Coziest Blanket Ever in New Colors
If you want to wrap yourself in the softest, warmest, most wonderful fabric you can find, cast on our lively Fiddlehead and knit the Coziest Blanket Ever!
You knit this simple rectangle on the bias, casting on at one corner and using simple increases to shape the blanket for the first half, then decreases for the second half.
Our extraordinary Fiddlehead brings joy wherever it goes, with an over-the-top softness that comes from its 100% alpaca fiber.
Take a look and you see Fiddlehead’s unique structure, with two strands of roving rippling along alpaca threads, creating waves of texture similar to a bouclé.
These waves also create lots of cozy spaces that trap air, insulating you and making Fiddlehead incredibly warm and wondrously light.
Each color of Fiddlehead has two shades of roving, creating a beautifully marled fabric with a subtle depth of color.
With eight new colors of Fiddlehead to choose from, you can make your blanket in the color that sparks a little joy for you or for someone you love. Maybe bright and spirited Pink Azalea or rich and decadent Chocolate Truffle?
Whatever the color, pick up six skeins for a crib-sized blanket or twelve for a throw and get the coziest ever!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. Click here to see even more of Hiromi’s work!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoCoziestBlanketEver, and #PurlSohoFiddlehead. We can’t wait to see what you make!
MATERIALS
- 6 (12) skeins of Purl Soho’s Fiddlehead, 100% alpaca yarn. Each skein of this super bulky yarn is 65 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 390 (780) yards required. We used the colors Black-Eyed Susan, Chocolate Truffle, Desert Gray, Heirloom White, Ocean Air, and Pink Azalea.
- US 11 (8 mm), 47-inch circular needles
- A removable stitch marker or scrap yarn
GAUGE
9 stitches and 18 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch
SIZES
Crib (Throw)
Finished Dimensions: 31 inches wide x 36 inches long (37½ inches wide x 54 inches long)
Sample: The Ocean Air and Heirloom White blankets are the Crib size, and the Black-Eyed Susan, Chocolate Truffle, Desert Gray, and Pink Azalea blankets are the Throw size.
PATTERN
BEGIN + INCREASE
Using a basic Long Tail Cast On, cast on 3 stitches.
Row 1 (right side): Knit front and back (kfb), k1, kfb. [5 stitches]
Mark right side of fabric with scrap yarn or removeable stitch marker.
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Row 3: K1, kfb, knit to last two stitches, kfb, k1. [2 stitches increased]
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 forty-seven (57) more times, ending with Row 3. [101 (121) stitches; piece measures approximately 31 (37½) inches along right selvage from cast-on point, with right side facing you]
Repeat Row 2 one more time.
CONTINUE
Row 1 (right side): K1, kfb, knit to last three stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog), k1.
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures approximately 36 (54) inches along selvage from cast-on point, with right side facing you, ending with Row 2.
CONTINUE + DECREASE
Row 1 (right side): K1, slip slip knit (ssk), knit to last three stitches, k2tog, k1. [2 stitches decreased]
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until 5 stitches remain, ending with Row 2.
Next Row (right side): Ssk, k1, k2tog. [3 stitches remain]
With wrong side facing you, bind off knitwise.
FINISHING
Weave in the ends and spray block, if desired.
LEARN ABOUT FIDDLEHEAD + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Fiddlehead brings joy wherever it goes! Delightfully curly, it is 100% alpaca and as soft as you can imagine. One characteristic of Fiddlehead that’s hard to convey in photos is just how surprisingly light and airy it is, so although it is a super bulky-weight yarn, it practically floats off your needles! Available in lots of gorgeous colors and in 2-skein gift bundles, too, Fiddlehead is as fun as it is beautiful!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Fiddlehead knitting patterns
More Super Bulky-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of super bulky-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop alpaca yarn
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!
Does it take 12 or 13 skeins to make the throw size? Both numbers are listed in the instructions 🙏🏼
Hi Jessi,
Thank you for pointing that out! The throw only takes 12 skeins, and we’ve gone ahead and corrected the place where we wrote 13. Eek, we’re sorry for the confusion!
Best,
Whitney
Hey there I am planning to knit this a two color stripe. Would you advise switching color every other row? Thanks!
