Striped Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern (Easy, Bulky Yarn Project)
Knit this beginner-friendly striped baby blanket with bulky yarn. A quick and customizable pattern perfect for a handmade baby shower gift.
There’s something special about wrapping a new baby in a handmade blanket. Whether you’re knitting for your own little one or creating a heartfelt gift, this striped baby blanket knitting pattern is the perfect project to start with.
Simple enough for beginners and quick to finish in a weekend, this blanket uses chunky yarn and basic stitches to create a cozy, snuggly finish. Customize the look with your favorite colors: Keep it classic with two bold stripes or make it playful with a mix of shades from your yarn stash.
The garter stitch design works up quickly, making this a go-to pattern for baby showers or last-minute gifts. Best of all, the instructions are straightforward, so you can cast on with confidence and enjoy watching your blanket come together row by row.
Materials for the Striped Baby Blanket (Bulky Yarn)
Before you get started, gather the supplies below. You’ll find a printable copy of the full free pattern at the end of this post for easy reference while you knit.
- 40-inch circular knitting needle, size US 11
- 2 skeins chunky/bulky yarn in color 1
- 2 skeins chunky/bulky yarn in color 2
- Scissors
- Crochet hook (optional, if you’d like to add fringe)
Knitting Techniques Used for the Knitted Striped Baby Blanket
This pattern keeps things simple with just a few basic stitches and shaping techniques. If you’re a beginner don’t worry, these are common skills you’ll use often in many knitting projects.
- Cast on
- Knit
- Purl
- kfb: Knit into the front and back of the stitch
- k2tog: Knit two stitches together
Want to See the Stitches in Action?
If you’d like a visual walk-through of these techniques, here are some quick video tutorials on YouTube to help you get started:
- Beginner Basics (Cast On • Knit • Purl): A warm and easy-to-follow tutorial to get you started.
- Increase with kfb: Learn how to add stitches simply by knitting into the front and back of the same stitch.
- Decrease with k2tog: A clear explanation of how to knit two stitches together to decrease.
How to Knit a Striped Baby Blanket
Follow these simple steps to knit your striped baby blanket. The pattern uses basic stitches and color changes, so once you get into the rhythm it’s very easy to repeat.
Cast On
- With Color 1, cast on 4 stitches onto your circular needles.
Color One
- Row 1: Knit into the front and back of the first stitch (kfb), knit across the row.
- Row 2–4: Repeat Row 1.
- Switch to Color 2. Leave Color 1 hanging at the edge, you’ll carry it up the side of the blanket while working with Color 2.
Color Two
- Row 5: With Color 2, knit into the front and back of the first stitch (kfb), then knit across the row.
- Row 6: Kfb, knit across. Before starting the next row, carry Color 1 up the edge by looping it once around Color 2.
- Row 7: With Color 2, kfb, knit across.
- Row 8: Kfb, knit across.
- Switch back to Color 1, leaving Color 2 hanging at the edge.
- Repeat Rows 1–8 until the long side of the blanket measures about 35 inches, or your desired length.
Start Decrease Rows
Once your blanket is as wide as you’d like, begin decreasing to shape the second half:
- Knit two stitches together (k2tog), then knit to the end of the row.
- Continue repeating this step, decreasing one stitch each row.
- Switch colors every four rows, carrying the unused color up the side as before.
- Work until only 4 stitches remain.
Bind Off
Next you’re going to bind off purlwise. Here is a quick video tutorials on YouTube: How to Bind Off Purlwise.
- Purl the first stitch.
- Purl the next stitch, then lift the first stitch over the second and off the needle.
- Repeat until only one stitch remains.
- Cut the yarn, pull it through the last loop, and tighten to secure.
To Finish
You can leave the blanket as is, or add tassels or fringe along the sides for extra texture and style. Here is a video: Adding Fringe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions that I’ve received over the years about this pattern:
- Is this blanket pattern beginner-friendly? Yes! The blanket uses only basic stitches: knit, purl, kfb (increase), and k2tog (decrease). Once you get comfortable with these, the pattern is very easy to follow.
- Can I knit this blanket with bulky yarn? Yes! This pattern is designed for chunky or bulky yarn, which makes it quick to knit and gives the blanket a soft, cozy feel.
- Can I use a different yarn weight? You can, but the size of the finished blanket will change. If you switch to a lighter or heavier yarn, be sure to adjust your needle size to match.
- How big is the finished blanket? With bulky yarn and the stitch count given, the blanket measures about 35 x 35 inches. You can make it larger or smaller by adjusting how many rows you knit before starting the decreases.
Striped Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern (Easy, Bulky Yarn Project)
Ingredients
Materials for the Knitted Striped Baby Blanket:
- 40 inch circular knitting needle Size US 11
- 2 skeins chunky/bulky yarn in color 1
- 2 skeins chunky/bulky yarn in color 2
- crochet hook (if adding fringe)
- scissors
Instructions
Cast on:
- Starting with whichever color you prefer for color 1, cast on 4 stitches onto your circular needles.
Color one:
- Row 1. Knit into the front and back of the first stitch (kfb), knit across the row.
- Row 2. Repeat
- Row 3. Repeat
- Row 4. Repeat
- Time to change to your second color yarn. You can leave the first color dangling on the edge, no need to cut and tie the yarn. You'll be carrying this strand of yarn up the side of the blanket while you work color 2, then you'll return to it when you're finished.
Color two:
- Row 5. With color two knit into the front and back of the first stitch, then knit across the row.
- Row 6. Kfb of the stitch, knit across, and return to your strand from color one. Carry that first strand up the edge of the blanket by looping it tightly around color two, then...
- Row 7. Continuing with color two, Kfb of the stitch and knit across.
- Row 8. Kfb of the stitch and knit across
- Return back to knitting with color one, this time leaving color two to dangle on the edge and carrying it up the side of the blanket.
- Repeat these 8 rows over and over again until the long side of the blanket measures 35 inches, or however long you'd like for the blanket to be.
Start decrease rows:
- When you reach the halfway point and your blanket is as wide as you’d like for it to be, you're ready to start decreasing. You'll be taking away one stitch for every row until the blanket only has four stitches left.
- To decrease simply…Knit two stitches together (k2tog), knit to the end of the row.
- Repeat this step over and over again, making sure to switch colors every four rows and carry the unused color up the side of the blanket.
Bind off:
- Next you’re going to bind off purlwise.Â
- Step 1: Purl one
- Step 2: Purl the next stitch
- Step 3: Use your knitting needle to lift the first purled stitch up and over the second and slide it off the needle.
- Repeat steps two and three until only one stitch remains, cut the yarn, thread it through the loop and pull.
To finish:
- To finish the blanket you have two options. You can leave it as is, and it does look great this way, or if you want to finish it like I did, you can add tassels/fringe to the sides.
Final Stitches: A Bulky Yarn Baby Blanket Pattern You’ll Love
This striped baby blanket knitting pattern is quick, cozy, and perfect for beginners. With just a few simple stitches and chunky yarn, you can create a handmade gift that’s both practical and heartfelt. Whether you stick with two classic colors or mix in extra stripes from your yarn stash, each blanket will be one-of-a-kind.
If you enjoyed this project, be sure to explore more ideas in our Crafts section for patterns, DIY inspiration, and creative projects you can make at home.
I’d love to hear from you! If you try this pattern, let me know in the comments how your blanket turned out and who you made it for.
This post was originally published on July 2, 2018 and updated on September 6, 2025 with clearer instructions.
