Your step-by-step guide to knitting the Spring Fling Baby Blanket
Hey there, stitch superstar! You’ve just unlocked the secret sauce to making your very own Baby Blanket — and we’re excited to be stitching it out with you.
This guide will be your BFF through the entire journey. Whether you’re brand new to knitting or just here for a refresh, we’ll take you from “how do I hold these sticks?” to “look what I made!” — one cozy row at a time.
Firstly, let's look at what's covered in this blog.
INCLUDED IN YOUR KIT
Your kit comes with everything you need to make your masterpiece. Inside your drawstring bag you'll find:
🕺 5mm circular needles |
We'll use 5mm needles for this pattern. |
🧶 3 x balls Cardigang Spring Fling Yarn |
Soft and cosy, your Spring Fling yarn is 100% Aussie Merino Wool. |
👆 A darning needle |
To weave in loose ends |
🤓 Your printed pattern |
We assume you've got that since you made it here! |
🫶 A 'Made By Me' tag |
You can sew into your finished piece. |
You'll also want to have a pair of scissors, a pen and a tape measure handy.
Let’s Start with Some Practise
Before we dive into the good stuff, let’s warm up those hands and needles. Think of this like stretching before a workout — except comfier, cuter, and way more fun.
Grab some of the yarn from your kit (just a little, you’ve got enough to spare!), and get familiar with the motions. Try out the stitches you’ll be using in this pattern. This is your time to mess it up, try again, and feel things out — no pressure, no judgement, just you and your new fave hobby.
Bonus: practising now = fewer headaches later (trust us on this one).
Here’s what you’ll need to know for this pattern — we’ve linked each tutorial so you can follow along step-by-step:
Take your time, replay the videos as many times as you need, and don’t stress if it feels a little awkward at first — every knitter starts here 💖
Time to Test Your Gauge
Once you’re feeling comfy with the stitches, it’s time to check your gauge. We know, we know — it sounds technical, but it’s really just about making sure your tension matches the pattern.
Why? Because different knitters = different stitch tightness. And we want your finished masterpiece to end up just the right size.
So grab your measuring tape, knit up a little swatch (there’s a guide for that at the link below!), and let’s make sure you’re on track before the main event begins.
THE BABY BLANKET
If done correctly, your 10x10cm knitted swatch should be 14 stitches wide and 24 rows high when knitted in stockinette stitch on your 5mm needles.
FAQs A.K.A. Fast Answers, Quick!
⚡ No time to purl? We got speedy support for you over on our FAQs page. No gatekeeping, no silly questions — just fast, friendly help to keep you stitching with confidence. It's the best place to go to get answers quick-smart so you'll be knitting again in a flash.
Ready to take your knitting and crochet game to the next level?
Join The Cardigang Click on Facebook. It’s THE place to share your creations, ask for advice, and get inspired by fellow yarn lovers. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, you’ll find a supportive and fun community eager to help and cheer you on.
Stitch out in style.
Whether you’re deep in a knitflix binge or vibing with your needles on a Sunday arvo, we’ve curated the ultimate Spotify playlists to match your mood and your project. From mellow loops to main-character anthems, it’s the soundtrack to your next DIY moment.
Let's Knit Up THE CUTEST BLANKET YOU'VE EVER SEEN
BLANKET
Let's get knitting. We'll knit the blanket in one piece, starting by casting on the stitches for the width of the blanket and then knitting rows to create the length.
Our blanket has a border of garter stitch which we create by using only knit stitches. Inside that border we’ll alternate knit rows and purl rows to create the stockinette stitch pattern.
STEP 1:
Using your 5mm needles cast on the correct number of stitches.
💭 Circular needles are a blanket maker’s bestie—even if you’re knitting flat! Instead of cramming a mountain of stitches onto two straight sticks, circular needles let the project sit comfortably on a flexible cord, taking the weight off your hands and wrists.
💡 Your blanket will grow as you knit so don't be concerned if after you've cast on the piece doesn't look quite wide enough.
STEP 2:
We're going to start by knitting 10 rows of garter stitch to create the bottom border of our blanket. Garter stitch is just a fancy name for the stitch pattern created when you knit every stitch in every row.
💭 One of the things we found the hardest when we were learning to knit was keeping track of our rows. Before we were able to easily identify a row of stitches we used a pen and paper to keep track. That's why we've included handy circles in our patterns - you can tick them off as you go.
