Malabrigo First Winter Blanket Knitting Pattern

Malabrigo First Winter Blanket

What Is Being Made

The Malabrigo First Winter Blanket is a cozy knitted throw designed by the Malabrigo Team. This finished blanket measures 19 inches wide by 41 inches long (48.5cm × 104cm), making it an ideal size for a baby blanket or small lap throw. The design features decorative button details integrated throughout the piece, adding both visual interest and functional charm to this practical home accessory.

Knitting Techniques

This blanket is constructed using several key knitting techniques that make it accessible yet visually appealing:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The blanket is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing you to try on the piece as you progress and easily adjust the length if needed.
• Seamless Design: The pattern is worked as one continuous piece without seams, creating a smooth, polished finish throughout.
• Striped Colorwork: The blanket incorporates horizontal stripes using multiple complementary colors of Malabrigo Rios yarn, creating visual depth and interest. The pattern provides three sample colorway options: Paris Night with Apple Green and Natural; Glazed Carrot with Frank Ochre and Natural; or Pearl with Watergreen and Natural.
• Worked Flat: The blanket is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, making it straightforward for knitters of various skill levels.

Stitches Used

The First Winter Blanket employs fundamental knitting stitches that create beautiful texture and structure:

• Garter Stitch: The primary stitch throughout most of the blanket, created by knitting every row. This produces a reversible fabric with horizontal ridges that is warm, durable, and visually appealing on both sides. The pattern specifies a gauge of 18 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches in Garter Stitch after blocking.
• Ribbing: Alternating knit and purl stitches create ribbed edging sections that frame the blanket and add elasticity to the borders.
• Yarn Overs and Decreases: The pattern uses yarn over (yo) and knit two together (k2tog) stitches to create decorative buttonholes positioned at specific intervals (rows 15, 45, 105, and 313). These eyelet details are both functional and ornamental.

Materials and Yarn

The Malabrigo First Winter Blanket is designed to be worked in Malabrigo Rios, a premium yarn choice that brings softness and beautiful color to the finished piece. The pattern requires a total of 3 skeins of Malabrigo Rios: 1 skein each of two complementary colors for the main striped sections, plus 1 additional skein in Natural (#63) for accent stripes. This modest yardage requirement makes the project achievable in a reasonable timeframe while still creating a substantial, cozy blanket.

Needles and Notions

The blanket is worked on US 8 / 5mm needles, or the size needed to achieve the specified gauge. Beyond needles, the pattern calls for eleven 9½-inch buttons to coordinate with the buttonholes created throughout the design, along with a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends. Note that gauge is not considered crucial for this project, though variations in tension may affect yardage requirements and finished dimensions.

Pattern Structure

The blanket is worked in distinct sections with specific stitch patterns. The cast-on edge begins with ribbed edging (rows 1–12), transitions into the main Garter Stitch body with ribbed side borders (rows 13–38 and 39–76), and continues with strategic buttonhole placement throughout. The pattern provides clear row-by-row instructions for buttonhole placement and color changes, making it straightforward to follow even for intermediate knitters. The seamless, bottom-up construction means you can customize the final length by adjusting row counts if desired.