Country Cousins Blanket - Red Barn Colorway in Lion Brand Homespun - 60160-1

Lion Brand Homespun Country Cousins Blanket – Red Barn Colorway (Pattern 60160-1)

The Lion Brand Homespun Country Cousins Blanket in the Red Barn Colorway is a free, beginner-friendly knitting pattern that produces a warm, cozy 30 x 30 inch (76 x 76 cm) square blanket or throw. The finished piece is constructed by knitting individual squares separately and then joining them together, making it an ideal project for new knitters who want to build confidence with a simple, repetitive technique while creating something beautiful and functional.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a modular knitted blanket composed of multiple individual squares sewn or joined together into a finished throw. The square-by-square construction method is a classic approach in both knitting and quilting traditions, allowing knitters to work in manageable sections rather than tackling a large piece all at once. The Red Barn Colorway uses a warm, inviting palette drawn from the three specified yarn colors, giving the finished blanket a charming, rustic, country-inspired aesthetic that suits home décor and gifting alike.

Techniques Used

• Modular / block construction: Each square is knitted individually, then all pieces are assembled into the final blanket. This method is beginner-friendly because each unit is small and quick to complete.
• Casting on: Each square begins with a standard cast-on of 32 stitches, a foundational knitting skill practiced repeatedly throughout the project.
• Binding off: Each square is finished with a standard bind-off after the required number of rows are complete.
• Seaming and finishing: A Large-Eye Blunt Needle is used to join the completed squares together and weave in ends, making neat finishing an important part of the overall construction.
• Gauge checking: The pattern specifies a gauge of 13 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in Garter stitch, and knitters are encouraged to check their gauge before beginning to ensure accurate sizing.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch: The entire blanket is worked in Garter stitch, which is achieved by knitting every row on straight needles. Garter stitch is one of the most beginner-accessible stitch patterns in knitting — it requires only the knit stitch, produces a squishy, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges, and lies flat without curling at the edges, making it especially well-suited for blankets and throws.

Each individual square is worked over 62 rows (31 ridges) of Garter stitch after casting on 32 stitches, creating a neat, uniform block that combines with the other squares to form the finished blanket.

Materials

• Lion Brand Homespun® – Boston Rose (Color 790-371): 2 skeins — Color A
• Lion Brand Homespun® – Coral Gables (Color 790-370): 2 skeins — Color B
• Lion Brand Homespun® – Deco (Color 790-309): 1 skein — Color C
• Lion Brand Knitting Needles – Size 10 (6 mm): straight needles appropriate for the bulky, textured Homespun yarn
• Large-Eye Blunt Needles (Set of 6): used for seaming squares together and weaving in yarn ends

Lion Brand Homespun® is a well-known bulky-weight yarn celebrated for its soft, textured, fabric-like construction. It knits up quickly on larger needles, making it a popular choice for blankets, throws, and home accessories. Its cozy drape and warmth are perfectly suited to a project like this Country Cousins Blanket.

Skill Level and Sizing

This pattern is rated Beginner and is available as a free downloadable PDF from Lion Brand Yarn. It is offered in one size only, producing a finished blanket measuring 30 x 30 inches (76 x 76 cm)