How Many Stitches to Cast On for a Blanket

It's not uncommon for beginner knitters to make blankets, since their simple construction is appealing to the fresh stitcher. These resources are going to be your best friend when you learn to make your first blanket, so be sure to familiarize yourself with them before moving forward.

• How to Cast On Longtail
• Yarn Weight Category Chart
• Knitting Needle Size Guide
• Knitting Gauge Guide

There's more to just the dimensions of the blanket that need to be taken into account before you decide how many stitches to cast on for a blanket. The chart below offers a range for that reason.

1. Yarn Weight
   
   A yarn's weight is determined by its wraps per inch, which, in turn, will determine (along with your needle size) what your gauge is. There's no way to be sure of how many stitches to cast on until you know your gauge, because yarn weight categories often span a range of stitches per inch. If ever in doubt, check your yarn label and use the needle size they recommend to get your rough gauge.


2. Needle Size
   
   Just because you're using a worsted weight yarn doesn't mean that you're married to the size 8 needle, however. Maybe you want to use size 7 or size 9. Just make sure the needle size is roughly appropriate for the weight of your yarn, and remember that if it's a bit smaller, you'll end up with more stitches per inch in your gauge than if you'd used the recommended needle size.


3. Gauge
   
   This is all to lead up to the most important note: check your gauge. Even if you have the exact recommended needle size on your yarn label, you may find that your own personal tension (or the tightness at which you knit) can affect your gauge. Simply reduce the number of stitches you plan on casting on to something manageable for a swatch (10-20 stitches) and try knitting a few inches of fabric. Measure how many stitches per inch and compare it to your yarn label before moving forward. Check out how to knit a gauge swatch here for a more in-depth explanation.


4. Pattern Repeats
   
   If you plan on knitting something a little more complicated than just good ol' garter stitch or stockinette stitch, you have to keep in mind the number of stitches per repeat in your stitch pattern, as well as the number of stitches you may want to add for your border (and double it--because your border would be on both sides of your blanket)! The number of stitches that you cast on should accommodate every stitch repeat you use. For example, if there are 12 stitches in each repeat for the stitch pattern you chose, you'll want to make sure the number of stitches you cast on is a multiple of 12.
   Knowing this, say you'll want to have 120 stitches for 10 repeats of your 12-stitch pattern. Great! The math doesn't end there. If you want to add a seed stitch border to your blanket of 10 stitches, that's 20 more stitches you'll want to cast on to accommodate that border. Therefore, in this example, you're looking at casting on 140 stitches for your blanket. It always helps me to draw out my rough blanket concept so I know exactly what elements to keep in mind.


5. The End of the Blanket
   
   No matter which end you cast on, the shorter end or the longer end, if you want roughly the correct size blanket, you're going to have to measure your work as you go to know where to bind off. For simplicity's sake, the chart below tells you how many stitches to cast on if you're casting on the shorter end of the blanket. For instance, you'll be casting on the 52" side of the throw, or the 96" side of the queen.