What a joy it is to discover those moments in knitting when something seemingly intricate turns out to be very easy!
Those are the moments that knitting legend Barbara Walker strove to find as she first learned how to knit. Finding color work’s bobbins and multiple strands of yarn cumbersome, she developed a slip-stitch technique she called “Mosaic Knitting,” a clever way to create elaborate, colorful patterns using only basic stitches (knit, slip and occasionally purl). Soon, she was staying up late into the night inventing hundreds of original mosaic motifs, guided solely by her imagination.
With a motif from Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, we created our Mosaic Blanket, made in Purl Soho’s incredibly soft Alpaca Pure in vibrant, almost glowing Super Pink, and anchored by the sturdy smoothness of Worsted Twist in creamy Heirloom White.
As Barbara Walker herself discovered, there is beauty in simplicity… Although you won’t have to tell anyone just how simple this Mosaic Blanket actually is to make! -Kristy
Update: New Color!
May 17, 2017
Our Mosaic Blanket has become one of our most popular patterns, which may surprise you, given how complicated it looks to make. But the real surprise is that even an advanced beginner can cast on for this knitting adventure! For this version of our Mosaic Blanket we used Worsted Twist in classic Heirloom White and Alpaca Pure in mysterious Trout Brown, an earthy neutral at heart with a shimmer of blue across its surface. For additional images, check out our new post!
Materials
- Color A: 4 (6, 7) skeins of Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist, 100% merino wool
- Color B: 6 (8, 10) skeins of Purl Soho’s Alpaca Pure, 100% super baby alpaca (Please Note: We no longer offer Alpaca Pure and would recommend using Worsted Twist in its place! You will need 4 (6, 7) skeins!)
- A US 8, 24 or 32-inch circular needle
Here are four palette ideas, including the one knit up here!
• Color A: Heirloom White
• Color B: Super Pink
• Color A: Heirloom White
• Color B: Artemisia
• Color A: Heirloom White
• Color B: Yellow Zest
• Color A: Heirloom White
• Color B: Dark Loam
Gauge
19 stitches x 38 rows = 4 inches in Mosaic Stitch, using Colors A and B
15 stitches x 32 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch, using Color A
Sizes
Baby (Crib, Throw)
- Finished Measurements: Approximately 26 x 35 (33 ½ x 40, 41 x 46 ½) inches
SAMPLE: Baby
Notes
On all right side rows slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in back.
On all wrong side rows slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in front.
You’ll see that we’ve explained this pattern in two ways: written out row-by-row and illustrated in chart form. Follow whichever pattern makes more sense to you!
To help keep track of the stitch pattern, you may want to place a stitch marker (or piece of scrap yarn) between each 12-stitch repeat.
If you want to change the sizing or use this stitch pattern for a different project, just cast on a multiple of 12 plus 3 stitches. For example, 12 x 4 = 48. 48 + 3 = 51 cast-on stitches.
To see how easy it is check out this Mosaic Blanket Techniques video tutorial!
Pattern
Written Out
With Color A, cast on 123 (159, 195) stitches.
Set-up Row: With Color A, knit.
Row 1 (right side): With Color B, k1, *slip 1, k11, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1, k1. [Please see Notes, above, for slipping instructions.]
Row 2 and all following wrong side rows: Knit the same stitches you knit on the previous row, with the same color; and slip all of the same slipped stitches, with the yarn in front.
Row 3: With Color A, k4, *[slip 1, k1] three times, slip 1, k5, repeat from * to last 11 stitches, [slip 1, k1] three times, slip 1, k4.
Row 5: With Color B, k3, *slip 1, k7, slip 1, k3, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 7: With Color A, k2, *slip 1, k3, slip 1, k1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 9: With Color B, k5, *slip 1, k3, slip 1, k7, repeat from * to last 10 stitches, slip 1, k3, slip 1, k5.
Row 11: With Color A, k2, *slip 1, k1, slip 1, k5, [slip 1, k1] twice, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 13: With Color B, k7, *slip 1, k11, repeat from * to last 8 stitches, slip 1, k7.
