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Knitting Question

MissjefMissjef Posts: 2,375
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in Advice #1
I'm wanting to knit a baby blanket, but my knitting skills aren't very good, i can manage to do a scarf using knit & purl stitch & know how to add in stripes of different colours...

But i just need advice on making a blanket, can you just knit it in the same way as a scarf with the knit & purl stitch?
Also how do you make it quite big? Do you have to knit two squares and sew them together?
I'm just a bit confused on how to make the knitting longer than the needles when you cast on?

Many thanks in advance! :)

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    shmiskshmisk Posts: 7,963
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    #2
    patchwork maybe?
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    Abbasolutely 40Abbasolutely 40 Posts: 15,589
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    #3
    You could make lots of small squares in plain and purl all differnt colours .Then sew together in random patten or in a lined pattern .The sewing together can be done in one colour wool to make it look uniform

    http://www.knit-a-square.com/baby-blanket.html
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 717
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    #4
    Work on 22 sts to 4 inches with DK and 4mm needles. Cast on enough stitches minus about 8 inches for the final width.
    Plain knit for 4 inches,then plain/purl rows for the length then another 4 inches knit. Then pick up on the long sides and do 4 inches each side in knit.
    Looks nice either striped or the border different to the middle.
    I just did a couple for grandson due any time! Good luck.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 717
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    #5
    OP, I just realised what was worrying you - you have to knit with the stitches all bunched up on the needle - you won't see the full width till it's finished.
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    MissjefMissjef Posts: 2,375
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    #6
    mog123 wrote: »
    OP, I just realised what was worrying you - you have to knit with the stitches all bunched up on the needle - you won't see the full width till it's finished.

    thankyou very much, do you know which is the best wool to use? my mum is worried a knitted blanket will be too scratchy for a baby! but i really want to knit one!
    Yes i wasn't sure if there was a special way to knit bigger things or whether you just have to knit with it all bunched up on the needle!
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    MissjefMissjef Posts: 2,375
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    #7
    Abbasolutely 40 wrote: »
    You could make lots of small squares in plain and purl all differnt colours .Then sew together in random patten or in a lined pattern .The sewing together can be done in one colour wool to make it look uniform

    http://www.knit-a-square.com/baby-blanket.html

    Thanks , the patchwork style blankets look cute :)
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 717
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    #8
    Just go for Baby double knit - it's nice and soft.
    The knitted blankets are sort of bendier than fleeces so they wrap into all the crevices. If you see what I mean!
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    damianswifedamianswife Posts: 1,205
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    #9
    Look up baby dk Crofter....its gorgeous to work with and the colours are wonderful
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    MissjefMissjef Posts: 2,375
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    #10
    damianswife wrote: »
    Look up baby dk Crofter....its gorgeous to work with and the colours are wonderful

    oh your right that does look wonderful! might have to see if i can get some :)

    It's my first baby due in January so hoping i'll be able to get a nice blanket or 2 finished by then !
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 717
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    #11
    Damianswife - I agree, the fairisle effect ones are gorgeous!
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    damianswifedamianswife Posts: 1,205
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    #12
    Yep, I am knitting a sweater, hat and blanket for a pregnant friend at the moment and its a joy to work with.
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    GetMeOuttaHereGetMeOuttaHere Posts: 17,357
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    #13
    What about crocheting a blanket? Quick and easy to make.
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    claire2281claire2281 Posts: 17,283
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    #14
    Yarn wise, do NOT get anything with a high acrylic content in just because it's cheaper. It scratches like a b*tch! I quite like working with Baby Bamboo myself but it'd be likely too thin for a blanket. Anything with cashmere in is lovely but it's usually aroudn £5 a ball.
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    MissjefMissjef Posts: 2,375
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    #15
    claire2281 wrote: »
    Yarn wise, do NOT get anything with a high acrylic content in just because it's cheaper. It scratches like a b*tch! I quite like working with Baby Bamboo myself but it'd be likely too thin for a blanket. Anything with cashmere in is lovely but it's usually aroudn £5 a ball.

