I had a spiritual awakening the other day.
Once again, we have a coworker who is showing every sign of having a little bun in the oven. I’d love to knit her a baby blanket, but in keeping with my earlier post, I really want to make a very SIMPLE baby blanket this time around. I stumbled upon a blanket online that completely meets my needs–Stockinette Stitch with a Seed Stitch border. It looks like one can just either knit two worsted weight strands together or use a bulky yarn. It’s just PERFECT.
I remembered that I had this pattern in a booklet at home, but after scouring my entire book and pattern collection (this took a while); I came to the conclusion that I must have either tossed it out with the recycling or accidentally given it away with all my old knitting and crocheting magazines. I contemplating spending more $$$ to buy another one…but then I had my spiritual awakening. Wait for it…wait for it…
IT’S A RECTANGLE.
The way I figure it, I usually knit 2.75 per inch in Stockinette Stitch for worsted weight yarn, using Size 13 needles, and 2.75 x 30 = 82.5. Therefore, I’ll need to cast on 82 stitches for a baby blanket that’s 30 inches wide. Actually, to account for the differing Seed Stitch gauge, I will just cast on 8 less stitches (74), do 10 rows of Seed Stitch, and then add the 8 stitches evenly across the row when I get to the Stockinette section with 5 Seed Stitches on either side. I’ll keep going until I get to around 38–39 inches, then decrease 8 stitches evenly across the row before I do another 10 rows of Seed Stitch. DONE.
As far as colors go, I may go crazy and buy more yarn, or I may just take yarn I already have and mix and match for stripes.
There. I just saved myself money on a booklet that I’m probably going to find again someday when cleaning…
Especially with doll clothes there are a few items I find it easier to create from a basic style I find simple to create and like the look than the established patterns I find.
ReplyDeleteI've crocheted dishcloths and little toy squiggly snakes for the kids without a pattern but that is about it. Not sure why, but I find it comforting to have a pattern to go by even when I know it is super simple. But you've planted a seed and I may just try to be more brave next time I have an afghan to make that could get by without a pattern. :)
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