Updated at: 28-07-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

Knitting blanket squares is a simple project that the whole family may enjoy. It’s a fun activity for more than one youngster to participate in. You are only restricted by your experience and ingenuity, however most novices will begin with garter stitch blanket squares (as they are all knit rows and probably the simplest stitch for learners).

Teaching Kids to Knit Blanket Squares

Plenty of wool is required for blanket squares. Since a beginner knitter will have a hard enough time maintaining tension with yarns of varying textures and thicknesses, I suggest sticking with a single brand and ply for the first few projects. The squares should be around the same size to facilitate joining them.

How to Knit a Blanket - Step By Step - YouTube

If you don’t want your kid to get bored knitting a bunch of identical squares, pick up a few different colors.

Your youngster will be more comfortable working with 8 or 12 ply wool, and the yarn will not be too fine for him or her to handle. Use needles no longer than 4.00mm or 4.50mm when working with 8 ply wool. Longer needles are more difficult for a child to use, so you’re probably better off sticking to those that are 25cm or shorter.

Needles with a 5.50 mm diameter work well with 12 ply wool.

(To determine the appropriate needle size if you don’t have access to metric needles, see the article on knitting needle sizes.)

How to Start Knitting Blanket Squares

You can find the suggested tension for your wool on the band. For a 10cm by 10cm square, the recommended tension for the 8 ply wool I’m using now is 22 stitches and 30 rows.

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To determine the required number of stitches and rows, simply multiply the desired square size by four.

To make squares that measure 20cm x 20cm, for instance, you would simply increase the number of stitches and rows by two. Your child’s square probably won’t be exactly 20cm x 20cm, but that’s okay! Just make sure they’re all the same size at the end.

Multiply the number of stitches and rows by 1.5 if you want 15cm × 15cm squares.

To get your youngster started on their first square, cast on the desired number of stitches. Here you will discover instructions on how to construct knit stitches, which should come in handy when teaching younger knitters the basics of the craft.

If you keep an eye on their progress, you can use a tape measure to verify the actual number of rows and make adjustments as needed.

An expertly knit garter stitch square is depicted up close above. Knitted blanket squares won’t turn out this cute if you or your kids are just starting out. However, your knitting tension will improve with practice, so don’t worry if some of your stitches are significantly looser than others, even though they may look the same at first glance.

Introducing a Bit of Variety

Garter stitch is the most common beginning stitch for young knitters since it requires the fewest number of stitches and the simplest row formation. However, kids will be kids, and they will eventually tire of doing garter stitch, even if they are doing it in different colors. Similarly, adults who are new to knitting are unlikely to be pleased with plain garter stitch for very long, either.

At this stage, you can experiment with new knitting techniques, such as modular knitting or mitred squares, or simply incorporate a few additional stitches, such as garter stitch or ribbed stitch.

Finishing Your Blanket

Now that you and your kid have knitted a bunch of squares for a blanket, you may sew or crochet them together. Unless I’m using a modular knitting technique, I crochet a single color around each square and then sew them together by hand. I think the crocheted border adds the perfect touch to the blanket. In addition, it is preferable if the squares are not all the same size.

As soon as I got them all blocked together, I started crocheting a border with the same wool.

How Many Stitches Do You Need For A Blanket Square?

Depending on the size of the completed blanket, different numbers of stitches will be required to create a blanket square. To achieve the appropriate size, a predetermined number of stitches and rows will be worked into each square. It’s also important to pay attention to the type of yarn you’re using and the tension with which you knit.

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Knitting a swatch measuring one inch by one inch is the best technique to get the right amount of stitches. You can make a blanket from of the stitches you already have if you count them and do the math. Multiply your stitches per inch by the width of the blanket square you want to make, for instance, by dividing the width of the swatch you made by the number of stitches you cast on.

Conclusion

Did you know that a patchwork blanket may be made in no time at all? This three-step tutorial on knitting a square blanket is so simple a child could do it. You only need to make several knitted squares with a garter stitch and sew them together.