Rows 15 and 16: With Color A, repeat Rows 11 and 12.
Rows 17 and 18: With Color B, repeat Rows 9 and 10.
Rows 19 and 20: With Color A, repeat Rows 7 and 8.
Rows 21 and 22: With Color B, repeat Rows 5 and 6.
Rows 23 and 24: With Color A, repeat Rows 3 and 4.
Repeat Rows 1-24 thirteen (seventeen, twenty) more times.
Repeat Rows 1-14 once more.
With Color A: Knit 1 row.
With Color A, bind off all stitches knitwise.
Weave in the ends, block as desired and you’re done!
Pattern
Chart
Instead of following the written text above, you may find it easier to follow this chart instead. A few notes on how to follow mosaic charts …
The chart begins at the lower right corner on Row 1. Each horizontal row represents two rows of knitting. The rows going from right to left are on the right side, and the rows going from left to right are on the wrong side.
On every row that begins and ends with a gray square (Color B, in the case of this blanket), all Color B stitches are knitted and all Color A stitches are slipped. On every row that begins and ends with a white square (Color A, in the case of this blanket), all Color A stitches are knitted, and all Color B stitches slipped.
With Color A, cast on 123 (159, 195) stitches.
Set-up Row: With Color A, knit.
Following the chart, work Rows 1-24 fourteen (eighteen, twenty-one) times.
Repeat Rows 1-14 once more.
With Color A: Knit 1 row.
With Color A, bind off all stitches knitwise.
Weave in the ends, block as desired and enjoy!
PRINT
Help! I dropped a stitch all the way to a slipped stitch three or four rows down. I can’t figure out how to repair it. Any advice?
Thanks,
Sarah
Hello Sara,
Thanks for writing us. I’m so sorry this happened! In all honesty if I would just rip back to where you were. You could also try dropping down and using the other patterned sections as a guide as you pick your stitch.
I hope this helps and please let me know if I can clarify anything!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi, I don’t see Row 4 written down I see the video but it doesn’t show row 4 please help ! I’m still fairly new to knitting but love new easy challenges
Hi Corina,
Thanks for writing in! I think that I can help! For row 4 and all following wrong side rows, you will follow the directions for row 2!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi! I love this blanket! I am assuming you used the long tail cast on method. Would a cable cast on work here? When I do the long tail cast on, the end of my knitted piece tends to bunch up and feel tight. Appreciate your help and hope you have a great holiday!
Hello Rabah,
Thank you for reaching out! You are correct- we did use the long tail cast on. The key to the long tail cast on is to not cast on to tightly, though you can use whichever cast on you would like for this blanket.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
Warmly,
Marilla
Try casting on with a needle that’s one or two sizes larger than the needle you are going to knit with. I usually do this on the bind off as well. Hope it helps!
Thanks for making this pretty pattern available! I’m all loaded up on yarn and excited to get started.
Hi,
Just wondering how much I would need to cast on if I was to make a blanket for a pram?
Also I would like to make it in a thinner yarn, would this still work ok?
Thank you!
Hi Ellie,
Thanks for writing in! Blankets for prams can vary pretty widely in size depending on what you are hoping for. I have seen widths of anywhere from 22-34 inches. In this case, the smallest size blanket we have here could work well at a width of 26 inches!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Hi! I love this pattern and would like to make it in a bigger size, maybe 50×70. My son is too big for a baby blanket but too small for a twin sized blanket and I would like it to grow with him. I’m horrible at math though and have no idea what to do to figure out how many skeins of each color I need to purchase. Plus, I’m relatively new to knitting so if there’s a trick to figuring it out, I don’t know it…yet! Could you help me out? Thanks!
Hi Madeline,
Thanks for reaching out! We are happy to help! For a blanket of approximately 50 x 70 inches, you will need 13 skeins of Worsted Twist and 20 skeins of Alpaca Pure. Additionally, for this size, you will want to cast on 231 stitches!
