Heyyyy there cutie! Want to learn how to knit an adorable modern baby blanket that also happens to be quick and easy? Well, let us show you how! 

If you know how to do the basic knit stitch, you can make this blanket. Really you can! In this blog post, we're going to take you through the whole process step by step, and even teach you how to do the (very easy) increases and decreases you'll need for this pattern.

This is what we'll be making: the Fruit Stripe knitted baby blanket pattern, designed by Brett Bara and FREE on our web site right here! We love this blanket because it is SO easy to stitch once you get started. Almost every row is made in the exact same way, so once you understand the process, you can just relax and crank away.

Knit on the diagonal, the work begins in one corner, and easy increases and decreases create the shaping. The body of the blanket is done in simple garter stitch (knit every row). Easy color blocking creates interest and is a fun way to play with color and personalize this design.

This is great lil' blanket for newborns that is guaranteed to become a beloved favorite, and can stay with any kiddo through the toddler years and beyond. (And come on, wouldn't you love to be the person to knit a baby their favorite blanket?! What's better than that?)

Okay let's get this blanket party started!

What You'll Need

• 4 Balls Cascade 220 Superwash Yarn (100% Superwash Wool; 100 grams/2.5 oz; 220 yards / 200 meters) in any four colors (CLICK HERE TO BUY). Colors used in our sample:

• Size 6 24” circular needles 
• Scissors
• Yarn Needle
• Free pattern

Required Skills

To follow this tutorial, you'll need to know how to cast on, do the knit stitch, and cast off. We'll teach you all the other necessary skills below! 

INSTRUCTIONS

Note: Below we will walk you through all the steps of making this project, but to actually knit the blanket you will need the full pattern for all the details. You can download the free, complete pattern for this blanket by clicking here.

FIRST HALF: INCREASING

(Remember, download the pattern and use it side-by-side with this blog post to get all the details you need, like stitch counts and measurements.)

To begin: cast on two stitches.

Knit the first stitch.

Next, you will make an increase by knitting into the front and the back of the next stitch (this is abbreviated as KFB in patterns). What this means is you'll turn one stitch into two, essentially by knitting it twice.

Here's how it works: first, insert your needle as you normally would and knit one stitch, but do not slip that stitch off the left needle. Leave it there and as you move on to the next step. 

Now, with the stitch you just knit still on the left needle, pivot your right needle around and insert it into the back of the loop on the left needle. Knit one stitch through the back loop, then slip it off the left needle.

And voila! You will now have three stitches on your right needle! 

Now it's time to knit the next row, and great news -- every single row will be exactly like this one, for the entire first half of the blanket! So once you figure out this row, it's smooth sailing. Here's what you do: first, knit two stitches (above).

Next, do a yarn over. What that means is: normally you hold the yarn behind your needle as you're knitting. To yarn over, you simply move the yarn between the two needles and wrap it from the front to the back of the right needle before knitting the next stitch. That's it! Super simple. 

Then you'll knit the next stitch as you normally would. The "wrap" of the yarn over both creates an increase -- the wrap serves as a new stitch -- and as a decorative hole in your knitting, which is used in patterns to make a lacy, open look. In the photo above, the yarn over is the second loop from the left.

After this, you will knit every stitch to the end of the row. There aren't very many stitches in the row right now, but as you continue to increase one stitch on every row, the width of the rows will grow, and the piece will take a triangle shape. 

And here's how it will look after you knit several rows! See the little holes on the sides created by the yarn overs?

You'll continue in this way until the piece measures 36" across. Then it's time to decrease, and create the second half of the blanket!


SECOND HALF: DECREASING

Note: I'm demonstrating on a mini sample here -- but in the real blanket, your piece would be quite large at this point (half of the blanket)!

Here's what you do: first, knit one stitch.

Now, you'll knit two stitches together (abbreviated as K2TOG). This is a decrease that simply turns two stitches into one, and it's pretty easy to do. Just insert your right needle into the next two loops on the left needle, instead of into just one loop as you normally would, and knit a stitch.

Complete the knitted stitch as you normally would, and here's how it will look. You'll have two loops on the right needle.

Next, you'll do a yarn over. This is important to include because it will continue the eyelet border around the entire blanket!

The next step is to knit two together again.

Next, you will just knit every stitch to the end of the row. And that's it -- every single row from here on out is worked just like this! So easy, right?!

Here's how things will start to look (above, on my mini sample) -- the blanket will now get smaller on every row, in a mirror image of the first half.

The last step is that you'll continue until there are only three stitches left on the needle, and then cast off.

THAT'S IT!

And that's it, you're done! Isn't that easy?! 

If you want to follow along and knit up your own blanket, scroll down to browse the required yarn, and click here to download the free pattern.

If you make this project, please take photos and tag us @brooklyncraftcompany #brooklyncraftcompany. It totally makes our day to see what you create from our designs!

Happy knitting!!