Evelyn's no-sew blankie: Knittyspin Spring+Summer 2011

	by Janice Kang A fiber dyeing experiment resulted in two 4 ounce bumps of Superwash BFL that weren’t compelling by themselves, but had potential when combined. I decided to spin all 8 ounces into a 3-ply yarn and then design something for little Evelyn who was born last year. The handspun had long runs of color which I thought would be perfect for mitered squares—which then lead to a car seat blankie made in “patchwork” blocks. The great thing about this project is there is no sewing required. Blocks are joined by picking up sts or Three-Needle Bind Off. I even joined the beginning and end of the i-cord border with a Three-Needle Bind Off. The result is a project that maximizes every bit of precious handspun and not an inch is hidden in seaming. Of course if you don’t mind minimal sewing, you could pull out your darning needle and sew the beginning and end of the i-cord border together for a more traditional finish.
The finished blankie is the perfect size to make a little one cozy in a car seat. I can also see Evelyn transforming this into a cape, a picnic blanket, swaddling clothes for her dolls, and whatever else she can imagine. Although Evelyn’s No-Sew Blankie was originally made in handspun [see images below], I’m also including photos and requirements for the blankie in a readily available yarn from Lisa Souza [shown above]. Her Superwash Merino is wonderfully soft and has long runs of color which make it perfect for this project.

model: Alexis photos: Kristi Geraci and Janice Kang

SIZE
One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Width: 20 inches
Length: 24 inches

MATERIALS
Fiber
24x7 Fiber Superwash BFL [100% BFL]; color: Potluck Cobbler; 8 ounces

Finished Yarn:
Wraps per inch: 10
Yardage used: 485 yards
Plies: 3-ply
Drafting method: short forward draw

Commercial Yarn Alternative
Lisa Souza Superwash Merino Wool - [100% superwash Merino wool; 560 yd per 8 oz skein]; color: Sunny Days; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 24-inch US #9/5.5 mm circular needle
PLUS
An additional 24-inch US #9/5.5 mm circular needles for 2 circular method
OR
1 long US #9/5.5 mm circular needle for magic loop
OR
1 set of 4 or 5 US #9/5.5 mm double pointed needles for working in the round.
1 US #10/6.5 mm circular needle or a pair of dpns for Three-Needle Bind Off and i-cord border.

Spinning Tool: Lendrum double treadle with Fast Flyer and Plying Head
Niddy Noddy: Nancy’s Knit Knacks
Lazy Kate: Lendrum

Tools
4 stitch markers – 1 of a different style or color
Yarn needle

GAUGE

18 sts/21 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
15 sts/30 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

The blanket is worked in sections as shown in the pattern schematic above:
Mitered Square A followed by Garter Block B followed by Mitered Square C, and so on.

The arrows in the schematic indicate the direction each section is worked.

After completing a mitered square, stitches are picked up along one edge of the mitered square—denoted by a dotted line in the schematic—to set-up the next garter st section.

Slip markers as you come to them unless otherwise instructed.

Rm: Remove marker.

Slip all sts as if to purl unless otherwise instructed.

DIRECTIONS

As illustrated in the schematic [see above], the sections of the blanket are worked in this order:

Mitered Square A
Garter Block B
Mitered Square C
Garter Block D
Mitered Square C
Garter Block B
Mitered Square C
Garter Block E
Join Garter Block E with Mitered Square A
Center Mitered Block F
I-cord Border

Mitered Square A
Using a smaller circular needle, CO 61 sts.

Set-up row: K all sts.

Row 1 [RS]: K29, SK2P, k1, pm, k to end of row. 59 sts.

Row 2 [WS]: K all sts.

Row 3 [RS]: K to 3 sts before marker, SK2P, rm, k1, pm, k to end of row. 2 sts decreased.

Row 4 [WS]: K all sts.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until 5 sts rem, ending with a WS row.