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Hi! I love this pattern and have just gotten up to row 5. Everything makes sense so far but I’m getting a big open looking “v” stitch in the places where I’ve slipped a stitch for two rows. It doesn’t look like the photos and I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong! I watched the video and I think I’m doing it correctly but it’s not quite like the photos. Do you have any ideas? Thanks!
Hi ET,
Thanks for writing in! The slipped stitches will look a bit like elongated Vs. I think that you can best see this in the swatch of the white and yellow combination. I would also suggest that you check to be sure that you are getting gauge as if you are knitting a bit too tight, it may make the pattern look a touch different (although still quite nice). If you still have your gauge swatch, you can also try blocking it and letting it dry. Blocking lets your stitches relax and can tend to let things fill in a touch and fall into place. If you blocked swatch looks good, you can carry on knowing that blocking the whole blanket will minimize a look that you may not be a fan of.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hello,
I’m absolutely loving making this blanket! However, I’m having trouble with row 11. I let 11 just be funky and moved on but am now having trouble again with 15, which is a repeat of 11. I don’t want my whole blanket to be ruined by continual hiccups!
I don’t have enough stitches left over at the end of 11 to finish the pattern and k1. I’m short three stitches (s1, k1 then k1). I’ve gone back over all my stitches and cannot find any problems, so am wondering if I’m misunderstanding the pattern.
The whole pattern seems straightforward. When it says “[slip 1, k1] twice,” I s1k1 twice within the pattern, correct? So the pattern is: s1, k1, s1, k5, s1, k1, s1, k1. Or is there something else I’m not understanding?
Thanks for any help!
Hi Adriel,
Thanks for writing in! I am not sure what should be happening! Every row of this pattern should have the same number of stitches. If you do not have enough stitches in row 11, it may be that the mistake is occurring in row 10 or row 9. Given that you continued on, you should be able to see in the patterning on the subsequent rows where the pattern is a little off. We would be happy to look at pictures if you would like to send some in (customerservice@purlsoho.com).
I do think that you are reading row 11 correctly! The repeat section reads “slip 1, k1, slip 1, k5, [slip 1, k1] twice”. Written out more completely, it would read “slip 1, k1, slip 1, k5, slip 1, k1, slip 1, k1”.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
If I were to cast on 267 stitches and do the pattern 22 times based on comments above to get a larger blanket, would I need longer circular needles or would 32 inch ones work?
Hi Kirsten,
Thanks for reaching out! With a cast on 267 stitches, you will get a blanket that is 56 inches wide. I think that a 40-47 inch long needle will be a bit easier for a blanket this wide than the 32 inch needle where your stitches will be quite bunched up!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi Cassy,
Thanks for the advice. Just to confirm before I order that I would need 9 skeins of the Worsted Twist and 13 skeins of the Alpaca Pure to make a blanket of this size?
Kirsten
Hi Kirsten,
Thanks for writing back! For a blanket that would be 56 x 49 inches, I think that you will need a little under one and half times the amount of yarn for the largest blanket. This would mean that you would need 10-11 skeins of Worsted Twist and 15 skeins of Alpaca Pure.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi there. Can I flip the yarn choices and make Alpaca Pure the color A, and Worsted Twist color B? I have 7 skeins of Alpaca Pure in my stash (in discontinued Sea Salt, an exquisite pale beige), and I’d love to use it for this project. While I see the wisdom of the original yarn choice, would Alpaca Pure work as yarn A … or do you think it just won’t provide the right background texture. Thanks!
Hello Claudia,
Thank you for reaching out! This should not be an issue- you will still get a dynamic and beautiful result.
I say go for it!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
I LOVE this pattern, but I would like to make it into a wrap instead of a blanket. Any advice on how I could do that?
Thanks!
Marcie
Hello Marcie,
Thank you for reaching out! This should be pretty straight forward- the first thing you will want to do is decide on the desired width of your wrap. Once you have this number you will simply just cast on a multiple of 12 plus 3 stitches. For example, 12 x 4 = 48. 48 + 3 = 51 cast-on stitches.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
hi, I just wondered if you had done this pattern in one colour only. It looks amazing in the two colours, however thought that one colour would maybe give it a shadowy look?
