We're still keeping this beginner friendly! I want as many people to start a project as possible. I also want you to know that even though this is the Summer project if you don't finish it until the Fall, that's still great! We'll still have one more blanket than we would have if you hadn't stuck to it and kept on knitting!
If you're a moderate or expert knitter and want to skip to the pattern, scroll to the bottom of this post. If you crochet, I picked a pattern for you to follow along with a project that's similar. You can view the pattern here.
Let's get into it! This blanket starts with just 5 stitches cast on and you add a stitch each row until you get to the middle, then you decrease on the way down! Not sure what I mean? That's ok. You will!
Start by casting on 5 stitches (CO 5 sts). If you are learning how to knit and aren't sure how to cast on, take a look at this video. You can find this and other videos under Lessons.
Then you follow the pattern for the next 4 rows:
Row 1: Knit all sts Row 2: K3, YO, K2 Row 3: K3, YO, K3 Row 4: K3, YO, K to end of row
Let's go over the abbreviations for this pattern! Sts = Stitches K = Knit YO = Yarn Over k2tog = Knit 2 stitches together BO = Bind Off So, if we read the second row's abbreviations, it translates to knit 3 stitches, yarn over, knit 2 stitches.
Simple right? Want a refresher on how to YO? Check out this video.
Now, what? Well, you repeat that last row over and over again until your blanket is the width and height you want. This blanket is knit diagonally so you will be looking at the width of the blanket from the top to bottom corner. Not sure what I mean?
Take a look at the image to the right. If you start at the bottom with 5 stitches and increase by one stitch each row, when you get to the middle width you like, you can begin decreasing towards the top of the blanket.
Get it? That's ok if you still don't. As you're knitting you'll start to see the increases and will know about how wide you'll want everything to be. Now let's move onto the decrease part of the pattern.
K2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k to end of row.
So, you knit 2 stitches, knit 2 stitches together, yarn over, knit 2 more stitches together, then knit to the end of the row. Then you repeat each row over and over until you get to 5 stitches. At that point, you will bind off and weave in your ends!
Need to know how to k2tog? Check out that video here. Want to know how to bind off (BO)? You can watch that tutorial here.
Pattern:
CO 5 sts Row 1: k5 Row 2: k3, yo, k2 Row 3: k3, yo, k3 Row 4: k3, yo, k to end of row Repeat Row 4 until the blanket is the width you like First Decrease Row: k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k to end of row Repeat until there are 5 sts left BO
The image above is the blanket I've just started. I'm knitting on size 6 circular needles with a medium weight yarn. The thicker your yarn, the quicker this will knit up, just make sure to look at the yarn information and use the needles recommended for the weight. If you're a beginner, I would recommend using a bulky yarn, weight 6 and up.
Good luck knitting! Send me photos of your works in progress on Instagram using the #LittlestBlanketSummer2016. You can also send me a photo on our facebook page here.