Plymouth Yarn Square Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern

Plymouth Yarn Square Baby Blanket in Encore

Project Overview

The Plymouth Yarn Square Baby Blanket in Encore is a knitted throw blanket measuring 28 by 32 inches. This design creates a charming patchwork effect by combining four rectangular panels worked in alternating diagonal colorways, then seaming them together to form the finished square blanket. The project is ideal for crafters seeking a moderately complex knitting pattern that yields a functional and visually striking finished piece.

What Is Being Made

This project produces a baby blanket constructed from four rectangular panels. The blanket features a two-color striped design created by working the rectangles in alternating rows of contrasting colors. The finished dimensions are 28 inches by 32 inches, making it an appropriately sized blanket for infants and young children. The rectangles are positioned so that the diagonal stripes create a balanced, symmetrical pattern across the completed blanket.

Techniques Used

The blanket is worked flat on straight knitting needles rather than in the round, allowing for straightforward row-by-row construction. The four rectangular panels are seamed together after completion to form the final square shape. The pattern employs strategic increases and decreases to shape each rectangle, beginning with a small number of cast-on stitches and gradually expanding to a maximum stitch count, then decreasing back down to complete the tapered rectangular form. The rectangles are positioned with intentional stripe directionality so that the diagonal color changes flow from the interior of the blanket outward on one edge and from the exterior inward on the opposite edge, creating visual interest and balance.

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch: The primary stitch throughout the blanket, created by knitting every row. This produces a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges and provides excellent drape and warmth suitable for baby blankets.
• Make 1 (M1) Increase: All increases are worked using the Make 1 technique. This method involves picking up the strand between two stitches using the left-hand needle and knitting into the back of the loop, creating an invisible increase that blends seamlessly into the fabric.
• Knit 2 Together (K2tog) Decrease: Used to shape the rectangles during the decreasing phase, this decrease leans to the right and is worked at the beginning of wrong-side rows to maintain consistent shaping.
• Picked-Up Stitches: After the four rectangles are seamed together, stitches are picked up around the edges for the border. The pattern specifies picking up one stitch in each of three garter-stitch stripes, plus an extra stitch in the space between stripes, ensuring adequate stitch count for a balanced border.

Materials

The blanket is knitted using Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted, a worsted-weight yarn that provides excellent stitch definition and durability. The pattern calls for 2 balls each of two contrasting colors; the sample shown features Color 3335 (lime green) and Color 235 (blue). US Size 8 knitting needles are recommended to achieve the specified gauge of approximately 18 stitches to 4 inches in garter stitch, though the pattern notes that exact gauge is not critically important for this project. A tapestry needle is required for seaming the rectangular panels together and weaving in yarn ends.

Construction Details

Each of the four rectangles begins with a two-stitch cast-on and is expanded through paired increases and color changes. The knitter works two rows in one color, then switches to the alternate color and repeats this two-row striping pattern. The increases continue until the rectangle reaches 77 stitches on the needle, at which point each side measures approximately 11 inches. The stitch count is then maintained for 2 inches by balancing increases on right-side rows with decreases on wrong-side rows. Finally, the rectangle is shaped to completion by decreasing at the beginning of each row until only 2 stitches remain, which are knitted together and secured.

The pattern acknowledges that the rectangle edges will not be perfectly even due to the increases and decreases, which is a natural characteristic of this construction method. Once all four rectangles are complete, they are positioned so that the stripe directionality creates a cohesive design, then seamed together. Border stitches are picked up around the perimeter and worked to frame the blanket and finish the edges.