This is a knit throw which measures 90 cm in length and 60 cm width. More pieces with the same measurement can be made and attached in order to make a longer blanket. This size works fine as a mini leg blanket and is super cozy with little gaps between stitches!

Step 1: Materials

For this blanket knitting project the materials are yarn, any composition, although this piece was made with 100% acrylic yarn. Of course knitting needles are the main tool, with size 7 mm used for this project. Finally, Scissors used to cut the yarn!

(Optional is a tapestry needle for weaving in the yarn at the ends. I used a crotchet hook instead and it worked fine)

Step 2: Making the Slip Knot - Two Ways

A slip knot needs to be made to start making the series of cast on stitches (the first row on the knitting needle), securing the yarn to the needle.

A slip knot is easier made with either one of these ways, although as making the slip knot becomes easier, the second method becomes the way to go.

First Method:

1. Make a circle with the yarn, bringing the tail end over the length attached to the ball of yarn

2. Take the tail end underneath the length attached to the ball of yarn

3. Bring the tail end over the yarn making a small circle and of course a loop

4. Insert the loop into the knitting needle and tighten pulling both the tail end and the length attached to the ball of yarn.

The slip knot has now been made and cast on stitches can be done

Second Method:

1. Take a small length of the yarn and hold it your index finger and thumb

2. Bring the tail end of the yarn in front of the length attached to the ball, making the first loop

3. Wrap the yarn around your index finger making a second loop

4. Bring the first loop over the second loop and form the slip knot

5. Insert the loop into the knitting needle and pull both ends to tighten on the needle

The slip knot has now been made and cast on stitches can be done

Step 3: Knit Cast on - First Row on the Needle

After the slip knot has been made, a number of cast on stitches, depending on the width of the project, can be made. For this project 80 stitches were made.

The needle that the slip knot is on will be referred to as needle 1 and the other needle is needle 2

Making the cast on stitches:

1. Insert needle 2 from the bottom, into the slip knot on needle 1 making sure that needle 2 is behind needle 1

2. Wrap the yarn attached to the ball around needle 2

3. Holding the yarn attached to the ball, slowly pull out needle 2, which extends as a loop

4. Transfer this newly made loop on needle 2 into needle 1 on top of the slip knot

5. Continue doing this for the desired number of times, depending on the width of you blanket or scarf or any other project

Step 4: The Knit Stitch

Following the cast on stitches, the process of knitting follows a pattern of casting a stitch from needle 1 into needle 2. Once the stitches are on needle 2, it is swapped onto the dominant hand to cast and transfer the next row of stitches into needle 1 and so on. This process would be continued until the preferred length of the project is reached.

Making the knit stitch:

1. Insert needle 2 from underneath, into and behind the last cast on stitch on needle 1

2. Wrap the yarn once around needle 2

3. Hold the yarn attached to the ball and slowly pull out needle 2. Thus one loop is on needle 2 and one on needle 1, which is removed from needle 1. The stitch on needle 1, the first row, has now been transferred to needle 2

4. Continue this process for the entire first row, and if preferred, for the entire length of the project (Knitting a length just with the knit stitch is referred to as garter stitch)

Step 5: The Purl Stitch

Making a purl stitch:

1. Bring needle 2 from above, into and in front of the stitch on needle 1

2. Yarn over needle 2

3. Hold the yarn attached to the ball, that is wrapped around needle 2 and slowly pull needle 2 out of the stitch on needle 1 (the stitch it was inserted into)

4. Take the stitch remaining on needle 1 out of the needle and pull the yarn to tighten the stitch on needle 2. Both the stitches are now transferred to needle 2

Step 6: The Blanket Stitch

In this project, the knit throw was made using the blanket stitch. This stitch involves the use of both the knit stitch and the purl stitch.

Following the cast on row on needle 1, The second row begins with a knit stitch, followed by a purl stitch, thus alternating between a knit and a purl. The pattern is thus: knit, purl, knit, purl...

The third row begins with a purl stitch and is followed by a knit stitch, thus alternating between the two stitches but starting at a purl.

The fourth row begins with a purl stitch again and the fifth row with a knit stitch

So, starting at the second row, each row follows the pattern of: knit, purl, purl, knit, knit, purl...

Keep repeating this pattern for the desired length of the project

Step 7: Casting Off

Once you are happy with the length of your project, its time to cast off the stitches in order to secure the work. This project was done to a length of 90 cm and was followed by the cast off stitches.

The cast off stitch:

1. Make 2 knit stitches ( transferring two of the stitches from needle 1 to needle 2 using the knit stitch

2. With the tip of needle 1 bring over the second loop (bottom loop) on needle 2, over the top loop and out of the needle

3. Pull the yarn to tighten and make another knit stitch, following the same process on step 2. There should always be two stitches on needle 2, where the bottom is brought over the top stitch and tightened.

4. Cut the yarn leaving a small tail, when only one stitch remains on needle 2

5. Pull the loop on the needle and make a knot to secure the stitches

6. Weave the tail ends into the stitches using a tapestry needle or a crotchet hook, to make a seamless look

The project is done!

More than one of these knit pieces can be made and attached or sewn together using a tapestry needle to make a larger/longer blanket.

Step 8: Adding Another Ball of Yarn

Now, in case your ball of yarn runs out in the middle of the project, this step outlines adding another ball of yarn.

Adding a new ball of yarn to the project:

When around 15 cm of the yarn remains, start making a stitch, purl or knit. Insert needle 2 into needle 1 and yarn over and also yarn over the tail end from a new ball of yarn. Now holding the two strands of yarn, make at least 3 stitches. Then, leave the tail of the old yarn and continue using just the new yarn.

When doing the next row, The stitches made holding the two strands will have two loops on the needle, and thus they need to be transferred as one loop. To do that, the needle would be inserted into both the loops and yarn over and pull out.

Weave in the loose ends at the end of the project for a seamless finish!