Hudson Bay Inspired Baby Blanket
Does anything say Canada to Canadians more than the iconic Hudson Bay Blanket? It’s simple design is timeless and a hand-knit version would make for a super-special baby gift. The pattern is beginner-friendly (it’s just straight knitting), and makes a great low-brain activity, summer project. And it’s FREE, so that’s a bonus too!
Size
- 34 inches wide and 39 inches long
- NOTE: Garter stitch has a tendency to stretch, so your blanket will “grow” beyond these dimensions.
Skills
See our curated list of skills & techniques
- Cast-on (long-tail/slingshot method)
- Knit stitch
- Bind off
- Joining a new ball of yarn
- Weaving in ends in garter stitch
Yarn Options
The Hudson Bay Inspired Baby Blanket is made with worsted weight yarn, so you’ve got several great options to choose from! I’ve colour combined and art-directed the colours, so you don’t have to worry about which shades match and balance together – I’ve got you covered! Working with the palates available from each yarn line, I tired to create as many combinations that looked good as possible. I also tried to go for different aesthetics, the classics are closest to the iconic blankets sold by the Hudson Bay Company, and feature clearer, brighter colours. The subdued combos are a more modern, grown-up take on the hues, and are darker.
Cascade 220 Superwash is an affordably priced, machine washable Peruvian wool yarn. It’s soft enough for baby garments and blankets, knits easily, and has been a staple around here for a LONG time. If you aren’t into synthetics this is a great choice!
- classic colours: six skeins of 817 Aran or 871 White, and one skein each of 251 Evergreen, 809 Really Red, 877 Golden, 1924 Midnight Heather
- slightly darker colours: six skeins of 817 Aran or 871 White, and one skein each of 1950 Hunter Green, 893 Ruby, 877 Golden, 854 Navy.
Berroco Vintage is a super soft, machine washable blend of wool, acrylic and nylon. It’s easy on the hands and the pocketbook, and is another very popular choice for babies and kids. This yarn is also a longstanding resident around here.
- classic colours: six skeins of 5101 Mochi or 5100 Snow Day, and one skein each of 5152 Mistletoe, 5151 Cardinal, 5121 Sunny, 51182 Indigo Heather.
- somewhat subdued colours: six skeins of 5101 Mochi or 5100 Snow Day, and one skein each of 5193 Yukon Green, 51181 Ruby Heather, 5127 Butternut, 51182 Indigo Heather.
- grown-up heathered colours: six skeins of 5101 Mochi or 5100 Snow Day, and one skein each of 5177 Douglas Fir Heather, 5181 Black Currant Heather, 5192 Chana Dal Heather, 51182 Indigo Heather.
Berroco Vintage Chunky is a slightly thicker version of Berroco Vintage (above), and knits on 6mm/US10 needles. Because this yarn is thicker you’ll need to cast on about 25% fewer stitches (119 sts).
classic colours: six skeins of 6101 Mochi 0r6100 Snow Day, and one skein each of 6152 Mistletoe, 6151 Cardinal, 6121 Sunny, 61182 Indigo Heather.
You can also use Estelle Breeze to make a Cotton version in sorbet baby colours. Breeze is also thicker and works up on 6mm/US10 needles, so you’ll want to cast on 119 stitches.
sorbet colours: 01 Natural (6 skeins), 09 Aqua (1 skein), 06 Peach (1 skein), 07 Lemon (1 skein), 11 Sky (1 skein)
