How to Knit the Lagos Blanket – Free Knitting Pattern

There is something deeply satisfying about wrapping yourself in a blanket you made with your own two hands. The Lagos Blanket is one of those projects that manages to feel both ambitious and approachable at the same time — a design that looks like it took serious skill, but is built on straightforward techniques that any intermediate knitter can master. Whether you are knitting this for your own home, as a gift, or simply because you want to try something new, this free pattern will walk you through every step of the process from cast-on to bind-off.

In this post, you will find everything you need: yarn recommendations, needle sizes, gauge information, abbreviations, and the full written pattern. Make yourself a cup of tea, get comfortable, and let us get started.

About the Lagos Blanket

The Lagos Blanket takes its name from the vibrant, layered energy of Lagos, Nigeria — a city that moves in bold patterns and rich contrasts. This blanket reflects that spirit with a textured stitch design that plays light and shadow across the surface, creating visual depth without complicated colorwork or intricate cable construction.

The design is worked flat in rows, making it an excellent project to pick up and put down throughout the day. It is ideal for knitters who have moved past the beginner stage and are comfortable with basic rib and seed stitch combinations, but it does not demand any advanced techniques. The finished blanket has a dense, structured drape that holds its shape beautifully over time.

The Lagos Blanket works equally well in a chunky weight yarn for a quick, cozy version, or in a worsted weight for something more refined. Both approaches produce a stunning result.

Materials and Supplies

Before you cast on, gather everything you will need. Having your materials organized in advance makes the knitting process far more enjoyable and ensures there are no surprises partway through.

Yarn: Approximately 1,200 yards of chunky weight yarn (or 1,800 yards of worsted weight yarn). A smooth, tightly spun yarn will show the texture best. For the sample shown, a wool-acrylic blend in a warm oatmeal tone was used, which gives the stitch pattern gorgeous definition. Natural fibers like wool, alpaca blends, or a merino mix will drape beautifully and provide excellent stitch clarity. Pure acrylic works well if you need a machine-washable option.

Needles: US size 10.5 (6.5mm) circular needles or straight needles, at least 32 inches long if you choose circular. The long cable on circular needles simply makes it easier to manage the width of the blanket without the stitches crowding.

Gauge: 14 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches in the main stitch pattern after blocking. Gauge matters more for blankets than many knitters assume — being off by even half a stitch per inch can significantly change your finished dimensions, so please do swatch.

Notions: Tapestry needle for weaving in ends, stitch markers (optional but helpful), scissors, and measuring tape.

Finished Dimensions: Approximately 44 inches wide by 54 inches long after blocking. This is a generous lap blanket or a standard throw size.

Yarn Substitution Tips

If you cannot find the exact yarn used in the sample, do not worry. Almost any chunky weight yarn will work beautifully for this pattern, provided it has a similar gauge. When substituting, look for a yarn with good stitch definition — loosely spun or very fluffy yarns can obscure the textured pattern and make the design look muddled.

Avoid yarns with a strong halo (like mohair) unless you intentionally want a softer, blurred texture effect. The Lagos pattern relies on clean lines between the knit and purl columns, so crisp, smooth fibers tend to give the best visual result.

Some excellent options that work well with this pattern include Cascade 128, Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick, Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky, or any comparable worsted-to-bulky weight with a smooth ply.

Gauge and Swatching

It is tempting to skip the swatch. We have all done it. But for a project this size, a quick gauge check will save you from knitting an entire blanket only to discover it has come out the size of a postage stamp or a circus tent.

Cast on 22 stitches and work the main stitch pattern for approximately 5 inches. Bind off, wet block your swatch by soaking it in cool water, pressing out the excess moisture in a towel, and laying it flat to dry. Once dry, measure a 4-inch section in the center of the swatch and count your stitches and rows.

If you have more stitches than called for, go up a needle size. If you have fewer stitches, go down a needle size. Adjust until your gauge matches, and then you are ready to cast on the full blanket.

Abbreviations

Throughout the pattern, the following abbreviations are used. If you are newer to knitting abbreviations, take a moment to familiarize yourself with these before you begin.

