Knit Swaddle

I have a confession to make… I am an infant swaddler! Give me a crying infant that has been feed and changed and still is fussing, I swaddle. In my experience, most infants enjoy the security of being swaddled and almost instantly relax. I highly recomment you do a quick Google search on the benefits of swaddling an infant. There are many. So, it should come as no surprise, that I make all my grandbabies swaddles. Typically, babies are only swaddled for the first 1 or 2 months, as they grow accustom to life outside the womb, but when you are done using it as a swaddle, it can still be used as a small blankie. Bug, Fairy and Pixie also used theirs as capes when they first began playing “dress up”. 

Here is the swaddling I just finished for “Little Lady”. I made it with a chunky acrylic yarn. Our family has many wool allergies so I chose to make the swaddling out of a synthetic just in case. Any chunky weight yarn can be used or you can opt to knit with 2 strands of a worsted weight. Fairy was nice enough to let me use her baby doll for a photo session. I would consider this a beginning knitting project, with a simple crocheted scalloped edge.        

Materials:

5 skeins chunk yarn or use 2 strands of a worsted weight

#6 knitting needles
size I crochet hook
yarn needle

Gauge: Gauge is not important because you knit until swaddling is the desired size.

Finished size: 22″ square

Swaddle:
Cast On 1 stitch.

Increase Rows:
Row 1 – Knit front and back (Kfb) of the first stitch. (now 2 stitches) 
All remaining increase rows – Kfb of 1st stitch; knit to the end of the row.

Continue in this manner until sides measure 20″.

Decrease Rows:
Cast off 1 stitch at the beginning of each row until 1 stitch remains. Pull yarn through.

Optional Hood:
Cast On 1 stitch.

Row 1 – Knit front and back (Kfb) of the first stitch. (now 2 stitches)
All remaining increase rows – Kfb of 1st stitch; knit to the end of the row.

When sides measure 7″, bind off leaving a 36″ tail.

Pin the hood to the swaddling at a center corner. Using the tail, sew in place along 2 outside edges.

To add edging:
Using a size I crochet hook, and beginning at the corner opposite the hood, single crochet around the entire blanket.

Note: If you made the swaddling without a hood, simply single crochet around the whole swaddle. If you added a hood, single crochet until you reach the bottom edge of the hood. Continue single crocheting across the edge of the hood, then continue around the swaddling until you return to the start.

Continuing from the starting point, crochet a scalloped edge along the single crochet row. To do this:

Chain 2 and work 4 double crochets into the first corner stitch.
 
*Skip next 2 stitches. Single crochet in next stitch. Skip next 2 stitches. Work 5 double crochets into next stitch.
 
Repeat from * until you come close to a corner. If the pattern does not work out exactly you can “fudge” by backing up a couple scallops and only skipping 1 stitch  a couple of times. When you are done this will hardly be noticeable. 

Create 1 scallop in the corner. I only made the 5 double crochets in the corner because I felt like it laid nicely. You can make up to 8 double crochets in the corner if necessary.

Continue around the swaddling until you come back to the beginning. Join to chain 2 with slip stitch and finish off.

Weave in all yarn tails.

To swaddle your baby or doll:

Place baby’s head in hood. (If you made the swaddling without a hood, fold the corner down about 7″.

Bring the bottom up to the chest.

Bring 1st side across the body, snug but not tight. Tuck it slightly under the baby.

Bring 2nd side across the body. With this method you do not tuck the blanket edge into the swaddling.