Summer Garden Stripes

My first completed knitting design project - a baby blanket knitted in Rowan Handknit Cotton. I loved these delicious colourways, Gooseberry, Delphinium and Thunder together, and the names inspired my "summer garden" name, even though it was photographed today minutes after being finished, in my Autumn garden.

An easy and enjoyable project, though knitting all the stripes does take quite a while!

Pattern for Summer Garden stripes Baby Blanket

Supplies:

Rowan Handknit Cotton ( which is machine-washable)

Colour A - 334 (Delphinium) - 4x 50g balls

Colour B - 219 ( Gooseberry) - 3x50g balls

Colour C - 335 ( Thunder) - 1 x 50g ball

Needles:

Pair 4.5mm needles

4mm circular needle ( 80cm long)

Using colour B and 4.5mm needles, cast on 116 st.

Row 1 - k to end

Row 2 - k1, p to last stitch, k1.

These 2 rows form the stocking stitch pattern.

Continue in stocking stitch following this stripe pattern:

B - 6 rows (in total)

A - 4 rows

B - 6 rows

C - 2 rows

A - 6 rows

B - 4 rows

A - 6 rows

C - 2 rows

These 36 rows form one rpt of the stripe pattern.

Work a total of 5 rpts of the pattern , then proceed as follows:

B - 6 rows

A - 4 rows

B - 6 rows.

Cast off.

Weave in ends in same colour stripes using duplicate stitch.

Borders

Short side borders ( work both in the same way)

Using 4mm circular needle and colour A, pick up 113 sts along one short edge.

Row 1 - k1, m1, *k1,p1, rpt from * to last 3 sts, k1, m1, k1. (117 sts)

Row 2 - k1, m1, *p1, k1, rpt from * to last 3 sts, p1, m1, k1. (119 sts)

This forms the moss stitch pattern.

Rpt these 2 rows 4 more times (10 rows in total, 135 sts)

Cast off.

Long side borders (work both in the same way)

Using 4mm circular needles and colour A, pick up evenly 145 sts along one long edge.Work 10 rows in moss stitch increasing as for short edge borders.

Cast off.

Finishing

Sew together border edges using backstitch.

To block, machine wash at 30c then pin out on blocking board or large towels to the finished dimensions ( 86cm x 68cm). Leave to dry.

If you find any problems with this pattern, please leave a comment or e-mail me on silverfamily7@gmail.com.

Christmas is coming...if you're a crafter

No, I'm not so organised that I have already designed and made my Christmas cards. This is a picture of last year's design, of which I made about 65!
But I do need to , in fact have started thinking about this year's one. When I was in my local garden centre last week the staff were busy putting together the Christmas department. And I have now ordered my stamp for this year, a dove, from the same company as the tree - The English Stamp Co.
I promise, though, that apart from my cards I will do nothing else about Christmas until at least November. But making 65+ cards does have to be spread out a little...