Thank you for your time
Kind regards
Norma
Hi Norma,
Thanks for writing in! Although we haven’t tried this pattern in a solid color, if you take a look at our sample swatch in Artemisia and Heirloom White, you can see that when worked in two colors that have a similar value, the white diamonds are already becoming very subtle and beginning to disappear into the background. I think if you work in the same color that while the fabric will have an interesting texture, you will lose the diamonds completely. I encourage you to try a swatch before deciding though! The pattern will work on any multiple of 12 plus 3 stitches, so you can try out your monotone mosaic idea on the small scale to see how it turns out!
I hope that helps and good luck!
Julianna
Hi,
Is the largest size on this pattern big enough for an adult throw? Also I like to knit row by row but some numbers are missing. Can you explain please.
When it’s printed out its not all of the pattern because it has everyone’s comments and some of the print is doubled on top of one another.
Please help. I love this pattern.
Sincerely,
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia,
Thanks for reaching out and for the kind words! The finished measurements of the throw size are 41 x 46 ½ inches, which is perfectly sized for an adult lap blanket! If you would like to make it a different size, you can cast on any multiple of 12 plus 3 stitches.
In the pattern we have only written out the odd numbered rows. For row 4 and all following wrong side rows, you will follow the directions for row 2!
To print a clear copy of the pattern, if you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%.
I hope that helps! Happy knitting!
Julianna
I’d like to know if the largest size of the baby blanket would be enough for an adult throw. I’d appreciate your reply. I’m anxious to do this pattern.
Thank you,
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia,
Thanks for reaching out! Although our Throw size in the pattern is consistent with a standard adult sized throw blanket, the Crib size would be large enough to use as a small lap blanket! At 33 1/2 inches by 40 inches, it would be sufficient to cover one’s lap and legs while sitting, but if you would prefer a blanket large enough to snuggle up to your shoulders or to use while lying down, I would suggest knitting the Throw size.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I’d like to know if I could substitute Blue Sky Alpaca worsted cotton for the yarns used in the Mosaic baby blanket. I knitted the cozy corner blanket in that yarn for my grand daughter a couple of years ago and love the feel of that material. If not, is there a cotton you would suggest? My grand kids live in Texas where it is usually very warm.
Thanks,
Michelle
Hello Michelle,
Thank you for reaching out! Blue Sky’s Worsted Cotton is exactly what I would suggest using as a warm weather alternative for this blanket. It has a similar gauge and lots of beautiful colors to choose from.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Dumb question but can I knit this on straight needles? Or am I best to use circular?
Hello Alisa,
Thank you for reaching out! The reason we suggest circular needles is because of the width of the blanket so if you have straight needles that are long enough you can certainly use them.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Is the number correct for the “19 stitches x 38 rows = 4 inches in Mosaic Stitch, using Colors A and B”? I cast on the 19 stitches but the pattern doesn’t seem to work with that number or am I just mis-reading the Mosaic Stitch part? I was really looking forward to knitting this.
Hi Brittany,
Thanks for writing in! Although our gauge for the blanket is 19 stitches per four inches, you are correct that the stitch pattern does not work out when worked over 19 stitches – the Mosaic Stitch requires a multiple of 12 plus 3. In general, you should knit your gauge swatches larger than the called for gauge, since the selvage stitches tend to be a bit distorted and can throw your gauge measurement off, and then measure the center four inches to compare to the pattern gauge. For this swatch, I would suggest casting on 27 stitches so that the pattern turns out correctly.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I just finished the baby blanket and it is gorgeous! HOWEVER the end of the blanket where I bound off doesn’t lie as flat as the cast on end. I cast off in knit. Any suggestions? Thanks so much.
Hello Joanne,
Thank you for reaching out! My first suggestion is to try casting off loosely so as not to create any extra tension. I would also Block your blanket. Blocking will relax the fibers which will prevent any curling.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Lovely pattern! I have some super bulky, 14 ply yarn I would like to use – will the mosaic pattern work with this weight yarn or is a finer yarn better?