STEP 3 and 4:
Let's learn the sequence for the majority of the blanket now. It's a simple 2 row pattern that we repeat over and over until most of the blanket is done. We’ll continue to create the garter stitch boarder by knitting the first and last 8 stitches in each row, and in between we’re going to make a stockinette stitch pattern by knitting one row and purling the next.
💡 Hot tip: when starting a new row, if you're holding the needle with the stitches on it in your left hand and the 'v' side of the stitches (in between the garter stitch boarder) are facing you, then you're up to a knit row. If the bumpy side is facing you then you're up to a purl row.
STARTING A NEW BALL
When one ball runs out you’ll start a new one - you can do this in the middle of a row or at the start of one - either works fine! To start a new ball, leave a 10–15cm tail from the old yarn and begin knitting with the new ball, holding both tails together for a few stitches. Then, drop the old yarn and continue with the new one.
By knitting a few stitches with both strands you secure the new and old tails into the work. You can also tie them in a knot for extra security.
You'll weave in the ends later to tidy things up—easy as that!
Step 5: KNIT KNIT KNIT!
Continue knitting until you've got just under a quarter of a ball left - approximately 164 rows.
You'll use the remaining yarn to complete the garter stitch boarder and cast off.
STEP 6:
We’re going to finish with a final 9 rows of garter stitch - so that’s where we knit every stitch in every row.
CAST OFF
Cast off your stitches.
When you've got just one stitch left on your right needle, simply cut your yarn from the ball (leaving about 20cm) and thread it back through your last stitch to secure it.
TASSELS
You'll use the yarn left over to make your tassels. You'll add 24 tassels in total - 12 on each side of the blanket.
This step is optional so feel free to hang up your knitting needles and call yourself done at the cast off stage if tassels are not for you!
STEP 1
Cut approximately 100 equal-length strands of yarn. Make the lengths about twice as long as you want your tassels to be.
STEP 2
Grab 4 strands, fold them in half, and pinch the loop at the top. Starting at one corner of your blanket use your fingers to poke that loop through the edge of the blanket, then pull the ends through the loop and tug to secure.
Repeat, adding your tassels in equal spacing along both long edges of your blanket. Trim to tidy up any uneven bits—and voilà, tassel magic!
The last thing we do is weave in any loose ends in the blanket - from where a new ball was joined mid-way through a row or where you encountered a knot in the yarn. You use your darning needle and weave those ends back into the blanket so they are nicely hidden away.
BLOCKING
The final step in finishing a knitted piece is to block it. This step is optional and not all beginner knitters will block their work (we didn't! 🤣) but it can improve the overall shape and finish of your piece.
Blocking your knitting is a process where you wet your piece to set the finished size and even out the stitches.
Blocking a blanket can be a little tricky because you need a large enough space to lay your blanket out (flat) as it dries.
STEP 1
Soak your knit in cool water. You only need to let your piece sit in the water for a few minutes and make sure the full piece is completely wet.
💡 You can also use a spray bottle and spritz the blanket with cool water if you'd prefer.
STEP 2
Remove your knit from the water and dry it off by rolling it in a towel. You want to get us much of the moisture out of the knit as possible at this point but be gentle! You don't want to stretch the blanket.
STEP 3
Transfer your damp knit to a flat surface to block it on. If you've got a blocking mat - great! otherwise a towel will work. The surface needs to be somewhere where your knit can lie flat and can stay there until it fully dries so that the shape sets properly. Make sure it's not a surface that can be easily damaged by having something wet sitting on it!
STEP 4
Arrange your piece so the right side is facing up and the shape is as you'd like it. If you've got a measuring tape you can measure and adjust the piece so it's the correct size.
STEP 5
Allow the knit to air dry - this can take a few days. You can also use a hair dryer to speed up the process, just use a light heat and don't concentrate the air in one spot.
In a bind and need a little more help?
Email us at stitchup@cardigang.com.au and we'll be able to help! Whether you're just starting out, or you've got a specific question or problem (dropped a stitch, no stress!), we're here to get you out of a bind.
WEAR, SHARE AND FLAUNT YOUR MASTERPIECE
You stitched it. You slayed it. Now it’s time to share it! 💖 Tag us @cardigang_knits so we can lose our minds over your masterpiece. Compliments guaranteed. 💅🧶
