanket but I am looking for a cheaper alternative that isn’t cotton. Can you suggest some more alternatives to the Manos Maxima? I’d like to use merino or a merino blend. Just wondering if I have a few yarn sub options!?
Many thanks
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for reaching out! For the most part all of our worsted weight yarns are within a similar price range, the ANZULA For Better or Worsted that we used for this pattern is on the more expensive side (merino and merino blends are typically a bit more expensive.) So if you are looking for merino I would suggest our Worsted Twist ($22 a skein) or MANOS DEL URUGUAY Maxima. This is an excellent merino option (especially being only $18 a skein.)
If you are open to other wool fibers besides merino (these will be less expensive) I would recommend our Linen Quill Worsted, HARRISVILLE DESIGNS Highland or BROOKLYN TWEED Shelter!
I hope this helps and feel free to reach out with any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi Gianna
Thanks so much for this . Yes you’re right about the Maxima, it is good value, I will take another look. However I hadn’t even thought about the Harrisville and Brooklyn tweed options! They have such lovely earthy colours I think I could get the same effect as the Anzula.
Thanks so much for always trying to find alternatives for your customers. This is so important and really appreciated.
I love the look of this blanket! Do you think it would be just as attractive with a seed stitch border that maintains the colored stripes? Looking for an honest opinion before I start.
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for reaching out! Are you thinking of using seed stitch for the entire blanket or just along the border? I think this blanket could be very cool either way! However seed stitch would change the gauge quite a bit! I recommend working a gauge swatch first because you will likely want to adjust the cast on to maintain the dimensions.
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi Gianna, I was thinking of seed stitch only around the edge so the initial 6neutral garter ridges would become 6 rows of seed stitch and the first and last six stitches of each row would be worked in seed stitch. The center would remain garter. Do you think that would work? I’m a relatively new knitter so would appreciate your honest answer. Thanks!
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for your response! I do think that would work! I would try this out on a little swatch first, but you should be good to go!
Please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi, I have made 2 of the Hudson Bay crib blankets and now my friend has asked me to make one in twin size. Since it will be used in their cabin I’ll be making it in super saver acrylic, doubled. Can you help with the adjustments to approximately 63 x 87. I would appreciate any help. Thank you in advance. Barbara.
Hi Barabara,
Thanks for reaching out! What a fun project! If your gauge is consistent with the pattern with the new yarn, then I would suggest casting on 300 stitches for 63″ and then following the pattern as written changing colors when you would like until you have reached 87″ or your desired length!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna