I love to knit, but usually crochet baby blankets. Since they’re ‘holey’, I tend to double up the yarn (hold 2 strands at once). I’m going to knit a blanket. I bought Bernat ‘Softee Baby’, and am debating whether I want to use it single or double-stranded.
The needle size and pattern affects whether it’s holey or not. The second pattern you listed is supposed to be that way because it’s lacy the other is more solid.
It’s kind of up to you whether you want a thicker fabric or not. Personally I’d rather use worsted instead of double stranding if I want something thicker.
Thanks Jan. I realize that, what I wondered was whether you’d double-strand (or use heavier yarn) for a holey pattern like the feather & fan, since the holes make it less sturdy to begin with. I started a double-stranded swatch of the feather & fan blanket (with some leftover ‘softee baby’) before I went shopping for yarn, and can’t imagine it done in only a single strand.
The heavier weight yarns aren’t always as soft or offer ‘baby’ colours, so I still ended up buying baby yarn today.
I’ve got to think that the ‘baby’ yarns are thin for a reason.
When my son was a young baby my favorite blankets were flimsy knit ones. I loved thin and drapey fabrics because they seemed so much softer and cooler on warm days. They were also easier and more practical to swaddle him in as a newborn. ‘Sturdy’ didn’t matter to me as much as weight and softness. I will say that I set aside the really holey blankets because it drove me nuts when his little fingers and toesies would peek through.
I think the DK weight yarn of the Bernat Softee Baby (which is SO soft, I love it!) would be fine single stranded as long as you don’t mind a lighter blanket. If, however, you want a thicker, warmer blanket you may want to look into chunkier yarn or different patterns.
I think I’d rather have a lighter weight one, too. I don’t think of them as flimsy at all, just soft and drapey…easy to wrap baby in. There are several very, very soft worsted weight yarns now. Caron Simply Soft, Red Heart Soft, and Vanna’s Choice to name a few.
How funny – I’ve made both those patterns for baby gifts in the last year or so. I made them both with single stranded baby yarn and thought they turned out lovely. The Elegantly Simple Baby Blanket is especially pretty. It really is a question of the “weight” of the baby blanket as double stranded turns out much thicker/loftier.
I just finished a pattern (not a baby blanket) in double stranded bernat softee baby, and it was really nice and soft, but I really wouldn’t want that for a baby blanket because it’s really thick and squishy. It would be nice for a play mat on the floor or something, but I wouldn’t want to wrap a baby or covery a baby with it. It’s not drapey. In fact, it gave me the impression of a really soft hotpad because of its thick squishiness. It was perfect for the project I just made with it, and I’m glad I did that because I had thought about doing a blanket like that, but no more. Just my opinion
