Knit Swaddle Blanket

Dragonfly turned 3 recently, so I've been knitting wildly to make gift for her.  She got a newborn-size baby doll from a relative, so I thought I'd knit her a swaddle blanket.  I don't write a lot of knitting patterns and I tend to be a "process" knitter so hopefully you can follow along with these directions.


Using 1 skein of yarn, cast on 13 stitches on an appropriately sized set of needles (I chose Caron's Simply Soft and size 8 needles).  Begin an increasing pattern as follows:

Row 1: K across
Row 2: PK into the first stitch (increase 1) K5, P1, K6
Row 3: PK into the first stitch, K remaining stitches across
Row 4: PK into the first stitch, K5, P3, K5
Row 5: PK into the first stitch, K remaining stitches across

Continue pattern until piece measures the width of the dolls body plus about one inch.  For me, that was 40 stitches.

Knit the border and main body pattern for about 8 to 10 inches without increasing.  This makes the bottom flap for the wrap.

After the bottom flap is completed, begin the increase pattern again, bringing the number of stitches up to double the amount on the needles before (so mine was 80 stitches because I started out with 40).

Next, determine how wide you want you swaddle wraps to be (the side pieces) and cast on additional stitches at the beginning of each row.  I chose to add 20 stitches to one side and 30 to another.  Knit in garter stitch for 6 rows then continue border and main body pattern (garter stitch for 6 stitches in each end and stocking stitch on the main body).  Decide when to cast off and do it (mine is about 4" wide.  You can chose to add a buttonhole and button on the flaps or leave them plain.

Well, there you go.  Happy knitting.

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