With two of my children growing their families, and with their group of friends in the same situation, I’ve been weaving a lot of baby blankets. Whether it’s for a new grandchild of my own or for one of their friends, it’s warms my heart when I see pictures of newborns leaving the hospital wrapped in one of my handwoven blankets. Through this phase, I’ve experimented with different yarns and weaving different sizes of blankets. I’ve noticed quite a few questions in the weaving Facebook groups that I follow lately asking for recommendations so I thought I’d write a post sharing what I’ve learned along the journey.
My First Blankets
My first handwoven baby blankets were woven with yarn purchased at my local Hobby Lobby. I was a beginning weaver and didn’t fully understand how yarn behaved on the loom and after washing, but you have to start somewhere, right? I used Sugarwheel Cotton Cakes sett at 10 ends per inch using the twill structure for these early blankets.
I loved these blankets – especially the ones woven with the orange/green color way, which is no longer available. I loved them so much I purchased a bunch of cakes during a sale thinking that this was it for me. I’ve found my perfect yarn! Well as time went by, I found other “perfect yarns” and now I have a bunch of Sugarwheel cakes sitting in a bin. What I’ve learned weaving with this yarn is that a sett of 10 epi produced a stiffer blanket. It’s not “bad” by any means, but I prefer more drape. It was just a tad too stiff. Because I had so much of the Sugarwheel I subsequently wove an adult size throw at 8 ends per inch. This produced a weave that was way too loose. So, probably 9 epi would be the sweet spot. If you’d like the specs for this blanket you may want to check the following blog posts: Weaving Baby Blankets with Sugarwheel Cotton, and Handwoven Baby Blankets Part 2. I have to say that although it’s no longer my favorite, it remains high on the list of both daughters. When they’re looking for a gift for a friend, these blankets are one of the first ones that fly off the shelf.
Weaving Baby Blankets With 8/4 Cotton
In the course of my baby blanket weaving journey I enrolled in Jane Stafford’s School of Weaving. I was in the season 4 which focused on Twill and the project option was weaving a baby blanket using 8/4 cotton. I associate 8/4 cotton with cotton warp and the yarn just didn’t seem “special” enough to weave a blanket for a baby, but I went ahead and wove the project anyway. The project involved using the Maurice Brassard 8/4 cotton which is spun differently than regular carpet warp. Now, years later, when I want to weave a blanket(s) quickly I use this 8/4 cotton. Sett at 12 epi, it gives the blanket a nice, soft drape and the cotton is available in a variety of colors. It’s the blanket I weave the most just in different colors. I’ve only really woven twill using this yarn size. Here are a few examples of blankets woven in 8/4. The first two pictures were woven solely in twill. If you’d like the specs for these blankets, visit the following blog posts: Even More Handwoven Baby Blankets and The Perfect Sized Handwoven Baby Blanket.
This next blanket was fun to weave as it incorporated basket weave. Again this was inspired by a Jane Stafford lesson. The specs for this blanket can be found on the Just Another Handwoven Baby Blanket blog post.
Weaving with 8/2 Cotton
My first blanket woven with 8/2 cotton holds a very special place in my heart. It was woven for my first grandchild Margot. Margot’s mother gave me a colorful picture to use as inspiration.
If you have an 8 shaft loom, you’re likely familiar with Carol Strickler’s Weaver’s Book of 8 Shaft Patterns. In that book is a very popular draft, commonly referred to as 728. The squiggles in the draft reminded me of squiggles in the frog’s scarf so I thought I’d use this draft for Margot’s blanket.
I wove both the blanket and fabric used for the bunny at a sett of 20 epi. 20 epi is my preferred sett for 8/2 when weaving twill. It worked great for the blanket, but was challenging to sew as it felt too thick. I made it work, but now when I weave coordinated stuffed animals I use either 10/2 or 16/2 cotton with a very light weight interfacing. Here’s a picture of baby Margot, who is now three, wrapped in her blanket. If you’d like more information on weaving this blanket visit the A Very Special Handwoven Baby Blanket blog post. Weaving this blanket, I developed a love for the oranges and fuchsia.
