Knit Blanket Square Pattern – Dorothy’s Square

Delicate diamonds flow into a ring of eyelets, wrapped in a cabled border. Dorothy’s Square is a soothing mix of subtle textures and blocks of color. This soft, light, knit blanket square is perfect for a sweet summer baby blanket.

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KAL Corner Sweet Summer Baby Blanket

This square kicks off the 2021 Sweet Summer Baby Blanket Knit Along at KAL Corner. You can read more about the event in this main post, and enter the giveaway too! Join in the fun on the KAL Corner Facebook group.

Vinnis Colours Nikkim Yarn

The generous folks at Vinnis Colours sent all the KAL designers some free Nikkim yarn to use for our designs. The yarn was sent through Yarnized, one of their US distributers. Check out all the great yarns and other fun items in their store!

This was my first time using this yarn and I really enjoyed it. It’s 100% cotton, but has a soft and airy feel to it. I suspect (though I don’t know for sure) that the multiple plies are twisted together somewhat more loosely than I’m used to, allowing for the lighter texture. I did have to take some care not to split the yarn, but it wasn’t hard to work with and I love the finished product.

Best of all, Nikkim is hand dyed by women in economically depressed communities in South Africa. They offer a huge array of colors, with a subtle tonal quality from the hand dying. I can feel good knowing that I am supporting economic opportunities for women.

As with all cotton yarns, this yarn will stretch when washed for the first time. My square grew nearly a full inch from blocking, so be sure to wash and block your swatch before measuring it.

Twisted Eyelets

I used yarn overs to create the round of eyelets on this square, but traditional yarn over eyelets can be a bit large. Since this square is for a baby blanket, I still wanted that lacy feel, but with somewhat smaller holes.

Working into the back leg of the yarn overs forces the yarn over to twist. This takes up some of the excess yarn and makes the eyelet just a bit smaller.

Dorothy’s Square

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Materials

• Yarn: Vinnis Nikkim Yarn (100% cotton, DK weight, 50 g / 130yds per ball)
  • 50 yds #512 Denim (A)
  • 20 yds #579 Antique (B)
  • 60 yds #513 Washed Denim (C)
• Needles: (See note below)
  • Size 6 / 4 mm knitting needles or size needed to match gauge.
• Notions:
  • Yarn Needle
  • 4 stitch markers (preferably one different from the others)
  • Cable needle (optional)

The center portion is knit flat so any needles will do. 32″ Circulars, double pointed, 2 circulars, or longer circulars with magic loop are all fine for the eyelets and border.

Project Level

Intermediate: Provisional cast on, knit / purl stitch pattern, eyelets, twisted stitches, crossed stitches, knit in rows and in the round.

Sizes

12 inch square

Gauge

15 sts x 23 rows = 4 inches after blocking.

Abbreviations used

k = knit
p = purl
k2tog = knit 2 together
kfb = knit front and back
lc = left cross (see Special Stitch)
sm = slip marker
st(s) = stitch(es)
tbl = through back leg
rnd = round
RS = right side
WS = wrong side
yo = yarn over

Recommended Resources

• Provisional Cast on by Marly Bird
• Knit 2 Together (k2tog)
• Right and Left Twist by Purl Soho
• Decoding Cables with Licorice
• Knit twisted stitches

Instructions

Cast on 30 stitches with waste yarn.

Seersucker Stitch

With A,

Row 1 (RS): K2, (p1, k1) across.

Row 2 (WS): Repeat row 1

Row 3: K1, (p1, k3) across to last st, k1.

Row 4: K1, (p3, k1) across to last st, k1.

Rows 5-6: Repeat row 1

Row 7: (K3, p1) across to last 2 sts, k2

Row 8: K1, p1, (k1, p3) across to last 4 sts, k1, p2, k1.

Repeat rows 1-8 4 times more, then repeat rows 1-6 once more.

Cut A, leaving a tail to weave in later.

Work should now measure about 8 inches square. You can add or remove rows as needed, just end after a wrong side (even numbered) row.

We will now begin working in rounds, and will be working on the right side of the fabric only.

Border

Twisted Eyelets

With B:

Rnd 1 RS:

• K across, place marker for corner. (30 sts)
• Pick up and knit 30 sts evenly spaced across side edge, place marker for corner. (30 sts)

• Carefully remove provisional cast on and place stitches on non-working needle. Make sure you have all 30 stitches picked up. K across these 30 sts, place marker for corner. (30 sts)

• Pick up and knit 30 sts evenly spaced across side edge, place marker for end of round (it is helpful if this marker is different from the others). (30 sts)

Rnd 2: P around, slipping markers as you come to them. (120 sts)

Rnd 3: [Yo, k1, (yo, k2tog) 8 times, yo, k1, sm] 4 times. (128 sts)

Rnd 4: (P1 tbl, p1) around, slipping markers as you come to them. (128 sts)

On rnd 4, the purl through back legs should all be worked into yarn overs from the previous row. These are the twisted eyelets.

Cut B, leaving a tail to weave in later.

Cabled Border:

With C:

Rnd 5: (Kfb, k to 1 st before marker, kfb, sm) 4 times. (136 sts)

Rnd 6: [P2, (lc, p2) to marker, sm] 4 times. (136 sts)

Rnd 7: Repeat rnd 5. (144 sts)

Rnd 8: [P3, (lc, p2) to 1 st before marker, p1, sm] 4 times

Rnd 9: Repeat rnd 5. (152 sts)

Rnd 10: [P4, (lc, p2) to 2 sts before marker, p2, sm] 4 times

Rnd 11: Repeat rnd 5. (160 sts)

Rnd 12: [P5, (lc, p2) to 3 sts before marker, p3, sm] 4 times

Rnds 13-15: Repeat rnds 5-7 (176 sts).

Work should measure 12 inches square. You can work fewer rnds or add more rnds, repeating rnds 8-15 as needed. Every odd numbered rnd will add 8 more stitches. End after an odd numbered rnd.

Bind off.

Weave in all ends.

I hope you enjoyed this knit blanket pattern. A downloadable pdf of this pattern is available on Ravelry for a small fee. The fee for the pdf format is to offset the advertising revenue lost when you print or download the pattern rather than viewing it online.