A well-knitted blanket is a perfect companion on a cold night. It keeps you warm and refreshes you after a weary day. As having a blanket is a long-term project, you can knit a well-designed blanket when you have time and inclination.
However, if you want to knit a blanket, you don’t need to be master on every knitting technique rather it is enough how to knit.
Also, knitting a blanket is a big undertaking. So, right planning and tips will bring a beautiful and cozy result for you. Our expert and experienced team have developed this guide to show the techniques on how to knit a beautiful blanket with straight needles (considering you are new in knitting).
Hope, you’ll find your endeavor and time worthwhile after completing the project.
Required Things to Knit a Blanket
- Straight Knitting Needles
- Yarn
- Ruler
- Scissors
How to Knit a Blanket with Straight Needles
Though most people like to use a circular needle for knitting blankets, using a straight needle helps a lot.
Follow the below steps and get a beautifully designed blanket
1. Decide the Size First
Before going to the very next step, decide which size of the blanket you want to knit. Different sizes are available from very small to very large. However, always consider the ideal measurement, no matter which size you choose. Also, consider the width and length of the user’s lap and legs respectively.
For example:
- The final measurement of a small lap blanket will be: 24 inches width and 48 inches length
- The final measurement of a medium lap blanket will be: 30 inches width and 50 inches length
- The final measurement of a large lap blanket will be: 50 inches width and 60 inches length
2. Choose the Knitting Needles
Both the circular and the regular needles are available for knitting a blanket. If you use a straight needle, ensure that the needles are long enough to accommodate the entire width of the blanket. Otherwise, the blanket will be bunched up. Also, if you are a beginner knitter, choosing the straight needle will be the right choice. Also, it is easy to handle a straight needle.
Moreover, each type of yarn requires a specific needle for smooth knitting. For example: a pair of size 10 regular needles is the ideal size for knitting medium weight yarn. Furthermore, if you want to use hefty weight yarn, a pair of size 13 regular needles will be the suggested size.
3. Choose The Yarn of The Blanket
After choosing the needles, you must choose the yarn for knitting a blanket. Maybe it is the primitive step of choosing the needles. A regular medium weight lap blanket requires 5 to 10 regular sized balls of yarns. If you want to make larger sized blanket, you must need more balls of yarns.
However, always try to maintain a standard size blanket, no matter it is small, medium or large and even extra-large.
Also, check the yarn label to determine how many balls you need to complete the project. You can use a single color, a couple of colors or several colors to knit the blanket. The quality of the yarn doesn’t depend on the color.
4. Collect All the Required Supplies
Now, you have finally decided to knit a blanket for you or your beloved ones. So, gather all the required supplied you need to complete the project. The supplies are:
A Pair of regular Needles: A pair of regular needles is the tool for knitting the blanket. Make sure that the needles are long enough to cover the entire width. Also, find plastic needles for weaving the blankets. The plastic needles won’t harm you by dissecting into your finger. The tools are available in the knitting sections of the craft store.
A pair Scissors: A pair of scissors is the must-have tools for knitting a blanket. In fact, it is the most essential tool for any tailoring task. It helps you to cut the yarn and finish the project successfully.
A Knitting Bag: The balls are yarn are prompt to roll over the floor. So, use a knitting bag to keep everything of the knitting project in a place. You don’t need to buy a bag if you have an empty box or bag in the home.
Pattern: If you are interested in following a specific pattern or design for knitting the blanket, you must have a sample for the basic guide. Otherwise, the final result may not seem accurate at the end of the project. However, if you haven’t any particular design or sample, you don’t need a knitting.
5. Cast on the Stitches
After completing the above steps and gathering all the materials, it’s your time to start the project. At first, determine the number of the stitches you need to complete the knitting.
You can determine it by checking the gauge of the yarn or using the yarn labels.
To determine the number of stitches- multiply the gauge by the required dimension. For example: if you want to knit a blanket of 24 inches wide with the gauge of 4 stitches per inch, you need to cast on 96 stitches. However, 96 stitches cast on is perfect for small lap blanket whereas the medium and the large lap blanket need 120 stitches and 160 stitches respectively.
6. Start to Knit the Blanket
As you know how many stitches you need to cast on, start to knit the first row. Always knit all the stitches by using the basic first knit. After completing the basic knit, you can add a different stitch or any embellishment stitch.
Continue the process until you get your desired size. It may take several days or weeks to complete the project. The time depends on your skill and the time you spend on knitting the blanket. Don’t be impatient while knitting the blanket.
7. Complete the Project
It seems tricky to tighten the ending part of the blanket. So, be careful here. After achieving the desiring dimension, stop casting on the stitches. Now, take any loose end of the stitches and weave the loose end. Sew the ends of the blanket to hide them.
This is Autem Decker. Main Author of ‘TheHomeDigs‘. You may not find her on the list of top 10 contemporary Canadian interior designers, but everyone who knows her says she was born to be an interior designer.
She makes her plan in her head and draws them in her years-old diary with a note in the corner. The way she plays with color and shape amazes us.
Connect Her On – Twitter
