In many parts of central and eastern North America it is very cold right now. Our turn here in Alberta is coming in the next couple of days. While we will not be experiencing the deep cold that has held our neighbor provinces to the east in its thrall, minus 25 celsius is cold enough for me thank you very much.
It will be good time to stay home and knit or crochet to increase your internal heat generated by your motions. That is my theory anyway and I am sticking to that logic.
It is also a great time to work on a blanket. Having all of that weight and yarn on your lap is so cozy and you can fool everyone around you into thinking that you are a superwoman or man in that you are not cold at all!
I have free pattern for a blanket in my Ravelry store that works up quickly and is nice and cuddly. I made the original in Bernat Blanket yarn, but it can easily made with any worsted weight held double. Try combing two colours for a really pretty speckled look. I am repeating the pattern here for you but, if you want to work from a pdf, click on the link above to take you to a free download.
The blanket, 115cm x 155cm (45” x 60”), is knit with garter stitch in the Shetland style with a centre rectangle and then subsequent rows worked around that. You will need 800 metres (885 yards) of bulky weight yarn. You can use Bernat Blanket as I did or any worsted weight yarn held double which will double the amount of yarn that you need of course.
You will need 10 or 12mm circular needles. Use one to start then two or a very long one as the size of the blanket grows. I used an interchangeable with a cable connector and used two 100 cm (40”) cables.
With a 10 or 12mm circular needle, cast on 18 stitches and knit 60 rows, bind off.
Pick up and knit 18 stitches across the short side of the rectangle, place a marker, 30 stitches along the long side, place a marker, then 18 stitches at the other short side, place a marker and finally another 30 stitches along the last long side, placing a final marker. (To garter stitch in the round, you will knit the first row and purl the next. These two rows will be worked throughout.) Purl the next row.
Increase in each corner on each knit row by making a stitch before the marker, slip the marker, knit one and make another stitch. Make a stitch by lifting the bar between two stitches onto the left needle and knit through the back loop.
I changed colours every 14 rows, then 18, 18 and 12 rows to make the stripes around the centre piece. You can alternate colours as often as you like or make it all in one colour. Just have fun with it!
Enjoy the pattern (great for TV knitting) and have a great (and warm) week ahead.
