Eleventh Hour Marled Blanket
As every knitter knows, our eleventh hour is weeks before everyone else’s. And if you’re talking about a blanket, the eleventh hour is yesterday… But not so with our Eleventh Hour Marled Blanket!
We designed this simple blanket for last-minute knitting, but also for long-lasting beauty. Based on our original Eleventh Hour Blanket, this one uses one strand of Purl Soho’s Gentle Giant and one of Super Soft Merino for a complex texture, a gorgeous marled look, and a quick gauge of 1 1/4 stitches per inch!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
Just because it’s fast, just because it’s simple, doesn’t mean it’s not a stunning gift. And just because it may be the eleventh hour, doesn’t mean you’re out of time. Whip up this beauty and give it with love and pride!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoEleventhHourMarledBlanket, #PurlSohoGentleGiant, and #PurlSohoSuperSoftMerino. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Yarn A: 8 skeins of Purl Soho’s Gentle Giant, 100% merino wool yarn. Each skein of this super bulky yarn is 48 yards/ 125 grams; approximately 384 yards required. We used the color White Peppercorn for both Blankets shown here.
- Yarn B: 7 skeins of Purl Soho’s Super Soft Merino, 100% merino wool yarn. Each skein of this bulky weight yarn is 87 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 554 yards required. We used the color Heirloom White (left) for one blanket and Super Pink (right) for the other.
- A US 36 (20 mm), 40-inch circular needle
- Two US 17 (12 mm) double pointed needles
Here are some other beautiful color combinations to try…
TOP ROW
- Gentle Giant in Heirloom White + Super Soft Merino in Oyster Gray
- Gentle Giant in Poseidon Green + Super Soft Merino in Heirloom White
- Gentle Giant in Pigeon Gray + Super Soft Merino in Yellow Zest
MIDDLE ROW
- Gentle Giant in Winter Bark + Super Soft Merino in Pink Grapefruit
- Gentle Giant in Heirloom White + Super Soft Merino in Peacock Blue
- Gentle Giant in Graphite Gray + Super Soft Merino in Artemisia Green
BOTTOM ROW
- Gentle Giant in Wolf Brown + Super Soft Merino in Heirloom White
- Gentle Giant in Pigeon Gray + Super Soft Merino in Steel Blue
- Gentle Giant in Heirloom White + Super Soft Merino in Toasted Charcoal
Gauge
5 stitches = 4 inches in seed stitch, pulling a strand of Yarn A and Yarn B together
Size
Finished dimensions: 37 inches wide x 48 inches long
Pattern
Begin
With one strand of Yarn A and one strand of Yarn B, cast 45 stitches onto the circular needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Repeat Row 1 until you have used nearly all 8 skeins of Yarn A, leaving enough yarn for the bind off row.
Bind off loosely in pattern.
Work I-Cord Edge
With 2 strands of Yarn B and the two double pointed needles, work a 3-stitch Attached I-cord around the entire edge of the blanket.
With the right side facing you, start at any point of the blanket’s edge and work counter clockwise.
Along all four sides, pick up one stitch for each row or stitch.
At each corner, work one row of Attached I-cord, then a row of unattached I-cord, and then another row of Attached I-cord.
When you’ve finished working the Attached I-cord, graft or sew its two ends together.
Finish
Weave in the ends and enjoy your big, cozy blanket!
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Looks lovely and warm! Thanks for sharing!
The pattern says 2 double pointed needles, I just want to make sure they come 2 to a package before I order? Thanks
Hi Sally-
They actually come five to a package so you should be fine!
Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Best-
Molly
Hi there! This blanket is amazing and looks easy. Thank you for sharing! One question…is there another edging you may recommend? Let’s say, if I wanted to make it look a little more dressed-up? Thank you so much!
Hi, Julie!
Thank you for writing in! There are totally other edgings out there that you can use, however, they might not be the easiest (or look the best) with this type and weight of yarn. Other edging options include picots, rib stitches and ruffles (a quick internet search can give you pictures and even patterns for these edges).
