Project

Gingham Knit Blanket

Even if your knitting skills max out at scarves, you can make a blanket with quick-to-knit (not even stockinette!) strips: when scarves of alternating stripes are sewn together, they create a gingham pattern. An even smaller version of this would make a great baby blanket.

Photography: Dana Gallagher

Source: Martha Stewart Living, October 2011

Introduction

Note: To avoid shrinkage, dry cleaning is recommended.

(Also pictured: Linen fabric, in Off-White/Oatmeal, graylinelinen.com. Bedside table, chelseatextiles.com. Twin flat sheet, twin fitted sheet, and standard sham, in Cement; and twin blanket, in Ash; areahome.com.)

Don't miss out: for more projects and tips, get Martha's Guide to Knitting—it's the exclusive resource for knitters of all skill levels.

materials

32 hanks each of dark yarn and white yarn (gauge 5 or 6 stitches per inch) (Pictured: Organic cotton yarn, from $12.50 per 65-gram hank, blueskyalpacas.com.)

Knitting needles (size 11 to 13)

Yarn needle

steps

With 3 strands of the dark yarn, cast on 19 stitches. Knit for 32 rows. Switch 1 strand to the white yarn, and knit for 32 rows. Continue alternating until you have a long, narrow strip of 9 squares.
Repeat 6 times, to make 7 total dark-and-medium strips.
Cast on 19 stitches of 2 strands of white and one strand of dark. Knit for 32 rows. Switch to all white, and knit for 32 rows. Continue alternating until you have 9 squares.
Repeat 5 times, to make 6 total white-and-medium strips.
Alternating strip colors, stitch together along the sides.