Next row [RS]: K1, SK2P, rm, k1. 3 sts.

Next row [WS]: K all sts.

Next row [RS]: SK2P. Do not turn work. 1 st.

Garter Block B #1
With RS facing, pick up and knit 30 sts in the garter ridges along the edge of the mitered square just worked as indicated by the dashed line in the schematic. 31 sts total.
Knit 60 rows.
Note: With RS facing, Garter Block B will have 30 garter ridges and you will have just completed a RS row.

Mitered Square C #1
Turn work so WS is facing. Place marker on left needle and using Cable Cast-on, CO 61 sts. Do not turn work. 92 sts total.
Set-up row [WS]: K until there is 1 unworked st before marker, sl1, rm, slip st back to left needle, k2tog, pm on left needle. Turn work. 1 st decreased. 91 sts.
Row 1 [RS]: K29, SK2P, k1, pm, k to end of row. 2 sts decreased. 89 sts.
Row 2 [WS]: K until there is 1 unworked st before second marker, sl1, rm, slip st back to left needle, k2tog, pm on left needle. Turn work. 1 st decreased.
Row 3 [RS]: K to 3 sts before marker, SK2P, rm, k1, pm, k to end of row. 2 sts decreased.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until a total of 8 sts rem.
Work Row 2 once more. 7 sts.
Next row [RS]: K1, SK2P, rm, k1. 5 sts.
Next row [WS]: K2, sl1, rm, slip st back to left needle, k2tog. Turn work. 4 sts.
Next row [RS]: SK2P. Turn work. 2 sts.
Next row [WS]: K2tog. 1 st.

Garter Block D
With RS facing, pick up and knit 30 sts in the garter ridges along the edge of the mitered square just worked as indicated by the dashed line in the schematic. 31 sts total.
Knit 30 rows.
Note: With RS facing, Garter Block D will have 15 garter ridges and you will have just completed a RS row.

Mitered Square C #2
Work as for Mitered Square C #1.

Garter Block B #2
Work as for Garter Block B #1.

Mitered Square C #3
Work as for Mitered Square C #1.

Garter Block E
With RS facing, pick up and knit 30 sts in the garter ridges along the edge of the mitered square just worked as indicated by the dashed line in the schematic. 31 sts total.
Knit 27 rows.
Note: With RS facing, Garter Block E will have 14 garter ridges and you will have just completed a WS row.

Join Garter Block E with Mitered Square A
Push all of the sts to the opposite tip of the circular needle, towards point G in the schematic. Lay the blanket flat with WS facing and make sure it is not twisted. With the end of the circular needle closest to the center of the blanket or with a new needle, use the current working yarn to pick up and knit 1 st at the edge of Mitered Square A at point H in the schematic pulling the yarn firmly to minimize slack; pick up and knit 30 sts along the edge of Mitered Square A from point H to point G in the schematic. 62 sts.

Note: You now have 31 sts from the edge of Mitered Square A on one needle tip and 31 sts from the edge of Garter Block E on another needle tip. Both needle tips and the working yarn are at the outer edge of the blanket at point G in the schematic.

With WS facing and using a larger needle as your right hand needle, join the blanket using a Three-Needle Bind Off working from the outer edge towards the center of the blanket, from point G to point H in the schematic. 1 st.

Center Mitered Block F
Note: Stitches are picked up and worked in the round to complete the center block. The center block can be worked using dpns, or 2 circular needles, or 1 long circular needle for magic loop. Rearrange the stitches on the needle(s) as needed to accommodate the decreases.

Transfer the 1 live st to a smaller circular needle or dpn. With RS facing, pick up and knit the following sts as indicated by the dot-dashed lines in the schematic, rearranging the sts on your needle(s) as appropriate:

1 st in the garter ridge from the edge of Garter Block E closest to the corner
1 st from the corner of Mitered Square A,
30 stitches in the garter ridges along the edge of Garter Block B #1,
1 st from the corner of Mitered Square C #1,
15 stitches in the garter ridges along the edge of Garter Block D,
1 st from the corner of Mitered Square C #2,
30 stitches in the garter ridges from the edge of Garter Block B #2,
1 st from the corner of Mitered Square C #3,
13 stitches in the garter ridges along the edge of Garter Block E.

