Make Your Own Heirloom Baby Blanket

This cotton baby blanket is perfect for snuggling.

Frequent PieceWork contributor Carol Rhoades often uses the Knitting Series from Weldon’s Practical Needlework for her inspiration.

The nineteenth-century Weldon’s Practical Knitter series provides endless inspiration for me. When I was looking for a cotton project, the Knitted Design for Counterpane in the First Series and republished in Volume 1 of Weldon’s Practical Needlework caught my eye immediately. The lace pattern has a woven look to it and just the right amount of variation from row to row to keep it interesting but also easy to knit. The original pattern does not specify any yarn or needle size, although most counterpanes are knitted with fine cotton yarn. As with many vintage patterns, this one had some obvious errors, and it was unclear how to finish the repeat at the end of each row. When I charted the design, the errors stood out and were easy to fix.

If you want to make a larger- or smaller-size blanket, note that each 12-stitch/24-row repeat of the motif uses about 6 grams (0.2 oz) of yarn. The pattern introduction in Weldon’s Practical Knitter suggests making individual squares or stripes in various contrasting colors and using the motif for projects other than a counterpane. I immediately thought of a baby blanket for a soon-to-be-born granddaughter of some longtime friends.

Thanks, Carol!