99 Baby Blocks Blanket in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Merino - W829 - Downloadable PDF

99 Baby Blocks Blanket – Free Knitting Pattern by Pamela Van der Meer for Cascade Yarns

The 99 Baby Blocks Blanket is a charming, beginner-friendly knitted blanket pattern designed by Pamela Van der Meer and published by Cascade Yarns as a free downloadable PDF (pattern number W829). The finished blanket measures 33.5 inches wide by 35 inches long, making it an ideal size for a baby or toddler, or as a cozy lap throw. The design features 99 stockinette stitch squares arranged in a classic block layout, set against a warm background of garter stitch — a timeless combination that gives the blanket a clean, textured, and visually appealing look.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single knitted blanket with a bold geometric block design. The surface of the blanket is divided into a grid of 99 individual stockinette "blocks" that appear to float within a field of garter stitch. The interplay between the smooth, slightly raised stockinette squares and the ridged garter stitch background creates a subtle but striking visual texture that works beautifully in a solid colorway. The blanket is worked flat in one piece, from cast-on edge to bind-off, with no seaming required.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting: Despite using a circular needle, the blanket is worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round. The circular needle is used purely to accommodate the large stitch count of 171 stitches.
• Stitch marker placement: Eighteen stitch markers are placed on the very first row, between every 9 stitches, to help organize the block pattern and keep the knitter on track throughout the project.
• Alternating pattern sections: The blanket is constructed by alternating two pattern sections — Section A (garter stitch rows) and Section B (the block rows combining knit and purl stitches). The blanket begins and ends with Section A, resulting in 12 repetitions of Section A and 11 repetitions of Section B.
• Casting on and binding off: A standard long-tail or cable cast-on is appropriate for the 171-stitch foundation row, and a standard bind-off closes the work at the end.
• Weaving in ends: A tapestry needle is used to neatly weave in the yarn ends after binding off.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (K): The foundational stitch used throughout, forming both the garter stitch sections and the right-side rows of the stockinette blocks.
• Purl stitch (P): Used on wrong-side rows within Section B to create the smooth, raised stockinette squares against the garter stitch background.
• Garter stitch: Formed by knitting every row across all 16 rows of each Section A repeat. Garter stitch lies flat naturally and creates a firm, ridged fabric that frames each block.
• Stockinette stitch: Created within the block areas of Section B by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl stitches on the wrong side. The smooth V-shaped surface of stockinette contrasts beautifully with the surrounding garter texture.

The pattern structure for Section B is straightforward: on wrong-side rows, the knitter works K9, *P9, K9, repeat 9 times, slipping markers as they appear. On right-side rows, the entire row is knitted across. Rows 1 and 2 of Section B are repeated five additional times (Rows 3–12) to complete each block section, which measures approximately 1.5 inches in height — the same height as each Section A garter stripe.

Skill Level and Pattern Accessibility

This pattern is rated Easy by Cascade Yarns, making it an excellent project for newer knitters who have mastered the basic knit and purl stitches and are ready to work with stitch markers and a simple repeating pattern. The use of only two stitches — knit and purl — keeps the learning curve gentle, while the structured block layout provides enough visual interest to keep the project engaging from start to finish. A row counter is recommended to help track progress through the alternating sections.