Mosaic knitting is a great introduction to colorwork knitting for new knitters. And these blankets feature interesting mosaic designs that even knitters new to mosaic colorwork would be able to tackle. Most mosaic designs use two contrasting colors – one for the background and one for the mosaic design. But you’re only using one strand of yarn per row – so there’s no juggling multiple strands of yarn at one time – so it’s a perfect introduction to color knitting.
Here’s a quick list of the blankets we’ll look at in this article:
- Purl Soho’s Mosaic Blanket
- Mosaic Herringbone Blanket
- Mexican Blanket Pattern
- Solsken Blanket
- Cozy Spot Throw
- Mosaic Tiles Throw
- Check Mate Throw
- Brix Baby Blanket
- Party Heart-y Baby Blanket
- Mosaic Squares Blanket
Now let’s take a closer look at each of these beautiful blanket knitting patterns and decide which one is right for you to add to your to-knit list. You’ll find links to each of the patterns as well as a link to a recommended yarn if you need a bit of help selecting an appropriate yarn for your blanket.
Mosaic Blanket
Purl Soho’s Mosaic Blanket is a perfect introduction to mosaic knitting. It’s worked in two contrasting colors of worsted weight yarn. If you want to use the recommended yarn they provide a few beautiful color options. And the free pattern features three different sizes so you have some room to customize the pattern for your needs. The instructions are written and charted, so no matter which method you prefer, both are offered here. There’s even a helpful video that demonstrates the basics of mosaic knitting.
Get the pattern: Purl Soho Mosaic Blanket
Get the yarn: Purl Soho Worsted Twist
Mosaic Herringbone
This mosaic pattern has a Garter stitch chevron-style herringbone design worked in a bold black-and-white color choice using Bernat Blanket yarn. The pattern includes written and charted instructions so everyone will find it easy to follow. The background color (black) is also used to work the Garter stitch border of the blanket. The finished blanket is 48″ x 55″.
Get the pattern: Mosaic Herringbone
Get the yarn: Bernat Blanket
Mexican Blanket
This lovely blanket from Two of Wands features a striped and geometric pattern. The background of the blanket is worked in Stockinette stitch with varying stripes of color. Large mosaic blocks are placed between the striped background and the whole blanket is finished with a Garter stitch border. The finished blanket is 42.5″ x 54.5″. When you purchase this pattern, part of the proceeds are donated to the Mexico Earthquake Initiative (that is dedicated to improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergency situations).
Get the pattern: Mexican Blanket Pattern
Get the yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease
Solsken
This beautiful baby blanket is worked in Garter stitch using DK weight yarn. The square shape makes a great blanket as well as a stroller blanket or, with the textured nature of the blanket, it would be a great play mat. The central mosaic pattern is worked first. Then stitches are picked up along all four edges and the Garter stitch border is worked in the round. The finished blanket measures 35″ x 35″.
Get the pattern: Solsken
Get the yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Merino
Cozy Spot
Cozy Spot is another Garter stitch blanket that comes in two sizes (Baby: 33″ x 29″ and Throw: 50″ x 60″) with some tips on customizing the size based on the pattern repeat. The pattern includes both written and charted instructions for the Cross & Diamond motif from Barbara Walker’s Mosaic Knitting book (available on Amazon). The blanket features blocks of mosaic patterning interspersed with sections of Garter stitch with a simple picked up border worked around the finished blanket.
Get the pattern: Cozy Spot
Get the yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Superwash
Mosaic Tiles
This Mosaic Tiles throw features a classic diamond motif with small bands of the two colors used in the blanket between each repeat. It’s worked in a worsted weight yarn with a finished size of 49″ x 58″. It would be easy to customize the width of the blanket as the pattern is cast on along one edge and each of the bands is worked vertically (so you could easily add or subtract vertical bands to change the size).
Get the pattern: Mosaic Tiles
Get the yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran
Check Mate
The Check Mate throw by Martin Storey, featured in the Rowan at Home publication, uses Felted Tweed Aran in a two-color checkered square pattern. The nature of the suggested yarn gives the finished blanket a soft, felted look. The pattern would be easy to follow since it’s alternating colors in a checkerboard fashion. The finished measurements are 34” x 43½”.
Get the pattern: Check Mate
Get the yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed Aran
Brix Baby Blanket
The Brix Baby Blanket uses Valley Yarns Superwash (a soft, squishy yarn) in super bulky weight so this blanket will work up quickly and be easy to care for. The four-color pattern worked in Garter stitch, which looks like toy bricks that are so popular. No edging or seams so all you’ll need to do is weave in the ends when you’re done. The finished dimensions are 27″ x 40″. But one note: the mosaic pattern is in charted form only (no written instructions).
Get the pattern: Brix Baby Blanket
Get the yarn: Valley Yarns Superwash Super Bulky
Party Heart-y
This adorable blanket worked in two colors of Bernat Baby Velvet yarn (a machine-washable worsted weight yarn), is super squishy and soft. The free pattern has both charted and written instructions for the mosaic heart pattern. The pattern begins with a few rows of Garter stitch worked in the background color. Then the second color is added and the mosaic pattern is repeated for the length of the blanket. While you’re working the Garter stitch design, the edging creates two-color stripes while you’re working the mosaic pattern. To finish, you’ll repeat a few rows of Garter stitch in the background color before binding off.
Get the pattern: Party Heart-y
Get the yarn: Sirdar Happy Chenille
Mosaic Squares
This Mosaic Squares blanket from Purl Soho is inspired, not by the mosaics in churches and cathedrals, but by the mosaics of the subway. The free pattern offers two sizes (crib and throw) in their beautiful Good Wool and Cashmere Merino Bloom. After casting on and working the first row, you’ll follow the written or charted instructions for each of the sections in the pattern. After you finish, it’s simply time to bind off, no edging or seaming needed.
Get the pattern: Mosaic Squares
Get the yarn: Purl Soho Good Wool
More Tips for Mosaic Knitting
If you’d like to get started with mosaic knitting any of the blanket patterns above would be a great place to start. After finishing a blanket, you’ll be a mosaic knitting pro!
How do you knit a mosaic stitch?
Mosaic knitting is a sub-set of slip-stitch knitting that uses two contrasting colors of yarn but only one color is worked in each row. On the right-side row, follow the chart or written instructions, which will tell you which color you should use. Knit with your current color, slipping any of the contrasting color stitches in the pattern purlwise with the yarn held to the wrong side of the work. On the next row, knit the stitches you just knit in the previous row and slip the stitches that you slipped in the previous row (with the yarn held to the wrong side of the work). After completing those two rows, drop the current color and work the next two rows in the second color.
Is mosaic knitting reversible?
Mosaic knitting is not reversible. The nature of slipping the stitches with the yarn held to the wrong side of the work produces small floats of fabric that keeps the pattern from being reversible.
Where did mosaic knitting come from?
Barbara Walker is the person who coined the phrase ‘mosaic knitting’ and wrote a book on the subject titled Mosaic Knitting, that explains the process and provides a plethora of charted mosaic designs.
Can you work mosaic knitting in the round?
Mosaic knitting patterns can be worked in the round. You work two rounds with your background color before working two rounds with your contrasting color and then alternate from one yarn to another for the length of the mosaic design.
More Knitting Project Ideas
- 20 Fun Stash Busting Blanket Knitting Patterns
- 12 Beginner Shawl Knitting Patterns
- 10 Fun Sock Patterns for Variegated Yarn