Hi Margaret,
That’s going to be such a pretty blanket! I would recommend switching color every other row. That way the working yarn for the next color will always be there on the same edge when you need to switch. If you end up making your striped blanket, we’d love to see how it turns out!
All the best,
Lili
For a full size throw, do I need to buy 6 skeins of each color or 12?
Hi Cathie,
Thanks for writing in! The Throw size version of this blanket requires 12 skeins in total!
All the best,
Lili
Is there a loose cardigan pattern that would work with this yarn?
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out! We haven’t designed any cardigan patterns for Fiddlehead yet, but you may be interested in our Curlicue Pullover. This pattern pairs Fiddlehead with Plenty for an extra cozy winter garment!
All the best,
Lili
Would this be considered a quick knit? Seems a great holiday gift, but don’t want to be panicking on the 24th!!
Hi Cait,
I’m afraid that it’s pretty difficult to come up with an estimate like this since every knitter knits at a different speed! It would also depend on what size (crib or throw) of the blanket you’re planning to knit. In my personal experience though, it generally takes me about a month to knit a throw size blanket!
All the best,
Lili
Greetings Jessi,
I’d like to make this blanket to fit a Twin XL bed. How many skeins do I need? What adjustments do I need to make in the pattern.
Thank you.
Miriam
Hi Miriam,
It looks like the standard blanket dimensions for a twin XL bed are 66 by 95 inches. Does that sound like how large you want to knit your blanket? If so, you’d need about 37 skeins of Fiddlehead to complete it, and the modifications would be as follows:
Work the BEGIN + INCREASE section until the blanket measures 66 inches along each edge. Then, work the CONTINUE section until the blanket measures 95 inches along the longest edge. And finally, work the CONTINUE + DECREASE section as written!
All the best,
Lili
Hello & happy Thanksgiving! I have a quick question regarding the instructions Under begin & increase you say to repeat rows 2 & 3 57 more times for the throw. Do you mean 57 rows or 57 sets of 2 rows? Thanks!
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for writing in! That instruction means you’ll repeat both Rows 2 and 3 57 times, for a total of 114 rows!
All the best,
Lili
When looking at the different colors, the Heirloom white looks very white yet the other pictures it looks more ecru. Which is it? Thank you!
Hi Marianne,
Thanks for reaching out to ask! Heirloom White is a warm off-white color; definitely closer to white than ecru, but not a “bright” white. We try our hardest to make our website photos as true to life as possible, but there is always a chance that they vary slightly due to different lighting conditions. We’re always happy to describe any color in more depth though, and we also offer color cards for almost all of our yarn lines if you want to see any up close!
All the best,
Lili
Hello. In the BEGIN&INCREASE section you say to repeat the rows 1&2 47 times. So is that a total of 47 rows or a total of 94? Thanks!
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for writing in! You’re repeating both Row 1 and Row 2 forty-seven times, so it’ll be 94 rows in total!
All the best,
Lili
If I wanted to make this blanket but not on the bias, can you suggest how many stitches to cast on to get about the same size (or even a bit larger–I have extra yarn) for a throw?
I’m not sure I’m appreciating the benefit of doing it on the bias. What am I missing?
Thanks so much!
Hi Kristie,
Thanks for sharing your question with us! The blanket was designed on the bias to give a diagonal appeal to the fabric but it could easily be adjusted to knit flat without increases! To knit a blanket with similar dimensions to those in the pattern, you can cast on a total of 68 stitches for the small/crib size blanket or 85 stitches for the larger throw size. I would just like to note that these numbers have been calculated with the same gauge of the pattern to ensure yardages don’t vary too much.
I hope this helps but feel free to reach out should another question arise!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hello again. I completed the blanket and have 4 full skeins left over. Does this I knotted too tightly?
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for writing in! It sounds like you may have followed the instructions for the crib size rather than the larger throw size.
If you are happy with your project and have no use for the extra unwound skeins, you can return them for a refund within 30 days of purchase or a store credit or exchange if you send them back after 30 days! If you’re not happy we can figure out where things went awry. It would help to know what your finished dimensions and gauge came out to. We can find a solution from there!
All the best,
Gavriella
Is there a diagram showing each section? Is it two triangles and a parallelogram?
Thanks.
