The best thing about knitting a garter-stitch blanket on the bias with leftover stash yarn and recycled fiber I'll never use for anything else is that this pile:
turns into this:
I'm such a cheapskate at heart. We got it all in here: recycled cotton and wool sweaters, craptastic eyelash yarn, satin ribbons, cotton in overly-bright colors, some Caron Simply Soft that simply would not go away, a wool sweater I sliced in a spiral to spin with but never used, etc. etc.
The best thing is that you already own the yarn for this project.
Name: Sediment Scraps Blanket
[Ravelry]
Designer: Katie Rose Pryal of the Knitty Professors
Yarn: Any combination of yarns that will make a bulky-to-super-bulky weight fiber, usually 5ish strands of a worstedish weight yarn. Ideally recycled, reclaimed, or cut from a felted sweater (like the light green stuff in the picture at the beginning of this post). Fiber content is not critical. I used a mish-mash. It takes a lot though--my finished blanket weighs about 5 pounds.
Finished size: About 4 feet by about 6 feet. (I call this "couch blanket" size.)
Needles: Size 11 circulars, the longer the better. I used my Denises lengthened to about 4 feet.
Special Stitches:
kfb = knit into the front and back of stitch. This increases by one stitch.
k2tog = knit two stitches together as one. This decreases by one stitch.
Pattern:
Cast on 1 st.
Row 1: Kfb.
Row 2: Kfb, k1.
Row 3: Kfb, k to end of row.
Repeat row three over and over and over. You will start making a big garter-stitch triangle. Work until one of the (non-working) sides measures between 48 and 50 inches wide.
**About adding yarn: I started with five balls of yarn. Then, I started knitting. When one ball ran out, I knotted a another ball on. That's why the color changes are more gradual. The knots got sucked into the thick garter stitch and I didn't worry about weaving in ends.**
Now you will start working length-wise only.
Row 4: Kfb, k to end of row.
Row 5: K2tog, k to end of row.
Repeat rows 4 and 5 until the length starts to look good to you--or until you fear that you will run out of yarn.
Now you will work the end section.
Row 6: K2tog, k to end of row.
Row 7: k2tog, k to end of row.
Work rows 6 and 7 until you have "closed" the rectangle. Knit the last 2 live sts together, bind off, weave in end.
Done!
REUSE, PEOPLE. It's a moral imperative.
23 comments:
Wow, what an excellent, (and beautiful) stash buster. Thank you for the inspiration and pattern.
Wow!
Now I have and idea of how to use up my yarn, and this is perfect for a beginning knitter like me.
Excellent idea is right! I can't wait to pull some scraps out...it can just be a colorful little blanket, an ongoing project...for those times of fairy repetitive type knitting (sometimes very necessary)!
Thanks so much for posting the pattern!
~Vicki (nonaofsav on Ravelry)
I'm sure it's very elementary to most, but I could use a glossary for "kfb." It's a lovely project for remnant yarn!
I have a box full of "scrap" clothing meant for quilting and such. This would be a perfect project for those! Now, to get a fabric strip cutter....
How well does it wash?
No washing--too much wool. Right now it's hanging on the wall as a "art" piece. hahaha.
I'd be willing to try washing it on warm, delicate setting, with Eucalan, in my machine. It takes a lot more than that to felt something. This would take a long while to air dry. I bet it would even do okay on a low or fluff dryer setting.
Thank you.
Fenomenal, asà podré usar todos los resto de lana.
Carlynx
Just to confirm the directions: You knit with all 5 yarns at once? Is that what "5ish strands of worstedish weight" means? How many skeins did you use total for your 4 foot by 6 foot blanket?
I need to start this soon to reclaim some closet space.
Thanks,
Kelly Grace
I did work all 5 strands together. I can't tell you how many skeins--I measured by weight. The blanket weighs about 5 pounds (very heavy!).
I have so much stash to use up, thanks for the pattern. I laughed when I read that you had some Caron yarn that simply wouldn't go away. I have about 8 skeins of something rather thin and fuzzy, between taupe and beige in color -- don't remember the brand or fiber content. In a weak moment, I purchased it during a sale at the LYS. Once I came to my senses, I didn't have the nerve to return it. No amount of begging could induce my daughter (also a knitter) to take it off my hands. I hid it in my stash, where it crops up from time to time. Now I have a use for it! :)
I am a new knitter and have a question about the pattern. After working Row 3 to 50 " wide do I turn the work to begin working on the length or is Row 4 continued after the 50" is reached?
I am a new knitter and have a question about the pattern. After working Row 3 to 50 " wide do I turn the work to begin working on the length or is Row 4 continued after the 50" is reached?
Brilliant and perfect for when I have loadsd of stash to use up and not worrying about yarn thickness is a huge bonus. Thank you so much for posting this.
for SuziQ
Once you get the 50" length...or however long you want your blanket, begin decreasing by Knitting 2 together at the beginning of each row, then knit across.
K2Tog, knit to end of row.
Your corner will close and when you have only 2 sts left, knit them together, and fasten off securely.
Great Use for scrap yarn...or the sport weight yarn I have stored!
Please, anyone, what size in mm (i.e. metric) are Size 11 needles?
What a wonderful way to get the stash down to a workable size.
What size are 11 mm needles please for the English knitters??
Thanks for the pattern,
hugs
Yvonne
My size 11(US) needle hs 8mm also stamped on it.
OMGOSH!!! I have a use for all that Caron that I bought at Wally world that they were discontinuing at a quarter a skein and I thought I needed to buy every skein they had on the shelf (138 skeins as husband just looks at me and the full cart and shakes and his head and asks what I will do with so much yarn)...One of my purchases at a weak moment!!! hahaha....
Thanks for the pattern!! Will definitely try this one!!!!
Yummy I adore it!
I am so thrilled that I found your comment on Ravelry then followed it here. I am working on 2 other scrap afghans using up stash then finding out I needed to buy some more to finish them THEN have some bits of leftovers! Being cheap I just couldn't bring myself to think about tossing them out. And then thinking of how in the world was I going to use up an assortment of wild skeins for projects I have no interest in now...
This blog and your instructions are a Godsend! I know what my next onging, ongrowing project will be!
Thank you for the idea and the instructions!
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