This summer, our family will be welcoming two more to the crew. I have a granddaughter due in early May and then another early June. So, they definitely fall into the “summer baby” category. Both daughters requested a light weight blanket with some texture- almost a gauzy feel. I decided to go with huck. Lizzie’s colors are more subdued and Kassie opted for bright colors. Lizzie’s blanket is completed and Kassie’s will be on the loom soon. Using the same warp and by changing the tie up, I was able to weave a M’s and O’s blanket as well – just another Jane Stafford lesson. The blankets were woven using a sett of 16 epi. It’s a perfect drape and I’m not concerned about float length at all (sometimes as issue using a lace weave). Once both blankets are completed I’ll be sure to write a post with the specs.
Using 6/2 Cotton with M’s and O’s
Around the same time of Margot’s birth, a family member asked if I could weave a blanket that she could gift to the parents expecting a baby boy. The family lived in the west and were avid outdoors people. I wanted a woodland feel to the blanket. I just completed another Jane Stafford lesson, this one on M’s and O’s, so I thought I’d like to give that a try. This time I used 6/2 cotton for the body of the blanket with 8/4 cotton (the dark brown) to border the cells. This was my first venture into mixing yarns to try to get texture. Here’s a picture of the woodland themed blanket.
I’ll be honest, I love this blanket. I love everything about it. It was one of the first projects that I felt that I independently designed, both graphically and with the use of colors. I used a yarn that was new to me, combined yarns sizes to get a certain effect, and experimented with borders and selvages using thicker yarns. I really stretched myself as a new to intermediate weaver and was shocked when it turned out to be something pretty good. I was amazed that with this structure, what it looks like while your are weaving it on your loom looks nothing like what it looks like after washing. Those little cells just puff up- I was truly amazed. I fell instantly in love with M’s and O’s. Here’s the really honest part. As much as I loved the blanket, everyone else’s reaction to it was kind of neutral. I have yet to find someone as enthusiastic about that blanket than me. If, by chance, you’d like the specs to one of my favorite blankets, visit the My M’s and O’s Baby Blanket blog post.
I wanted to explore M’s and O’s a little more, and Margot was outgrowing her newborn baby blanket, so I thought I’d weave another blanket with a different color way. I was hoping that maybe using different colors I could convert a few people over to the M’s and O’s camp.
There are aspects of this blanket that I like a lot, but others not so much. I’m not too fond of where I used the teal as the outline of the cell which made those squiggles on the dark purple. It’s all learning, right? If you’d like to check out this project, visit the “A Little Bit Longer” M’s and O’s Baby Blanket blog post. This blanket is nice and it’s still used to this day, but I have no more fans of the M’s and O’s structure than I did before. Just as a note, both blankets were sett at 14 epi. A note on 6/2 cotton. I like this size cotton. The drawback is it doesn’t have as many color options as 8/2 and 8/4.
Weaving with Textured Yarn
During this phase of my weaving, I was wanting to figure out how to get texture into my fabric. At the same time I moved into the color and weave lessons on Jane Stafford’s site. I ordered “Curly Q” cotton from the Yarn Barn and put on a warp alternating the Curly Q and 8/4 cotton sett at 12 epi woven in plain weave. In my opinion, that blanket was fine. I wasn’t overly enthusiastic, but I kind of liked it. One issue was that my loom has metal heddles and the curly q yarn would get stuck- so there’s that memory. After the finishing process the blanket seemed on the heavier side which, makes sense now, but I wasn’t expecting it at the outset. It would likely make a good throw for the couch.
I should be noted that those who wander through my stash of blankets are often drawn to this blanket. It’s a simple plain weave blanket has even been the favorite for some- even when my beloved M’s and O’s woodland blanket is right next to it.
