Entrelac Baby Blanket in Cascade Pinwheel - W508 - Downloadable PDF

Entrelac Baby Blanket in Cascade Pinwheel – W508 by Cheryl Beckerich

This free downloadable knitting pattern by designer Cheryl Beckerich, published by Cascade Yarns, guides knitters through the creation of a beautiful Entrelac Baby Blanket using the distinctive Cascade Yarns Pinwheel yarn. The finished blanket is offered in two sizes: 27" x 31" for a smaller version and 32" x 36" for a larger one, making it a versatile and thoughtful handmade gift for newborns and infants alike.

About the Entrelac Technique

Entrelac is a captivating knitting technique that produces a woven, basketweave-like fabric made up of individual squares or rectangles of knitting worked at right angles to one another. Rather than knitting back and forth in flat rows across the full width of a piece, entrelac builds the fabric block by block, with each unit picked up from the edge of a neighboring block. The result is a richly textured, diagonal grid that looks impressively complex but is constructed one manageable section at a time. This technique is particularly well-suited to baby blankets, as it creates a fabric with wonderful drape and visual interest.

Skill Level and Suitability

This pattern is rated Intermediate in difficulty. Knitters who are comfortable with basic knit and purl stitches, simple increases and decreases, and picking up stitches along edges will find this pattern approachable and rewarding. It is an excellent project for those looking to learn or practice the entrelac method in a structured, well-supported format.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Cascade Yarns® Pinwheel – 100% Acrylic, 200 g (7.0 oz) per skein, approximately 440 yards (400 m) per skein. The pattern calls for 3 skeins in color #26 (Galaxy).
• Needles: US size 7 and US size 8 circular knitting needles, 30" length, or the size needed to obtain gauge.
• Additional Tools: A yarn needle for finishing.

About Cascade Yarns Pinwheel

Cascade Yarns Pinwheel is a 100% acrylic yarn in the aran weight category, making it soft, durable, and easy to care for — qualities that are especially important in baby items that will need frequent washing. Its generous yardage per skein means three skeins provide ample yarn for either finished size of this blanket. The Galaxy (#26) colorway adds a subtle, multi-tonal visual interest that complements the textured entrelac structure beautifully.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 13 stitches = 4 inches (10 cm) worked with the smaller (US 7) needles in the Entrelac pattern. Achieving correct gauge is important in this project to ensure the finished blanket reaches the intended dimensions.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) – the foundational stitches used throughout the entrelac blocks.
• K2tog (Knit 2 Together) – a right-leaning decrease used to shape and join blocks within the entrelac structure.
• SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit) – a left-leaning decrease that mirrors K2tog for balanced shaping.
• P2tog (Purl 2 Together) – a decrease worked on the purl side, used in joining and shaping entrelac units.
• Psso (Pass Slip Stitch Over) – used in conjunction with slip stitches for additional decrease methods.
• M1 (Make 1 Increase) – worked by lifting the bar between stitches and knitting into the back of it, used to add stitches when beginning new entrelac blocks.
• Cast On (CO) and Bind Off (BO) – standard techniques for beginning and finishing sections of the blanket.