If you want to give a new mom a gift but don't have a lot of time, a knitted blanket can be the perfect idea. You can choose from a variety of plain or patterned cover designs, or create your own using your favorite stitch.
Steps
Step 1. Choose the stitch or stitches you want to use
To find stitch patterns you can:
- Consult a knitting dictionary (a collection of instructions on how to knit to make decorative stitches).
- Do a search on the net to find cover templates with instructions.
- Use garter stitch (knit both sides). The result is embossed on both sides of the work. You can also use stockinette stitch (alternating between a straight and a purl needle) to have a cover that is embossed on one side and smooth on the other.
Step 2. Choose the yarn
You can make a blanket with any type of yarn, but there are some general rules:
- The thicker the yarn, the faster the work grows, and therefore the sooner you finish the cover.
- The softer the yarn, the more pleasant the cover will be.
- Some parents may prefer that you only use natural fibers such as cotton and wool. However, many appreciate man-made fibers such as polyester, because they do not require special attention (for example for washing).
Step 3. Choose the irons
Most ball ties suggest the size of needles to use.
Step 4. Prepare a sample with the yarn and needles of your choice
The typical sample measures approximately 10 x10 cm.
- If you are using a ready-made pattern, you will find an indication of how many stitches and how many rows (rows) to work to get the sample of a certain size. Change the needle size until you get the right amount of stitches and rows.
- If you are creating the model yourself, you can change the size of the needles until you get the result you like. Now, count how many stitches and how many rows there are in a 2.5 x 2.5 cm space of the sample. Multiply these figures by the size of the cover (multiply by the centimeters of width and divide by 2, 5). In this way you will know how many stitches you need to fit and how many rows you need to work to get the cover of the desired size.
- If you are using a decorative pattern, you may need multiples of a certain number of stitches (for example, multiples of 4 or 5) to get the desired pattern. You could also add some garter stitches or stockinette stitches on both sides of the blanket as a border. Round the number of stitches up or down to the appropriate multiple, and add any stitches for the edges to the count.