Hello Kitty,
Thank you for reaching out! This Mosaic stitch pattern will work with any yarn weight it will just come out bigger with thicker yarn and smaller with thinner yarn. I would knit up a gauge swatch with the appropriate needles to see if you like the look of it before jumping in.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
hello,
I have kind of a problem with the size of the blanket: I want it to be 120x155cm, that means 47x61inches, but I don’t know how much yarn I will need for this size.
Can you help me?
Best regards
Karlotta
Hi Karlotta,
Thanks for reaching out! Since that is about one and a half times the surface area of our throw size, I would suggest getting one and a half times as many skeins, which would be 11 skeins of Worsted Twist and 15 skeins of Alpaca Pure.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Thanks!
Hi there – thanks for a great pattern, but then again I love all your patterns! Just one question – are there any downloadable versions of your patterns as I always have to copy and paste the page contents to print them off. PDFs would be great. Thanks.
Hello Laura,
Thanks for reaching out! If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Wow! I just finished my blanket. I’m a new knitter and couldn’t believe how easy this pattern was to knit. I’ll be back for more Purl Soho patterns!
When you are on rows 2,4,6 etc., and you have five stitches of colour A in a row, do you carry the colour B across all five, or bring it along after the second stitch so there isn’t a really long piece to be brought to the front to slip the slip stitches. Hope I have explained that properly. ….
Thanks!
Hi Heather,
Great question! For this pattern, you will only be working with one color at a time – so, after working row 1 in Color A only, you will then work row 2 in Color A only. You will not need to carry any other colors of yarn in the back and will only be slipping one stitch at a time, so you don’t have to worry about any long floats.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hello,
I wonder if this could be made with two colours of Alpaca Pure?
Thanks for your advice
Eva
Hi Eva,
Great question! You absolutely can! To use Alpaca Pure, you will want the same number of skeins of each color of Alpaca Pure! SO if you are making the smallest size, you will need 6 skeins of color A and 6 skeins of color B!
Best,
Cassy
If I wanted to make this in an adult size throw rather than a baby blanket, what size circular needle would I need? Would a 40 inch be enough to make a larger blanket? Thank you!
Hi Linsey,
Thanks for reaching out! While you could use a 40 inch needle if you prefer, we did find that the throw size fits just fine on a 32 inch needle. Even though the finished throw is much wider than 32 inches, the stitches do squish up quite a bit while they are on the needle!
Best,
Julianna
Hi PurlSoho,
Thanks for sharing such a beautiful blanket! I’m about to purchase the yarns you recommend — Alpaca pure & Worsted Twist — and wanted to ask: are these machine washable? If not, is there a different yarn you would recommend?
Thank you!!
Hello Victoria,
Thank you for reaching out! These yarns are hand wash, If you are looking for a super wash yarn I would reccomend checking out Anzula’s For Better or Worsted or Tosh Merino .
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi! I am hoping to make a baby blanket with this pattern. Would your superwash yarn be good in this pattern (Posy? Cricket?)? If so, how would you alter the pattern?
Hi Becca,
Thanks for reaching out! Since we used worsted weight yarns for this pattern, I would suggest substituting either Anzula For Better or Worsted or using Posy held double. Either of these options should be just about the right weight for the pattern so you shouldn’t have to make any alterations, but it is always a good idea to knit a gauge swatch, especially when substituting yarns!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Where will I get the meddle you have used. I am from india. . .belgaum from Karnataka state
Hi Sakhee,
Thanks for reaching out! Our Worsted Twist and Alpaca Pure are available right here on our website, and we do ship to India! You can review our international shipping rates and policies on our Shipping page.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello!
Thank you for the fantastic pattern. I was wondering if I could sell something I made with this pattern? I used the pattern to make a tarot cad bag, and was looking to sell them on my etsy shop. I would absolutely be ok with providing a link to the original pattern.
Thank you very much!
