Whenever I am faced with a pile of undeniably beautiful yarn, I turn to an old-friend-of-a-project, the Colorblock Bias Blanket. It is a project that never grows old; it soothes your knitting soul when you’re stumped by a contiguous sleeve or bogged down by too many bobbles; it inspires combinations of color and texture that never before seemed possible; and like all of my most treasured things, this pattern was handed down to me by my dear Aunt Julie.

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

Julie’s wild sense of color and unique personal style constantly inspire me to freely experiment with textures and values and tones. So recently, when I found myself strolling the aisles of Purl Soho with seven skeins in a vice-grip-like hug, realizing I couldn’t let a single skein go, I knew exactly how I could pull them all together.

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

I knit my Colorblock Bias Blanket in simple garter stitch, using three different hand-dyed, DK-weight yarns in a spectrum of seven amazing colors. Starting with pops of peach, I used Koigu’s crisp and lively Kersti Merino Crepe. Then to contrast with the smooth consistency of the Kersti, I moved on to Madelinetosh’s Tosh Merino DK, a single ply yarn that quietly shifts from thick to thin. Next I used Anzula’s luxurious Cricket , a blend of superwash merino, cashmere and a touch of nylon. Its machine-spun quality and soft, sandy colors add elegance and subtlety. And finally, I finished the blanket with two more skeins of quirky Tosh Merino DK.

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

The whole is indeed greater than the sum of its parts (thank you, Aristotle). Each of these yarns has its own special personality, but together, they create a rich and complex fabric. You can create your own beautiful blanket with Purl Soho’s Colorblock Bias Blanket Bundle. Choose from three lovely colorways: this toasty Peach, cool Mint or burst-of-yellow Lemon! -Laura

Update: New Size

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

It’s become clear that for some of you bigger IS better! And so, I am thrilled to introduce the Rectangular Colorblock Bias Blanket: our beloved square Colorblock Bias Blanket stretched and extended into an adult-size rectangle! -Laura

Materials

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

  • A Purl Soho Colorblock Bias Blanket Bundle. The Bundle comes in three colorways: Peach (pictured above), Mint and Lemon (pictured below) and includes…
    • Color A: 1 skein of Koigu’s Kersti Merino Crepe, 100% merino wool.
    • Color B: 1 skein of Koigu’s Kersti Merino Crepe, 100% merino wool.
    • Color C: 1 skein of Madeline Tosh’s Tosh Merino DK, 100% merino wool.
    • Color D: 1 skein of Anzula’s Cricket, 80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon.
    • Color E: 1 skein of Anzula’s Cricket, 80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon.
    • Color F: 1 skein of Madeline Tosh’s Tosh Merino DK, 100% merino wool.
    • Color G: 1 skein of Madeline Tosh’s Tosh Merino DK, 100% merino wool.
  • US 6, 32-inch circular needle
  • 7-inch piece of cardboard or other stiff material for making the tassels (optional)
NOTE: Unfortunately, our Colorblock Bias Blanket Bundle is currently out of stock!
PEACH
  • Color A: Kersti in #1111.5
  • Color B: Kersti in #1133
  • Color C: Tosh Merino DK in Paper
  • Color D: Cricket in Au Natural
  • Color E: Cricket in Gravity
  • Color F: Tosh Merino DK in Charcoal
  • Color G: Tosh Merino DK in Calligraphy (if looking for a substitution, try the color Whiskers)
LEMON
  • Color A: Kersti in #0000
  • Color B: Kersst in #2100
  • Color C: Tosh Merino DK in Paper
  • Color D: Cricket in Au Natural
  • Color E: Cricket in Gravity
  • Color F: Tosh Merino DK in Charcoal
  • Color G: Tosh Merino DK in Calligraphy (if looking for a substitution, try the color Whiskers)
MINT
  • Color A: Kersti in #0000
  • Color B: Kersti in #1051
  • Color C: Tosh Merino DK in Paper
  • Color D: Cricket in Au Natural
  • Color E: Cricket in Gravity
  • Color F: Tosh Merino DK in Charcoal
  • Color G: Tosh Merino DK in Calligraphy (if looking for a substitution, try the color Whiskers)

Gauge

22 stitches and 44 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch

Size

  • Blanket: 33 inches by 33 inches; 46 inches by 46 inches on the diagonal (without tassels)
  • Tassels: 6 1/2 inches long

To modify the finished size: This blanket is knit on the bias, from corner to corner. Using the entirety of each skein, you increase every other row for the first half of your total yardage and decrease every other row for the second half. If you’d like to change the size of this blanket, add up the total yardage of your yarn and divide it by two. Following the spirit of the Increase section, work half (or a little less, to be on the safe side) of your total yardage. Then continue to the section titled DECREASE, and using the second half of your yardage, follow the remainder of the pattern.

Pattern

Prepare for Tassels (Optional)

From your wound ball of Color A, wind a second smaller ball of approximately 30 yards and set aside. Repeat with Color G.

Begin Blanket and Increase

With Color A, cast on 5 stitches, leaving a 15-inch tail (which you will use later to secure the tassel).

Row 1 (wrong side): P2, knit to last two stitches, p2.

Row 2 (right side): K2, make 1 left (m1L), knit to last two stitches, make 1 right (m1R), k2. [2 stitches increased]

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color B, work Row 2 and then repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color C, work Row 2 and then repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color D, work Row 2 and then repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

Decrease

With Color E…

Row 1 (right side): K1, slip slip knit (ssk), knit to last 3 stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog), k1. [2 stitches decreased]

Row 2 (wrong side): P2, knit to last two stitches, p2.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color F, repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color G, repeat Rows 1 and 2 until 5 stitches remain, ending with a right side row.

Bind off in pattern on wrong side. Cut yarn, leaving a 15-inch tail.

Make Tassels

For full instruction on how to make a tassel, please see our Tassel Tutorial.

The tassels for the Colorblock Bias Blanket are 6 1/2 inches long and to make them I used a 7-inch long piece of cardboard. I wrapped the cardboard approximately 60 times, using almost all of the 30 yards that I had set aside at the beginning of the project.

Make one tassel using Color A. Make a second tassel using Color G.

Attach the Tassels

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

Thread one of the two tails from the top of the tassel onto a tapestry needle. Weave the tail along one edge of the blanket. Repeat with the second tail, weaving it along the other edge of the blanket.

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

Thread the cast on (or bind off) tail from the blanket onto a tapestry needle. Bring the needle through the head of the tassel, then draw the needle through the cast on (or bind off) edge from back to front. Pull taut.

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

Tightly wrap the tail a few times around the place where the tip of the blanket meets the top of the tassel.

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

Bring the tapestry needle through the wraps and down the center of tassel. Remove the tapestry needle and trim the tail to match the length of the tassel.

Finish 

Weave in remaining tails and block as desired.

Colorblock Bias Blanket | Purl Soho

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