the knitted blanket

I have a serious weakness for handmade home goods, maybe even more than for things I can wear on my body: quilts, rugs (especially rugs), blankets, pillows, curtains, place mats, wash cloths…they are so satisfying, getting gauge is maybe not so important, they can be used regularly…just a few of the joys.

In pre-COVID life, we'd talked about wanting to follow up on the publication of our two most recent blanket patterns (see below) by celebrating the knitted blanket in general, and by looking forward to warmer weather activities, including picnics. Gathering with loved ones, sharing food.

While I know that some of us are venturing out to sit on the grass in the sunshine—protecting each other with helpful social distancing measures, hopefully—we don't know when we'll be able to return to the picnics we're perhaps accustomed to. So, the idea of using a little indoor down time to work on a meditative project that speaks to a desire for and an intention toward warmth and sharing with others feels okay—if you can and still practice taking care of your friends, neighbors, and community in any way possible. We are not separate from one another.

Here's a sampling of, well, most of our blankets, actually—ranging from cotton to chunky wool—that are inspiring me to cast on and dream of spending time in person with my loved ones near and far.

cotton

We just published Leila Raven's Shiro a couple of weeks ago, in Whimbrel Tiller. The cable and lace motifs are so striking. Feeling like more of a bedspread than a picnic blanket, the worsted weight cotton is definitely a good candidate for relaxing on the grass.

At the beginning of the month, Sarah Pope's Selene blanket (in Willet Windlass) made its debut. This blanket is a celebration of every phase of the moon (the pattern contains 28 charts!), with a daisy stitch border. The border is worked modularly in a log cabin style.

Another of Leila's creations is Sully, a sizable baby blanket using four shades of Willet. This was released as part of a trio of blankets—Little Monsters—in summer 2016. I made this one for a friend's little one four years ago; my favorite details are the subtle seed stitch detail at the transition point between stripes, and the simple garter stitch border, picked up and worked in the round with mitered corners. Shown in Starboard (main color), Dinghy, Flare, and Windlass, this is a fun one for playing around with our pretty Willet palette!

left to right: Shiro by Leila Raven, Selene by Sarah Pope, Sully by Leila Raven

texture

Pam Allen's Edelweiss blanket, released in May of 2016, is worked up in our silk/wool Tern, shown here in Mist. An overall lace leaf pattern is framed by a 1x1 rib border. A labor of love in fingering weight yarn. One of the wonderful things about a knitted blanket is feeling the weight and warmth while knitting, seeing it grow and grow on a lap.

Zabeth Weiner offered up Eight by Eight, worked up in our worsted weight Lark and shown here in Lichen. We published this throw in November 2015. The texture on this blanket is so cool and boldly graphic. Zabeth combined faux cables and an hourglass-like knit/purl motif in an alternating, allover pattern.

The Camilla blanket, one piece in Carrie Bostick Hoge's Camilla "series" (here are the adult, child, and baby pullovers) is a sweet, small blanket combining garter stitch with a cool ribbed fan motif. This one came out in June of 2013, is worked in Osprey and shown here in Clay.

left to right: Edelweiss by Pam Allen, Eight by Eight by Zabeth Weiner, Camilla Blanket by Carrie Bostick Hoge

wool

Carrie also designed for us the Field blanket, knitted up in Puffin and shown here in Split Pea. This piece, published in very early 2011, screams squish: columns of plump cables are framed with a simple garter stitch border. Big cables + big yarn = big comfort and warmth.

Pam's November blanket arrived in late September 2010, in Puffin Nasturtium. A large, cozy thing adorned only with welts makes it simple in the making and allows for the enjoyment of the fiber itself and the soft fabric it yields.

The Nebraska throw was originally included in Pam's book Home: 18 Knittable Projects to Keep You Comfy, published in late 2014; it's now available for individual purchase. This throw—knitted in Owl and shown in Buru and Canyon—features a motif of tiny, welted squares, which is sandwiched by two garter bands in a contrasting color. What colors would you pick for this?

left to right: Field by Carrie Bostick Hoge, November by Pam Allen, Nebraska by Pam Allen

I hope you're finding just as much inspiration here as I am! To see all of our blankets, pillows, and other decorative goodies, head over here. And, if you don't want to miss new offerings as we launch them, make sure you're signed up to receive our email updates.

much love to all and take good care, jerusha