Beginnerland
On the Knitting of Blankets
Dear Kay,
Gobsmacked to see the Kaffe Fassett projects on Instagram. Color is such a personal thing, and the choices everybody is making are surprising, inventive, and unexpected.
That’s what it’s all about. The eternal message of Kaffe Fassett is to let it rip, to trust your intuition, and to explore.
My Blankie
As for me, I’m knitting my own adventure variation of the Stranded Throw from Field Guide No. 13: Master Class.
(The beginning of this tale is here.)
Exuberance was the goal at all times.
This is a blanket that has, to my eye, a three-part ending. I’m happy to report that I have arrived at Part 1 of the three-part ending.
Part 1: The End of the Knitting.
Total knitting time: 42 days, or six weeks.
I’m not a fast knitter by any measure, but I am a dogged one. There were a couple of weekends in there where I knit a ton. But on some days, I didn’t knit at all. I averaged an inch per day, sometimes more.
Yes, you can see the curvature of the earth on this thing.
I knitted this in the round, and it has a steek that I’ll hack away at to open up the blanket to its full width of 42 inches.
Food for Thought
I’d like to talk a minute about the knitting of blankets.
Mainly, I’d like to encourage you to knit a blanket. You might look at this blanket and think it’s a lot of knitting. My response would be: I know! It was the most fun ever!
Blankets give you the chance to knit with a white-hot passion, because you get hooked on the drama of it all. With Kaffe Fassett’s Field Guide No. 13: Master Class at hand, I constantly scanned the stitch pattern charts to figure out what my next section would be.
I ended up with 14 sections, using 10 motifs. I changed colors when I repeated a motif.
And the Felted Tweed decision-making was likewise totally addicting. I set a rule of knitting half the blanket with whatever colors I liked, then knitting the second half using that same set of colors.
YOU CAN SEE THE STEEK, WAITING TO MEET ITS DESTINY WITH MY SCISSORS.
It’s all kind of loud and riotous, which is what I was after. I’ve knit a lot of very quiet blankets, and this one needed to be different.
As for what’s next, there are two final dramas to handle.
Part 2: The Steek.
This has three parts to it: backstitching the steek, cutting the steek, and securing the edge of the steek. Stay tuned.
Part 3: The Border.
We’ll worry about that later.
Love,
Ann
PS A final note: my blanket is much bigger than the one shown in Field Guide 13: Master Class. The Stranded Throw is 32 by 40 inches, a baby blanket basically. Mine is 44 by 60 inches. So it’s possible to make a smaller version of this. I’m tempted to start another one!
Oh my gosh — this is stunning. I can’t wait to see it complete and blocked, in all its colorful glory!
Ann, I’m curious: why did you decide to knit your gorgeous blanket in the round and steeked, instead of flat?
I also find when the I am carrying the yarns on the knitting facing me (wrong side) they tend to get too tight, leaving my knitting puckered. They star smoother when on the back.
stranded knitting is a pain when you have to do the side where you carry the yarn because it is really hard to stay oriented within the pattern.
Woooow! Such a riot of color to make a heart sing! I, too, am awaiting the next step wit baited breath….(is ‘baited’ right? It’s very early…)
Robin, it’s “bated.” Old-fashioned word meaning “in great suspense.”
Love, love it! What a happy project!
It’s gorgeous! I can’t wait to see it finished!
I’d never knit a blanket but I’m on my icord binding off my picket fence blanket. It has been very satisfying to knit.
this looks just SUPER. Which method do you use for color knitting? One yarn in each hand? switching out yarn on one hand?
As an Observer of Ann Knitting, I can say that she holds one color in each hand.
Absolutely a work of art. And in my life I could never attempt this. OMG you are fabulous!
Gorgeous! I may cheat and copy a few of your color and pattern combinations on mine.
