Baby blanket "max"

Baby Blanket "Max" by Astrid Schramm

What Is Being Made

The Baby Blanket "Max" is a quick-to-knit newborn gift blanket designed by Astrid Schramm. This intermediate-level knitting project produces a finished blanket measuring approximately 80 cm (31.5 inches) wide by 50 cm (19.7 inches) in height, making it an ideal size for swaddling and gifting to new parents.

Knitting Techniques

This blanket pattern employs two primary knitting techniques to achieve its finished design:

• Garter Stitch: The entire blanket is worked in garter stitch, which creates a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges. Garter stitch is created by knitting every row, resulting in a dense, warm fabric that works beautifully for baby blankets.
• Short Rows: The pattern incorporates short row shaping, a technique that allows the knitter to add depth and dimension to specific sections of the blanket without increasing stitch count across the entire width. This method creates subtle shaping while maintaining the simplicity of garter stitch throughout.

Stitches Used

The Baby Blanket "Max" relies on a single fundamental stitch throughout the entire project: garter stitch. This straightforward stitch pattern makes the project accessible for intermediate knitters while producing a classic, timeless fabric suitable for delicate newborn use.

Materials and Gauge

Knitters have flexibility in yarn selection for this pattern. The blanket requires either 200 grams of a single self-striping yarn or 100 grams each of two coordinating colors (Color A and Color B). The recommended yarn weight has a gauge of approximately 95 meters per 50 grams.

The pattern specifies a gauge of 18 stitches and 30 rows over 10 cm (4 inches) in garter stitch using 5 mm needles. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished dimensions.

Yarn options with similar gauge characteristics include Cash Iroho by Noro, Cashmerino Aran by Debbie Bliss, and Karaoke by South West Trading Company. The designer used handspun yarn for the original sample but notes that nearly any yarn matching the specified gauge will produce successful results.