Newbie - blanket question

#1

I’ve just starting learning to knit, and my first attempt at a project is a baby blanket. I’ve tried to find an easy free pattern on ravelry and came across the diagonal baby blanket (from Joann’s). However, I am already confused with the directions! I guess I am not good at reading knitting shorthand yet. These are the directions:
1 cast on 5 sts. —ok so is this really only 5 stitches??
2 row 1:knit.
3 row 2: k 3, yo, k 2.
4 row 3: k 3, yo, k 3.
5 row 4: k 3, yo, k to end of row.
6 repeat last row until you have 207 sts on needle.
7 next (decrease) row: k 2 k2 tog, yo, k2 tog, k to end of row
8 repeat last row until 5 sts remain. bind off.

If I do what I think it says, which is knit 5 stitches in the beginning how in the world do I get 207 stiches on my needles by step 6?

Also, if there is an easier baby blanket pattern that takes 1 skein of yarn please let me know! This is just the pattern that I ended up choosing but if anyone has another suggestion that would be great.
I’m just sick of practice knitting and not really accomplishing anything. Thanks!

#2

I’m not sure any blanket will take only one skein unless it’s a really big skein.

The diagonal baby blanket is really very easy. A YO (yarn over) is an increases so you are increasing one stitch on each row at the beginning. That’s how you get up to 207. Here’s another pattern that is almost identical. It says if you use Lion Brand Pound of Love it only uses the one skein.

#3

If I do what I think it says, which is knit 5 stitches in the beginning how in the world do I get 207 stiches on my needles by step 6?

You’re repeating Row 5 which has a YO in it and that increases a stitch on each row. How many yards does your skein have in it? You need one that has at least 300 to make a med size baby blanket, and that’s if it’s a medium thick yarn and you do it on size 10 or 11 needles.

#4

if you’re still new to knitting and the yarn overs are confusing you, you could try a pattern that doesnt involve them. I used this pattern for my first project ever and it came out great, also I used the 1 of the Pound of Love yarn and still had plenty left over afterwards

#5

Well, she could try another increase instead of the YOs, like a kfb or M1.

#6

ok, I think I just misread step 6. for some reason i had no idea how i was going to get to 207 stitches, but now i understand. :slight_smile: i do have 2 skeins of lion brand baby jaquards…i just didn’t want to end up using like 4! :slight_smile:

#7

Knit the increase rows until you use up 1 skein, then start the decrease rows.