Hello Atlas,
Thank you so much for your interest in selling things you knit from our patterns! Our copyright states that our patterns can not be used to make things for sale, but we’d like to let you know that if you change at least 25% of the pattern, you would not be infringing on copyright laws. That way your finished product would be inspired by Purl Soho but not an illegal copy. Please let us know if you have any questions!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
If I were to do an i cord edging, would it be easier to to do the i cord cast on and bind off, or use applied i cord around the whole thing after it’s done?
Hello Jane,
Thank you for reaching out! For a border, using an applied i-cord will be more consistent and smooth.
Happy knitting!
-Marills
Hi,
Looks like both worsted twist and alpaca pure are low in stock. What yarns would you recommend replacing with?
Thanks!
Hi Margot,
Thanks for writing in! You could use just about any Worsted or Aran weight yarn for this blanket. I would suggest either Madelinetosh Tosh Merino or Manos del Urugua Maxima as possible substitutes, and feel free to mix and match between those yarns, Worsted Twist, and Alpaca Pure to find your perfect color combination!
Best,
Julianna
Could a bulky yarn be used for this pattern? How many yards/skeins would you need?
Hello Leora,
Thank you for reaching out! You could certainly use a bulky yarn for this project. The first thing you will need to do is figure out your gauge, once you have that information you can use it to get a cast on number. Which size blanket are you thinking of making?
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I just love the look of this!
Can the pattern be adapted for working in the round( for a tube-scarf) ?
Hi and thanks for reaching out! We’re so glad that you like the blanket and the mosaic motif would not be hard to adapt to knit in the round! When knitting in the round, you will only need to work the center repeat of 12 stitches, and not the three edge stitches. So any number of stitches that you cast on should be a multiple of 12. Also, when working in the round, you will need to alternate rows of knitting and purling to maintain the pattern. When knitting flat, you knit every row for the pattern, but when working in the round, you will need to knit one row and then purl the next. You will need to slip all of your stitches with your yarn held in back on every row. When alternating colors, you’ll simply lay one color over the next when switching, and a neat twist will form along the wrong side of your join.
We hope this helps get you started! Please let us know if you have any questions at all and best of luck! Thanks for writing with this great question!
Best,
Julianna
I love this pattern. With Alpaca Pure being out of commission now, what would you recommend as a substitute?
Hi Candice,
Great question! You could use almost any worsted to aran weight yarn as a substitute for Alpaca Pure! Some of my favorite yarns that would knit up to the correct gauge are Worsted Twist, Madelinetosh Tosh Merino, and Manos del Uruguay Maxima.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I’ve worked a sample piece to get the feel of working the pattern and I’m not seeing the great definition that you have. Could my inexpensive “trial” yarn cause this? Or would it be the color combo – I’m using pink and light grey. Final question – the advice is to add markers every 12 stitches but how does that work if your pattern is shifting over 12+3.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Hi Vivyan,
Thanks for writing in! It sounds like your color choice might not have enough contrast to show the pattern clearly. Colorwork always works best when the colors have a high contrast, and one way to check is to take a picture of your yarns and change it to black and white or grayscale. Colors that contrast strongly will appear very different in the black and white picture, while colors that are low contrast will look about the same.
The stitch markers are handy to place in your work after each repeat, which are the stitches indicated in the pattern between the asterisks, “* — *” and will always be a total of 12 stitches. A good way to set up your markers at the beginning is to skip the first stitch, place your first marker, count 12, place your second marker and repeat this (12 sts at a time) all the way to the end, to just before the last two stitches where you will place your last marker. The number of stitches at the beginning and end of the row does change on subsequent rows, so you could move your markers to line up with the asterisks on each row, but I think once you have done a full pattern repeat or two, you will see how the stitches align with the previous pattern repeats and can leave your markers in place.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I am using stitch markers to keep track, but I realized in one sequence that I had forgotten to knit a stitch. I undid the knitting up to the place of my error, but now I have an extra stitch on the left needle. What did I do wrong?