Hi Pat,
Thanks for writing in! While we haven’t made a diagram that’s divided into sections, you’re absolutely correct. The BEGIN + INCREASE section forms a triangle, the CONTINUE section adds on a parallelogram to that, and the CONTINUE + DECREASE section adds on another triangle. All come together to make a rectangular blanket!
All the best,
Lili
What does selvage mean? Do you measure from first stitch to last stitch along your needles, or does it mean you are measuring the triangle line that is expanding on the side? Thanks
Hi Jenni,
Great question! “Selvage” means the edge of the knit fabric (not your live stitches), so you’ll need to make sure to place your measuring tape along the edge in order to take that measurement.
All the best,
Lili
Hi!
I am relatively new to knitting (just finished your learn to knit kit!) and I am wondering if this is an achievable project for me to take on? I have a dream of making baby blankets for all the new little kiddos in my family.
Thanks!
Hi Savannah,
We are so excited that you are venturing out on your knitting journey! That idea is such a sweet sentiment!
We think this could be a great advanced beginner project if you have knitted a few projects already. This pattern is pretty straightforward using only knit stitches, increase and decrease stitches. We always recommend the Super Easy Crib Blanket for a complete beginner experience but it really is up to your comfort level.
I hope this helps but let me know if you have any questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hello
I would like to make this throw larger. More like 48 X 70. How many skeins would I need and what would be the process?
Thank you
Hi Ghislaine,
We are happy to hear you want to make a larger version of this blanket, that sounds so cozy! You will need approximately 1277 yards of Fiddle Head to make a blanket of 48″ x 70″. This is about 20 skeins in total. I hope this helps but if you need anything else please feel free to let us know!
Happy making,
Gavriella
Than you for your reply
Ho would I knit it? Would I start decreasing after 10 skeins?
Hi Ghislaine, you will continue to work your increases until you get to your desired height at which point you will start to decrease. Let us know if you need any assistance with this and can have a deeper look to get you all set.
Cheers! I want to knit this as a c. 34″ x 34″ lap warmer. How much wool will I need? Any advice on modifying the pattern? I assume I knit until I reach 34″ and then start decreasing: is that right-ish?
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for writing in! To get a blanket that is 34 x 34 you will want to follow the INCREASE and DECREASE sections, omitting the CONTINUE section of the pattern. This will help you get the square shape you are looking for. To make a blanket of this size, you will need 7 skeins or approximately 418 yards of Fiddlehead yarn. I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any more questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hello-
Is there any itch factor in the Fiddlehead yarn? Considering to use for the Coziest Blanket Ever.
Thank you.
Hi Gail,
That’s a great question! The 100% alpaca that this yarn is composed of makes the fiber ultra-soft to knit and wear. We have not had any complaints about an itch caused by this yarn but if you are unsure, we would recommend only winding up one skein at a time in case you change your mind. That way you will be able to return any unused skeins you may have within 30 days or for a store credit after the 30 days. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi, I would like to make a baby blanket with this pattern, but knit with half Fiddlehead and half Wooly Wool (knit on the bias, so that one “triangle” is Fiddlehead and the other is Wooly Wool). Do you think that would work, or the difference in weight is too significant?
Hi Jane,
That sounds like a really fun idea! I don’t see any issues you might run into but you can make a small gauge swatch to see how you like the fabric before you begin to get an idea of how the yarn looks and feels!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi – Wondering if you have any other blanket pattern ideas for using fiddlehead with more than 1 color?
Hi Karen,
That’s a great question! We have a wonderful blanket pattern named Piece of Cake Blanket that we think you might love! You can check out the pattern here! Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy Knitting,
Gavriella
Ciao, premetto che sono poco più che principiante nel lavoro a maglia, volevo chiederti in merito a quanto indicato sotto:
1 diritto si indende un punto diritto invece 1 dir si intende un diritto kfb? 😘
Ferro 3: 1 diritto, 1 dir, lavora a diritto fino alle ultime due maglie, 1 diritto, 1 dir. [2 maglie aumentate]
cosa significa invece diritto af?😘
Ferro 1 (diritto): 1 maglia diritto, diritto af, lavora fino alle ultime tre maglie a diritto, lavora 2 maglie insieme a diritto (2 maglie insieme a diritto), 1 maglia diritto.
