Zigzag Stripes Baby Blanket

Zigzag Stripes Baby Blanket by Aunt Janet's Designs

Project Overview

The Zigzag Stripes Baby Blanket is a beginner-friendly knitting project designed by Janet Jameson. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a cozy, cushioned baby blanket featuring dynamic zigzag stripe detailing. The blanket is worked with yarn held double throughout, combining two strands simultaneously to achieve both thickness and faster completion time.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a complete baby blanket with a structured design. The blanket features a garter stitch border at the bottom, followed by repeating rows of zigzag stitch patterns alternating with solid knit sections. The finished piece measures approximately 96 stitches across and extends through 150 rows, creating a substantial, durable blanket suitable for infants.

Craft and Technique

This is a knitting project appropriate for beginners. The double-strand yarn technique is a key feature—you'll hold two strands of yarn together throughout the entire blanket. This approach creates a thicker, more cushioned fabric while simultaneously reducing the overall knitting time compared to working with single strands. The pattern alternates between simple stockinette sections and decorative zigzag rows, making it an excellent project for developing fundamental knitting skills.

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch (K across): Used for the bottom border and solid color sections, creating a textured, reversible fabric
• Knit (K): The foundational stitch throughout the blanket
• Purl (P): Used in alternating rows to create the stockinette base for zigzag sections
• Slip, Slip, Knit (SSK): A left-leaning decrease used in the zigzag pattern rows
• Knit Front and Back (KFB): An increase stitch creating the raised portions of the zigzag design
• Knit Two Together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease completing the zigzag stitch sequence

Materials and Tools

The Zigzag Stripes Baby Blanket requires worsted weight yarn (also referred to as aran weight in the pattern attributes), totaling approximately 28 ounces—14 ounces in each of two colors. The pattern is flexible regarding color choices: you can work with any two-color combination, use a single solid color throughout, or combine one solid color with one variegated yarn for visual interest.

Essential tools include Size 11 (8.0mm) knitting needles and a yarn needle for weaving in ends. The pattern specifies a gauge of approximately 13 stitches and 16 rows per 4 inches, which helps ensure the blanket reaches the intended finished dimensions.

Pattern Structure

The blanket begins with casting on 96 stitches and establishing a 6-row garter stitch border in the first color (tan or off-white). The main pattern then repeats an 8-row sequence seventeen times: alternating between zigzag decrease and increase rows worked in the second color, and solid garter stitch rows in the first color. This repetition creates the characteristic horizontal striping effect while the zigzag stitches add textural depth and visual movement to the finished blanket.