Blanket from yarn Alize Softy (Alize Baby Softy) with knitting needles. Step-by-step instructions, diagrams, patterns

Quality, variety of colors, textures, large selection of designer and fantasy yarn for hand knitting, low price – this is the secret of the popularity of the Turkish brand Alize among Russian needlewomen.

A special place is occupied by Baby Softy, an incredibly soft and pleasant to the touch thread created especially for children. It is used to make delicate and fluffy products, including blankets, knitted and crocheted.

Features of Alize Softy yarn

Softy yarn is declared by the manufacturer as children's, but has an artificial composition. It is 100% made of soft, durable fiber - micropolyester. The thin thread has a uniform pile of 3 mm in length. Thanks to this base, it can be knitted with both knitting needles and a crochet hook.

The recommended tool size is indicated on the label of each skein. For working with yarn, knitting needles with a diameter of 3 to 5 mm are suitable, and a hook with a diameter of 2 to 4 mm. The thinner the tool used, the denser the fabric will be, and vice versa. Since the knitting density is individual for each needlewoman, the final size is selected in the process of work.

Plush yarn is sold in small skeins weighing 50 g. The length of the thread in each is 115 m. It is packaged in packages of 5 pcs. The label indicates the optimal knitting density of Softi. In 10 cm of knitted fabric there are 16 loops in width and 24 rows in length. Based on this information, it is easy to calculate the number of loops and rows for the future product, but not all craftswomen have the same knitting density.

It is better to knit a test sample with your own hands and measure it with a tape measure. In this case, the calculations will be the most accurate. On average, 5 skeins of yarn are used for a blanket for a newborn.

Alize Softy belongs to the group of fantasy yarns, therefore, the simplest patterns are chosen for knitting: garter stitch, stocking stitch, checkerboard knitting.

Complex patterns and lace are fundamentally unsuitable, because of the pile in the finished fabric they are not visible, and when knitting them, difficulties arise. Counting loops and following the pattern, working with plush thread, is very difficult, especially for beginner needlewomen. The yarn palette is represented by 50 colors, of which 40 are plain and 10 are sectional dyed. Each shade has its own code.

Alize Softy yarn palette

Item No.	Color code	Name
1	15	water green
2	33	hot pink
3	40	blue
4	41	menthol
5	42	dark purple
6	55	white
7	56	red
8	60	black
9	62	lactic
10	98	pink
11	115	moonbeam
12	119	gray sky
13	128	light turquoise
14	141	knapweed
15	146	lilac
16	158	purple
17	183	light bell
18	185	baby pink
19	187	citric
20	191	pink
21	216	yellow
22	242	pistachio
23	265	coral
24	266	mint
25	310	honey
26	336	orange
27	340	pink peach
28	350	light blue
29	364	sea ​​wave
30	382	light beige
31	416	blue-gray
32	450	pearl
33	485	green turtle
34	490	light turquoise
35	552	yellow neon
36	617	coffee with milk
37	653	coral neon
38	654	orange neon
39	669	light turquoise
40	672	soft pink
41	51299	green
42	51300	pink, turquoise
43	51304	pink
44	51305	blue, turquoise
45	51307	rainbow
46	51625	yellow, pink
47	51626	light green
48	51627	lilac
49	51823	yolk, white, lilac
50	52330	beige, white

You can knit a blanket from Alize Soft yarn with knitting needles:

• garter stitch, stocking stitch of any shade;
• checkerboard, pearl and other patterns from any, except the last 10 codes of the table (sectional dyeing).

In addition to blankets, plush yarn is used to crochet and knit:

• children's clothing - sweaters, overalls, suits, coats;
• accessories – booties, mittens, hats, scarves, snoods, bibs;
• for adults – sweaters, vests, hats, scarves, stoles, shawls:
• interior items – pillow covers;
• amigurumi - very soft and bright plush toys for children's games and interiors are made from pile thread.

Advantages and disadvantages of yarn

The popularity of Baby Softy is explained by the fact that it has a number of advantages.