spero di essermi spiegata, ti ringrazio
Hi Stefania,
Thank you for writing in! All of your odd number rows will be your right-side rows throughout the pattern beginning with row 1. For row 2 you will knit all stitches. On row 3, you will work K1, kfb (increase), knit to last two stitches, kfb (increase), k1 to increase your stitch count by 2 stitches for that row. I hope that was helpful but please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I am interested in using this pattern to make a fiddlehead wrap/shawl. My target dimensions are 25 inches by 70 inches. Based on previous comments, it looks like I would just work the increase section until I get the desired width, then work the continue section until I get the desired length, and then work the decrease section to finish it off. Is that right? Might you be able to offer an estimate of how many skeins would be required for this size? Also, do you think I’ll run into any problems (e.g., unsightly stretching) by making the piece so long and narrow?
Hi Nicole,
Thank you for writing in! I would recommend knitting your wrap as a plain rectangle (knitting every row even) rather than one on the bias as we have done for this pattern. It would be more difficult to get to those dimensions using the pattern instructions we have used here. For a wrap with dimensions of 25×70, you will need approximately 11 skeins of Fiddlehead. I don’t see any issues you might encounter but we definitely recommend making a gauge swatch to make sure you are happy with the fabric. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi! I really liked the idea of making a blanket with thin stripes, maybe every other row? Can you please advise on color selection? I am thinking of pairing Black Eyed Susan with either Pine Nut or Ocean Air.
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for writing in! I believe Pine Nut would pair wonderfully with Black Eyed Susan as the colors would complement each other very well! I think the warm tones of Black Eyed Susan would really pop with the neutral contrast color! I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I am making the throw and I have 81 stitches on my needle but the piece already measures 36” along selvage edge. The instructions say piece should measure about 37” when 121 stitches are on the needle. Am I just knitting very loosely or have I made a mistake?
Hi Phyllis,
It sounds like you may be just knitting a little looser than the suggested gauge of the pattern. However, if you are happy with the fabric so far, you can just continue on to the next section of the pattern!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi
I am knitting a coziest blanket in black eye Susan. It’s gorgeous ! I’d really like to do a contrast stripe or a few. Something to loom strikingI love the cockade beef and spruce. I also love the hot pink too. Do you think any or all of these would look ok? 🙏
Hi Fay,
I think Northern Spruce and Pink Azalea would look wonderful for a contrasting pop of color!
All the best,
Gavriella
Re my last message Sorry fumbly fingers🤦♀️!! Should have said something to look striking and the colours are beet, chocolate, spruce and hot pink !!
Oh with that in mind, I really think any of them would look wonderful for a contrast stripe. My pick would be Pink Azalea!
I have size 11 , 40” circular needles. Will they work for this pattern?
Hi Laurie,
Those needles should work just fine for your project!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi, I would like to make something smaller for a baby stroller blanket, can you tell me how much yarn and when I would start the decreases?
Thank you.
Sherry
Hi Sherry,
Thanks for writing in! Can you please let me know what dimensions (length and width) you’re hoping for? We offer a Crib size in this pattern, which is 31 by 36 inches. Were you hoping for something even smaller than that? Just let me know what you have in mind, and then I can walk you through the modification steps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi- So if you were to knit this throw size flat instead of on the bias all you would do is cast on 85 stitches and then just knit the remainder until you bind off once it measures 54”?
Hi Michelle,
Yes, that’s correct!
All the best,
Lili
Hi. I am almost finished and it looks like I will have an extra skein. I would like a larger throw and was wondering if it is possible to add a border to the finished throw rather than ripping out to the decrease point. If so, how is that done? If I have to rip out from the decrease, how do I figure out how many more inches I can go on the increase with one extra skein?
Hi Anne,
Thanks for writing in, and adding a border is a great idea! I’d recommend picking up the stitches on each edge of the blanket and knitting outwards from there. Alternatively, an attached i-cord edge is a great option!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks so much for the response. When I pick up the stitches do I go all the way around the throw or knit one edge at time? Also should I bind off the last stitch?
Thank you!
You’re very welcome! You could definitely do it either way, depending on what type of edge you want to make. The easiest way to do it would be to work one edge at a time, but if you have extra long circular needles (or multiple circular needles of the same size), then you could work outwards on all the stitches. You could bind off your final stitch if you want, or just keep going and being picking up stitches!
All the best,
Lili