Hello Stefy,
Thanks for reaching out! It’s hard to say exactly what could have gone wrong with out seeing your project, but I will do my best! I find that the easiest ways to accidentally add a stitch is either at the very start of the row or by accidentally picking up one of the bars created by your slipped stitches. Does it look like either of these possibilities could be true? Another clue to finding where it could have happened is to see if there is a place the pattern looks off, this can help lead you to the issue.
I hope this helpful and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thankfully I found this gorgeous pattern.😍 My new great nephew will love it. Anywhere particular I can share photos when I’m done?
Hi Brandy,
Thank you so much for the kind words! If you use Instagram, you can always tag #purlsoho and #purlsohobusyhands, or just send them to us at customerservice@purlsoho.com – we love seeing how your projects turn out!
Best,
Julianna
Can you give the yards needed for the throw size? Many thanks!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for writing in! For the throw size, you will need 1,148 yards of Color A, and 1,090 yards of Color B.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi!
Just started on this and so excited! I want to be sure I do it correctly….for this pattern is right and wrong side just alternate each row? For example row 1 is right and row 2 is wrong (odd rows = right and even rows=wrong?
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you’ve got it – all odd numbered rows are right side rows, and all even numbered rows are wrong side rows. Once you have a few rows done, it should become quite easy to tell the right side from the wrong side!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I’ve been asked to make this in a light peachy pink color for my soon-to-be granddaughter. I noticed the worsted twist is not available. Do you have suggestions for a yarn substitute and color? Thanks!
Hi Denise,
Thanks for reaching out! Although Alpaca Pure has been discontinued, our Worsted Twist is still available and can be used for both the main and contrast color, and I think this blanket would be absolutely beautiful in Peony Pink and Heirloom White!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I’m a bit of the way in to this blanket and realized I’ve dropped a stitch somehow! I’ve tried ripping back a few rows and referenced the chart for help but can’t figure out where the dropped stitch occurred. Normally I would just make a stitch somewhere random but I think that will throw the entire pattern off. Am I correct? Is there any saving my blanket?! Thanks, Dana
Hi Dana,
Thanks for reaching out! Although it’s possible, it is, as you have found, very difficult to pick up stitches in this pattern. If you can find the dropped stitch or the exact spot where it disappeared, you could add in a stitch to make up for it, but it will throw off the pattern if added in the wrong place. If you can’t find exactly where the stitch was dropped, I would recommend tinking back until you have the right number of stitches to get back on track!
Best,
Julianna
I prefer using cotton blend yarn. I would be using DK, #4. I would like to make this pattern big enough for my Queen size bed.
Could you give me an idea of how much A and B I will need; in yards as well as skeins. Skein length so often varies.
Would a cast on of 267 stitches allow also for a border of at lean 4 on each side?
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in! Since you are making quite a few changes to the pattern, it’s hard to say exactly how much yarn you will need. An average queen sized blanket or coverlet measures 84 by 92 inches, so to determine how many stitches to cast on, I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch in pattern using your DK weight yarn on a US 5 or 6 needle. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 84 inches or the width of your blanket, and round to the nearest multiple of 12 stitches plus 3. If you are going to add a 4 stitch border on each side, you would add another 8 stitches to your cast on – your proposed cast on of 267 certainly fits this multiple including a border!
Yardage is the most accurate way to purchase yarn, since yardage per skein does indeed vary widely, but since you are changing the gauge of a pattern from aran weight to DK, I unfortunately can’t tell you exactly how much you will need. To be on the safe side, I would recommend getting at least 3,000 yards of Color A and 3,500 yards of Color B. Once you have knitted up a full skein of each, you should be able to measure how long your blanket is so far and use that information to calculate how much you will need total.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi!
Thanks for this beautiful pattern! I wanted to ask how we slip the stitches (e.g., purlwise or knitwise)? Thankyou!
Janet
Hi Janet,
Great question! All of the stitches are slipped purlwise, but pay attention to whether the yarn is in front or in back while doing so. Right side rows are slipped purlwise with yarn in back, wrong side rows are slipped purlwise with yarn in front. If you watch the Mosaic Blanket techniques video, it will show this very clearly, and also give you tips for carrying your second color up the side neatly. I hope this helps – happy knitting!
