Knitted Leafy Border Afghan Pattern

Knitted Leafy Border Afghan Pattern by Lion Brand

Project Overview

This downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand creates a beautiful 54" x 64" afghan or throw blanket featuring an elegant leafy border design. The pattern combines a simple stockinette stitch body with an intricate leaf motif border worked on all sides, making it an ideal project for knitters seeking a balance between straightforward construction and decorative detail.

What Is Being Made

The Knitted Leafy Border Afghan is a substantial blanket-sized throw perfect for home décor or gift-giving. The finished piece measures 54 inches wide by 64 inches long, providing generous coverage for a sofa, bed, or armchair. The design features a smooth, textured center worked in stockinette stitch, complemented by ornamental leaf borders on the top and bottom edges that add visual interest and sophistication to the finished blanket.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques to achieve its finished appearance:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st) forms the main body of the afghan, creating a smooth, flat fabric with a classic knit appearance on the right side
• Increases are worked throughout the leaf border rows using the M1 (make 1) technique, which involves lifting the horizontal thread between needles to create new stitches that blend seamlessly into the fabric
• Yarn overs (yo) create decorative holes and lacy elements characteristic of leaf patterns, adding openwork detail to the border
• Decreases including k2tog (knit two together) and sl 2-k1-p2sso (slip 2 stitches as if to knit, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over) shape the leaf motifs and create the distinctive pointed leaf silhouettes
• Slip stitches worked as if to knit contribute to the structural shaping of the leaf design elements
• Binding off secures all stitches at the completion of the project

Stitches and Stitch Pattern Details

The afghan construction begins with 121 cast-on stitches worked in stockinette stitch until the piece reaches 58 inches in length. The leaf border is then worked over 20 rows, incorporating a repeating pattern of knit and purl stitches that create the leafy texture. The border pattern includes strategic yarn overs and decreases that form pointed leaf shapes, with rows alternating between increase rows that expand the stitch count and decrease rows that shape the leaves. The pattern uses a combination of knit (k) and purl (p) stitches to create dimensional texture, while the leaf motif is defined by the interplay of yarn overs and centered double decreases. The same 20-row leaf border is repeated on the bottom edge of the afghan for symmetrical design.

Materials Required

This pattern calls for Lion Brand Homespun yarn (Art. No. 790), a popular bulky-weight yarn available in 6-ounce skeins. The project requires 7 skeins in color #335 Prairie, though knitters may substitute any color of their choice. The yarn is worked on size 10½ U.S. (3 U.K.) knitting needles measuring 6.50 mm, available as either a pair of straight needles or a 29-inch circular needle. The circular needle option is recommended for ease in handling the large blanket piece during construction.

Gauge and Sizing Information

The pattern specifies a gauge of 10 stitches and 16 rows equals 4 inches in stockinette stitch when worked on the size 10½ needle. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the finished afghan reaches the intended 54" x 64" dimensions. Knitters should work a gauge swatch, measure it accurately, and adjust needle size if necessary to match the specified gauge.

Construction Method

The afghan is constructed using a straightforward flat knitting method, worked back and forth in rows from bottom to top. Knitters cast on 121 stitches and work continuously in stockinette stitch until the piece measures 58 inches in length. All stitches are then bound off across the row. Following the main body construction, the leafy border is added by picking up 121 stitches across the top edge with the right side facing, then working 20 rows of the leaf pattern. This same border process is repeated along the bottom edge of the afghan. The pattern notes that for ease in handling this large piece, a circular needle can be used