Debbie Bliss Favourite Things Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern

Debbie Bliss Favourite Things Baby Blanket

What is Being Made

This is a delicate baby blanket designed by Debbie Bliss, measuring approximately 66cm (26 inches) square. The blanket is worked flat using knitting techniques and features intricate lace patterning throughout, making it an elegant heirloom piece suitable for newborns and infants.

Craft and Techniques

This project is a knitting design classified as advanced difficulty, requiring experienced knitters familiar with lace work and pattern reading. The blanket is worked flat, meaning it is knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round, though the construction begins with double-pointed needles before transitioning to a circular needle as the piece grows in size.

The primary technique employed is lace knitting, which creates an open, decorative fabric through strategic yarn overs and decreases. This technique produces the characteristic delicate, airy appearance typical of fine baby blankets. The lace patterns require careful attention to stitch placement and pattern repeats to achieve the intended design.

Stitches Used

The pattern incorporates several fundamental and intermediate knitting stitches:

• Knit (k) – the basic stitch forming the foundation of the fabric
• Yarn forward (yf) and yarn round needle (yrn) – techniques that create deliberate holes in the fabric, essential for lace patterning
• Knit two together (k2tog) – a right-leaning decrease that pairs with yarn overs to form lace motifs
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) – a left-leaning decrease created by slipping two stitches individually, then knitting them together
• Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over (sk2po) – a double decrease that creates a more pronounced lace element

The blanket features multiple pattern sections (Pattern A, Pattern B, and Pattern D referenced in the instructions) that combine these stitches in repeating sequences to build the overall lace design. Even-numbered rounds are typically worked as knit rounds, allowing the lace pattern to develop clearly across odd-numbered rounds.

Materials

The blanket is constructed using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino yarn, a luxurious fiber blend ideal for sensitive baby skin. The project requires 5 balls of 50g (1¾oz) each in Ecru 101, totaling approximately 250 grams of yarn. This natural fiber choice provides softness and breathability appropriate for infant garments.

Knitting needles required include a set of five 4mm (US 6) double-pointed needles for casting on and beginning the blanket, and a 4mm (US 6) circular needle measuring 80cm (31½ inches) long for working the blanket as it expands. The gauge is 18 stitches and 35 rows to 10cm (4 inches) square over Pattern B after blocking, which is typical for fine lace work with this yarn weight.

Pattern Structure

The construction begins by casting on 8 stitches using the double-pointed needles, then increases gradually through yarn overs and strategic stitch placement. The transition from double-pointed needles to the circular needle occurs as the stitch count increases and the blanket grows in circumference, a practical approach for managing an expanding number of stitches. The pattern involves multiple rounds of lace motifs with repeating sequences, requiring careful tracking of pattern rows and stitch counts throughout the project.