Things We Love: Baby Blankets

As I write this I’m 36 weeks pregnant so right now I’m focused on weaving for baby! This means not just baby blankets, but also baby–safe fabrics that I can use for other projects. I’ve been using as many baby blanket projects for reference as I can find, especially those in the Weaving for Babies Pattern Pack as well as Suzie Liles’ Sweet Honey in a Waffle blanket and Kate Lange-McKibben’s Huck and Snuggle blanket. These projects have all been a huge source of inspiration for me and I’ve finalized the design for the blanket (finally!).

My favorite baby blankets are those that are bright and colorful. I know pastels are more “traditional,” but I’ve rarely been a traditional sort of girl when it comes to color, and I love the way Suzie Liles used such bright and beautiful colors in her blanket design. You look at it and you can’t help but smile! I also knew I wanted to do a gamp. The Color Blanket for a Baby by Lynne Greaves was my inspiration for that idea. I love the way the colors melt into each other to create vibrant, beautiful blanket.

Last, I knew I would be weaving at the last minute so I made sure to choose a yarn that would be quick to warp and weave so I found a DK yarn that could be sett at 8-10 epi, depending on weave structure. The yarn is also a nice blend of acrylic, nylon, and wool so it’s extra soft and will be easy to wash. Plus it came in a rainbow of colors so I had plenty to choose from!

For my colors I used the palette I chose for the nursery: bright, gender-neutral colors that look great together and make me smile. I’m thinking a 4-shaft twill gamp will be a good way to show off the different colors and keep the weaving exciting with every treadling change. I can’t wait to get my warp on the loom and I can’t wait to share the finished product!

Happy Weaving!

—Christina

---