String Maura Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern

String Maura Baby Blanket

Project Overview

The Maura Baby Blanket is a luxurious knitted baby blanket designed by Lidia Karabinech. This seamless, bottom-up construction creates a finished blanket measuring 34 inches wide by 36 inches long (86.5 cm × 91.5 cm), making it an ideal size for a newborn or infant. The blanket features a sophisticated color-blocked striped pattern worked in a combination of garter stitch borders and stockinette stitch with reverse stockinette sections, creating visual texture and depth.

Materials and Yarn

This pattern calls for STRING CLASSICA yarn, a premium 100% cashmere fiber that provides exceptional softness and warmth appropriate for a baby blanket. The yarn specifications are 1.75 ounces per 50 grams with a yardage of 125 yards per 115 meters. The color palette consists of four coordinated shades:

• Color A (Pearl): 5 balls, color code 308829
• Color B (Bubblegum): 2 balls, color code 201121
• Color C (Rose Pink): 2 balls, color code 201478
• Color D (Lilac): 1 ball, color code 201420

The pattern requires one pair of size 9 (5.5 mm) needles or the size needed to obtain proper gauge. A yarn needle is also necessary for weaving in ends and finishing.

Knitting Techniques

The Maura Baby Blanket employs several fundamental knitting techniques to achieve its finished design. The blanket is worked flat on straight needles in a bottom-up construction, meaning you begin at the lower edge and work toward the top. The pattern is entirely seamless, eliminating the need for seaming pieces together and creating a smooth, continuous fabric from cast-on to bind-off.

The construction begins with a garter stitch border worked in Yarn A, establishing a sturdy, textured edge. Side borders are then picked up along the sides and worked in garter stitch as well, adding structure and definition to the blanket's perimeter. The central section features striped color work created by changing yarn colors in a predetermined sequence while maintaining the stitch pattern.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes two primary stitch patterns:

• Garter Stitch: Created by knitting every row, this stitch produces a bumpy, textured fabric with excellent drape and elasticity. Garter stitch is used for all borders and the final top edge, providing a finished appearance and structural integrity.
• Stockinette Stitch (St st) with Reverse Stockinette: The main body of the blanket alternates between stockinette stitch (knit on right-side rows, purl on wrong-side rows) and reverse stockinette stitch (purl on right-side rows, knit on wrong-side rows). This alternation creates the distinctive striped visual pattern and textural interest throughout the blanket.

Pattern Structure and Color Sequence

The blanket begins with a 10-row garter stitch foundation in Yarn A. After the side borders are added, the striped section begins. The pattern alternates between two striped sections, each worked for 12 rows total (1 transition row plus 11 pattern rows). The colors change in a specific sequence: Yarn B, Yarn A, Yarn C, Yarn A, Yarn D, Yarn A, Yarn B, Yarn A, Yarn C, Yarn A, Yarn D, Yarn A, Yarn C. The blanket concludes with a final 10-row garter stitch border in Yarn A before binding off.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches and 24 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished dimensions. After completing the knitting, the blanket should be gently blocked to even out the stitches and set the fabric, then all ends are woven in securely for a professional finish.