Simple Diagonal Baby Afghan in Lion Brand Ice Cream - L60358 - Downloadable PDF

Simple Diagonal Baby Afghan in Lion Brand Ice Cream – Free Knitting Pattern L60358

This free downloadable knitting pattern (Pattern Number L60358), designed by Kaz for Lion Brand Yarn Company, produces a charming square baby afghan measuring approximately 32 x 32 inches (81.5 x 81.5 cm). The finished blanket is a perfect size for a crib, stroller, or tummy-time mat, making it an ideal handmade gift for a new baby. Rated as a beginner skill level project, this pattern is an excellent choice for newer knitters who want to build confidence while creating something genuinely useful and beautiful.

Design Overview

The defining visual feature of this baby afghan is its diagonal construction. Rather than working from one straight edge to another in the conventional horizontal or vertical direction, the blanket is built on the bias — growing from a single corner stitch outward and then tapering back down to a single stitch at the opposite corner. This technique creates a dynamic, angled texture across the surface of the fabric that adds visual interest without requiring complex stitch patterns. The result is a classic, heirloom-quality look that suits a baby's nursery beautifully.

The color palette is soft and playful. The pattern calls for two colorways of Lion Brand Ice Cream yarn — 206 Tutti Frutti and 201 Cotton Candy — which are held together as a single strand throughout the entire project. Holding two strands together not only speeds up the knitting process but also blends the two colorways into a unified, variegated fabric with gentle tonal shifts. The combination of Tutti Frutti and Cotton Candy produces a sweet, pastel-toned blanket that feels right at home in a baby's space.

Materials Used

• Yarn: Lion Brand Ice Cream (Art. #923), a sport weight yarn
• Color A: 206 Tutti Frutti — 2 balls
• Color B: 201 Cotton Candy — 2 balls
• Needles: Lion Brand circular knitting needle, size 10.5 (6.5 mm), 29 inches (73.5 cm) long
• Finishing tool: Lion Brand large-eyed blunt needle for weaving in ends

Lion Brand Ice Cream is a sport weight yarn known for its soft hand and cheerful color range, making it a popular choice for baby projects. Although it is a sport weight yarn, using two strands held together brings the effective gauge up to a worsted-weight-equivalent fabric, which is why the larger size 10.5 needle is specified. This double-strand technique creates a fabric that is cozy, lofty, and appropriately warm for a baby blanket without being overly heavy.

The use of a circular needle is recommended not because the project is worked in the round, but because the diagonal construction means the stitch count grows significantly toward the center of the blanket. A 29-inch circular needle comfortably accommodates the large number of stitches at the widest point of the work, preventing them from crowding or falling off standard straight needles.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 13 stitches to approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in Garter stitch, worked with one strand each of Color A and Color B held together. Checking gauge before beginning is strongly encouraged, as it directly affects the final dimensions of the blanket. A swatch worked in Garter stitch with the double strand will give knitters a reliable indication of whether they need to adjust needle size to achieve the correct measurements.

Techniques and Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch: The primary stitch pattern of this afghan. Garter stitch is created by knitting every stitch on every row, regardless of which side of the work is facing. It produces a ridged, reversible fabric with natural elasticity and lies flat without curling — an especially practical quality for a baby blanket that will be washed frequently and used on both sides.
• Yarn Over (Yo): A fundamental increase technique that also creates a small decorative eyelet or hole in the fabric. To work a yarn over, the yarn is brought to the front between the needles and then taken to the back over the right-hand needle, creating a new stitch. In this