How to Knit a Striped Diagonal Baby Blanket [Free Video Tutorial & Written Pattern!]
***You can purchase an INEXPENSIVE AD-FREE PDF of this pattern on Ravelry HERE or Etsy HERE***
If you’ve come across my blankets before, you’ll probably have noticed that one of my favourite knits is a corner to corner garter stitch blanket.
I’ve introduced you to two different variations of this type of blanket, and each time I did I had people ask if they could be modified to use stockinette stitch.
The trouble with using Stockinette Stitch on a diagonal blanket is that the height of the stitch is slightly more than the width.
This means that if we were to use just stockinette stitch for the stitches inbetween the border, the blanket would end up Diamond Shaped and not Square / Rectangular.
This finished blanket pattern took me around 6 different attempts to get right. I tinkered with the way I worked the rows to try and get a finished product that lays nice and flat, and that looks pretty much the same in the decrease and increase sections.
If you are new to knitting, you might want to tackle this other version of the blanket first as it uses only Garter Stitch and is a little simpler to grasp as as there is no row counting needed at all.
The little peepholes produced by the yarn over increases really add a nice bit of definition to the pattern and help to make the border stand out just that little bit more.
For those of you worried about little fingers and toes with the peepholes, I can assure you they have enough stretch for those little fingers and toes to easily wiggle out of them should they make their way into them by accident.
yarn and sizing tips & tricks
I’ve knitted a blanket measuring approx. 65 x 80cm, and my yarn meterage in the pattern reflects this. However this pattern is easily adjustable – just work until your project is the the size you want, you don’t even have to grab a tape measure if you don’t want to, you could wing it and eyeball the size without any issue at all.
The only important thing to remember is that you MUST start your decrease in the manner described in the pattern, otherwise the row counts WILL NOT WORK.
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Materials Needed
- 4mm Circular knitting needle long enough to accommodate the longest section of the blanket (150cm is ideal)
- CiciBebe Batik DK in Shade 550-55 (for a 60x80cm baby blanket I used 3 x 100g Balls)
- Scissors
- Tapestry Needle for sewing in ends.
- Optional – Some sort of row counter (I like to use the Crochet Studio App)
Stitches & Abbreviations
- k – knit stitch
- kfb – knit front back increase
- k2tog – knit 2 together
- yo – yarn over increase
- RS – Right Side
- WS – Wrong Side
sizing guide
If you’d like to knit a blanket the same size as mine (65 x 80cm), then I worked the following amount of repeats.
Increase Section: 9 Garter Increase Sections, and 9 Stockinette Increase Sections. I started my Middle Section during the 10th Garter Increase Section.
Middle Section: 1 Garter Middle Section and 2 Stockinette Middle Sections. I started my Decrease Section during the 2nd Garter Middle Section:
Decrease Section: 9 Garter Decrease Sections, and 9 Stockinette Decrease Sections. At the end of my 9th Garter Decrease Section I moved onto my finishing rows. You should have 7 stitches on your needles at this point.
written pattern
This corner to corner pattern is a little more complex than one that only uses garter stitch. Please pay close attention to the repeat instructions and make sure to read the notes on when to start decreasing as this has to be done in a specific part of the garter stitch section in order for the row counts and pattern to work.
Set-up Rows
Foundation Row: Cast on 4 stitches. TURN (I like to use the Long Tail Method)
Row 1: k all stitches. TURN
Row 2: K1, kfb, k2. TURN (5 stitches)
Row 3: k2, kfb, k2. TURN (6 Stitches)
Row 4: k2, kfb, k3. TURN (7 Stitches)
increase section
Garter Stitch Increase Section:
Row 1: K3, yo, k remaining stitches. TURN.
Repeat Row 1 a total of 12 times and then move on to next Stockinette Increase Section.
Stockinette Increase Section:
Row 1 (RS): K3, yo, k remaining stitches. TURN.
Row 2 (WS): k3, yo, k1, p until 4 stitches remain, k4
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 a total of 4 times, then work next Garter Stitch Increase Section.
Growing the INCREASE section:
Alternate between working your Garter and Stockinette increase Sections until the edge of your blanket is as long as you want the overall width to be (for me that was at 65cm). Then, make sure you follow the notes below and move onto the Middle Section at the point described. Otherwise the pattern will not work.
IMPORTANT:
You MUST start your next section during a garter stitch section.
Before you start decreasing you will need to work 6 rows of a Garter Stitch Increase Section and then move on to the instructions for Decreasing (or working the Middle Section if you are working a rectangular blanket)
Middle Section (For Rectangular blankets):
first garter middle section:
This section is worked ONLY ONCE.
Row 1 (RS): k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k to end of row.
Row 2: k3, yo, k to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 a total of 3 times. Then move onto Stockinette Middle Section.
stockinette middle section
Row 1 (RS): k2, k2tg, yo, k2tog, k to end of row.
Row 2: k3, yo, k1, p until 5 stitches remain, k5.
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 a total of 4 times, then move on to working the next Garter Middle Section.
Garter middle section:
Row: 1 (RS): k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k all stitches. TURN
Row 2: k3, yo, k remaining stitches. TURN.
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 a total of 4 times, then move on to working the next Stockinette Middle Section.
Growing the middle section:
Alternate between working your Garter and Stockinette Middle Sections until your long edge of your blanket is as long as you want the overall length to be (for me that was at 80cm). Then, make sure you follow the notes below and move onto the Decrease Section at the point described. Otherwise the pattern will not work.
IMPORTANT:
You MUST start your SECOND decrease during a garter stitch section.
Before you start decreasing you will need to work 7 rows of a Garter Stitch Middle Section and then move on to the instructions for Decreasing.
Decrease Section
first garter decrease section:
This section is worked ONLY ONCE.
Row 1 (RS): k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1 a total of 5 times. Then move onto Stockinette Decrease Section.
Stockinette Decrease Section:
Row 1 (RS): k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k to end of row. TURN.
Row 2: k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, p until 5 stitches remain, k5. TURN.
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 a total of 4 times, then move on to working the next Garter Decrease Section.
Garter Decrease Section:
Row 1 (RS): k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k all remaining stitches. TURN.
Repeat Row 1 a total of 12 times and then move on to next Stockinette Decrease Section.
IMPORTANT:
You should finish your blanket at the end of a Garter Stitch Decrease Section. At the end of your final section you will have 7 stitches left on your needles. At this point you can move onto the Finishing Rows – 3 rows that give a nice neat finishing corner.
Finishing rows:
End Row 1 (RS): k3, k2tog, k2 (6 stitches)
End Row 2: k2, k2tog, k2 (5 Stitches)
End Row 3: k2, k2tog, k1 (4 Stitches)
Cast Off & sew in ends.