Hi Everyone,
Summer is now behind us, and to me that is exciting as it means lots of NEW Winter stock arriving with beautiful NEW colours to create lovely NEW warm knitted wooly projects!!!
With the cold Winter months on their way, there is nothing so special as cuddling into a warm knitted woolly blanket!! Now don't shudder & say "but it's such a big project", lol, as I am going to tell you how to break it down into a really manageable & fun project!
1. Decide on Size - I find for your first throw, don't go too big, do a cot size, or a nice Knee Throw to snuggle on the lounge.
2. Colours - look around your house, childs room, see what colours are there. Pick no more than 5 colours, anymore can be too much.
3. Patterns - if you are an Experienced knitter, pick up to 5 different pattern designs eg Cable, Multiple Coloured Strips, Double Moss etc. For the Beginner, you can vary between Garter Stitch (plain knitting) mixed with Stocking Stitch (knit a row, purl a row).
4. Floor Plan - print out a graph with the amount of squares you need. These squares measure approx 17cm using an 8ply, so for a cot size : 4 x 5 squares, or Knee Throw, 7 x 7 squares, working 39 stitches x 50 rows for both sizes.
Now, mark each square with a symbol representing the individual patterns & using your colouring pencils, shade these squares in the colours you have chosen, use your child's colouring in pencils!
5. Start Knitting - you start by working the square at the bottom left hand corner, finish this square & cast off. Change colours & pick up 39 stitches through the cast off stitches of the previous square. This counts as Row 1.
Continue in this way until you have finished your first strip. As you finish the following strips, sew them together, this way, you can see your blanket coming together & it is exciting to be continually changing colours & patterns!!
At Greta's Handcraft Centre we run 4 Blanket Groups each month, a mixture of Friday's & Saturday's, all contact details can be found on Greta's Facebook page or contact me at the shop.
x Vivienne
x Vivienne
Photographs taken by Bec @Pinchmebeautiful. Styling by Bec @Pinchmebeautiful and Babs @Patchworkcactus
Wow, it looks so so pretty! Great post you guys! Go and submit it to craftgawker and dwelling gawker!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks love, and thank you for the beautiful space and help :) Dwelling gawker! where have you been all my life.
DeleteGorgeous blankets and photos!
ReplyDeleteHow many rows in each block? How do you do the beautiful edgings?
Thanks so much!
Thank you Crigen :) to answer your questions..50 rows per square and do each edge separately, increasing One stitch at each end of the right facing row. This gives a 'Mitred' edge and you can sew corners together easily.
DeleteThat is absolutely gorgeous! I really want to learn how to knit... but have no idea where to start!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lucy. If you were Sydney based I would say head to the shop for a lesson :)
DeleteYou guys have totally inspired me to bring out the knitting needles. I dont know why I even stopped as I find it so incredibly therapeutic xx
ReplyDeleteYeah! dust them off and get knitting xx
DeleteAbsolutely stunning blankets... I find knitting so challenging but would really like to tackle a blanket oneday!
ReplyDeleteThank you Rachel. You should give a blanket ago, if you need any help just ask. Happy to help :)
DeleteWow!!!! This is stunning. I think I need to give knitting another try in the face of such gorgeousness x
ReplyDeleteThank you, yeah give it another shot xx
DeleteThey are gorgeous blankets. My mum made a blanket for each grandchild ( poor thing dint realise she was going to have 12) but we will treasure them forever.
ReplyDeleteThey are made with love & become an Heirloom for each child, so special!
DeleteIt's such a great talent to have, I was taught to knit but that's about it - I can even cast on!!
ReplyDeleteThat blanket on the bed is just divine! It's been so long since I knitted - I used to love it but always needed help starting off. Beautiful styling of the room too. I hope someone got to enjoy that cup of tea :)
ReplyDelete