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Blue Bell Baby Blanket. Photos © AishahBey & © Yarnfanatic
Blue Bell Baby Blanket by Ann V. Gallentine is a free baby blanket knitting pattern featuring a beautiful shell-stitch border surrounding a simple stockinette center.
The original blanket measures approximately 42 inches square and is knitted with worsted-weight yarn. Its combination of an elegant lace-like border and uncomplicated center makes it a lovely choice for a handmade baby gift.
The feature that gives the Blue Bell Baby Blanket its distinctive look is the decorative Lucina Shell Pattern used around the edges of the blanket.
Ann Gallentine explains that the border reminded her of bluebell flowers, which inspired the name of the design. The shell pattern surrounds a straightforward stockinette-stitch center, allowing the decorative edge to stand out.
The Lucina Shell Pattern used for the border was adapted by the designer from Barbara G. Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns.
The original Blue Bell Baby Blanket was knitted with worsted-weight Berroco Comfort, a nylon and acrylic blend. The designer lists 5½ skeins of 3.5 ounces each for the original blanket.
The recommended needle size is 6.5 mm (US 10½), with a gauge of 4 stitches and 6 rows per inch in stockinette stitch.
If you substitute another worsted-weight yarn, make a gauge swatch before starting if you want your finished blanket to remain close to the original dimensions.
Worked according to the original instructions, the blanket measures approximately 42 inches square.
This gives you a generously sized baby blanket that can work well in a nursery, stroller or as a handmade gift.
Yes. One of the useful features of Ann Gallentine's design is that the size can be customized.
The designer explains how to increase or decrease the cast-on count while preserving the shell-pattern repeat. Check the original pattern before changing the dimensions so that the decorative border remains correctly aligned.
Remember that making a larger blanket will require additional yarn.
The original version combines the decorative shell border with a stockinette center, but Ann also suggests another option: work the entire blanket in the shell pattern.
This creates a much more heavily textured version of the design. It will also require more yarn than the original stockinette-center blanket.
This pattern offers a useful balance between decorative and simple knitting. The shell border provides visual interest, while the large stockinette center gives the eye a place to rest and keeps the finished design from becoming overly busy.
A solid or softly tonal yarn is a particularly good choice when you want the shadows and curves of the shell-stitch border to remain clearly visible.
The complete Blue Bell Baby Blanket by Ann V. Gallentine is available free on the designer's original Ann's Knitting Page.
Get the Free Blue Bell Baby Blanket Pattern
Pattern availability was checked when this article was updated. Availability on external websites may change over time.
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| Photos above © Gena Shaffer |
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