Baby Blanket Bonanza: A Selection of Baby Blanket Designs

Some months ago I got an email from a reader who asked me to recommend some baby blanket patterns for her. I was remiss in getting back to her, but my belated response is a post of selected baby blanket designs. This was a fun one to put together because Ravelry had 95 pages of English-language baby blanket listing goodness to choose from, and browsing through them all was a whole new experience in cute overload. However, I did manage to narrow it down to 30 patterns, and here they are. The photo above is of the Octopus Garden Blanket, designed by Georgia Vincent. The pattern is unfortunately no longer available, but it should be possible for a good knitter to recreate it using this photo. Try not to sing the eponymous Beatles song the entire time you're working on it.

This is the Olympic Forest Blanket, designed by Very Busy Monkey. The pattern is available for $4.50(USD). I love the "enchanted forest" feel of this one.

The ABC Baby Blanket, designed by Jenny Williams, is a nice simple, educational baby blanket. It's a free pattern.

If you've always admired the Duchess of Cambridge's taste for vintage baby wear and accoutrements, the very traditional Shetland lace-style The Entire Kingdom blanket, designed by Marianne Knorborg, may be for you. This pattern is available for free.

Then again, you might have a much more modern aesthetic, in which case I recommend the Fly Away baby blanket, designed by Tin Can Knits. The pattern is available for $5(USD).

The Dogwood Pattern, also by Tin Can Knits, is available individually for $5(USD) and was also published in 9 Months of Knitting: Exquisite Knits for Baby and Family.

The Dahlia Blanket, by Daniel Yuhas. I've knitted this one myself and am looking forward to making it again sometime. It's really a lovely piece of design and interesting to knit. The Dahlia pattern was published in Knitting from the Center Out: An Introduction to Revolutionary Knitting with 28 Modern Projects.

The Googly-Eyed Gator blanket, designed by Ashley Rao. For the tiny future herpetologist in your life! This pattern was published in 60 Quick Baby Blankets: Cute & Cuddly Knits in 220 Superwash® and 128 Superwash® from Cascade Yarns.

If you'd rather treat your child like royalty than like a future devotee of the science of reptiles, the Sleeping Baby's Castle Blanket, designed by Sally Dian Rainey, may be more to your liking. This pattern is available for $5(USD).

The Dreams of Granada Blanket, designed by Triona Murphy. This handsome design is one you might wind up knitting in a larger version for the couch or your own bed. The pattern is available for $5(USD).

The Pembroke Cottages Blanket, designed by Elanor King. I love this one's simple yet punchy graphic appeal. The colours used here really make it sing. This pattern is available for £3.00(GBP).

This is the simple and pretty Amore blanket, designed by Véronique Vieljeux and Nancy Waille. This pattern is available for €4.00(EUR).

If you aren't the kind of knitter who wants to fuss around with colour changes, the beautifully stitched Arrowroot blanket, by Sali Morris, might be for you. This pattern is available for £2.00(GBP).

The Beep Beep Blanket, designed by Lucinda Guy. This one really pops, visually. This pattern was published in Handknits for Kids: 25 Original Designs for Girls and Boys.

Here's another one for the traditionalists, the Dreamland Adventures Baby Blanket, designed by Mary Triplett. This pattern is available for $6(USD).

How cute is the Counting Sheep Blanket by Patons. This pattern is available for free.

The lovely and simple Tulips & Rosebuds Baby Blanket, by Eugen Beugler. This pattern is available for $6.95(USD).

For baby with a Harry Potter-themed nursery, the Professor McGonagall blanket, designed by Kristen Fanning, might hit the spot. This pattern is available for $3.50(USD).

Here's another contemporary style design, the Hip to Be Square blanket, by Stacey Gerbman. This pattern was published in 60 Quick Baby Blankets: Cute & Cuddly Knits in 220 Superwash® and 128 Superwash® from Cascade Yarns.

The Kittens and Butterflies Blanket, by Judy Lamb. My cat is never this sedate when he sees a butterfly. Fortunately despite all his leaping and pouncing, he's never been able to catch one. This is a free pattern.

