This is Bestway Blanket, a small baby blanket made up of single rib squares which are knitted in the round. I don't think I've ever worked rib stitches in the round before. I got the idea from this old knitting pattern in my collection.
The bootees that particularly appealed to me were those yellow ones with the cuff. I tried knitting a pair and was very taken with the way that the rib pattern was shaped around the foot.
Double decreases give a nice sharp line and the direction of the rib stitches adds to the geometric look. So, I got out my double pointed needles and, after several slightly odd squares, came up with this.
The double decreases are worked halfway along each of the four needles, giving a nice raised chain along what becomes the diagonals of the finished square. I think the wrong side is pleasing too. I like the way that the rib stitches all 'point' towards the middle; you can also see in the first of the photos above how the lines of the rib catch the light slightly differently, depending on whether they run horizontally or vertically - another nice touch.
In a 'let's use some of the stuff I've already got' mood, I turned out as many chalky pastel shades as I could find from my Stylecraft Special DK baskets and found that I had 15 different colours. I knitted two in each and sewed them together to make a small baby blanket.
Each square takes about 10g of yarn so you need roughly 300g all together, plus another 50g or so for the attached I cord border. I'm pleased with how this one has turned out, especially as I don't often use paler shades like these. I think my 'new' First Love doll (yet to be named) likes it too.
I just love making blankets. Having taken weeks to write up my latest crochet blanket because it was quite complex (20 pages!), I felt the need for some simple, soothing crochet.
That's right, another blanket. I'm whizzing along with this one, having worked out a way of not having to keep cutting the yarn. Why didn't I think of that before? I'm using more Stylecraft yarn for this one, this time Batik in cream and the Rainbow colourway of Batik Swirl.
And are you going to share with us the "way of not having to keep cutting the yarn"? Sounds like a useful tip! And, that pastel baby blanket is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI am indeed - I'll publish the blanket pattern once it's done, together with a scarf pattern using the same technique.
ReplyDeleteYou are very productive at the moment! It looks like the influence of long covid is diminishing at last.
ReplyDeleteI only wish it was!
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