You are tempting me beyond reason! I just completed my epic Coins Cowl using Cristina Shiffman’s guidelines, and had so much fun (though it did kind of take over my life!). Playing with color is a riot and adding a variety of patterns to the mix is near impossible to resist. MDK, you’re killing me! Now where did I put all that leftover yarn…
“It did kind of take over my life.” +1 to that! But I showed my Coins Scarf (Cristina’s Variation) to my knitting group last night and they practically carried me around on a sedan chair. ALL HAIL KAY THE GREAT KNITTER OF DOTS. Pretty satisfying!
So Beautiful!! I love the size much better than the small one. How many stitches did you cast on to get the 44”? Such inspiring work.
Beautiful work!
A stunning masterpiece. Love it!
Beautiful colors! When you cut the steek one side will be all floats….how long are the floats? Can we see a photo of the other side?
It’s beautiful!! I’m tempted, but there’s something I’ve always wondered about with color work blankets (and shawls). Do you just let those floats show on the wrong side? Is it shameful to show floats or do we embrace them as having their own beauty?
Oh yes, show us the floats!
I would never cover up the floats. And they are not very snaggy, due to the nice stick-itude of Felted Tweed. They kind of mat in there, and they look very beautiful. Ann makes lovely floats that are the envy of all.
In my opinion yes the float side has its own beauty. Alas, with me it would catch on things.
YES! Let the floats show, KERMT will luv them:))
Yes, I was wondering if you’re going to have a backing on it or let the floats show?
Absolutely gorgeous! I may have to overcome my fear of steeking and take this on.
Me too!
Just wanted to let you know that yesterday my boss gifted me the “Field Guide Dozen” for my birthday. She wanted me to help her learn to knit and I turned her onto Modern Daily. Plus I gave her some needles and practice yarn. I absolutely love this set of books! Thanks for being a part of my birthday celebration
You have the best boss ever!!
Truly!
Happy Birthday, Peggy! You’ve got a lot of reading (and knitting) to do!
Ann – your blanket is a work of art – absolutely beautiful – steeking sounds like a great idea, but something that I have not attempted yet. You say that you aren’t a fast knitter – well, I think you are to have completed the knitting in 6 weeks.
I love it! You have inspired me to *think about* knitting a stranded blanket. No one else has achieved that! Such a beautiful riot of colour. Btw, I enjoy your humour, long enough to see the curvature of the earth, indeed! Thank you!
“I’m not worthy I’m not worthy!” remember Wayne’s World? I am as impressed by the brevity of your accomplishment as I am by the final product.
Ann miscounted the final dramas. There will be drama when she tries to remove Kermit from his new favorite blanket so she can cut the steek. She will need peace offerings…
Well done! It’s beautiful.
Glorious! Those colors and patterns are the stuff of magic naps and daydreams! I simply love it.
I have knit two blankets in my life. They both were gifts and I felt a little sheepish giving “just a blanket”. Now I know – my family does not really jump up and down about knitted things, except blankets. Not that you have to gift this one — I’m sure I couldn’t!
This Field Guide, Lucky 13, is my favorite.
What a beautiful work of art. I also want to see the floats. And am looking forward to seeing the next stage. I’m living vicariously through your posts because my project to do list is so long that I will actually be able to afford the yarn to make this blanket by the time I have the time to do it! Definitely one for the wish list though.
An inch in a day on a blanket is a lot! I love it. One day I will do a scrappy one. Maybe after I finish my moderne!
Gorgeous! And with Rowan felted tweed and Kaffe Fassett, the color choices are endless fun, boundless beauty!
I’m in love! ((: So, how are these strips joined? They are made in strips, right…..?…..then knitted or sewn together…..right? Wrong? ((: Right? LOL!!
Happy Holidays to you and yours, Ann!
Where do I get the pattern?
So glorious; I admire your perseverance! I look forward to Part II: The STEEK. And I love your plan for Part III. Ha!
Beautiful blanket! Can you estimate total yardage used for this? I’ve ordered some yarn but not sure if I would have enough. Thanks!
Just a brilliant project. Looking forward to seeing the end result. Jes