Best,
Cassandra
Hello – If I wanted to make this blanket with a larger needle say a 6 or 6.5mm needle and a heavier weight yarn would that work as well, or would the pattern get lost?
Thanks!
Hi Victoria,
Thank you for writing in! The Mosaic Blanket would be lovely in a variety of yarns and gauges. A bulky yarn and 6mm (US 10) needle would result in a supremely squishy and warm blanket, and as long as you use a yarn with a nice bit of twist I think the pattern would hold up quite nicely. As your gauge will probably be quite different at around 12-15 stitches per 4 inches, I recommend knitting a gauge swatch first to see how your fabric comes out. I hope this was helpful!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Hi!
I was thinking of making a bath rug with this pattern, do you think it could work?
Since Wool wouldn’t be the right material, which substitute yarn would you suggest as an alternative?
Thank you!
Hi Flavia,
Thanks for writing in about this – what a great idea! You’ll definitely want a yarn that is machine washable, and absorbent, so I think that cotton would be the right choice. Blue Sky Worsted Cotton would be my first thought, as it’s worsted weight and comes in a lovely range of colors. I’d recommend doing a swatch of a pattern repeat, and then multiplying the size of that to come up with your chosen size for a bath rug. The mosaic pattern is really lovely – have fun with your project!
Best,
Cassandra
Hi there,
I’d love to knit this pattern for my baby!! I live in California where it’s always warm. I want to make the blanket with thinner yarn. Which yarn would it be perfect for warm weather?
Hi Shiori
Thanks for writing in! This pattern would look great knit up in either the Blue Sky Worsted Cotton which would need no adjustments to the pattern, or a thinner cotton option would be Cotton Pure . Without a gauge swatch I estimate you will need roughly 1150 yards for each color or 5 skeins of each color of Cotton Pure. You would then follow the directions for the largest blanket (cast on of 195 sts) using a US 6. If you were to do a gauge swatch in pattern we could even better estimate the amount of yarn you will need! I hope this helps and happy knitting!
Best
Jessica
Thanks for your suggestions. Both yarns are beautiful!! I’m thinking of going for cotton pure since it’s washable and able to tumble dry. I have a couple of things I’d like to confirm with you before I order. If I follow the directions for the largest blanket (cast on of 195 sts) using a US 6, is the finished size of blanket 26”x 35” since the yarn is thinner than original? And what size of code should i use with US6 needles?
Hi Shiori,
The largest cast on (195) would probably give you closet to the 33.5 X 40 size blanket. If you do a gauge swatch, it will definitely give you a more exact measurement. I recommend a 36 – 40″ cord for that many stitches. I hope this gets you on your way!
Best
Jessica
Thank you Jessica. Can’t wait to knit the blanket !! Have a wonderful day
Hello,
May I know why does the pattern says “Following the chart, work Rows 1-24 fourteen (eighteen, twenty-one) times.”
Why “eighteen and twenty-one” comes from?
Thank you!
Hi Celine,
Thanks for writing in! These numbers refer to the different sizes of the blanket. For the smallest Baby size of the blanket, you will repeat row 1-24 fourteen times, for the middle or Crib size, eighteen times, and for the largest Throw size, twenty-one times.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hi, I’m using up yarn I already have, what alternative would be suitable please
Hi Julie
Thanks for reaching out! You could use just about any worsted or aran weight yarn for this blanket. I recommend doing a gauge swatch in pattern just to make sure you like the way the yarn looks!
Happy knitting
Jessica
Could you send just the directions for the mosiac blanket , I would like to print these off but do not need all of the extras
My Grandaughter likes this and she is just learning
Thank You
Hi Mertie,
Thanks for writing in! You can use our print function to select just what images and portions of the pattern you wish to print! If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%.
I hope that helps, and best of luck to your granddaughter in her new craft!
Julianna