The very snappy Picture-Perfect Plaid blanket, by Theresa Schabe. This pattern is another that appears in 60 Quick Baby Blankets: Cute & Cuddly Knits in 220 Superwash® and 128 Superwash® from Cascade Yarns.

The Rainbow Chain Carriage Blanket, by Erika Flory. This one could be a great way to use up some odds and ends of yarn. And it's a free pattern.

The Puzzle-Block Blanket, by Wilma Peers, looks like a another great way to use up some odd balls of yarn. This one appeared in the spring/summer 2014 issue of Knit Simple magazine, but if it isn't possible to track down a back issue of the magazine you can probably recreate the design from the picture.

The Norwegian Alphabet Blanket, by Jorid Linvik. This one must be the Cadillac of alphabet blankets. I mean.... holy cow is that a lot of work. The pattern is available for $10(USD).

This is the Such is the Quality of Bees blanket. For the Tolstoy reference-loving knitter! This pattern is available for $6.50(USD).

The Baby Dragon Blanket, designed by Sharon Winsauer. Perfect for the baby named George (or Georgette). This pattern is available for $7.50(USD).

For the knitter who's looking for an alphabet sampler pattern, but is simply not tackling the Norwegian Sampler Blanket listed above, this is the Debbie Bliss alphabet sampler blanket. This pattern was published in How to Knit: The Definitive Knitting Course Complete with Step-by-step Techniques, Stitch Libraries and Projects for Your Home and Family.

Here's a pattern that has both stitchwork and some simple colourwork. The Gingham Baby Blanket, by Hélène Rush, is available for $6.25(USD).

Very Owls in the Family, isn't it? The Owls Baby Blanket, by Simone Rees. This pattern is available for free.

And we wind up with The Giraffe Family baby blanket, designed by Vikki Bird as a reference to her very tall family. This pattern is available for $4.99(USD).

Interweave Knits Fall 2015: A Review

Interweave Knits has released their Fall 2015 issue. Let's take a look at it together, shall we?

Tucker Sweater. This is the cover look, and it's a nice simple piece with good shaping and face-framing detail.

Yellow Gold Pullover. This is a nice piece too, though all the horizontal lines make it less flattering than the previous design.

Woodlake Shawl. The stitchwork in this is very well done, but the piece looks so awkward and bulky and "seventies-era homemaker magazine pattern" as a whole.

Deirdre Shawl. Lovely and polished little shawl.

Paddock Cardigan. Well-shaped and simple with just a little telling detail to keep it from being too plain.

Squall Line Shawl. Classic lace shawl.





Purple Sage Socks. This pattern has two versions: a version with plain ribs between the cables and another with lacy ribs and cables. My preference is for the plain ribs pair, but they're both good design and look very well structured.

Zigzag Wanderer. I like the stitchwork here, and the unexpected touch of the stockinette undersleeve section, but the fit and shape could definitely do with some neatening up.

Gunnislake Pullover. Oooh, this one is eye-catching and has a lot of style, and yet it's something most men would have no objections to wearing. This isn't something one sees every day in men's knitwear, so good work.

Dee Pullover. I quite like this piece on the whole, as it has good shaping and some interesting detail. But I would fix the mullet hem by making back and front equal length, and there are more attractive yarn choices for this piece. This one makes me think of mouldy fall leaves.

St. Helier Pullover. This isn't a bad piece on the whole (it's hard to go wrong with a classic Guernsey pullover), but I keep staring at that bottom hem and thinking it's placing way too much emphasis on the hips, which is really not an area any woman cares to highlight. I'd cut down the depth of the hem by omitting either the diamond section or most of the horizontal ribbing section, and adjusting the cuffs to reflect whatever I'd done with the hemline.

Bath Abbey Hat. Very clever integration of colourwork and stitchwork in this one.

Commonwealth Sweater. Nice design. It has good shaping and I like the subtle snowflake pattern.

Agrotera Pullover. This is a traditional style with a bit of a twist in its distinctive ribbed yoke. The result is lovely, and fortunately the added leather harness is optional.

