How to Knit an Organic Cotton Baby Blanket
Knit a timeless square baby blanket featuring a repeating textured knot stitch and a simple garter-stitch border. The non-rolling edging helps the blanket lie flat, while the raised knot pattern creates a soft decorative finish.
Although labelled as an intermediate project, the blanket is worked flat using an eight-row repeat and can also suit confident beginner knitters.
Project Details
- Project number: P348
- Difficulty: Intermediate knit
- Finished width: approximately 92 cm
- Finished length: approximately 92 cm
- Construction: Knitted flat
What You Will Need
Yarn
- 6 × 100 g balls of Makr Organic Cotton yarn in Cream
Needles and Equipment
- 5.00 mm circular knitting needle, 80 cm long
- 6.00 mm circular knitting needle, 80 cm long, for casting off
- Wool needle for sewing in ends
Alternative Yarns
Select a soft yarn that produces the required tension of 16 stitches and 20 rows to 10 cm in the knot-stitch pattern. Match the replacement yarn by total metreage rather than by ball count.
- Aran or 10 ply cotton: The closest substitute for the original yarn, with a breathable feel and clearly defined texture.
- Cotton and acrylic blend: Provides a lighter, easy-care blanket with greater resilience and quicker drying.
- Machine-washable 10 ply wool: Creates a warmer blanket with good elasticity and stitch definition.
- Merino and cotton blend: Produces a soft, breathable blanket suitable for year-round use.
- Easy-care acrylic 10 ply: A practical alternative for frequent washing, although the finished drape may differ from cotton.
Avoid heavily textured, fluffy or novelty yarns, as these may obscure the knot pattern. Knit a tension square before beginning and adjust the needle size if required.
Tension
16 stitches and 20 rows to 10 cm over the knot-stitch pattern using 5.00 mm needles.
Knitting Abbreviations
- K: knit
- P: purl
- Garter stitch: knit every row
- Make knot: Purl the next 3 stitches together without dropping them from the left needle. Knit the same 3 stitches together, then purl the same 3 stitches together. Drop the stitches from the left needle.
Begin the Blanket
- Using the 5.00 mm circular needle, cast on 147 stitches.
- The stitch count consists of 137 stitches for the knot-stitch pattern and 10 stitches for the garter-stitch borders, with 5 border stitches at each side.
- Knit the first 6 rows in garter stitch to create the lower border.
Work the Knot-Stitch Pattern
Keep the first and last 5 stitches of every row in garter stitch while working the knot pattern across the centre section.
- Row 1: Knit.
- Row 2: Purl.
- Row 3: K1, *make knot, K3; repeat from * to the final 4 stitches, make knot, K1.
- Row 4: Purl.
- Row 5: Knit.
- Row 6: Purl.
- Row 7: K4, *make knot, K3; repeat from * to the final stitch, K1.
- Row 8: Purl.
Repeat these 8 rows until the blanket measures approximately 90 cm from the cast-on edge, finishing at the end of a complete pattern repeat.
Complete the Top Border
- Knit 6 rows in garter stitch.
- Change to the 6.00 mm needle.
- Cast off loosely to prevent the upper edge from puckering.
Finish the Blanket
- Weave in all loose yarn ends.
- Gently block the blanket into a 92 cm square.
- Follow the care instructions for the chosen yarn when blocking.
Helpful Tips
Count the stitches regularly, particularly after each knot row. Each knot should use three stitches and return three stitches to the needle.
The original instructions recommend steam blocking. When using an alternative yarn, check its care label first, as direct heat may damage synthetic fibres.
For baby use, choose a soft, washable, non-shedding yarn and ensure all ends are securely woven in.