    Thanks for the advice :) think i need a trip to the knitting shop soon!
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    LushnessLushness Posts: 38,170
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    #16
    I can't really offer any advice, but I must get into knitting again, it's quite enjoyable. My colleague makes some fabulous stuff!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 717
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    #17
    James C Brett pure merino is lovely. It's about £3 for 50gms so it's a bit pricey for a full sweater but OK for baby things.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,044
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    #18
    OP register at the site www.ravelry.com. There is so much advice on there, free patterns, etc. You can search on baby blanket and it will bring up tons of suggestions and ideas. You can find one which you will feel comfortable doing. There are lots on there - I've knitted a pet blanket from a pattern posted. Another useful element to it is that if you have a wool in mind, you can type it in and again it will bring up a number of patterns.

    I love that site, very helpful and friendly.

    Good luck :)
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    MissjefMissjef Posts: 2,375
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    #19
    lozza73 wrote: »
    OP register at the site www.ravelry.com. There is so much advice on there, free patterns, etc. You can search on baby blanket and it will bring up tons of suggestions and ideas. You can find one which you will feel comfortable doing. There are lots on there - I've knitted a pet blanket from a pattern posted. Another useful element to it is that if you have a wool in mind, you can type it in and again it will bring up a number of patterns.

    I love that site, very helpful and friendly.

    Good luck :)

    thank you for the link i will definitely check it out!!
    i really hope to become better at knitting, i would love to be able to one day knit those tacky Xmas jumpers! that's my goal!! :D
    I knitted a scarf for a friends birthday as my first project & it turned out surprisingly well, now i just need to learn a bit more!
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    Fibromite59Fibromite59 Posts: 22,518
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    #20
    Over 20 years ago a friend crocheted both a shawl and a baby blanket for my son. They were beautiful and I still have them today. She did them really quickly and said that it was easier and faster to make than knitting blankets and shawls. For the blanket, she did squares of white and then joined them all together with lemon, it looked so pretty.

    I don't know if it is true that crocheting is easier than knitting, but it might be worth you finding out about crocheting and having a go at that.
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    tara27tara27 Posts: 2,115
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    #21
    I do basic crochet too.....very basic LOL. But the results can be gorgeous. You can do one massive big square ,or lots of smaller ones joined together using different colours. You can also knit the squares (if knitting suits you better) then join them all and THEN do a crocheted border to finish it off. Good luck with it.
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    neelianeelia Posts: 24,186
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    #22
    Missjef wrote: »
    thankyou very much, do you know which is the best wool to use? my mum is worried a knitted blanket will be too scratchy for a baby! but i really want to knit one!
    Yes i wasn't sure if there was a special way to knit bigger things or whether you just have to knit with it all bunched up on the needle!

    If you want to knit it all in one price you might be better to use a circular needle. I tend to use them all the time. They will hold many more stitches than pins will, as long as you don't get a short sleeve one :D
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    neelianeelia Posts: 24,186
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    #23
    tara27 wrote: »
    I do basic crochet too.....very basic LOL. But the results can be gorgeous. You can do one massive big square ,or lots of smaller ones joined together using different colours. You can also knit the squares (if knitting suits you better) then join them all and THEN do a crocheted border to finish it off. Good luck with it.

    Or a big square in the centre surrounded by smaller ones:)
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    claire2281claire2281 Posts: 17,283
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    #24
    Fibromite59 wrote: »
    I don't know if it is true that crocheting is easier than knitting, but it might be worth you finding out about crocheting and having a go at that.

    I can do both to a good standard and I wouldn't say one is easier than the other. Some find crochet less fiddly because it has one hook instead of two needles but tbh, they're much the same and the basics of both isn't hard to learn.

    You can find instructions for both here.
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    neelianeelia Posts: 24,186
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    #25
    If you want to learn crotcheting I would advice you to have a look at some youtube vids. If it is films properly you can get a better idea of what to do than you can from a book or even someone teaching showing you as it is hard to get your head in the right place sometimes
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