633 Aprilis Baby Blanket - Knitting Pattern for Babies in Valley Yarns Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK

633 Aprilis Baby Blanket – Knitting Pattern by Kirsten Hipsky in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK

The Aprilis Baby Blanket is a beautifully crafted knitted baby blanket designed by Kirsten Hipsky and published by Valley Yarns. Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a square blanket in three generous sizes — 28, 32, or 36 inches square — making it a versatile and thoughtful handmade gift for a new baby. The pattern is shown in the 28-inch size, which is an ideal lap or stroller blanket size for infants.

What sets this blanket apart is its graceful, botanically-inspired eyelet stitch pattern with a subtle hint of texture. The lace motif is elegant yet understated, giving the finished piece a delicate, heirloom quality that is perfectly suited to baby knitting. Notably, the Aprilis Baby Blanket is designed to coordinate with the Aprilis Baby Cardigan, making the two a natural pairing for a cohesive handknitted baby set.

Construction and Techniques

The blanket is worked flat (back and forth in rows) on 32-inch US size 4 (3.50mm) circular needles, which comfortably accommodate the large stitch count without the need for seaming. The construction is seamless — stitches are cast on and worked straight through to the bind-off, with no sewing required beyond weaving in the loose ends. Blocking is recommended to open up the lace and even out the fabric.

The stitch pattern is worked over a 28-row repeat, which is then worked a set number of times depending on the chosen size — 7, 8, or 9 full repeats — followed by one final partial repeat of Rows 1–22. The stitch counts at cast-on are 171, 195, or 219 stitches for the three respective sizes.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Lace knitting — the primary decorative technique, creating an open, airy eyelet fabric through the strategic placement of yarn overs and decreases
• Yarn overs (yo) — used to create the characteristic eyelets and to add stitches in the lace pattern
• ssk (slip, slip, knit) — a left-leaning decrease worked by slipping two stitches knitwise and knitting them together through the back loops
• k2tog (knit two together) — a right-leaning decrease that pairs with the ssk to create the symmetrical lace motifs
• Knit and purl stitches — used in combination to build the textured fabric and define the lace columns
• Worked flat — right-side and wrong-side rows are both specified; wrong-side rows follow a simple rule of knitting the knit stitches, purling the purl stitches, and purling the yarn overs

Lace Pattern Detail

The 28-row lace repeat features two mirrored halves. In the first half (Rows 1–14), the lace motif shifts the yarn overs progressively outward across the knit columns, creating a graceful diagonal movement. In the second half (Rows 15–28), the motif reverses direction, producing a symmetrical, leaf-like or petal-like visual effect. Rows 9, 11, 13 and Rows 23, 25, 27 repeat the base lace row, adding rhythm and stability to the pattern. This structure makes the repeat logical and relatively easy to memorize once the knitter is familiar with the motif.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK — 100% Extrafine Merino Superwash, 50g/137 yards per skein
• Color shown: Wild Rose
• Yarn quantity: 6 skeins for the 28" size, 8 skeins for the 32" size, 10 skeins for the 36" size
• Needles: US size 4