Checkerboard Knitted Bedspread Pattern #517: A Complete Guide to This Classic Heirloom Project

There is something deeply satisfying about a knitted bedspread. It is not a quick project, and it was never meant to be. A knitted bedspread is the kind of undertaking that fills winter evenings, travels with you in a project bag to doctor’s appointments and family gatherings, and grows square by square into something you will pass down to people you have not yet met. Checkerboard Knitted Bedspread Pattern #517 is exactly that kind of project — a timeless, achievable, and endlessly rewarding piece of textile craft that has been beloved by knitters for generations.

Whether you found this pattern tucked inside an old Workbasket magazine, discovered it in a vintage pattern collection, or stumbled across it while searching for a classic American bedspread design, you are in the right place. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know: the history behind checkerboard knitted bedspreads, the materials and yarn choices that will serve you best, how to approach Pattern #517 specifically, tips for blocking and finishing, and advice for making this your most successful large-scale knitting project yet.

The History and Appeal of Checkerboard Knitted Bedspreads

Knitted bedspreads have a long and proud tradition in American domestic craft. From the Victorian era through the mid-twentieth century, handmade bedspreads were a standard expression of home pride, skill, and care. They were displayed on guest beds, gifted at weddings, and worked on steadily over years rather than weeks. The checkerboard pattern, with its satisfying alternating blocks of texture, became one of the most popular designs for good reason: it is geometric and clean, it works beautifully in both single colors and contrasting shades, and it has a structured visual rhythm that makes it look polished without requiring complex technique.

Pattern #517 in particular has circulated among knitters for decades. It appears in a number of vintage pattern publications and was frequently reprinted in craft booklets from the 1940s through the 1970s. The design relies on an alternating block structure — typically combining sections of stockinette stitch with sections of reverse stockinette or seed stitch — to create the checkerboard effect. Because the blocks are worked individually or in strips, this is an excellent pattern for portable knitting. You do not need to have the entire bedspread on your needles at once, which makes the scale far less intimidating than it might otherwise seem.

Understanding the Checkerboard Structure

Before diving into materials and gauge, it helps to understand what makes a knitted checkerboard work from a structural standpoint. In Pattern #517, the checkerboard effect is achieved through texture contrast rather than color change (though color versions are also possible and stunning). One block might be worked entirely in stockinette — smooth, with the knit side facing out — while the adjacent block is worked in reverse stockinette, seed stitch, or garter stitch. When these blocks are placed side by side and stacked in alternating rows, the eye reads them as a checkerboard even though they are knitted from the same yarn in the same color.

This is a wonderful technique because it means you can complete the entire bedspread in a single color of cotton thread and still achieve rich visual texture. It also means that any variation in dye lot is far less of a concern than it would be in a colorwork project, because the texture itself carries the design.

The typical block size in checkerboard bedspread patterns from this era is somewhere between two and three inches square when blocked. Multiply that across the width and length of a full, queen, or twin bed, add a generous drop on at least three sides, and you are looking at a finished piece that might measure anywhere from sixty by eighty inches to ninety by one hundred inches depending on your target bed size and how much overhang you prefer. Pattern #517 instructions will specify the finished dimensions and block count, but it is worth measuring your own bed before you begin so you can adjust the number of blocks accordingly.

Choosing the Right Yarn and Needles

This is where many knitters make the decision that will determine how happy they are with their finished bedspread, so it is worth spending some time thinking it through carefully.

The traditional yarn choice for a knitted bedspread like Pattern #517 is cotton thread, typically a size 10 crochet cotton or a fine bedspread cotton. This is not the same as the thick cotton yarn you might use for dishcloths. Bedspread cotton is a tightly twisted, mercerized thread that has a beautiful sheen when blocked, holds its shape well through washing, and creates a fabric with the kind of weight and drape appropriate for bedding. It is available in white, ecru, and a range of soft colors. White and ecru are the classic choices because they wash beautifully and read as heirloom pieces, but there is no reason you cannot choose a soft sage, dusty blue, or pale yellow if that better suits your bedroom decor.

Some popular brands that knitters have traditionally used for this type of project include Aunt Lydia’s Cotton Thread in the appropriate weight, Coats & Clark bedspread weight cotton, and South Maid crochet cotton. These are all available at craft retailers and online, and any of them will serve you well for Pattern #517. If you cannot find a traditional bedspread cotton, a fine mercerized cotton in a comparable weight will also work — just be sure to knit a gauge swatch and compare it to the pattern’s specified gauge before committing to a full project.

Needle size for these fine cotton threads is typically quite small by modern standards — often US size 1 or US size 2, which corresponds to roughly 2.25 to 2.75 millimeters. If you are accustomed to knitting bulky sweaters or chunky scarves, this will feel like a significant adjustment. The stitches are smaller, the progress feels slower on any given day, and you will need to be patient. However, the resulting fabric is dense, smooth, and genuinely beautiful. It is the kind of knitting that rewards patience.

Steel needles or smooth aluminum needles in the appropriate size work well for this project. Avoid wooden or bamboo needles with fine cotton thread, as the friction can make the knitting harder on your hands over long sessions. A smooth needle allows the thread to glide easily, which matters a great deal when you are working thousands of small stitches over many months.

Gauge and Swatching: Why It Matters More Than You Think

On a large project like a bedspread, gauge is not optional. A small deviation in gauge — even half a stitch per inch — will result in a finished piece that is dramatically different in size from what you intended. If the pattern calls for five stitches per inch and you are knitting at four and a half stitches per inch, your bedspread will come out noticeably larger. If you are knitting at five and a half stitches per inch, it will come out smaller. Over a finished piece that is supposed to be eighty inches wide, this difference becomes very visible.

