A sweet, simple blanket—what a great way to welcome a brand-new baby! Lots of parents wait ‘til the big day find out if they’re having a boy or a girl, but that can be hard on knitters who want to make them a special baby gift. Some patterns are just too girly; some are just too plain…and don’t even start on the question of color! The Tillie blanket was designed with all those “wait ‘til” babies in mind: A shamrock-shaped eyelet motif is sprinkled among wide stockinette ribs for textural interest that’s not too flowery or too lacy, while the gently flared edging stops just short of being a full-on ruffle.

Tillie can coordinate as a soft neutral with any color scheme. Worked in popsicle-bright orange, purple, or green, it’ll be a nursery accessory that plays well with a surprising variety of pinks and blues, too. Whatever color you choose, now you don’t have to wait ‘til you cast on anymore!

Gauge is not crucial for this project; use whatever yarns and needles give you a nice drape in the rib-and-eyelet motif. You’ll need a bit over 1000 yards of sport-weight yarn for a receiving blanket size (about 32-35” on a side). Use worsted or bulky yarns and larger needles for a throw or bedspread, if you like; this combination of textural stitches and edging will work well with a variety of decors!

Pattern includes charted and written instructions for the eyelet motif. Blanket is worked in the round from the center out; you may use dpns, two circulars, or Magic Loop method for the early rounds, according to your preference.