Circle of Stitches

Purveyors of fine yarns and witchy goods

Pattern: Not Quite Colorblock Blanket

Circle of Stitches1 Comment

by Ana Campos

I admit I am not much of a blanket knitter, but between the amazing softness and beautiful colors of Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton, I was mesmerized by the idea of wrapping myself in this yarn. Traditionally cozy but with a modern aesthetic, this has quickly become a favorite pattern! 

Level:

Beginner

Gauge:

14.5 stitches/26 rows = 4" (10 cm) x 4" (10 cm) in Garter Stitch after gentle blocking

Size:

Approx. 36 inches (91.5 cm) wide x 43 inches (109 cm) long

Materials:

Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton in Lemongrass, 2 skeins

Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton in Poppy, 1 skein

Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton in Bone, 1 skein

Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton in Aloe, 1 skein

Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton in Jasper, 1 skein 

Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton in Sky, 1 skein

Size US 8 (5 mm) 2" circular needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Directions:

Using Color A , cast on 130 stitches. Knit all rows until you have 38 rows or enough yarn left to knit two more rows, ending with a RS row. Do not break yarn. 

Using Color B, knit 2 rows. Carrying Color A up the side of the work, knit 2 more rows with Color A. 

Continue knitting with Color B. Knit every row until you have  38 rows, or enough yarn left to knit two more rows, ending with a RS row. 

Using Color C, knit 2 rows. Carrying Color B up the side of the work, knit 2 more rows with Color A. 

Continue as established for each color. With the last color, knit until you have 38 rows or enough yarn left to bind off, and bind off loosely. Weave in yarn tails and block gently. 

Want to make your own? Pick your colors here

Want a printable PDF version of this pattern? Sign up and get access to our Library!

Blanket1.jpg

Exploring Shibui

Circle of StitchesComment

Last week, we hosted a Shibui Mix Party, where we got to learn more about a fabulous yarn company, Shibui Knits. Shibui Knits is based out of Portland, Oregon, and was founded by Darcy Cameron. "Shibui" means "elegant with a touch of bitterness" in Japanese, and they try to bring that sentiment to all of their products. Darcy is unapologetic about her love of unique fibers and tactile experiences, and this is at the core of Shibui's mission. Shibui isn't just about knitting - it's about creating dazzling textiles. They work only with the highest quality fibers, and bring a clean, modern aesthetic to their designs. In the words of Jess, our local Shibui rep, when you work with Shibui, you are working with the Cadillac of yarns.

At our Mix Party, we each got to sample all ten of Shibui's yarns, including the brand-new Dune. Dune is spun out of baby alpaca, baby camel, and silk. What makes fiber "baby"? The designation "baby" refers to the micron count of the fiber, meaning this fiber has a low micron count and is super soft. 

Their Fall/Winter 2015 collection has some gorgeous patterns featuring Dune.

Column uses Dune and Cima

Column uses Dune and Cima

Cornice uses Dune and Silk Cloud

Cornice uses Dune and Silk Cloud

The official Shibui Fall Knig-Along will be the Motif shawl, knit in Dune. We can't wait to wrap ourselves in this delicious yarn! The Knit-Along kicks off on September 23rd. Visit the official Shibui KAL Ravelry thread for details and grab your Dune here! We provide you with a free copy of the Motif pattern when you purchase the yarn with us. 

Shibui-Collection-Motif-3 (1).jpg

Knit-Alongs

Circle of StitchesComment

We've been having so much fun working on projects together. We just finished our June/July knit-along, which was the Twinleaf Shawl in Fibre Co Meadow.

The shawls came out beautifully. The sizing is generous, but the yarn is so light! The shawls weigh almost nothing. Perfect for this warm weather! 

Next up, is the Adrift in either lace or fingering weight yarn. We just cast on yesterday, so there's still time to join in!