Sunday, January 31, 2010

Pattern #4 Gromit's Blankie


I apologize for not getting this out sooner, the Xmas season was so busy for me! I have also been trying out new patterns and some were more successful than others. This one will be super for beginners I would rate it as very easy.
In the movie A Close Shave, the scene where Gromit is forced to leave the house and take shelter in the dog house, he grabs a blanket. This is my best representation of that blanket. It could be that it was just a piece of wool flannel with red wool stitching on the edging, but I think Gromit would prefer to knit something like this for himself. This is worked entirely in garter stitch, which I usually find a bit plain, but working this in stockinette leaves the blanket with a wrong side and right side that I didn't like. Moss stitch was too thin and not worth the extra effort. The garter gives the blanket a greater thickness and will thus be warmer. I know that Gromit's blanket was in grey, but as I am donating mine to a hospital for the NICU, I thought the blue and white would be more appropriate. In my image you can see a corner of the blanket with the blanket stitch edging.


Materials: I recommend 4 balls of Lionbrand's wool-ease in charcoal. You will also need one ball in red for the stitching. If you have sock wool lying around needing a use, you can use that too if you double strand it.

Size 6.0mm/10/4 circular knitting needles (I know I have previously articulated my distain for circulars, but there is really no getting around them here. It is the only practical way to handle 100 or more stitches.)



Gauge: 14 st = 10 cm (4") I list the gauge here but it is really not too important. It is a blanket and it being a little larger or smaller will not make much difference.



Pattern: This square blanket is knit corner-wise from edge to edge using increases and decreases. Increasing can leave you unsightly holes, but having them on the edge leaves a nice space for a crocheted or blanket stitched edge.

Co 3 stitches.

Row 1- Knit

Row 2- K1, yarn over (or forward as you prefer), K to end of row.

Repeat last row until 135 stitches (or to desired length)

Next row (Dec row) K1, K2tog, K across until 3 st remain, K2tog, K1

Repeat last row until 6 st remain

K2tog accross

BO 3 remaining st.

Sew in Ends.

Finishing: with large eye needle or size I/9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook and with the red wool blanket stitch or crochet though the spaces around the blanket to create the edging.

And Voila! Doggie Blanket!







10 comments:

  1. This is just in adendum to my previous post. I liked this blanket so much I made one in seed stitch. This pattern is a little more difficult, and you will probably HATE seed stitch when you are completed, but once you get the hang of the pattern it will work up for you quite nicely.
    CO 3 st
    Row 1 K accross
    Row 2 K1 yo K1 Make 1(knit/purl a stitch in between 2 stitches-you cannot cheat here and YO it makes too big of a hole)purl-wise K1
    Row 3 K1* P1, K1* K1
    Row 4 K1 yo *knit in seed stitch pattern of K1P1 knitting all the purl stitches and purling all the knit stitches * until one stitch from the end. M1 Knitwise or purlwise in order of the seedstitch pattern and Knit the last stitch.
    Row 5 K1 *continue in seed stitch beginning with a knit or purl as the pattern requires* until last stitch, K last stitch.
    Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until you have 135 st or desired size. Basically you will always start and finish every row with a knit stitch. Row 4 you increase on either end, and row 5 you seed stitch accross.
    After desired length begin decrease row
    K1 YO K2tog *seed stitch across* until last three stitches K2tog, K1.
    Repeat decrease row until there are 6 sitches across
    K2tog accross
    BO last 3 ST.
    Enjoy!

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  2. Can you put the free patterns in PDF, I am still learning how to do the different stiches and really need to print out my patterns and I only know how to use the PDF files for printing to enclude the picture.

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  3. I will take a look and see how I can attach a PDF for you. Sorry it took me so long to respond.

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  4. I'm also an avid knitter, and Wallace and Gromit fan!! it was great to find your blog!!

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  5. Hi, Very cute pattern. I have just passed the halfway point. I am finding that the decreases don't leave eyelet places on the outer edges like the yo increases did. Am I doing something wrong or is there an error in the directions? Also, if one makes only one increase on the first half of the blanket, how would that work out the same as 2 decreases on the 2nd half? Help!

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  6. woollyworm7: at the beginning of your decrease rows, knit as follows: k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, knit to end of row. repeat row until 3 sts remain. bo. this will decrease only 1 each row, as the increase was only 1 each row, and will create the eyelets on the edges of the decrease rows. hope this helps! good luck.

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  7. Ola dei uma passadinha aqui,beijos,tenho muitas receitas se quizer alguma me emanda um email que te envio,depois é só traduzir.meu email é andriza-correa@hotmail.com,fica com Deus.

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  9. When you explain to use size 6.0mm circular knitting needles, what does the /10/4 mean?

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