Yarn for baby blanket?

General Knitting
1

I’m an “advanced beginner” knitter and brand-new to this forum, and hoping to get a little yarn advice! I just found out I’m getting my first niece or nephew. I have a pattern for a big, cozy baby blanket from the first Stitch & Bitch book I’ve made before, but last time made it out of acrylic (Lion Jiffy) because it was so much cheaper. I think I can spend a little more on this one! The pattern is mostly stockinette stitch with seed stitch border, knit with two strands of yarn throughout. I’m looking for something…

  • not terribly expensive (this blanket takes a lot of yarn!)
  • soft
  • easy to care for (I’m thinking the last thing my sister-in-law will want to do is hand wash a baby blanket)
  • comes in non-pastel-y colors

Am I dreaming? Thank you so much for any advice! I live in Nashville and know of two yarn shops around (plus Michael’s and JoAnn), but could order online as well.

2

Let’s see… Plymouth Encore comes in lots of pretty colors and is very easy care! Each skein has 200 yds, too!

http://www.plymouthyarn.com/index.php?nav=cYarn.yarnDetail&yarnid=000055&searchcollection=000005

3

Mcro-Spun!

I made a baby blanket last year, using two strands of Micro-Spun…and it turned out magnifico! It is warm, soft, squishy and washable! And, micro-spun comes in lots of non-babyish colors! MICROSPUN AT JOANN’S

4

Thanks so much to you both! I’ll definitely check out both of those. I had thought about staying away from acrylic just because the last one had some spots that got kind of “worn” as I worked it, for lack of a better word, and didn’t look great - but maybe that was just that line? Still learning about all this!

5

Wow, that blanket is beautiful. How many skeins did you use, ArtLady?

6

Well it’s not inexpensive but I am finsihing up a blanket with Debbie Bliss Baby Casmerino and I AM IN LOVE. It is so soft an wonderful AND machine washable. I purchased the yarn on ebay for $3.50 a skein.

7

I just finished a baby blanket using Red Heart Soft and it feels wonderful. It also washed up nicely too and has lots of colors to choose from.

8

Hoo boy! I can’t remember! :eyes: That was pre-Ravelry days! (Before I had to make note!)

I had a boatload of the yarn! I posted about the blanket in last year’s Year of the Stash 2007. Maybe I can find it somewheres.

I can’t believe it! I found it! HERE on page 4/post 40/Year of the Stash 2007!

I used 16 skeins it says! Take a peek!

On the next page of the thread, page 41, I was asked to share the pattern…so here is a copy/paste of that post:

My Microspun double-stranded baby blanket pattern is 46" x 46" on 10.5 needles:

Cast on 150 St.

[COLOR=red]Border Rows 1-10: Knit to end of each row. [/COLOR] [COLOR=red]This creates the bottom garter stitch border.[/COLOR]

After the Garter Stitch Border…

[COLOR=blue]Begin the basketweave pattern as follows:[/COLOR]

[COLOR=blue]Row 1 (RS) and all odd numbered rows: Knit across to end of row

Rows 2, 4, 6, 8 (WS): K5 *K5, P5…repeat from * across…then end row w/ K5.

Rows 10, 12, 14, 16 (WS): K5, *P5, K5…repeat from * across…end row w/ K5.

Repeat Rows 1-16 til 2" shy of desired length.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]
End with a repeat of Border Rows 1-10 for the top garter stitch border.[/COLOR]

FYI: Word to the wise: Place stitch markers every 5 stitches! The “working pattern” rows are done from the WS…you can’t easily see what should be what. It is easy to get carried away and/or distracted when knitting the K5 P5 sequence from the WS! :pout: