Windmill Blanket

Free Blanket Knitting Pattern

The Windmill Blanket is a cozy project perfect for baby blankets or lapghans. Made from four separate squares knit in garter stitch, each square is shaped using short rows. The colorwork alternates between a main color (MC) and a contrast color (CC) in the second part of each square, with the option to vary the main color for each square. This pattern is a great way to learn the short row technique while creating a beautiful and functional blanket.

Skills Required/Techniques Used:
---Knit, cast on & bind off
---Short Rows

Finished measurements: 42” x 42” (105 cm x 105 cm)

Materials: Red Heart (affiliate link) Super Saver 100% acrylic yarn, aran weight, 333 m (364 yds)/198 g, Color White – 2 skeins. (CC)
Red Heart (affiliate link) Super Saver 100% acrylic yarn, aran weight, 333 m (364 yds)/198 g Color Royal – 2 skeins. (MC1)
Red Heart (affiliate link) Super Saver 100% acrylic yarn, aran weight, 333 m (364 yds)/198 g Color Blue – 2 skeins. (MC2)

Needles: US #8 (5.0 mm) straight

Gauge: 14 sts x 30 rows = 4" x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm) in garter st.

Notions: yarn needle

Abbreviations:
k - knit
p - purl
RS - right side
WS - wrong side
w&t - wrap and turn
St, sts – stitch, stitches
Sl - Slip 1 stitch knitwise
catch strands – slip wrapped stitch to the right needle, insert left needle under the wrap(s) and into stitch, transfer wrap(s) and stitch to the left needle as one, knit wrap(s) and stitch together

Pattern Notes:

Garter st in rows: all rows knit

Chain Selvedge: the selvedge/edge stitches are worked as follows: slip the first stitch in knitwise and purl the last one.


Short Overview of the Pattern:

The blanket is made of 4 separate squares, that are then connected together by sewing. Each squares is shaped by the short rows. The first half of the square is worked by decreasing short rows, with 1 stitch step. The second half of the square is worked as increasing short rows with 1 stitch step and an alternating of MC and CC yarns every 2 rows (1 ridge).


Blanket

Square

With MC yarn cast on 75 sts.
Row 1 (RS): Using MC, k73, w&t. (73 sts)
Row 2 (WS) and all WS rows: Using yarn color of the previous row, knit to the end of the row.
Row 3: Using MC, sl, k71, w&t. (72 sts)

Row 5: Using MC, sl, k70, w&t. (71 sts)

Row 7: Using MC, sl, k69, w&t. (70 sts)

Row 9: Using MC, sl, k68, w&t. (69 sts)

Row 11: Using MC, sl, k67, w&t. (68 sts)

Row 13: Using MC, sl, k66, w&t. (67 sts)

Row 15: Using MC, sl, k65, w&t. (66 sts)

Row 17: Using MC, sl, k64, w&t. (65 sts)

Row 19: Using MC, sl, k63, w&t. (64 sts)

Row 21: Using MC, sl, k62, w&t. (63 sts)

Row 23: Using MC, sl, k61, w&t. (62 sts)

Row 25: Using MC, sl, k60, w&t. (61 sts)

Row 27: Using MC, sl, k59, w&t. (60 sts)

Row 29: Using MC, sl, k58, w&t. (59 sts)

Row 31: Using MC, sl, k57, w&t. (58 sts)

Row 33: Using MC, sl, k56, w&t. (57 sts)

Row 35: Using MC, sl, k55, w&t. (56 sts)

Row 37: Using MC, sl, k54, w&t. (55 sts)

Row 39: Using MC, sl, k53, w&t. (54 sts)

Row 41: Using MC, sl, k52, w&t. (53 sts)

Row 43: Using MC, sl, k51, w&t. (52 sts)

Row 45: Using MC, sl, k50, w&t. (51 sts)

Row 47: Using MC, sl, k49, w&t. (50 sts)

Row 49: Using MC, sl, k48, w&t. (49 sts)

Row 51: Using MC, sl, k47, w&t. (48 sts)

Row 53: Using MC, sl, k46, w&t. (47 sts)

Row 55: Using MC, sl, k45, w&t. (46 sts)

Row 57: Using MC, sl, k44, w&t. (45 sts)

Row 59: Using MC, sl, k43, w&t. (44 sts)

Row 61: Using MC, sl, k42, w&t. (43 sts)

Row 63: Using MC, sl, k41, w&t. (42 sts)

Row 65: Using MC, sl, k40, w&t. (41 sts)

Row 67: Using MC, sl, k39, w&t. (40 sts)

Row 69: Using MC, sl, k38, w&t. (39 sts)

Row 71: Using MC, sl, k37, w&t. (38 sts)

Row 73: Using MC, sl, k36, w&t. (37 sts)

Row 75: Using MC, sl, k35, w&t. (36 sts)

Row 77: Using MC, sl, k34, w&t. (35 sts)

Row 79: Using MC, sl, k33, w&t. (34 sts)

Row 81: Using MC, sl, k32, w&t. (33 sts)

Row 83: Using MC, sl, k31, w&t. (32 sts)

Row 85: Using MC, sl, k30, w&t. (31 sts)

Row 87: Using MC, sl, k29, w&t. (30 sts)

Row 89: Using MC, sl, k28, w&t. (29 sts)

Row 91: Using MC, sl, k27, w&t. (28 sts)

Row 93: Using MC, sl, k26, w&t. (27 sts)

Row 95: Using MC, sl, k25, w&t. (26 sts)

Row 97: Using MC, sl, k24, w&t. (25 sts)

Row 99: Using MC, sl, k23, w&t. (24 sts)

Row 101: Using MC, sl, k22, w&t. (23 sts)

Row 103: Using MC, sl, k21, w&t. (22 sts)

Row 105: Using MC, sl, k20, w&t. (21 sts)

Row 107: Using MC, sl, k19, w&t. (20 sts)

Row 109: Using MC, sl, k18, w&t. (19 sts)

Row 111: Using MC, sl, k17, w&t. (18 sts)

Row 113: Using MC, sl, k16, w&t. (17 sts)

Row 115: Using MC, sl, k15, w&t. (16 sts)

Row 117: Using MC, sl, k14, w&t. (15 sts)

Row 119: Using MC, sl, k13, w&t. (14 sts)

Row 121: Using MC, sl, k12, w&t. (13 sts)

Row 123: Using MC, sl, k11, w&t. (12 sts)

Row 125: Using MC, sl, k10, w&t. (11 sts)

Row 127: Using MC, sl, k9, w&t. (10 sts)

Row 129: Using MC, sl, k8, w&t. (9 sts)

Row 131: Using MC, sl, k7, w&t. (8 sts)

Row 133: Using MC, sl, k6, w&t. (7 sts)

Row 135: Using MC, sl, k5, w&t. (6 sts)

Row 137: Using MC, sl, k4, w&t. (5 sts)

Row 139: Using MC, sl, k3, w&t. (4 sts)

Row 141: Using MC, sl, k2, w&t. (3 sts)

Row 143: Using CC, sl, k2, catch strands, w&t. (4 sts)

Row 145: Using MC, sl, k3, catch strands, w&t. (5 sts)

Row 147: Using CC, sl, k4, catch strands, w&t. (6 sts)

Row 149: Using MC, sl, k5, catch strands, w&t. (7 sts)

Row 151: Using CC, sl, k6, catch strands, w&t. (8 sts)

Row 153: Using MC, sl, k7, catch strands, w&t. (9 sts)

Row 155: Using CC, sl, k8, catch strands, w&t. (10 sts)

Row 157: Using MC, sl, k9, catch strands, w&t. (11 sts)

Row 159: Using CC, sl, k10, catch strands, w&t. (12 sts)

Row 161: Using MC, sl, k11, catch strands, w&t. (13 sts)

Row 163: Using CC, sl, k12, catch strands, w&t. (14 sts)

Row 165: Using MC, sl, k13, catch strands, w&t. (15 sts)

Row 167: Using CC, sl, k14, catch strands, w&t. (16 sts)

Row 169: Using MC, sl, k15, catch strands, w&t. (17 sts)

Row 171: Using CC, sl, k16, catch strands, w&t. (18 sts)

Row 173: Using MC, sl, k17, catch strands, w&t. (19 sts)

Row 175: Using CC, sl, k18, catch strands, w&t. (20 sts)

Row 177: Using MC, sl, k19, catch strands, w&t. (21 sts)

Row 179: Using CC, sl, k20, catch strands, w&t. (22 sts)

Row 181: Using MC, sl, k21, catch strands, w&t. (23 sts)

Row 183: Using CC, sl, k22, catch strands, w&t. (24 sts)

Row 185: Using MC, sl, k23, catch strands, w&t. (25 sts)

Row 187: Using CC, sl, k24, catch strands, w&t. (26 sts)

Row 189: Using MC, sl, k25, catch strands, w&t. (27 sts)

Row 191: Using CC, sl, k26, catch strands, w&t. (28 sts)

Row 193: Using MC, sl, k27, catch strands, w&t. (29 sts)

Row 195: Using CC, sl, k28, catch strands, w&t. (30 sts)

Row 197: Using MC, sl, k29, catch strands, w&t. (31 sts)

Row 199: Using CC, sl, k30, catch strands, w&t. (32 sts)

Row 201: Using MC, sl, k31, catch strands, w&t. (33 sts)

Row 203: Using CC, sl, k32, catch strands, w&t. (34 sts)

Row 205: Using MC, sl, k33, catch strands, w&t. (35 sts)

Row 207: Using CC, sl, k34, catch strands, w&t. (33 sts)

Row 209: Using MC, sl, k35, catch strands, w&t. (37 sts)

Row 211: Using CC, sl, k36, catch strands, w&t. (38 sts)

Row 213: Using MC, sl, k37, catch strands, w&t. (39 sts)

Row 215: Using CC, sl, k38, catch strands, w&t. (40 sts)

Row 217: Using MC, sl, k39, catch strands, w&t. (41 sts)

Row 219: Using CC, sl, k40, catch strands, w&t. (42 sts)

Row 221: Using MC, sl, k41, catch strands, w&t. (43 sts)

Row 223: Using CC, sl, k42, catch strands, w&t. (44 sts)

Row 225: Using MC, sl, k43, catch strands, w&t. (45 sts)

Row 227: Using CC, sl, k44, catch strands, w&t. (46 sts)

Row 229: Using MC, sl, k45, catch strands, w&t. (47 sts)

Row 231: Using CC, sl, k46, catch strands, w&t. (48 sts)

Row 233: Using MC, sl, k47, catch strands, w&t. (49 sts)

Row 235: Using CC, sl, k48, catch strands, w&t. (50 sts)

Row 237: Using MC, sl, k49, catch strands, w&t. (51 sts)

Row 239: Using CC, sl, k50, catch strands, w&t. (52 sts)

Row 241: Using MC, sl, k51, catch strands, w&t. (53 sts)

Row 243: Using CC, sl, k52, catch strands, w&t. (54 sts)

Row 245: Using MC, sl, k53, catch strands, w&t. (55 sts)

Row 247: Using CC, sl, k54, catch strands, w&t. (56 sts)

Row 249: Using MC, sl, k55, catch strands, w&t. (57 sts)

Row 251: Using CC, sl, k56, catch strands, w&t. (58 sts)

Row 253: Using MC, sl, k57, catch strands, w&t. (59 sts)

Row 255: Using CC, sl, k58, catch strands, w&t. (60 sts)

Row 257: Using MC, sl, k59, catch strands, w&t. (61 sts)

Row 259: Using CC, sl, k60, catch strands, w&t. (62 sts)

Row 261: Using MC, sl, k61, catch strands, w&t. (63 sts)

Row 263: Using CC, sl, k62, catch strands, w&t. (64 sts)

Row 265: Using MC, sl, k63, catch strands, w&t. (65 sts)

Row 267: Using CC, sl, k64, catch strands, w&t. (66 sts)

Row 269: Using MC, sl, k65, catch strands, w&t. (67 sts)

Row 271: Using CC, sl, k66, catch strands, w&t. (68 sts)

Row 273: Using MC, sl, k67, catch strands, w&t. (69 sts)

Row 275: Using CC, sl, k68, catch strands, w&t. (70 sts)

Row 277: Using MC, sl, k69, catch strands, w&t. (71 sts)

Row 279: Using CC, sl, k70, catch strands, w&t. (72 sts)

Row 281: Using MC, sl, k71, catch strands, w&t. (73 sts)

Row 283: Using CC, sl, k72, catch strands. (75 sts)

Row 284: Using CC, knit. (75 sts)

Bind off all stitches.

Knit 3 more squares.

Connecting the panels:
Layout the squares as shown on the pictures. Sew them together

Finishing:
Weave in all yarn ends.

Have fun!