Beehive Baby Blanket
With a niece on the way my thoughts have been turning to baby things. A stroller blanket is a nice sized project – not too ambitious but enough to keep you busy. And the Beehive Baby Blanket is a great pattern – a little bit of detailing in between some easy knitting, and some colour changes and contrasts to make it interesting. We’ve created three different colourways but you could easily mix it up yourself. If you’re wondering where the name came from I can tell you. The basic stitches form a honeycomb-like pattern on the knit fabric. And I thought the bobbles would create an interesting texture and could represent the bees crawling around the honeycomb. I hope you’ll enjoy knitting it.
MATERIALS:
5 x 50g Cowgirlblues Merino Twist
2 x 100g Cowgirlblues Merino DK
3.5mm cable knitting needle
4 stitch markers for the edging
COLOUR PALETTES:
Red&Pink: we used Faded Rose, Lipstick, Hot Pink, Ruby Grapefruit, Chilli Pepper in Merino Twist and Signs of Spring in Merino DK
Blue&Green: we used Airforce, Sage, Seagrass, Rainforest, Celadon in Merino Twist and 9 to 5 in Merino DK
Neutral: we used Mushroom, Sage, Natural, Silver Fox, Camel in Merino Twist and Under Pressure in Merino DK
SIZE:
~75cm wide by ~90cm long this is designed to be a stroller blanket
GAUGE:
Knit a 10x10cm sample in stocking stitch
~22 stitches and 40 rows = 10cm
ABBREVIATIONS:
Garter stitch: knit every row
Stocking stitch: knit one row, purl the next
K: knit
K2tog: knit the next two stitches together
MC: Main Colour
CC: Contrast Colour
PM: Place marker
Sl: slip the next stitch as if to purl
St: stitch
Tbl:through back of loop
KNITTING INSTRUCTIONS
The blanket is worked in a combination of garter stitch and stocking stitch. The Merino DK variegated yarn (MC) is always worked in garter stitch. The Merino Twist yarn (CC1-5) is worked in bands of alternating colours. The garter stitch edging is worked at the very end. You pick up the stitches all the way around and then work 8 rounds making increases to shape the corners.
Getting started
Using Merino DK (MC) and CC1 cast on 130 st using a provisional cast-on then knit two rows in garter stitch.
[You will use the live stitches at the end when you pick up all the edge stitches to knit the border]
To work the pattern continue as follows:
Change to CC1 for the next 6 rows
R1: (K9, Sl1), repeat to last 9 st, K9
R2: (P9, Sl1), repeat to last 9 st, P9
Carry the MC yarn up the side of your work as you go
R3 to 6: Repeat Rows 1 and 2
Switch to MC for rows 7 and 8
R7: (K9, Make a bobble), repeat to last 9 st, K9
R8: Knit
Change to CC1
R9: K4, (Sl1, K9) Repeat to end
R10: P4, (Sl1, P9) Repeat to end
R11 to 14: Repeat rows 10 and 11
Switch to MC for rows 15 and 16
Row 15: K4, (Make a bobble, K9), Repeat to end
R16: Knit
These 2 sets of 8 rows form the basic pattern that you will repeat throughout the blanket to create the honeycomb like pattern.The MC continues all the way through. The contrast colours are worked in bands of 9 x 8-row repeats using the colour progression as per the Colour Palettes above.
To make the Bobble Stitch:
Knit the bobble stitch into the MC slipped stitch as you knit it into the next garter stitch row. (Row 7 or 15)
Knit into the front of the stitch, keeping the stitch on the left needle.
Bring your yarn to the front as if to purl and purl into the same stitch, still keeping the stitch on the left needle
Take the yarn to the back and Knit into the same stitch again, followed by a purl.
Knit and purl into this same stitch one more time and on the last purl take the stitch off the left needle.
You should have an additional 5st on the right needle.
Now on the right needle lift the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th stitches over the first stitch and you’re back to your original stitch count and have made the bobble.
When you get to the end of the colour stripe sections you should finish with a “no bobbles” 2 rows of garter stitch in Merino DK.
To make the edging:
With the right side of the blanket facing you knit 1 row and at the end PM
At the end of the row turn the blanket on its side and pick up and knit one stitch down the long edge for every two rows knit, at the end PM
At the short edge slip knit the stitches from your provisional cast-on, PM at the end.
Pick up the stitches down the other long edge and PM.
You should now have 4 markers and A LOT of stitches.
Knit around the blanket for 10 rounds (or to make the band as wide as you choose) and work increases at each corner as follows:
Knit to 1st before the marker, M1R, K1, SM, K2, M1L
Cast off all stitches
FINISH:
Cut the yarn and draw through the remaining stitch.
Weave in your ends if needed, handwash gently and dry flat, shaping as required.
A gentle press with a steam iron is a great way to finish this piece. Don’t apply too much pressure as you’ll flatten the yarn completely and it’s easy to burn it. And make sure your iron is steaming. The steam and a light pressure sets the stitches beautifully.
Happy knitting!
