I need to get rid of yarn.
A lot of it is left overs from other projects - too much to toss, too little to make anything - or stuff that has been given to me. Nice and thank you, but not what I'd have bought. Also, yarn follows the same rules as Chinese food - left overs are either consumed in the first two days, or you lose the ability to see them. The get pushed further and further to the back, until in a flurry of Spring cleaning you come across a container you're afraid to open.
It's making me crazy. I feel guilty buying new stuff I'd actually use because I have approximately 8 sheep in my closet. And it just sits there. Staring.
So I made a blanket to cover my shame.
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This yarn was a lovely cotton/alpaca blend that someone cruely dyed the color of blanched salmon. I believe my mother had a sweater in exactly this color somewhere around 1993. I used it to make a baby blanket. Being pre-verbal, babies' opinions on color pallet are easily ignored. But to appease their now-talking parents, I plan to dye it 'flamingo'.
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This blanket is a pretty quick knit. All the confusing stuff is right at the beginning, so starting over/frogging (not that anyone ever does...) isn't too painful. The petal pattern is easily memorized and doesn't take much concentration after you figure it out. This probably isn't the best pattern for your first lace project, it would make a great second one.
Lotus Knit Baby Blanket Pattern
Size
32"x32"
Gauge
18 sts x 20 rows = 4 inches in stockinette
Materials
- 300 grams (3 skeins) Cascasde 220 wool or similar worsted weight yarn (100 grams, 220 yards)
- Size 8 (5 mm) 32” circular needles
- Size 8 (5mm) 60" circular needles
- Darning needle
Abbreviations
- K – Knit
- P – Purl
- K2tog – knit 2 together
- Ssk – Slip 2 stitches knitwise and k2tog
- Sl, k2tog, psso – Slip on st to the right needle, k2tog, pass slip stitch over
- K1f&b - Knit 1 in the front and back of the stitch
- K tbl - Knit through back loop
- YO - Yarn over
- PM - Place marker
Notes
Throughout pattern, slip markers as you come to them.
Switch to longer circulars when needed.
This blanket is knit using the magic loop method.
Directions
Cast on 8 sts using the disappearing loop method. Pull the cable through so you have 4 sts on each needle.
Center Flower
Work the following pattern four times on each round.Place a marker between each repeat.
- K, 2yo, k
- K2, p, k
- K2, yo, k2
- K2, k1f&b, k2
- K2, yo, k2, yo, k2
- Knit
- K2, yo, k4, yo, k2
- K3, k2tog, ssk, k3
- Yo, k2, yo, k2, yo, k2, yo, k2
- K3, k2tog, k1, k1f&b, k1, ssk, k2
- K tbl, yo, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, ssk, yo, k1, yo, k2, yo
- K4, yo, k2tog, k2tog, yo, ssk, ssk, yo, k3
- K tbl, yo, k1, yo, k3, yo, k2, k1f&b, k2, yo, k3, yo, k1, yo
- K8, yo, ssk, ssk, k2tog, k2tog, yo, k5
- K tbl, yo, k3, yo, k1, ssk, k1, sl1, k3tog, psso, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo
- Knit
- K tbl, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k7, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo
- Knit
- K tbl, yo, k5, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k5, yo
- Knit
- K tbl, yo, k7, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k7, yo
- Knit
- K tbl, yo, k9, yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, k9, yo
- Knit
- K tbl, yo, k11, yo, ssk, k10, yo
- Knit
Petals
Work the following pattern between each marker.
- Ktbl, *yo, k tbl, yo, ssk, k7, k2tog* Repeat from * to * until 1 st before marker, yo, k tbl, yo, slip marker.
- Knit
- Ktbl, *yo, k3, yo, ssk, k5, k2tog* Repeat from * to * until 3 sts before marker, yo, k3, yo, slip marker.
- Knit
- Ktbl, *yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k7* Repeat from * to * until 5 sts before marker, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, slip marker.
- Knit
- Ktbl, *yo, k5, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog* Repeat from * to * until 5 sts before marker, yo, k5, yo, slip marker.
- Knit
- Ktbl, *yo, k7, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog* Repeat from * to * until 7 sts before marker, yo, k7, yo, slip marker.
- Knit
- Ktbl, *yo, k9, yo, sl1, k2tog, psso* Repeat from * to * until 9 sts before marker, yo, k9, yo, slip marker.
- Knit
- Ktbl, yo, k11, *yo, ssk, k10* Repeat from * to * until marker, yo, slip marker.
- Knit
Repeat the petals pattern 4 more times, for a total of 5 repeats.
Outer Edge
- Increase round: Ktbl, yo, k until marker, yo, slip marker.
- Even round: Knit
Alternate increase and even round for ten total rounds. Work 5 additional rounds in seed stitch.
- Seed stitch increase: Ktbl, yo, *k, p* repeat from * to * until marker, yo, slip marker.
- Seed stitch even round: P, k around.
Cast off loosely in pattern.
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Edited 3/16/2011 - Fixed error in line 7 and 13 of flower pattern.
Edited 3/17/2011 - Couple more.
Edited 3/20 - Dyed.
Edited 3/27 - Couple tweaks
Edited 3/31 - Row 15 will be the death of me.
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