Cotswold Henley. Traditional men's sweater with some added textural detailing to keep things interesting.

Pom Pom Quarterly Fall 2015: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released its Fall 2015 issue. Let's have a look.

Woodland Tales. Pretty and lacy and well shaped. I love the yarn used here.

Maude pullover. This looks rather heavy, unsurprisingly, as it is both cabled and worsted weight, but then sometimes one does need something super warm. The shaping is pretty good, though the sleeve length looks a little awkward to me.

Abram's Bridge cardigan. Love the stitchwork on the back, but the shaping (especially whatever is going on in the front hem and the dropped shoulders) make it look a bit weird and off-kilter.

North Toque. This is a little too afghan-y for me.

Magdelen stole. Definitely a statement wrap.

Oak Crest cap. Intricately detailed and looks good on.

Jean pullover. Very much like this one, which hits that sweet spot of being wearable, flattering, and polished-looking. Excellent cowl neckline shaping on this piece.

Pianissimo scarf. Very decent ribbed scarf.

Karusellen hat. This one's cute and even manages the no mean feat of being a dog hat that an actual adult can wear.

Hitchcock sweater. Not a bad-looking henley, though I would add waist-shaping to the woman's version.

Knitting and Identity in the 19th Century

In this presentation, Anna Schram Vejlby, curator of the The Hirschsprung Collection of Copenhagen, shares her thoughts on knitting and identity in the first decades of the 19th Century, as seen through portrait painting. She analyzes a series of protraits that depict their subjects as knitting and suggests that the knitting is meant to connote diligence, bourgeoisie socioeconomic status, and love in the context of the painting, as well as adding to the compositional themes. Very unfortunately this video does not include the slideshow Anna Schram Vejlby showed to her lecture's audience and referred to throughout her presentation, so we don't get to see the paintings she is talking about, but the upside of this is that you'll be free to concentrate on your own knitting while enjoying listening to her talk, as I did.

Rowan Knitting & Crocheting Magazine 58: A Review (Part 2)

In this post we're going to look at the second half of the patterns in Rowan Knitting & Crocheting Magazine 58, the first half of the review having been posted yesterday.

Blizzard. Gorgeous tapestry-patterned coat.

Frosty. There's some great detailing on this one.

Frozen. Another beautiful intricate pattern.

Windy Scarf. The cables on this scarf really stand out.

Snowy. How elegant!

Brisk. This one isn't very flattering. It would look better if the body was striped vertically rather than horizontally, and fit a bit more neatly.

Shivery Wrap. Beautifully lacy wrap.

Crisp. Love the stitchwork used here. It's popcorn knit gone sophisticated.

Wintery. If you'd described this one to me (i.e., as a tunnelneck pullover with ruffled elbow sleeves), I probably would have expected to dislike it, but this is actually quite cute. Though I don't know that I care to see it worn with a long-sleeved under layer.

Chilly. I wish I could get a better look at how this piece is constructed. I suspect it's too unconstructed to sit well in the front without the aid of the brooch. The texture is lovely but sweaters that flop open in front aren't so appealing worn in other places than a carefully styled photo.

Enya. This is very "early eighties elementary school teacher", and not in a good way.

Noelle. This is a good rendering of the classic cable and rib pullover.

Brannagh. Not bad. This one maybe calls for a more interesting yarn choice.

Cleona. I would have gone with a more interesting and intricate centre design here, such as a Celtic knot.

Dervla. Very basic ribbed sweater. The shaping is very good, and I think this design would benefit from being knitted in a non-oatmeal coloured yarn.

Bevan. The squarish lines of the yoke give this piece a clunky look. I'd be inclined to omit the orange section and knit it in stockinette in the main colour. The first two bands of the yoke frame the face so well and add enough visual interest that the sweater doesn't need anything else.

D'Arcy. I like the "lacy sleeve with a solid body" look. I'd just fixed the dropped shoulder.

Sheenagh. Gorgeous intarsia on this pullover.

Brona. Not a bad simple sweater, but I would do some reshaping. As you can see here, all that extra material around the model's waist is doing her no favours.