This:

1. Pleasant tactile sensations, it is soft and gentle.
2. Wide range of colours.
3. Hypoallergenic, it does not cause irritation to the skin.
4. The knitted fabric looks impressive even when choosing the simplest patterns.
5. Wear-resistant, with proper care it retains most of its qualities for a long time.
6. It is pleasant to work with, does not get tangled or flake.
7. Suitable for knitting and crocheting; when working with the latter, the fabric holds its shape better and allows you to create openwork patterns.
8. There are no defective sections in the skeins.
9. The pile does not roll up or crumble.
10. Warm, but thanks to its porous structure it allows air to circulate.
11. Affordable price.

Despite all the advantages, yarn has a number of disadvantages:

1. Does not hold shape well when knitting large items with one thread.
2. If not properly cared for, the product may become deformed.
3. Over time, the pile in areas subject to friction becomes worn out.
4. Because of the pile, the pattern is not visible, so the choice of patterns is limited.
5. It is difficult to work because the loops and rows are not visible, so you need to constantly count them.
6. Not suitable for beginner needlewomen.

The manufacturer tried to take into account all the shortcomings and in 2018 released Softy Plus yarn. This is the same thread, but almost twice as thick. The fabric knitted from it is denser and holds its shape well. In 2019, Softy Plus Ombre Batik was introduced to the Russian market with delicate color transitions in skeins containing 600 m of yarn. This is exactly the amount needed to make a baby blanket.

Recommendations for working with Alize Softy yarn

Even a beginner needlewoman can knit a blanket from Alize Softy yarn, but difficulties often arise during the work.

The pile on the thread interferes with the knitting process, the loops are practically invisible and their counting is difficult. This affects the speed of work and does not allow you to strictly follow the description of the pattern.

To solve this problem, you need to:

• Use markers. The distance between them on the canvas will depend on the chosen pattern. When knitting with stocking or garter stitch, the marks should be placed at the beginning, middle and end of the row or every 10 loops if the needlewoman does not have enough experience in working with pile yarn.
• Constantly count the number of loops on the knitting needles. For convenience, you can write down the information. This is especially important for those who have just started to master knitting needles. Minor errors in the fabric will not be noticeable due to the pile if you continue the process strictly according to the description. If the flaws are noticeable, you can unravel the incorrectly knitted section and re-tie it.
• Choose the right background. If the yarn for knitting is dark, you can put a light material under the work, then the loops, or rather the spaces between them, will become more visible. When working with light yarn, do the same with dark fabric.

• Pay attention to lighting. Daylight from a window or additional lighting at night will help to cope with the problem.
• Use larger knitting needles in your work, so the loops will be more clearly visible. But the knitted fabric will be looser, which is undesirable in large items (blankets, throws).
• Connect tactile sensations. Feel each next loop with your fingers. This will slow down the knitting process, but will save you from mistakes. Over time, these movements will become automatic and the speed will increase.

In addition, when working with Alize Softy yarn, some little tricks from experienced needlewomen will help:

• Knitting with pile yarn should only be done with clean hands, as it is not resistant to dirt. This is especially true for light shades. It is better to store the material for the product in a closed plastic bag so that the yarn does not lose its appearance before you start working.
• To create a voluminous product from Softy yarn in the shortest possible time, you can knit with two threads. The tool should be changed. Instead of a diameter of 3-4 mm, use 5-6 mm. In addition, the loops will be more visible. But it should be taken into account that this will significantly increase the yarn consumption.

• Adjust the tension of the working thread. Try to knit loops of the same size so that the fabric is even. If the tension is weak, the product will be loose and will not hold its shape. If the loops are over-tightened, it will be stiffer and the yarn consumption will increase.
• You can add other yarn to Alize Softy. Usually, a thin (more than 380 m in 100 g), matching color cotton, acrylic or wool thread is used. The loops of the fabric will become more visible, it will hold its shape well, but the product will be less soft and fluffy.

The finished product must be subjected to water-heat treatment (WHT).

You can wash it by following strict rules:

• If possible, hand wash to avoid deformation.
• VTO ​​should be carried out in water with a temperature of no more than 30 degrees.
• Use special liquids for washing delicate fabrics.
• Do not use aggressive household chemicals (bleaches, stain removers), they spoil the structure of the yarn and make the color less intense.
• Do not subject to excessive mechanical impact during washing. Do not wring, otherwise the product will stretch. Slight wringing is enough.

The blanket made of plush yarn Softy from Alize, knitted with needles, is a large product. It will be difficult to wash it by hand, it quickly absorbs water and becomes heavy. In this case, you can carry out WTO in the washing machine, choosing a delicate mode without spinning.