94 sts total. Do not turn.

Rnd 1: P2, p1 (corner st), p1, place marker A (use the unique color/style marker here), p29, p1 (corner st), p1, pm, p14, p1 (corner st), p1, pm, p29, p1 (corner st), p1, pm, p12. 94 sts.
Rnd 2: K1, SK2P, remove marker A, k1, place marker A, (k until there are 3 unworked sts before next marker, SK2P, rm, k1, pm) 3 times, k11. 8 sts decreased, 86 sts.
Rnd 3: (P to marker, sl m) 4 times, p until there are 3 unworked sts before marker A and stop. This is the beg of the next rnd.
Rnd 4: SK2P, remove marker A, k1, place marker A, (k until there are 3 unworked sts before next marker, SK2P, rm, k1, pm) 3 times, k until there are 2 unworked sts before marker A and stop. This is the beg of the next rnd. 8 sts decreased.
Repeat Rnds 3 and 4 5 more times. 38 sts.
Next rnd: (P2tog, p17) twice. 2 sts decreased. 36 sts.

Prepare for Three-Needle Bind Off: With WS facing, rm all markers and arrange sts so the first 18 sts of the round are on one needle tip and the second 18 sts of the round are on a second needle tip, and both needle tips are at the beg of the round where the working yarn is.

Using a larger needle as your right needle, close the blanket with a Three-Needle Bind Off. 1 st.

Cut yarn leaving a 6 inch tail and elongate the last st, making it larger and larger until the tail pulls free.

I-cord Border
Note: The border can be started anywhere along the edge, but it is easier if you avoid starting the border at a corner of the blanket. The border is worked by knitting 2 sts of the i-cord, then knitting the third st of the i-cord together, through the back loops, with a stitch picked up along the border of the blanket.

The i-cord will be attached to the blanket at 334 pick-up points along the edge of the blanket:

61 sts along the CO edge of mitered squares—30 sts along a straight edge + 1 corner st + 30 sts along the other straight edge.
30 stitches in the garter ridges along the edges both Garter Block B’s.
15 stitches in the garter ridges along the edges of Garter Block D and Garter Block E.

Using larger needles, CO 3 sts.

Set-up: K2, sl1, with right side facing, using right needle, pick up 1 st along the border of the blanket, slip this and the first slipped st to your left needle and knit the 2 sts together through the back loops. Do not turn.

I-cord row: With right needle pick up the next st along the border of the blanket; keeping yarn in back of work, slip all four sts from the right needle to the left needle, k2, k2togtbl. Do not turn.

Repeat I-cord row until you reach a corner of the blanket (do not work the corner st).

I-cord corner: Slip 3 sts from the right needle to the left needle, k3, work I-cord row at corner of blanket, slip 3 sts from the right needle to the left needle, k3. Do not turn.

Continue working I-cord row along the sides of the blanket and the I-cord corner at the corner sts of the blanket until you reach the beginning of the border.

Finish by picking up 3 sts at the beginning of the i-cord border and join the beginning of the border to the end of the border using Three-Needle Bind Off.

Cut the yarn leaving a 6 inch tail and draw through the live stitches of the i-cord. Using a darning needle, sew the beginning of the border to the end of the border.

FINISHING
Weave in ends and block.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Janice knits, spins, and dyes fiber in her home in Northern California. In her spare time she also sings backup in a band — her fellow band members often see her knitting during down time at rehearsal and soundcheck.

You can follow Janice on her blog, view her projects and patterns on Ravelry, and her hand-dyed fiber in the 24x7 Fiber store.