Crib Blanket Turned Play Mat…

Colors too gorgeous to resist!

When my sister in law told us she was expecting I could hardly wait to start knitting and sewing up some baby gifts. I’m your typical baby obsessed gal and especially love crafting with a baby in mind!

My first project was a brightly striped Super Soft Crib Blanket that is an absolute breeze to knit up and only took me about 3 days to complete. I don’t get to make my way into Purl Soho’s NY shop as often as I’d like but I found myself in the city last October for work and in turn found myself in my favorite knitting store every available moment! Normally I would have chosen my colors online but for this project I was able to do my choosing right there in the store. I’m usually all about the neutrals but I could not resist the gorgeous bright super soft merino colors. I felt like a kid in a candy shop trying to pick a favorite!

The blanket knit up so soft and delicious and then…I did exactly what I was not supposed to do. I washed it. Like an idiot! Even after I looked up whether or not I should, I still went for it. It’s just that I take real pride in being able to wash almost anything in my washing machine – wool, silk, cashmere, etc – and I am always so careful. I only use castille soap and white vinegar and I make sure the water temp and spin speed are right for the fabric; but, well this time I f#**$% up. I started out almost too carefully by washing the blanket with cold water and no spin. When I went to get it out it was so sopping wet I couldn’t lift it out of the machine. So I decided to do a quick rinse and spin cycle, not realizing that I needed to reset the water temp again. When I went to pull it out my soft cuddly baby blanket had turned into an almost felted stiff floor mat. I didn’t cry, I swear! I paced around for a bit, cursed a lot, kept touching the blanket over and over hoping as it dried it would magically go back to soft and cuddly. Then it came to me. Every baby needs a play mat for tummy time, and that is how my crib blanket became a play mat!

Babies view!

Babies view!
Parent's view

Parent’s view!

My next post will have the second project I embarked upon! So stay tuned!

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16 Comments

  • Reagan Nash

    Beautiful! How big is it now??

    May 16, 2016 at 9:39 pm Reply
    • Lani Muolic

      Use Baby Shampoo to wash it with and regular hair conditioner for rinse .. http://bit.ly/2cKWp6r

      May 16, 2016 at 11:43 pm Reply
  • Sharon Nelson

    These colors are great. This would make a wonderful throw for on my new sofa . The ones you buy are about 6 in too short and I am only 5’6″. I like to have a throw to snuggle with my cat but like it from neck to toes.
    I certainly would love to buy one as a throw if you were to sell them. In July, I am moving into a new apartment and it would bring a great touch.
    Your Blog is so good. I told you before it is the only blog I read now.

    May 16, 2016 at 10:02 pm Reply
  • Anaïs Lawson

    Well, I know this feeling ! Now I only wash my knit stuff with my hands and cold water. It’s safer ah ah.
    Great colors anyway and nice result !

    May 16, 2016 at 10:26 pm Reply
  • Gwen

    The colors are amazing!!! It’s gre as the as ether a blanket or a baby mat, heck I what this as a rug for my living room.

    May 16, 2016 at 11:22 pm Reply
  • Lin

    So pretty! It’s a beautiful playmat. Never have I been so happy to be allergic to wool. This never happens to my acrylic or cotton things though I did have some cotton bleed once and that stunk. And three days! Holy speed knitter. I’m on day 8 of a garter squish and probably 5 hours away from bind off. Your fingers must fly.

    May 17, 2016 at 2:20 am Reply
  • Emily

    Love the knitting you have done! This blog has inspired me to finish my grandmothers blanket she started before she passed away

    May 17, 2016 at 4:21 am Reply
  • Jenna-marie

    Oh my gosh!! That’s dissapointing , but its a beautiful mat . I love the colours . I understand the frustration , I knit a baby blanket for my niece with super chunky yarn and the first time we washed it the same thing happened it came out of the washing machine 20 pounds heavier lol. So after an attempt of hang drying ( which made the blanket extremely stretched out :/ … Oops! ) and three cycles of tumble dry on low, it was dry.. I’ve decided now after all that hastle its better off just for decoration haha anyways , thanks for sharing another great post!

    May 17, 2016 at 8:52 am Reply
  • Patricia Tormollen

    Yikes…sorry that happened to you….we all learn our lessons the hard way…..another thing that you need to be careful with when you buy your yarn for knitting and crochet is make sure the person who will be receiving this isn’t alergic to wool…….especially babies…I love the mat so don’t get to upset….Iam finally giving knitting a try and wow it’s a little more time consuming to me right now I guess it will get easier as I go along wish me luck…….take care sweet lady…….Trisha

    May 17, 2016 at 2:59 pm Reply
  • Barbara

    Brilliant.

    May 17, 2016 at 4:15 pm Reply
  • Debby

    I made this blanket for my grandson who will be born in a couple of days. I used earthy colors, but I love the colors you made yours out of, it’s to bad it shrunk, but now you have a play mat. That’s what you really meant for it to be anyway…wink, wink!

    May 17, 2016 at 5:41 pm Reply
  • Amber

    I love the colors you picked.

    May 19, 2016 at 6:25 pm Reply
  • Fiona saiter

    It’s beautiful! ❤ that it’s a play mat!

    May 20, 2016 at 2:52 am Reply
  • Donna Fraser-Brown

    The joys of working with wool, must admit that i have been lucky so far but i haven’t worked with plain wool mainly just mixes that don’t felt. The one time i wanted something to felt it didn’t took 3 goes to get it to felt to the size i needed, grrrrrr! you can always make the matching crib blanket to go with your silver lining gift of a play mat x Good luckand loving wishes to your S-I-L and rest of all the family on the arrival of your new nephew xxx

    June 18, 2016 at 1:52 pm Reply
  • Heidi LeRoy

    Hey! In all reality, your sister-in-law probably received a bunch of baby blankets (at least I did) and, if, if she received a playmat it was probably one of those brightly colored synthetic ones with plastic dangly toys that is probably way over stimulating for a baby anyway. Honestly, I think this playmat is incredible. Yes, the wool may be an issue, but who knows, maybe not! And if it is, heck, this is an amazing little rug to sit in the front of a kitchen sink.

    August 29, 2016 at 5:22 pm Reply
  • Sharon

    Love the colors you used! I think I’ll try it myself. Great website and thanks for all the wonderful ideas and inspiring stories.

    March 22, 2018 at 2:46 pm Reply
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