Lion Blanket in Cascade Yarns Pacific Chunky - C339 - Downloadable PDF

Lion Blanket in Cascade Yarns Pacific Chunky – Pattern C339 by Amy Bahrt

This charming Lion Blanket is a knitted baby and children's throw designed by Amy Bahrt and published by Cascade Yarns as a free downloadable PDF pattern (C339). Finished at 29" x 34" in a single size, it makes a cozy and playful statement piece suitable for a nursery, child's bedroom, or as a gift. The blanket features an intarsia-style lion motif worked across the body of the throw, complete with an embroidered face and button eyes, giving it a whimsical, three-dimensional character. The skill level is rated intermediate, making it an ideal project for knitters who are comfortable with colorwork, chart reading, and basic finishing techniques.

What Is Being Made

The finished object is a rectangular knitted blanket measuring 29 inches wide by 34 inches tall, designed for children. The blanket incorporates a large lion face and body motif worked in multiple colors, with decorative details added during finishing. It falls into both the Kids/Blankets and Home Décor/Blankets categories, making it versatile as both a functional throw and a decorative accent.

Materials Used

The pattern calls for Cascade Yarns Pacific Chunky, a 60% Acrylic / 40% Superwash Merino Wool blend, sold in 100 g (3.5 oz) skeins with approximately 120 yards (110 m) each. The chunky weight ensures the blanket works up quickly while remaining soft and washable — an important quality for children's items. Four colors are used:

• Color A – #159 Tangerine: 3 skeins (used for the garter borders and structural sections)
• Color B – #13 Gold: 2 skeins (used for the lion's mane area and transitional rows)
• Color C – #95 Lime Green: 1 skein (used for a colorwork accent stripe section)
• Color D – #73 Denim: 3 skeins (used for the background body section of the blanket)

Additional materials include:

• US 10 (6.0 mm) straight knitting needles
• US 10 (6.0 mm) 32-inch circular knitting needles (used for the cast-on and main body to accommodate the stitch count comfortably)
• G (4.0 mm) crochet hook (used during finishing)
• Embroidery needle (for facial detail work)
• 2½-inch blue two-holed buttons (used as the lion's eyes)
• Fiberfill (used to add dimension to certain features during finishing)

Techniques Used

This pattern draws on a range of knitting and finishing techniques, making it a rewarding project that builds practical skills:

• Garter stitch: The blanket opens and closes with 8-row garter stitch borders (knit every row), and a consistent 5-stitch garter border in Color A is maintained at both edges throughout the entire blanket. Certain sections, such as the lion's feet, are also worked in garter stitch as indicated.
• Stockinette stitch: The main body of the blanket is worked in stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side), providing a smooth canvas for the colorwork motifs.
• Colorwork from charts: Two separate chart patterns (Chart Pattern #1 and Chart Pattern #2) are used to build the lion motif. Chart Pattern #1 spans 22 rows and is worked across a central 46-stitch section, while Chart Pattern #2 spans 111 rows across a 58-stitch section. Reading knitting charts is an essential skill for this pattern.
• Intarsia-style color joining: Multiple colors are worked across the same row in separate sections, requiring yarn to be joined and managed at color boundaries — a hallmark of intarsia colorwork technique. This keeps the fabric single-lay