baby blanket?

[poky]

I'm knitting a baby blanket for a friend who's expecting. I'm wondering about what size would be most useful, though; what I'm finding online is all over the place, from 20-something inches square, up to 30-somethingx50-something inches.

Any suggestions on size? Is square better than rectangular, or vice versa? What exactly do "baby blankets" get used for, in reality, anyway? I really did do a lot of babysitting as a highschooler, but I've forgotten most of it, and most of the kids I babysat were past the infant stage anyway.

Thanks for any help!

Re: baby blanket?

I've most enjoyed the blankets that I've received that are around crib mattress size. The kids can continue to use them as they get older. A knitted blanket really isn't useful for swaddling (which is what the square ones would be), and since you don't traditionally cover them with blankets until they're closer to toddler size, I like the bigger blankets.

[Auspicious]

Re: baby blanket?

What she said.

[HouseofWool]

Re: baby blanket?

Exactly.

Especially as, when they are little the kiddos will be hard on a blanket that has any lace type patterning that they can dig their little into.

What pattern are you using?

[poky]

Re: baby blanket?

Hmm..that makes sense, though because of the pattern and yarn, it might not 100% apply to this project. Maybe..

It's actually a solid pattern in a very soft, slightly fuzzy yarn. Let's see if I can find pictures....

Ah, here's one of the pattern:

http://static.flickr.com/40/104411929_fa5d6a367d.jpg

The yarn I'm using is this:

http://www.folkcatart.com/blogs/jen/wp- ... ted_tn.jpg

So when it's knit up with size 6s, it makes a pretty dense, solid fabric.

My original plan was to make it approximately 30" x 36" or so...would that be too small? Too big?

Re: baby blanket?

That's cool. But still, I'd go more towards a rectangle (the 30 x 50 you mentioned). People truly don't cover their babies anymore (fear of SIDS), and they'll get more long-term use out of a longer blanket.

[samssugarmomma]

Re: baby blanket?

Thats cool! The blanket you are making sounds to be about the same size as the one I made for Lilly. We found it to be very useful even for the short time that we got to use it! My original intentions for it when she was an infant were:
- to tuck around her in her carseat during cold weather
- to lay it on the floor and let her play on it
- to cover her with it everytime we were nursing in hopes that it would become her lovey when she was ready for it (I did this with Natalie and the blanket that we used did become her lovey....)

What we did use it for - since she was so cold all of the time, we ended up swaddling her with a square receiving blanket and then wrapping her in the blanket that I made her to try to keep her warm....





P.S. I think that no matter the size - it will be appreciated. Some of my favorite blankets are the ones that people made for us!

[poky]

Re: baby blanket?

Thank you all for your feedback; keep it coming if you have any more; this probably won't be the last of these I do.

I'm probably going to make this first one at least a *little* longer than I'd planned on; I do have the yarn to do it, so I may as well (if I can stand the monotony of the boring-ass pattern, that is)

P.S. I think that no matter the size - it will be appreciated. Some of my favorite blankets are the ones that people made for us!

Thanks. This is what I'm hoping!

[spotty_dog]

Re: baby blanket?

Ooh, is that the Big Bad Baby Blanket?

Here's Eddy with the knitted blanket we received from a friend of my mom:



(Please note the complete disregard for safety rules -- cats, couch, blanket! LOL. We only did that once or twice, but I digress...)

That blanket is about 32 x 32 and I feel like it's plenty big. It would serve just fine as a crib blanket now if he'd take one.

If you fear boredom from the monotony (I would!) consider a smaller, "lap blanket". A lot of people are using little blankets to tuck in around the car seat, since you're not supposed to have a lot of layers on the baby when they're strapped in. Plus if baby gets attached it makes a better lovey. I think those are usually about 24 x 24?

[samssugarmomma]

Re: baby blanket?

Sandy - I went back and checked and the blanket that I made was about 30"x30". Here is a pic:

[poky]

Re: baby blanket?

Cool, thanks! Both of your blankets look really nice!

Yes, it's based on the big bad baby blanket; I wanted something easy and reversible. All those reviews on ravelry calling it boring are *so not kidding*. It is fast, though, since it's so simple, and I can do it easily while holding on a conversation or watching TV, or whatever, and that yarn is *SO* nice and soft to work with that it hasn't driven me crazy quite yet.

The original pattern calls for it to end up about 28x28. What I've started is about 30" wide, so I guess I'll just wing it on the final length. Nothing changes till the halfway point anyway, and I'm only about 8" in so far, so I have a while till I have to decide.

I guess this is why the recommendations I was finding online were all over the place. Different sizes for different uses. :huh:

[migirl]

Re: baby blanket?

One of my very favorite blankets for DS was knitted for us, I'd say it's about 30x30 and very soft and lightweight.

Here is a (not very good) picture of it (it's the light-blue one that's covering DS)


That's so nice that you're knitting a blanket for your friend!

[spotty_dog]

Re: baby blanket?

Sandy - I went back and checked and the blanket that I made was about 30"x30". Here is a pic:

Ooh, Kate, I'm so glad you finished it and you were able to cuddle Lilly with it! I love that color combo, and all those squares -- what a labor of love!

[samssugarmomma]

Re: baby blanket?

Alison - Thanks! I was excited when DH came home with the purplish yarn. I didn't think that I was ever going to finish those squares! The blanket was supposed to have an edging around it but I couldn't figure out how to do it. Maybe next time.....

[DCJenn]

Re: baby blanket?

I guess because we were going to Russia in the winter, everyone got cold thinking about it- I think we got a blanket from every single person that came to the shower plus extras from people who didn't come.

I donated most of them to Nikolai's orphanage but kept a few. We got a washable crocheted one that I used in the stroller for a LONG time. I kept all of the handmade ones because they're useful and maybe one day he can use them to cover his own kids.

Nikolai wasn't huge into being under covers for a long time- even now he gets hot at night and throws them off so it was nice having some lightweight things to layer.

Jenn