Four Square Baby Afghan in Lion Brand Ice Cream - L60356 - Downloadable PDF

Four Square Baby Afghan in Lion Brand Ice Cream – Free Knitting Pattern L60356

Designed by Bobbie Fitzgerald and published by Lion Brand Yarn Company, the Four Square Baby Afghan (Pattern Number L60356) is a charming, beginner-friendly knitted baby blanket worked in Lion Brand Ice Cream sport-weight yarn. The finished afghan measures approximately 35 x 35 inches (89 x 89 cm), including borders, making it a generously sized lap or crib blanket that is perfectly proportioned for a newborn or infant. This pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF, making it an accessible and budget-friendly project for knitters of all experience levels.

What Is Being Made

The project is a square baby afghan constructed from four individual knitted squares that are worked separately and then sewn together to create the finished blanket. The four-square construction gives the design its name and its clean, geometric aesthetic. Once the squares are joined, a coordinating border is added around the entire perimeter to frame the design and give the blanket a polished, finished look. The result is a soft, lightweight, and visually appealing baby blanket suitable as a gift or a nursery staple.

Techniques Used

• Working pieces separately and seaming: Each of the four squares is knitted as an independent piece. This modular approach is ideal for beginners because each section is small and manageable, and mistakes can be corrected before the pieces are joined.
• Seaming / joining: The four completed squares are sewn together using a large-eyed blunt needle, a standard technique in knitting for assembling garments and blankets without splitting yarn fibers.
• Border construction: A border is worked around the assembled blanket to unify the four squares and create a neat, finished edge. Borders in garter stitch are particularly effective at lying flat without curling.
• Increasing: Two specific increase techniques are used within the pattern, adding shaping where needed as the squares are built up.

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch: The primary stitch pattern throughout the afghan. Garter stitch is created by knitting every stitch on every row, producing a ridged, reversible fabric with excellent drape and elasticity. It is one of the most beginner-friendly stitch patterns in knitting and lies naturally flat, which is especially important for blankets.
• kfb (Knit Front and Back): A simple one-stitch increase worked by knitting into the front and then the back of the same stitch without removing it from the needle. This technique adds one stitch to the row and is commonly used to shape knitted pieces.
• M1 (Make 1): Another increase stitch, worked by lifting the horizontal strand of yarn lying between the two needles and placing it onto the left needle, then knitting through the back loop to avoid a hole. This creates a nearly invisible increase and is a fundamental technique in beginner and intermediate knitting.

Materials and Tools

The pattern calls for Lion Brand Ice Cream yarn (Art. #923), a sport-weight yarn known for its soft, smooth texture and appealing palette of colors inspired by ice cream flavors. Two specific colorways are used:

• 212 Coffee – 2 balls (Color A)
• 208 Mint – 3 balls (Color B)

The two-color combination of Coffee and Mint gives the blanket a warm yet fresh, gender-neutral appeal that works beautifully for any baby. The sport-weight classification means the yarn is lightweight and fine enough to create a delicate fabric while still being quick to knit at a beginner pace.

The recommended needles are Lion Brand knitting needles size 5 (3.75 mm), which pair appropriately with sport-weight yarn to achieve the correct gauge. A Lion Brand large-eyed blunt needle is also required for seaming the squares together and weaving in ends.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches to approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in Garter stitch. Checking gauge before beginning is strongly recommended, as it directly affects the final dimensions of the blanket. Adjusting needle size up or down as needed will help knitters achieve the correct measurements.

Skill Level and Suit