Colorful Striped Blanket

This vibrant and cozy striped blanket is perfect for adding warmth to any room or for snuggling up on chilly nights. With an array of bright colors and simple stitches, this project is great for beginners looking to practice their knitting skills. Ideal as a gift or for personal use, this blanket will surely brighten up your day!

Materials

• Yarn: 100% cotton yarn in the following colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, turquoise, and white (about 5 skeins of each color)
• Knitting needles: size US 8 (5 mm)
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
• Scissors

Gauge

Approximately 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch, blocked.

Abbreviations

• K - Knit
• P - Purl
• St(s) - Stitch(es)
• Rep - Repeat
• CO - Cast On
• BO - Bind Off

Instructions

1. Cast On: CO 120 stitches with your first color (let's say turquoise).
2. Row 1: Knit every stitch across the row (this is the garter stitch).
3. Rows 2-10: Continue knitting every row in turquoise. You'll have a solid turquoise band of 9 rows.
4. Row 11: Change to red. Knit every stitch across.
5. Row 12: Knit every stitch across in red.
6. Row 13: Change to orange. Knit every stitch across.
7. Row 14: Knit every stitch across in orange.
8. Row 15: Change to yellow. Knit every stitch across.
9. Row 16: Knit every stitch across in yellow.
10. Row 17: Change to green. Knit every stitch across.
11. Row 18: Knit every stitch across in green.
12. Row 19: Change to blue. Knit every stitch across.
13. Row 20: Knit every stitch across in blue.
14. Row 21: Change to red. Knit every stitch across.
15. Row 22-30: Repeat the following sequence (change colors every 2 rows): red, orange, yellow, green, blue, then turquoise again for 9 rows.
16. Repeat Rows 11-30: Continue until your blanket reaches approximately 45 inches in width, ending with the turquoise color.
17. Bind Off: BO all stitches loosely. To maintain the blanket's elasticity, avoid pulling too tightly when binding off.
18. Finishing: Use the tapestry needle to weave in any loose ends from the color changes.

Your blanket is now complete! It should measure approximately 60 inches long and 45 inches wide once finished. Enjoy your colorful creation or wrap it up as a special gift!