Entrelac Baby Blanket

Entrelac Baby Blanket by Julie Taylor

Project Overview

The Entrelac Baby Blanket is a downloadable knitting pattern designed by Julie Taylor for creating a soft, cosy baby blanket using the entrelac technique. This intermediate-level project produces a distinctive basket weave effect that is both visually striking and tactilely appealing. The finished blanket is described as squishy and cosy, making it an ideal gift for newborns and infants.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a baby blanket featuring an entrelac construction. The entrelac technique produces interlocking blocks that form a basket weave appearance, resulting in a blanket with dimensional texture and visual interest. The blanket is sized and designed specifically for babies, making it a practical and decorative nursery item.

Entrelac Technique Explained

Entrelac is an advanced knitting technique that creates a woven appearance through a series of interlocking blocks. Rather than working in traditional rows, entrelac involves knitting small rectangular sections that are picked up and worked perpendicular to the previous rows. This creates the characteristic basket weave effect where blocks appear to weave over and under one another. The technique requires careful attention to picking up stitches and managing yarn tension, but once mastered, it can be applied to various projects beyond blankets.

Stitches and Techniques

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with the entrelac construction method. The technique involves:

• Knit stitches as the primary stitch throughout the pattern
• Picking up stitches along edges of completed blocks to create the interlocking effect
• Working short rows or sections to build the dimensional basket weave structure
• Color changes to enhance the visual impact of the entrelac blocks

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Entrelac Baby Blanket is worked in double knit (DK) weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that provides good stitch definition while remaining soft and drape-able for a baby blanket. The pattern specifies the following yarn quantities:

• 100 grams / 232 metres / 252 yards in Colour A
• 100 grams / 232 metres / 252 yards in Colour B
• 170 grams in an additional colour (quantity continues in original pattern)

The designer used Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk in the following colorways: Pebble (006), Cuddle (002), Gooseberry (004), and Vanilla (003). However, any double knit yarn with equivalent yardage will work for this pattern. When substituting yarns, it is essential to verify that your chosen yarn has the same metres or yards as specified in the materials list to ensure proper blanket sizing and proportions.

Skill Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic knitting techniques and are ready to tackle more complex stitch patterns. The entrelac technique requires understanding how to pick up stitches and manage multiple directional changes, but the pattern includes a photo tutorial to guide knitters through the process. Once the entrelac technique is learned, knitters can apply this skill to other projects such as scarves, cowls, and cushion covers.

Pattern Format and Use

This is a downloadable PDF pattern from Love Fibres, created by independent designer Julie Taylor. The pattern is intended for personal use only and includes photographic tutorials to help knitters understand and execute the entrelac technique successfully.