CO — Cast on
BO — Bind off
k — Knit
p — Purl
k2tog — Knit two stitches together (a simple right-leaning decrease)
m1 — Make one (increase by lifting the bar between stitches and knitting into the back of it)
RS — Right side (the public-facing side of your work)
WS — Wrong side (the interior-facing side)
rep — Repeat
st(s) — Stitch(es)
sl — Slip a stitch purlwise unless otherwise indicated
yo — Yarn over

Stitch Pattern Explanation

The Lagos Blanket uses a combination of two primary textures: a modified seed rib that creates the central body of the blanket, and a simple garter border that frames the entire piece. Understanding these two elements before you begin will make following the row-by-row instructions much easier.

The garter border is simply knitting every stitch on every row. This creates a flat, ridged edge that prevents the blanket from curling and gives it a tidy, polished finish. The border runs across the top and bottom (worked as a set number of rows), and continues as a column of stitches along each side throughout the body.

The modified seed rib is the heart of the pattern. It alternates columns of knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence that creates textured ridges running vertically through the piece. Unlike standard ribbing, the Lagos pattern shifts the rib alignment slightly every few rows, which produces a woven, basketweave-adjacent texture that catches light beautifully.

If you have knitted seed stitch or moss stitch before, you will recognize this kind of movement. The Lagos pattern simply organizes it into broader columns with a more deliberate rhythm.

The Free Knitting Pattern

Setup and Border

CO 154 stitches using a long-tail cast on or your preferred stretchy method. The long-tail cast on is recommended here because it produces a neat, elastic edge that matches the density of the body nicely.

Rows 1 through 8 (Garter Border): Knit every stitch across every row. This creates 4 ridges of garter stitch that form the bottom border of your blanket. At the end of row 8, your work should measure approximately 1.5 inches from the cast-on edge.

Body Pattern

The body of the blanket is worked in a repeating 8-row pattern. The first 6 stitches and last 6 stitches of every row form the side garter borders and are always knitted, regardless of the row instruction.

The central 142 stitches are worked in the Lagos stitch pattern as described below.

Row 1 (RS): K6 (border), k4, p4; rep from to last 6 sts, k6 (border).

Row 2 (WS): K6 (border), p4, k4; rep from to last 6 sts, k6 (border).

Row 3 (RS): K6 (border), k4, p4; rep from to last 6 sts, k6 (border).

Row 4 (WS): K6 (border), p4, k4; rep from to last 6 sts, k6 (border).

Row 5 (RS): K6 (border), p4, k4; rep from to last 6 sts, k6 (border).

Row 6 (WS): K6 (border), k4, p4; rep from to last 6 sts, k6 (border).

Row 7 (RS): K6 (border), p4, k4; rep from to last 6 sts, k6 (border).

Row 8 (WS): K6 (border), k4, p4; rep from to last 6 sts, k6 (border).

Repeat these 8 rows until the blanket body measures approximately 51 inches from the cast-on edge, ending after completing a full 8-row repeat. This will take roughly 255 rows of body knitting, though your exact row count may differ slightly depending on your gauge.

The shift between rows 4 and 5 — where the knit and purl columns effectively swap — is what creates the Lagos texture. Those four rows of aligned ribbing followed by four rows of offset ribbing produce the block-like pattern across the surface. It is subtle in close-up but striking when you step back and view the whole blanket.

Top Border

Rows 1 through 8 (Garter Border): Knit every stitch across all 8 rows to mirror the bottom border.

Bind Off: Using a stretchy bind-off method, bind off all 154 stitches. The suspended bind-off or the standard bind-off worked on slightly larger needles (go up two sizes for the bind-off only) works beautifully here and ensures the top edge has the same give as the cast-on edge.

Finishing Your Lagos Blanket

Once you have bound off and cut your yarn, leave a tail of at least 8 inches for weaving in. Thread your tapestry needle and weave the tail through the stitches on the wrong side, changing direction at least twice to secure it firmly. Trim any remaining tail close to the fabric surface.

Work in all other yarn ends the same way, weaving through the wrong side of the garter borders where possible, since the denser structure of garter stitch holds ends more securely than the body pattern.

Blocking the Lagos Blanket

Blocking transforms this blanket from nice to spectacular. The stitch pattern opens up slightly, the edges lie flat and square, and the texture becomes much more defined.

For wool or wool-blend yarns, wet blocking works best. Fill your bathtub or a large basin with cool to lukewarm water and submerge the blanket, gently pressing it down until it is fully saturated. Do not wring or agitate — just press. Allow it to soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

Lift the blanket from the water by scooping it up from underneath rather than grabbing a corner. It will be heavy when wet. Lay it on a large, clean towel and roll the towel up around the blanket, pressing firmly to absorb excess moisture. Unroll, transfer the blanket to a flat, clean surface, and gently shape it to the finished dimensions.

