How to knit a blanket

Find out how to knit a blanket with Rosee Woodland's beginner knitting pattern from Knit Today issue 117. This easy blanket pattern is worked in stocking stitch, and the big chequerboard squares are real style pleasers.

What colours will you choose for your knitted blanket? We've gone monochrome with black, white and on-trend tweed, but you could pick any three to match your decor. Just make sure you have a light colour, a dark colour and a mid-tone for maximum impact.

Learning how to knit a blanket is easy with these step-by-step instructions, and as the blanket is worked in a winter warming aran-weight yarn it'll knit up quicker than you might expect.

These simple squares are addictive to make, and can be used to create all sorts of different projects. You could knit a cushion to match, create a smaller pram or lap blanket, and much more. Get knitting, and get creative!

To knit a blanket you will need:

• Hayfield Bonus Aran (20% wool, 80% acrylic, 400g, 840m/918yds), 2 balls each of Black (965) and Croft Grey (813)
• Hayfield Bonus Aran Tweed (6% viscose, 20% wool, 74% acrylic, 400g, 840m/918yds), 2 balls of Magpie (749)
  • For stockists visit www.sirdar.com

This is enough to make the blanket and the cushion cover. If you only want to make the blanket you only need two balls of Magpie and Black and one in Croft Grey. If you only want to make the cushion cover you’ll need one ball of each yarn.

• A pair of 4.5mm (US 7) circular knitting needles, at least 100cm or 40in long
• A pair of 5mm (US 8) straight knitting needles

Not sure what yarn you need? Check out our yarn weight conversion chart.

How to knit a blanket

Tension

18 sts and 24 rows to 10cm or 4in over st st using 5mm needles

Measurements

Blanket: 75cm x 95cm (29½ x 37in) Cushion: 50cm x 50cm (19¾ x 19¾ in)

Blanket knitting pattern

Make 20 squares in Black, 31 squares in Magpie and 12 squares in Croft Grey.

Before you start, read our guide to knitting abbreviations.

Knit blanket squares

Cast on 36 sts using 5mm needles.

Row 1 (RS) Knit.

Row 2 (WS) Purl.

Repeat the last two rows 23 more times or until you have made a 20cm square, ending with a WS row.

Cast off.

Seam together blanket following diagram, making sure stitches are running across the short edges and the rows are running down long edges.

Knit a blanket edging

Using Croft Grey and 4.5mm circular needle, pick up and knit 2 stitches for every 3 rows down the long sides, and pick up and knit 1 stitch per stitch across the short sides of the blanket, making sure that you pick up and knit the same number of stitches for the two short sides, and the same number of stitches for the two long sides. As you work, place a stitch marker immediately before and after every corner stitch. When you have finished you should have four corner stitches, each with a stitch marker either side of it.

Continue working in the round.

Row 1 Purl.

Row 2 Knit to marker, *m1, slm, k1, slm, m1, knit to next marker; rep from * to end of the round, ending m1, slm, k1, slm, m1. You should have increased 8 sts across the round. Repeat last two rounds twice more. Cast off purlwise, weave in ends and join in corner.

Knit a cushion

Make 18 squares in Black, 24 squares in Magpie and 8 squares in Croft Grey.

Knit cushion squares

Cast on 18 sts using 5mm needles.

Row 1 (RS) Knit.

Row 2 (WS) Purl.

Repeat the last two rows 11 more times or until you have made a 10cm square, ending with a WS row.

Cast off.

Seam together pieces following diagram to make an identical front and back.

To make up the cushion

Using Magpie, with right-sides facing, and matching where colours change, seam three edges of the cushion front and back together, turn right sides out, insert cushion pad and slip stitch shut.

Download the blanket knitting pattern

Learn how to knit a blanket with our downloadable pattern: How to knit a blanket PDF