Letters
Comfort Item: Picket Fence Afghan
Dear Kay,
I was walking past the TV lair just now and noticed my recently finished Picket Fence Afghan. Oh look! I thought. That was a fun thing.
We’ve been watching a lot of movies recently, like everybody else in the world. Even if it’s 95 in the shade here, there’s something about snuggling under a blanket when watching a movie.
To be honest, there’s a lot of worry and anxiety knit into these squares—I started this project not long after quarantine set in.
I channeled all those nerves into worrying about things like: will all these different undyed yarns work together?
And: how should I get the i-cord edging to look? Light or dark? Both? Sure, why not both?
Seaming was another area for me to focus on worrying about tiny details. I learned how to do a garter stitch mattress stitch for this. Lifelong learner! Here’s the back side, for you curious backsider types.
Throughout the making of this blanket, I had a constant companion. 
Kermit sat on just about every inch of this thing at some point. I think he thinks it’s a new, very quiet friend.
COULD THIS BE WHAT A SHEEP IS
At the moment, it’s his favorite nap location. The woolly scent of these minimally processed fibers gives him daily joy. The colorway is really working for him, too.
If you’re looking for a way to channel your energy, I recommend this project. I look at it now, finished, and I see a blanket that will be here long after we’ve come through these tough times. Of course, I’m going to start another one.
The pattern: Julia Farwell-Clay’s Picket Fence Afghan, from MDK Field Guide No. 7: Ease.
The yarns: all sorts of undyed single-breed yarns. See the list and more details about this project here. Edging tips here.
And a parade of beautiful Picket Fence Afghans over on Ravelry—so many color ideas.
Tutorials: Jen Arnall-Culliford just cooked up excellent new videos of Julia’s clever technique for making these intarsia stripes: “Little Lessons: Blanket Squares.”
Love,
Ann
The Afghan is lovely. You may be interested to know that Victoria Crowe’s wonderful painting The Large Tree Group was turned into a tapestry using over 70 shades of undyed wool from around the UK at Edinburgh’s Dovecot Studio.
Best
Elizabeth
Thank you for the information .Dovecote has a fascinating website.
Same colours completely different outcome!
Thank you for the information the Docecote studios web site is fascinating.
HELP. Nothing I do brings up the icon to save your posts.
Emily, go to the icon of a person, , and sign in. That’s what works for me 🙂
Ann, what an awesome job. I love the way this turned out. Enjoy it.
Oh Ann, what a beautiful blanket and of course Kermit has instantly adopted it! He knows a good thing when he sees/smells it 😉
Oh, Ann! What a beautiful, stash-busting, afghan of treasures and memories!!! Following this through your posts, I truly love how you put the colors together within squares and assembling them all. What a wonderful eye for color….it radiates from this unique Picket Fence.
I wish I could borrow it for a day!!! (Your eye…lol)
Kermit!❤️
Your blanket is gorgeous too!
Dadgummit, Ann! You and your lookie-lou links! Fine. You win. The afghan is going in my queue. 😉
You make an afghan in Kermit’s colors…of course it’s his. My idea for this is back and white as the main colors with pale gray or blue as an occasional accent stripe so was happy to see something so similar.
I’m a cotton yarn, dishcloths kinda girl. Each square makes a perfect dish cloth. Sorry I don’t have a pic to share.
Just wonderful! I’m on square #2 right now – mine looks much less substantial, but it’s home will be in
hot and humid Houston. You are an inspiration.
Good luck as you get your groove on! There’s a rhythm to it, for sure.
Oh, this is lovely! I always think of making everything in strong, bright colors, but I find myself so soothed by yours. I am with Kermit! Definitely nap worthy.
I think there are lots of strong bright ideas that would be amazing in this blanket. And neutrals as well–that’s the beauty of Julia’s design. So many possibilities.
This beautiful blanket has been in the back of my mind since you brought out FG #7. I’ve read all your blogs about it and each one brought it up a notch in my mind. But it was Jen Arnall-Culliford ‘s tutorial that persuaded me to buy the FG and now it is in the FRONT of my mind! All the beautiful Ravelry pictures have really upped it up another notch, especially the wrap by juliafc – gorgeous – and NOW it is on my project list. After I’ve finished all my WIPs of course LOL. Thank you for all your beautiful designs, colours and ideas – they all add beauty and spice to my life.
So glad to hear it, Rachel! I love a slow burn project that marinates for a while–I have several in my queue that have been waiting for years! That’s one of the great things about knitting: your game, your rules.
Please help…
Nothing I do brings up the icon to save your posts.
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Read this!
Of course Kermit has been all over the afghan. He’s MDK’s chief yarn tester! You used several yarns in the afghan, and he had to test all of them for comfort, warmth, and durability. He deserves a raise for all that hard work!
Ann, your afghan is an inspiration! And introduced me to some great yarns. For my Picket Fence Color B, I’m using Jill Draper Windham and Sincere Sheep Cormo Worsted (And trying to figure what to make with Karakul from Solitude Wool).
Ann, your finished blanket is beautiful! Your posts and Jen’s tips have been most helpful to me as I am 7 1/2 squares in on this. Great summer knitting!
Tried 3 times and just could not wrap my head around that intarsia wrap. Thank you so much for the video! I am waiting very impatiently now for my yarn so I can cast on.
At some point it will need to be washed – Kermit liking freshness I’m sure- how would you dry it????
This is great and I want to do it and can’t settle on a color scheme. But, you got me hooked on mitered squares a couple of months ago and I’m working my way through dozens of them from stash minis, with log cabin borders. Nearly at a blanket. All of your tips are being considered.
It’s beautiful! I’m working on a Fussy Cut Blanket and loving doing log cabin squares. When I finish I must start this one!!♥️
It is a truism of cats that they only like to lie on surfaces that compliment their coloring. just sayin’
Kermit looks like our cat Moonlight! I mean, exactly. No wonder it’s said that cats have nine lives.
Thank you for knitting this afghan. You’ve inspired me not to give up on the crib blanket I’m making that will probably keep me busy until Christmas.
Loving this site! So glad you changed your name!
So, after seeing your blanket in progress, I decided to do one out of my mountain of natural colored fiber….as in, I’m spinning the yarn for the afghan. I’m still mulling over how to make the colors work, and whether to dye some white for a bit of pop. I will keep you posted.