Weaving Baby Blankets with Monte Cristo Yarn
Drum roll please! Here it is. My favorite yarn to weave baby blankets with by far is Monte Cristo. I love, love, love weaving baby blankets with the yarn. The blankets are so soft and squishy it’s hard to describe. Here’s the thing though. Monte Cristo only comes in white so it requires dyeing the yarn. It’s also on the pricey side. Pretty much I only weave Monte Cristo baby blankets for family or under special circumstances. This blanket was inspired by a Jane Stafford project. It’s woven in plain weave interspersing log cabin. The sett was 8 epi and I dyed the yarn Kilt Green and Butterscotch from the ProChem dyes. If you’d like the specs on this project, visit the Handwoven Baby Blanket for Archie blog post.
My daughters wove two blankets for friends (close friends) using this color way and the Monte Cristo yarn. Both friends were expecting boys. For the specs on these blankets, visit the Monte Cristo Baby Blankets for Molly and Katie blog post.
These two blankets were woven for baby girls and do not yet have a corresponding blog post. Both used 8 epi and were hand dyed. I’ll be sure to link the posts once they become available.
A similar option to the Monte Cristo is the Cotton Cloud available through Jane Stafford’s website. I’ve woven an adult size throw with it and it makes a lovely, squishy blanket as well.
Let’s Talk Size
The width of your blanket will depend on the width of your loom. Let’s move to length for a moment. When I first started weaving blankets I was pretty much guessing. Sometimes it worked out and other times not so much. Lately I decided to keep notes and try to narrow it down a bit. My first blankets were often too short. They were perfect for newborn babies, but after about 3 months, little toes started to peek out. It was then that I decided I needed to add some length. Recently I put on a warp using 8/4 cotton and experimented with length. Be sure to visit The Perfect Sized Handwoven Baby Blanket blog post. I found that my preferred length for a typical baby blanket is 37 inches. When using 8/4 cotton this meant that I needed to weave 46 inches (not including hem) to account for tension and shrinkage. What I normally do for a specially requested baby blanket is to put on a 5 1/2 yard warp and weave three blankets. Two targeting that 37 inch length sweet spot and one shorter so that it can be used during the newborn phase. So, parents receive an infant blanket as well as the 37 inch one which will last through the baby years. I then keep one for myself and it ends up in my stash. When I want to weave a bunch of blankets to be kept in the closet for the girls to grab when they need a gift, I put on about a 10 yard warp and weave multiple blankets of 46 inches (not including hem) on the loom. My ideal width is a finished width of 30 inches.
Hems
As you can see from the Monte Cristo blankets, I use a 6 inch fringe instead of a hem. When I weave blankets with cotton, I use a typical hem. My hems often use a slightly thinner yarn (so if my blanket is 8/4, I use 8/2 cotton for the hem). I weave 4 inches of hem, weave the body of the blanket and then 4 inches hem. I love the way the heavier hem moves on the blanket. This is all a personal preference.
Summary
I love weaving baby blankets. Even the ones that didn’t turn out how I envisioned, I still love. Weaving is a process and with each woven blanket I took away a nugget of knowledge that I’ll use in the future. So, just in summary:
- 8/2 cotton works great for summer babies.
- 8/4 cotton sett at 12 epi is a perfect option for a quick and easy weave. There are many colors available which makes designing fun!
- 6/2 makes for a nice blanket as well, however, you will be limited by color choices.
- The width of your blanket is limited to the width of your loom/reed. I have an ideal finished width of 30 inches.
- My preferred length for a typical baby blanket is a finished size of 37 inches. This means I have to weave the body of my blanket 46 inches. Yours may vary a bit as your tension may be slightly different, but it would be close.
- You have to be cognizant about the structure you use. Little fingers can get caught in long floats. Plain weave and a 2/2 twill are always safe choices, but be adventurous as well. M’s and O’s have longer floats, but can also work great!
- When using colors, yarn or structures that are new to you, weaving samples is recommended. I use my samples as burp cloths. How’s that? Handwoven burp cloths. Take a peek at the Weaving Burp Cloths? blog post to see how sampling can be turned into something useful.
If you’ve just started down your journey of weaving baby blankets I’m hoping what I’ve learned along the way helps. Fortunately my own children are just starting their families so I have a few more babies to come. This makes for plenty of opportunities to weave blankets. Happy weaving!
