A truly heartfelt gift for a new baby in your life! The garter fabric is squishy and warm. The heart graphic is framed by edging that includes simple lace and a Latvian braid. The stripes give a motivating sense of progress as you work.

The intarsia and braid techniques are easier than you think and are explained in detail with accompanying charts and pictures.

I am very happy to say that Rohrspatz & Wollmeise will make kits available in Twin, a soft, lovely and washable yarn available in fabulous colors. At the target gauge, the following yarn quantities are needed:

Natur (natural white) 490 yds (450 m) 150 g
So long kitty (pink) 435 yds (395 m) 130 g
Q.E.D. (grey) 400 yds (370 m) 120 g
Vamp (red) 60 yds (55 m) 20 g
Kornblume (blue) 50 yds (45 m) 15 g
Good morning (orange) 45 yds (45 m) 15 g
zarte Knospe (spring green) 45 yds (40 m) 15 g
Lavendel (dark purple) 40 yds (35 m) 15 g
Petersilie (medium green) 30 yds (25 m) 10 g
Meilenstein (light purple) 20 yds (15 m) 5 g

Kits are available from Rohrspatz & Wollmeise in Twin - you will need to purchase full skeins of each of the three main colors plus the Valentine birdie kit.

For Rohrspatz & Wollmeise Pure Merino, at the target gauge, the following yarn quantities are needed to knit in the colorway shown:

Natur (natural white) 480 yds (440 m) 130 g
So long kitty (pink) 425 yds (390 m) 115 g
Q.E.D. (grey) 395 yds (360 m) 105 g
Vamp (red) 55 yds (50 m) 15 g
Kornblume (blue) 50 yds (45 m) 15 g
Good morning (orange) 45 yds (45 m) 15 g
Zarte Knospe (spring green) 45 yds (40 m) 15 g
Lavendel (dark purple) 40 yds (35 m) 10 g
Petersilie (medium green) 30 yds (25 m) 10 g
Meilenstein (light purple) 20 yds (15 m) 5 g

If you would like to choose other colors, full skeins of the three main colors in Pure or Twin plus any kit with 6-8 Wollmeise birdies would work for this pattern.

Notes on yarn quantities and gauge:

The pattern specifies stitch counts, so to achieve a larger blanket, use a heavier yarn. A sport weight or DK yarn will result in a toddler sized blanket. I have included a detailed how-to page on yarn substitution, if you would like to use a different yarn. See also the original Baby Valentine project page, which includes yarn quantities in Silky Wool DK from Elsebeth Lavold.

The calculations for the yarn amounts above were done in grams and meters and converted to yards, then each was rounded up to the nearest 5.

If you knit more loosely than the target gauge on the suggested needle size, please adjust your needle size to achieve the target gauge, or the yarn quantities might not be enough.