Our newest blanket pattern, Lullaby, features a softly waving stitch pattern as old as the hills. There’s nothing groundbreaking or innovative here, and that’s by design. I’ve found that simple and meditative and knits bring me tranquility in trying times, and perhaps you feel the same way. That’s the beauty of this new pattern. The knitting is simple and soothing, while the design invites you to improvise with colour and texture.
We included four yarn weight options, and three sizes, making the Lullaby blanket pattern extremely flexible, so you can make it your way.
Because we all have our preferences, Lullaby is written for four different yarn weights and three different sizes. You can make this blanket light as a feather for swaddling a tiny, new loved one – or knit it up as a fabulously chunky statement throw for snuggling under on the couch.
In addition to the Handspun Lullaby blanket I knit, I made several swatches to show some of the different weights and colour strategies you might explore with this comforting project.
Sock yarn rainbows
If you’re a fan of delicate knits, you can make Lullaby using sock yarn scraps. Each stripe doesn’t take much yarn, so odds and ends can be incorporated to make a quirky, striped blanket. And using one contrast colour throughout, whether it’s deep and dark or light and bright, will tie a ‘fruit salad’ of stripes together.
If you’re more comfortable with a solid plan, you can develop a special rainbow by choosing your colours a bit more intentionally, like I have for this swatch. Here I chose a rainbow of softer, warmer, and more nostalgic colours, and coupled them with a crisp white contrast colour. If you want to try this approach, we have a whole blog post that explores different ‘flavours’ of rainbow palettes that might inspire you.
Simple but striking monochrome
This aran / worsted weight swatch is made using a marled grey and white yarn with a white contrast colour. I used Mule Spinner 2-Ply by Custom Woolen Mills, an affordable, 100% Canadian wool. A blanket in this sort of palette would be VERY striking on a warm-coloured couch or in a modern, minimal nursery (that is, until it got stained with baby poo!).
Using a marled main colour adds texture to this knit in a very simple way. If you plan to work from sock yarns, you can hold two strands of sock yarn together to make up this heavier yarn weight and create your own marled effect.
Bulky and scrappy
The last swatch illustrates how Lullaby looks at a bulky gauge. I didn’t have any bulky yarn in my stash, so I opted to create this heavier weight of yarn by holding several strands together. Here are some options for making up a more substantial weight of yarn:
- 1 strand DK + 2 strands sock
- 1 strand Aran + 1 strand sock
- 3 strands sock
- 2 strands DK
- 2 strands sock + 1 strand lace
There are many more combinations that will work and add up to a bulky gauge – try for yourself and mix and match! The key is that you like the way the fabric feels.
Self-striping love
I’ve always had a soft spot for handspun and quirky self-striping yarns like Noro, Spincycle, and Zauberball. It can be a little tricky to match these special yarns with a pattern that enhances their beauty, but Lullaby looks exquisite with a self-striping yarn used for the main colour, and a solid used for the contrast colour. You can read the full story of my handspun Lullaby project here!
Simple, soft, and soothing
No matter how you knit it, the Lullaby blanket is a simple and soothing project, and it might be just the sort of knit you’re looking for right now. If you’re struggling to concentrate or find yourself reaching for a little soft comfort, get the pattern and cast on today!
~ Em
Other TCK blanket patterns you might enjoy
Vivid
Knit a rainbow of centre-out squares and then sew them together to make a Vivid knitted quilt. The pattern is supported by our Vivid Blanket Tutorial, and it’s great for stash-busting or playing with colour!
Bounce
Stripe by bouncy, lace stripe, the Bounce blanket invites you to ‘just knit one more colour’. This is one of our most popular blanket patterns, with playful lace and an interesting result. It’s supported by a tutorial that teaches How to Knit a Central Double Decrease.
