Apus - Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern For Babies in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Super Bulky by Valley Yarns

Apus Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman for Valley Yarns

The Apus is a beautifully textured baby blanket knitting pattern designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. Worked entirely in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Super Bulky, this pattern produces a cozy, durable piece that is equally suited as a baby playmat or scaled up into a full-sized afghan. The design is notable for combining simple cable crossings with knit/purl texture work to create a surprisingly rich and dimensional surface — making it an excellent project for knitters ready to move beyond the basics.

What Is Being Made

The pattern offers two size options:

• Baby Playmat: Finished measurements of 34¾" wide x 39" long — a generous size for tummy time, pram use, or crib layering.
• Afghan: Finished measurements of 48" wide x 69" long — a full-sized throw suitable for older children or adults.

Both versions are worked as a single flat piece, making construction straightforward despite the intermediate-level stitch patterning involved.

Techniques Used

• Worked flat (back and forth in rows) — the entire blanket is knitted in one piece from cast-on to bind-off, with no seaming required.
• Long-Tail Cast-On — the pattern specifies this method for a neat, elastic starting edge.
• Cables — simple cable crossings are worked using a cable needle, creating the central textural motif of the design. The cables shift position across the fabric, requiring stitch markers to be moved periodically to track the pattern repeat accurately.
• Garter stitch borders — the side edges are framed in garter stitch (knit every row) for a tidy, non-curling border.
• Reverse stockinette background — a narrow field of reverse stockinette surrounds the cable panel on all four sides, making the cables pop visually against the background texture.
• Make 1 (M1) increases — used in the setup rows to adjust stitch count before beginning the cable pattern.
• Stitch marker placement and movement — markers are placed at the beginning of each cable repeat and must be repositioned on certain rows to accommodate the shifting cable cross, an important intermediate-level skill this pattern helps develop.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch — used for the top, bottom, and side borders to create a stable, flat frame.
• Stockinette stitch — referenced in gauge and used structurally within the design.
• Reverse stockinette stitch — forms the background panel that frames the cables on all sides.
• Cable pattern — the signature stitch of the blanket, producing the rich, raised texture that defines the Apus design.

Materials

• Yarn: Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Super Bulky — 100% Extra Fine Superwash Merino Wool, 100g / 55 yards per ball. Color used in the pattern is 019 White. The superwash treatment means the finished blanket is machine washable, making it highly practical for baby and family use. You will need 14 balls for the Baby Playmat size or 38 balls for the full Afghan size.
• Needles: US 11 (8 mm) straight or circular needles, or the size needed to achieve gauge.
• Other materials: Stitch markers, a cable needle, and a large tapestry needle for finishing.

Gauge

• 13 stitches and 16 rows = 4" in Cable pattern, blocked.
• 10 stitches and 16 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch, blocked.

Blocking is recommended to open up the texture and achieve the stated finished dimensions. Because Valley Yarns Valley Sup