It’s fairly easy to find knitting patterns for babies if you know where to look. Knitters are a very generous group and glad to share their knowledge and patterns. Try these tips for finding what you need.  Click for free  baby blanket pattern

1. Join forums – People on knitting forums are extremely helpful and kind. A few recommended forums include Ravelry, CafeMom, KnitPicks Community or yahoo groups like Rachel’s knitting Room. On these forums, you can post pictures of your work, get advice and ask about pattern sources. Many members will also share patterns with you that they have used.

All of these knitting forums require registration but it’s free.

2. Check out knitting blogs. Do a search for knitting blogs or set up a Google alert. Google alerts send you a daily listing of anyplace knitting is mentioned and I’ve found many great knitting blogs that way.

3. Do a search for the pattern you want. You will probably be led to Knitting Pattern Central or Knitting on the Net for starters. These sites list patterns by topic, like baby patterns, with links to blogs where free patterns are posted.

4. Sign up for free email knitting newsletters. Many yarn companies offer free newsletters which contain patterns. Knitting Daily also includes patterns in their newsletters.

Once you get your resources lined up, you can go back again and again for blankets, hats, headbands, sweaters and more. Along the way, you interact with a wonderful bunch of generous people and form friendships around your knitting obsession.

Start off with this free knitted baby blanket pattern:

You’ll need at least 4 skeins of Cotton-Ease, which will make a 30×30 inch baby blanket. This pattern is very easy to make larger if you’d like.

Size 7 knitting needles, circular 29 inch
Tapestry needle to weave in ends.

Gauge 16st=4 inches in garter stitch.

Stitch Pattern:

Cast on 5 stitches
Row 1: Knit across
Row 2: K3, yo, k2
Row 3: K3, yo, k3
Row 4: K3, yo, K to the end of the row.

Repeat row 4 until there are 160 stitches on the needle or until the blanket is as large as you’d like it, then you start decreasing.

Decrease stitches

K2, knit 2 together, yo, k2tog, yo, K to the end of the row.

Repeat stitches until you have 5 stitches on the needle, then bind off.

Weave in ends.

Copyright 2010 Joan Jones