Wild Daisies Baby Blanket Free Pattern – A Textured Meadow Knit

Wrap your little one in a hand-knit meadow of wildflowers with this charming, textured blanket. The all-over daisy stitch and soft, heathered yarn create a cozy, heirloom-quality piece that's as delightful to make as it is to gift. This pattern is perfect for intermediate knitters looking for a rewarding project, but beginners who are comfortable with basic knit and purl stitches and yarn overs will also find it achievable thanks to our detailed, step-by-step instructions below.

The Wild Daisies Baby Blanket features a rich, heathered sage green base punctuated by horizontal bands of raised, three-dimensional daisy motifs in creamy white and buttery yellow. The result is a plush, textured fabric that mimics a serene meadow—muted, natural, and soothing, making it an ideal addition to any nursery or a thoughtful handmade baby gift.

Materials Needed

Before you begin, gather the following supplies. Using the suggested yarn will help you achieve the exact look and feel of the sample, but any worsted weight yarn that meets gauge will work beautifully.

Yarn

• Main Color (MC) – Soft Sage Green: Approximately 900 yards. Suggested: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted in Sage (or similar heathered green).
• Contrast A – Creamy White: Approximately 400 yards. Suggested: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted in Fisherman.
• Contrast B – Buttery Yellow: Approximately 200 yards. Suggested: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted in Goldfish.

Needles & Notions

• US Size 7 (4.5 mm) Knitting Needles: Straight or circular (circular is recommended for the large number of stitches, but straight needles work fine). Adjust needle size if necessary to achieve gauge.
• Tapestry Needle: For weaving in ends and finishing.
• Scissors
• Stitch Markers (optional): Helpful for keeping track of pattern repeats.

Gauge

• Stockinette Stitch: 20 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches.
• Daisy Pattern: 1 repeat (8 stitches) = 1.5 inches wide; 1 repeat (8 rows) = 1.25 inches tall.

Always knit a gauge swatch first. If your gauge is off, change your needle size accordingly—smaller needles for more stitches per inch, larger needles for fewer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This pattern is worked flat in one piece from the bottom up. The finished size is approximately 36 inches wide x 42 inches long (including the border). Follow along carefully, and you'll have a beautiful heirloom blanket in no time.

Special Stitches

Before you start, familiarize yourself with the daisy stitch. It's a simple 8-row repeat that creates a lovely textured petal effect.

Daisy Stitch (worked over 8 stitches):

• Row 1 (RS): *K1, yo, k3, pass the yo over the 3 knit stitches (this forms a daisy petal), k4*; repeat from * to end of row.
• Row 2 (WS): Purl all stitches.
• Row 3 (RS): *K4, k1, yo, k3, pass the yo over the 3 knit stitches*; repeat from * to end of row.
• Row 4 (WS): Purl all stitches.
• Rows 5-8: Repeat Rows 1-4.

Pro Tip: The "pass the yo over" step is what creates the raised petal. After you yarn over, knit 3 stitches, then lift the yarn over loop over those 3 stitches and off the needle, just like a bind-off. This cinches the 3 stitches together at the top, forming a petal.

Getting Started: The Border

1. With MC (sage green), cast on 180 stitches loosely. A long-tail cast-on works well.
2. Knit 6 rows in garter stitch (knit every row). This creates a clean, sturdy border for the bottom of the blanket.

Main Body: The Daisy Pattern

Now you'll begin the daisy pattern, working in a specific color sequence to create the meadow effect. The pattern is a multiple of 8 stitches, and you have 180 stitches, which works out perfectly (22 repeats of 8 stitches = 176, plus 4 extra stitches. Note: The pattern as written will work with 180 stitches; simply begin and end each row with the pattern as written, and the extra 4 stitches will be absorbed into the border edges. For a perfectly symmetrical edge, you can add 4 extra stitches to your cast-on, but this is optional.)

Follow this color sequence:

1. Rows 1-8: Work the Daisy Stitch pattern using MC (sage).
2. Rows 9-16: Switch to Contrast A (white) and work the Daisy Stitch pattern. This will create a beautiful band of white daisies.
3. Rows 17-24: Switch back to MC (sage) and work the Daisy Stitch pattern.
4. Rows 25-32: Switch to Contrast B (yellow) and work the Daisy Stitch pattern. This creates a band of yellow daisies.

Repeat this 32-row sequence until the piece measures approximately 40 inches from the cast-on edge, ending with a complete 8-row block in MC (sage). This ensures your top border will match the bottom.

When changing colors, do so at the beginning of a row. Simply drop the old color and pick up the new one, leaving a tail to weave in later. Don't carry yarn up the side of the work—cut and rejoin for each color block to keep the edges clean.

Finishing the Top Border

1. Once the main body reaches 40 inches, knit 6 rows in MC (garter stitch) to match the bottom border.
2. Bind off loosely in knit on the next row. A loose bind-off is crucial to prevent the edge from pulling in. You can use a larger needle for the bind-off if needed.

Weaving in Ends & Blocking

1. Using your tapestry needle, weave in all loose ends carefully on the wrong side of the blanket. Make sure to secure them well so they don't come loose with use.
2. Block the blanket gently to open up the daisy stitches and even out the edges. Soak the blanket in lukewarm water with a mild wool wash, gently squeeze out excess water (do not wring), and lay flat on a towel. Shape to the correct dimensions and allow to dry completely. Blocking will make the daisy petals pop beautifully.

Optional Decorative Edging

For a more ornate finish, you can add a simple crochet border. This is entirely optional but adds a lovely scalloped detail.

1. With MC, single crochet (sc) evenly around the entire edge of the blanket, working 3 sc in each corner to turn the corners smoothly.
2. Then, work a decorative round: *sc in each sc, skip 1 sc, 3 dc in next sc* repeat from * around the entire edge. This creates a subtle scalloped effect.
3. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Your Wild Daisies Baby Blanket is now complete! This textured, heirloom-quality piece is sure to be treasured for years to come. The combination of the soft sage, creamy white, and buttery yellow creates a soothing, natural palette that fits perfectly in any modern or traditional nursery. Enjoy your handmade creation, and happy knitting!