The product can only be dried in an unfolded form, avoiding direct sunlight, otherwise this will negatively affect the color. It is not recommended to hang it out, as the product may stretch significantly.

You cannot iron items made of plush yarn, the synthetic pile can be damaged by high temperatures. If you follow all the rules, the product will retain its appearance and last a long time.

Knitting a baby blanket from Alize Baby Softy yarn with knitting needles

You can knit a blanket from Alize Softy yarn for a child yourself according to the description. It will be soft and warm, will not irritate delicate skin and does not cause allergic reactions.

A plush yarn product made with a checkerboard pattern, in which squares with front and back stitches alternate, will look impressive. It is necessary to make a garter stitch border around the perimeter so that the blanket holds its shape better.

To make a baby blanket 87 x 87 cm you will need:

• 5 skeins of Softy yarn, the color depends on the personal preferences of the craftswoman. Do not choose melange shades, otherwise the checkerboard knitting will not be visible on the motley fabric;
• circular knitting needles connected by a long wire or fishing line, they are convenient for casting on a large number of loops and knitting wide fabric;
• markers to make it easier to count stitches and avoid mistakes;
• scissors.

Step by step instructions:

• You need to cast on 110 stitches, two of which are edge stitches. The first one will not be knitted in each row, it must be removed. The last one will always be knitted purlwise.
• Start making the edging of the blanket (13 rows).

• In the 1st row: edge loop, 108 front loops, edge. Turn the knitting. It is necessary to constantly control the number of loops on the needles, if one is “lost” it will not be possible to find it.
• From the second to the 13th row, repeat step 3.
• In row 13, marking every 10 loops, you need to place markers to prepare the fabric for knitting a checkerboard pattern.
• The work still has 110 loops plus 10 markers. The lower part of the edging is ready.
• In row 14, start working the main pattern, not forgetting about the edging on both sides of the fabric: edge, 9 front loops, put a marker, 10 back loops, marker, 10 front loops, marker. Alternate to the end of the row until the last 10 loops remain on the knitting needle, knit 9 of them as front loops, edge. On the working knitting needle there are still 110 loops and 10 markers. Turn the knitting.
• Row 15: edge stitch, 9 knit stitches, marker, 10 knit stitches, marker, 10 purl stitches, marker. Repeat until 10 stitches remain. At the end of 9 knit stitches, purl the edge stitch.
• Alternate points 4 and 5 for another 11 rows. In total, 26 rows or 2 squares in height have been knitted from the beginning of the fabric.

• In row 27, you need to mark the squares in places. Edge, 9 front loops, marker, 10 front loops, marker, 10 back loops, marker. The last 10 loops in all rows are the same – 9 front loops, edge loop.
• Row 28: edge, 9 knit, 10 purl, marker, 10 knit, marker to end of row, finish as usual.
• Alternate points 7 and 8 for another 11 rows.
• In row 39, swap the squares again, repeating steps 3 through 5 for 13 rows.
• In row 53, change squares again, alternate 13 rows of points 7 and 8. You can count the number of rows by the completed squares, each of them consists of 13 rows in height.
• Continue the alternation described from points 3 to 9 until the canvas has 16 squares, 13 rows high.
• Start making the upper edging: edge, knit 108 stitches, edge.
• Repeat step 13 9 more times.
• Close the loops of the last row in the classic way.
• Cut the thread, leaving 10-12 cm.
• Hide the end in the knitted fabric, carefully threading it between the loops and securing it with a knot.

• The children's blanket with checkerboard knitting made from Alize Softy yarn is ready.

Pattern options

When choosing a pattern to be knitted with plush yarn, you need to keep in mind that the thread is not suitable for:

• complex patterns, since they will not be clearly visible due to the pile, and their execution will take a lot of time;
• braids and arans due to the risk of losing loops and the difficulty of counting them;
• various types of rubber bands, as it does not hold them well;
• openwork knitting, the fabric in one thread will turn out loose.

It is better to choose options with a simple execution technique, preferably double-sided, which will look the same on the front and back sides.

The following abbreviations will be used to describe the patterns:

• K1 – 1 loop of each row (edge), which is always removed to the right knitting needle without being knitted, the knitting needle is inserted behind the front wall;
• K2 – the last loop of the row (edge), always knitted purlwise, the knitting needle is inserted behind the front wall;
• LP – front loop;
• IP – purl loop.