Use blocking mats and rust-proof T-pins if you want crisp edges, or simply smooth it flat by hand if you prefer a more relaxed finish. Allow it to dry completely before moving — this typically takes 24 to 48 hours depending on your environment.

For acrylic yarns, steam blocking or a cool-water soak and gentle reshape will work. Avoid high heat on pure acrylic, as it can permanently alter the fiber structure.

Tips for Knitting the Lagos Blanket Successfully

A few things will make this project go more smoothly from start to finish.

Use stitch markers to mark the boundaries of your 6-stitch garter borders on each side. This keeps you from accidentally knitting into the body pattern where you should be in the border and vice versa. It is a small step that prevents a surprisingly common mistake.

Keep a row counter handy. The 8-row repeat is easy to memorize after a few rounds, but having a physical or app-based counter eliminates the guesswork when you set your work down and come back to it later. Knowing whether you are on row 3 or row 7 matters for maintaining the pattern, and a counter makes that effortless.

If you are working with a very thick or heavy yarn, consider knitting from the center of two separate balls rather than from a single ball. This distributes the weight more evenly and can prevent uneven tension in the outer stitches, especially on a wide blanket.

Should you need to join a new ball of yarn, always do so at the beginning of a row rather than in the middle. This makes weaving in the ends far easier and produces cleaner joins. Overlap the new yarn for 6 to 8 stitches if you use the Russian join method, or simply leave long tails to weave in afterward.

Customizing the Lagos Blanket

One of the best things about this pattern is how easily it adapts to different sizes and styles.

To make a larger blanket — a full bed throw, for example — simply cast on additional stitches in multiples of 8, keeping the 6-stitch garter border on each side. Adding 32 stitches (four full pattern repeats) to the cast-on will give you a blanket approximately 53 inches wide, which works well as a full-size throw.

For a smaller version — a baby blanket or a crib cover — cast on 90 stitches and work the same pattern until the piece measures 36 inches in length. The proportions translate beautifully at any scale.

You can also play with yarn weight. Working the Lagos pattern in a DK weight yarn with US 7 needles produces an heirloom-quality lightweight blanket that takes longer to complete but has an incredibly refined, elegant finish. The finer gauge shows the stitch definition at its most precise.

Color is another avenue for personalization. A solid or semi-solid colorway highlights the texture most clearly, but a subtle gradient or tonal yarn can add an entirely different visual effect without changing a single stitch of the pattern. Avoid busy variegated yarns with very short color runs, as these tend to obscure the stitch work rather than complement it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a beginner knit the Lagos Blanket?
The pattern is recommended for knitters at an intermediate level — meaning you are comfortable knitting and purling, reading a pattern, and working in rows. If you can knit ribbing and garter stitch confidently, you can knit the Lagos Blanket. It is not a beginner project in the sense that the stitch count is high and the commitment is substantial, but none of the individual techniques are advanced.

How long does it take to knit?
This varies enormously depending on how often you knit and how quickly you work. In chunky weight yarn with the recommended needle size, most knitters complete this blanket in 4 to 6 weeks of casual knitting (an hour or two per day). Working in worsted weight will add several weeks to that estimate.

Can I use multiple colors?
Absolutely. The Lagos pattern works well in two-color striping — simply alternate colors every 8 rows to align the color changes with the stitch pattern shifts. Carrying the yarn up the side within the garter border stitches keeps things tidy.

My edges are curling — what should I do?
If your edges are curling before blocking, this is normal. Make sure you are working the full 6-stitch garter border on each side without dropping a stitch into the body pattern. If the border is correct and the edges still want to curl, blocking will almost certainly resolve it.

A Note on Sharing Your Makes

If you knit the Lagos Blanket, I would absolutely love to see it. Share your finished project and tag CJ Design Blog so the whole community can celebrate your work. Seeing the same pattern come to life in different yarns and colorways is one of the great joys of the knitting world — every version tells its own story.

If you have questions as you work through the pattern, leave them in the comments below. This is a space for knitters to help each other, and no question is too small or too obvious.

Happy knitting — and enjoy every single stitch.

*Pattern and content by CJ Design Blog. This pattern is free for personal use. Please do not reproduce or sell this pattern without permission. You are welcome to sell finished items made