Knit a swatch of at least four inches by four inches in the pattern stitch — not just in stockinette — before beginning. Block your swatch the same way you plan to block your finished bedspread (typically by wetting it, pinning it to dimensions, and allowing it to dry completely). Then measure your gauge on the blocked swatch. Adjust your needle size if necessary and swatch again until you match the pattern gauge. This may feel tedious, but it is the single step most likely to ensure your finished bedspread is the size you actually want.

Working Through Pattern #517: A Block-by-Block Approach

One of the most sensible ways to approach a large bedspread pattern is to think of it not as one enormous project but as a collection of small, manageable ones. Each block is its own little accomplishment. Finish one block, set it aside, begin the next. Some knitters like to complete all the blocks of one type first, then all of the others, before assembling. Others prefer to work in a sequence that gives them a visible preview of the finished checkerboard as they go.

Pattern #517 will specify whether the blocks are worked separately and then joined, or whether they are worked in continuous strips. Both approaches have their merits. Separately worked blocks are extremely portable and allow you to pick up and set down the project without losing your place in a complex pattern. Strip knitting keeps the seaming to a minimum and can result in a more uniform tension throughout, but requires slightly more careful attention to your working position as the strips grow.

If you are joining blocks, pay close attention to the joining method the pattern recommends. A sewn mattress stitch join produces a nearly invisible seam on stockinette fabric, which is ideal for a project you want to look polished and heirloom-quality. A crocheted join can add a subtle decorative element at the seams if that appeals to you. Whatever method you choose, be consistent throughout the project so that all the joins look uniform.

Tips for Staying Organized on a Long-Term Project

A bedspread takes months, sometimes a year or more, to complete. Staying organized is part of what makes the difference between a project you finish and one that ends up in a bag in the closet for a decade. Here are some approaches that knitters have found helpful on large-scale projects like this one.

Keep a simple tally or spreadsheet of your block count. Note how many blocks you have completed and how many remain. Breaking the total number down into weekly or monthly goals gives you a sense of forward momentum even when individual knitting sessions feel small.

Store your completed blocks in a pillowcase or clean cotton bag. This keeps them clean, prevents any discoloration from light exposure over time, and makes it easy to pull out and admire what you have accomplished.

If you run out of yarn and need to purchase more, buy from the same brand and weight even if you cannot guarantee the same dye lot. Since the pattern creates texture contrast rather than color contrast, minor dye lot variations are usually invisible in the finished piece. Still, try to use yarn from different lots in different areas of the bedspread rather than having one section worked entirely from a different lot.

Take breaks without guilt. This is a long project, and cycling it in and out of your regular rotation — spending a few months on it, setting it aside for another project, returning to it — is a completely valid approach. Many heirloom pieces were made this way.

Blocking and Finishing Your Checkerboard Bedspread

Blocking is not optional for a knitted bedspread. It is the step that transforms your knitting from a slightly rumpled, uneven-looking collection of fabric into something smooth, even, and genuinely beautiful. Cotton particularly benefits from wet blocking, because the fiber relaxes and opens up beautifully when wet and then dries into a crisp, even fabric.

To block your finished bedspread, fill a clean bathtub or large basin with cool water and submerge the entire piece. Allow it to soak for at least twenty minutes so that the fiber is thoroughly saturated. Do not wring or twist the wet fabric — instead, gently press out excess water, then roll the piece in clean towels to remove more moisture. The bedspread will be heavy when wet, so handle it carefully to avoid stretching it unevenly.

Lay the damp bedspread on a clean flat surface — a carpeted floor works well, or a large blocking mat system. Use rust-proof pins to pin the edges out to your target dimensions, checking frequently with a measuring tape to ensure the piece is square and the dimensions are even. Allow it to dry completely before unpinning, which may take twenty-four to forty-eight hours depending on the humidity and ventilation in your space.

The finished, blocked bedspread will look dramatically better than the unblocked version, and the texture contrast of the checkerboard blocks will be sharper and more defined. This is your reward for the patience of such a long project.

Caring for Your Finished Bedspread

A well-made knitted cotton bedspread is remarkably durable and washable. Machine wash it on a gentle cycle in cool water, or hand wash if you prefer. Use a gentle detergent formulated for delicates. Tumble dry on low heat or, for best results, lay it flat to dry to preserve the blocking. Cotton can handle repeated washing without degrading, which is one of the reasons cotton bedspreads have been practical choices for generations.

Store your bedspread folded in a clean pillowcase or cotton bag if you are not using it. Avoid storing it in plastic, which can trap moisture and cause yellowing over time. If you are storing a white or ecru bedspread for an extended period, acid-free tissue paper between the folds will help prevent creasing and discoloration.

Why Knitters Keep Coming Back to This Pattern

Checkerboard Knitted Bedspread Pattern #517 has endured for a reason. It is not the easiest pattern in the world — the scale alone requires commitment — but it is approachable. The technique is repetitive in the best sense, building skill and confidence with every block. The finished result is genuinely impressive, the kind of piece that becomes a centerpiece of a room and a conversation starter for anyone who appreciates handmade textiles.

There is also something meaningful about continuing a tradition. When you work this pattern, you are working the same design that knitters worked in the 1950s, in small houses and apartments across the country, producing pieces for their families that were used every day and washed every week and loved for decades. The checkerboard bedspread is not precious or fragile — it is functional, beautiful, and built to last.

If you are new to large-scale knitting, this pattern is an excellent introduction. If you are an experienced knitter looking for a meaningful long-term project, it will not disappoint. Cast on with good yarn, a comfortable pair of fine needles, and the patience that this kind of work deserves. Your bedspread will be waiting for you, growing one small block at a time, for as long as it takes — and it will be worth every stitch.