Garter stitch

A blanket made of Alize Softy yarn can be knitted with the simplest double-sided pattern. It is universal and is used in all types of products - clothing, accessories, interior items. The fabric is voluminous, holds its shape, looks impressive, especially from plush yarn.

Garter stitch has a number of advantages:

• performed only with front loops in turning rows (except for items that are knitted in the round);
• the canvas is double-sided;
• the edges of the canvas do not curl;
• the products turn out to be voluminous;
• simple knitting technique is accessible even to beginner needlewomen.

To knit a sample with this pattern:

1. You need to cast on 20 stitches on straight knitting needles. The first and last ones are edge stitches, they will create even braided edges.
2. Row 1: K1, knit 18 LP, K2.
3. Repeat step 2 in each subsequent row until the sample reaches the desired length.

The description of garter stitch is not suitable for knitting in the round; the technique will be slightly different.

Stockinet

The pattern consists of basic loops, the technique is simple, knitted in turning rows on straight needles. The front side will be smooth, the back side - relief. There is a significant drawback - the fabric is one-sided.

The edges of a product knitted with stocking stitch are folded to the front side. This does not interfere if the product is to be sewn, but the free edge requires additional processing, for example, crocheting. To knit the fabric with stocking stitch, you need to cast on 20 loops on the knitting needles, not forgetting about 2 edge loops.

Next, knit the fabric according to the description:

1. Row 1: K1, knit 18 LP, K2. It is important to monitor the tension of the working thread, the loops should be the same, since in stocking knitting all the unevenness of the fabric is very noticeable. Turn the knitting.
2. Row 2: K1, knit 18 ip, K2.
3. Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the fabric reaches the desired height.
4. Close the loops of the last row in the classic way.

The presented description of the stocking pattern is suitable only for knitting in turning rows; when working in the round, the pattern will be different.

Pearl knitting

The technique for making the pattern is very simple and consists of alternating basic loops.

The drawing has several names:

• pearl;
• rice;
• confusion.

The fabric is double-sided, which is convenient when knitting blankets, scarves and items with lapels. One of the advantages for beginners is that uneven loops are practically not visible on the fabric knitted with pearl knitting. It is used for knitting clothes and their parts, scarves, snoods, blankets and decorative pillowcases. Double rice knitting is often chosen for large items.

To knit a sample, you need to cast on 20 loops and do the work according to the description:

1. Row 1: K1, knit 1 LP, 1 IP, again 1 LP, 1 IP. Alternate the main types of loops to the end of the row, K2. Turn knitting. All loops on the left needle, the right (working) one is free.
2. Row 2: K1, then knit according to the pattern, knit LP over LP, RP over IP. Turn the fabric.
3. In the remaining rows, repeat rows 1 through 2 until the fabric reaches the desired length.

This description of the rice pattern is not suitable for items that are knitted in the round.

Braided pattern

A spectacular pattern that looks great in short-pile plush yarn, but is barely noticeable in Alize Softy products. But for knitting a large product that should be dense and hold its shape well (for example, a blanket), it is irreplaceable. To knit a braided pattern, you need to cast on a number of loops on the knitting needles that is a multiple of 2. For example, 20.

Continue working on the description:

1. Row 1: K1, skip 2 loops, knit 3 LP, inserting the working needle behind the back wall, knit 2 loops LP behind the front wall (loops 2 and 3 are crossed), skip 4, knit 5 LP behind the back wall, then knit 4 LP, inserting the needle behind the front wall. Repeat crossings to the end of the row, K2.
2. Row 2: K1, knit 2 WS, skip 3, knit 4 through the front wall of the WS, knit 3 WS through the back wall. Cross over until there are 2 loops left on the needle. They need to be knitted WS.
3. Alternate rows 1 and 2 until the fabric reaches the desired length.

In order for your first experience of knitting with Alize Softy yarn to be successful, you must strictly follow the recommendations of experienced craftswomen. Then the work on creating a soft and gentle blanket will bring pleasure, and the result will please and inspire new creative experiments.

Author: Lelya Tomina

Video about knitting a blanket

Baby blanket made from Alize Softy yarn with knitting needles: