567 Maria Baby Blanket - Knitting Pattern for Babies in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK

567 Maria Baby Blanket – Knitting Pattern by Kirsten Hipsky

The 567 Maria Baby Blanket is a beautifully crafted knitting pattern designed by Kirsten Hipsky and worked in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK. This intermediate-level pattern produces a heirloom-quality baby blanket assembled from multiple individual lace counterpane squares, finished with a neat crocheted border. The design is available as a downloadable PDF and offers three finished size options to suit different needs.

About the Design and Its Inspiration

The Maria Baby Blanket shares its distinctive counterpane square motif with a companion design, the Mitchella Blanket. Both blankets are named in honor of Maria Mitchell, born in Nantucket in 1818, who discovered a telescopic comet and became the first American woman to work as a professional astronomer. The flower motif worked into each counterpane square is also a nod to Mitchella repens, a native North American plant whose blossoms bear a striking resemblance to the lace flower at the center of each square. This thoughtful naming and design heritage gives the blanket a meaningful story to pass along with the finished gift.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a soft, lightweight baby blanket constructed from multiple identical lace counterpane squares that are seamed together at the end. The blanket comes in three finished size options:

• Small: 24" x 32"
• Medium: 32" x 32" (shown in the pattern)
• Large: 32" x 40"

Each individual counterpane square is worked to 33 stitches on each side and is blocked to an 8" square. Once all squares are individually blocked and seamed together, a simple crocheted edging is added around the entire blanket to help it lay flat and give it a polished finish.

Techniques Used

This pattern draws on several knitting and finishing techniques, making it a rewarding project for an intermediate knitter looking to build skills:

• Lace knitting: Each counterpane square features a repeating lace flower motif created through yarn overs and decreases, worked in the round from the center outward.
• Worked in the round: The squares are knitted in the round on double pointed needles, beginning at the center and expanding outward. Knitters may switch to circular needles as the stitch count grows.
• Seamed construction: Completed squares are sewn together after individual blocking. The pattern also notes that squares could alternatively be joined using a 3-needle bind off as you go, though seaming after blocking is recommended for easier shaping.
• Blocking: Individual squares are blocked before assembly, which is essential for opening up the lace motif and achieving the precise 8" square dimensions.
• Crochet border: A simple double crochet edging is worked around the assembled blanket using a crochet hook, helping the finished piece lay flat and adding a tidy, decorative frame.

Stitches Used

The pattern uses a focused set of knitting and crochet stitches. Knitters should be comfortable with the following before beginning:

• Knit (k) – the foundational stitch used throughout
• Yarn over (yo) – used to create the lace eyelets and increase stitches
• K2tog (knit 2 together) – a right-leaning decrease used in the lace pattern
• SSK (slip, slip, knit) – a left-leaning decrease for balanced shaping
• Sl1-k2tog-psso – a centered double decrease: slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over
• Double crochet (dc) – used in the border edging
• Chain (ch) – used in the crochet border

A key structural detail of the counterpane squares is that every even-numbered round after Round