Personally, I recommend sticking with the i-cord. I like it because it is knit after you’ve completed the blanket pattern and you can totally dress it up with the right color combinations, but most important I think this edging works and looks best with this sort of yarn. The Gentle Giant is almost like roving so an edging with fine details can easily get lost in the texture of this yarn.
If you have futher questions, please let us know! Happy knitting!
Best,
Kumeko
This is a must knit gift for myself!
The I-cord bind off for blankets is my favourite.
May I ask a really silly question??? What is an ‘un-attached I-cord’? I’m really keen to attempt this (having never tried I-cords before) and having followed the links to the attached version, I reckon I could cope. But I can’t find anything for an un-attached.
Apologies for being dim!
Hi, Ellie!
Thank you so much for writing in! Your question is not silly! We’ve got a really great i-cord tutorial here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2006/09/29/i-cord/. If you have further questions, please let us know!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
Hi! My blanket is so beautiful! Unfortunately I will need to wash it after an accident when it was ready to back on my bed. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much!
Kristen
Hi Kristen,
Thanks for writing in! Did you knit this blanket in Gentle Giant and Super Soft Merino? If so, then we recommend gently hand washing the blanket in cold water and laying it flat to dry. These yarns are both made from 100% wool, so they will felt and shrink if put in the washer and dryer (even on a gently cycle). But you can use laundry detergent or any other soap to get the blanket extra clean while hand washing!
All the best,
Lili
I am a beginner to knitting (knitted as a child)and came across your wonderful site. Can you recommend an easy beginner pattern from your site? I think that perhaps this marled blanket may be a bit difficult. finally do you deliver to Ireland?
Hello, Julie!
Thank you so much for writing in! We are so glad that you found us! We’ve got a number of great beginner patterns, but I think the best pattern to get back into the swing of knitting is with our Super Easy Crib Blanket, https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/09/22/super-easy-blankets/. Or if you’d like a blanket that is a bit bigger we’ve got the Super Easy Lap Blanket, https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/01/06/whits-knits-super-easy-lap-blanket/.
Both of these blankets are just as their names suggest, super easy and just the thing to help you get back into knitting! If you have further questions, please let us know!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
Can’t wait to make this blanket.
This is beautiful!
Any way it can be made with crochet? Is there a pattern?
Hello Cindy!
We don’t have a pattern at the moment, but it would definitely work in crochet! I would recommend using the size US S crochet hook available here: https://www.purlsoho.com/addi-plastic-crochet-hooks.html and making a small gauge swatch to figure out the stitches per inch you will get. That way you can make sure the sizing of the blanket isn’t off. Best of luck and let us know if you need any other tips! Thanks! -Alyson
Beautiful blanket but why is everything done in wool! We are all very allergic to wool in our family and are there suggestions that could be used that doesn’t contain wool?
Hello, Mary Anne!
Thank your for your question! We are so glad that you like this pattern, it is quite beautiful. Unfortunatley, we don’t at this time have a non-wool alternative for this particular blanket. We do have this pattern: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2011/09/15/whits-knits-chevron-baby-blanket/ which uses a worsted weight cotton held double. You could easily turn this into a throw.
Thank you, again for writing in! Happy crafting!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
This is just so lovely. Would you have any suggestions for alternative yarns to use that might be a little more friendly on the wallet? Thanks!
Hello tm!
We totally understand that many of the yarns are out of many of our price ranges! Take a look at the colors of Cascade’s 128 Superwash here: https://www.purlsoho.com/superwash-128.html and Cascade’s Magnum to replace the Gentle Giant found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/magnum.html Both yarns are a little thinner than the originals, but it should work and be just as squishy!
Best of luck and let us know if you have any issues! -Alyson
I was looking for this very answer. I notice that a skein of Magnum is about twice as long as a skein of gentle giant. If I were to try this blanket with the 128 superwash and magnum, should I replicate the yardage of the merino and gentle giant respectively or the number of skeins.
Thanks!
Jen
Hi Jen,
Thanks for writing in and my apologies for the delayed response! You are correct! You will need roughly 384 yards (3 skeins) of the Magnum and 609 yards (5 skeins) of the 128 Superwash to replicate the blanket!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Please let us know how it goes!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Would it be possible to post a video showing this blanket being knitted? I have never used circular needles or double pointed ones. My projects have been dishcloths, but would like to try this pattern. You have beautiful yarn and beautiful items and I would love to learn how to do more of them. Thank you.
Hello, Faith!
Thank you so much for writing in! Unfortunately, we don’t currently have a video for this project. With that said, don’t let the use of ciruclar needles scare you! If you can knit on regular straight needles you can easily do this pattern! This blanket uses circular needles because regular straight needles are not long enough to hold all the stitches you need to get the width of the blanket. To knit a flat piece (like this blanket) with circular needles you knit as you normally would and once you get to the end of the row you simply put the needle in your right hand into your left hand and the needle that is in your left hand into your right hand and then you turn the whole thing around.
Knitting with double pointed needles is just like knitting with regualr needles only instead of having all of your stitches on one needle they are spread out across multiple needles. We’ve a great tutorial here, https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2008/07/25/double-pointed-needles/ on how double pointed needles work. If you have further questions, please let us know!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
When and how do you make the change from size 36 to size 17 needles?
Hello, Vicki!
Thank you for your question! You will use the size 36 circula needle for the body of the blanket. You’ll use the size 17 double pointed needles to make the attached i-cord edge. We’ve got a great tutorial here https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2008/01/23/attached-i-cord-tutorial/ if you’ve never made an attached i-cord. Hope this helps and thanks again for writing in!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
Can circular needles be used instead of double -pointed?
Hello, Nancy!
Thank you for your question! Unless your doing magic loop, I recommend using the double-pointed needles for the i-cord because the circumference of the i-cord is very small and knitting that on circular needles would be frustrating (and perhaps impossible). Hope that helps! Again, thank you writing in!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
Question about the icord on the 11th hour blanket. You say to do 3 stitch attached icord around entire blanket. Then in subsequent paragraphs, you give more instruction about icord — …with right side facing do attached around side and unattached around corners, etc.
My question is whether the information starting after 1st paragraph is meant to clarify your instruction about doing the attached icord, or is it some sort of supplemental icord.
Hello, Susan!
Thank you so much for writing in! For the i-cord edging you do a 3 stitch attached i-cord around the entire blanket, but for the corners you will work one row of attached I-cord, then a row of unattached I-cord, and then another row of attached I-cord. In other words, when you get to a corner, knit 1 row of the I-cord without attaching it (in other words, just knit 3 stitches and slide them to the right end of the needle), then pick up a stitch at the corner (knit 2, slip 1, yarn over, pick up 1 stitch, pass the yarn over and slipped stitch over), make 1 more row without attaching, and then continue the attached I-cord as usual.
If you have further questions, please let us know!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
Thanks a bunch, my beautiful yarn and needles got here very quickly. I’m knitting along and it is going fast for a novice knitter like myself. How do you approximate the amount of yarn needed for the bind off? You guys are the best!
Hello, Sally!
Thank you so much for writing in! To approximate the amount of yarn needed for the bind off I generally leave at least 4 times the length of the row. If you have further questions, please let us know!
Best,
Kumeko
would this be suitable for a baby blanket? or too heavy? and is there an adjusted pattern for a smaller baby blanket
Hello Bobbie!
Of course you can adjust it! I would recommend that you make a blanket at a little smaller gauge so the baby’s fingers don’t get too stuck! Check out our pattern for our Bulky Baby Blankets here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2009/07/24/whits-knits-bulky-baby-blankets/
If you chose the seed stitch version and instead of using bulky yarn use two strands of worsted weight yarn in different colors to create the marled effect! Please let us know if you need any other tips! Best of luck! -Alyson
Hi there…I’m going to make the seed stitch version of this, holding a super bulky and bulky strand together (they’re both on the thinner side). I’d like to make the icord edge though…can I still do that with this smaller pattern? If so, what size needles should I use? Thanks!
Hi Alison,
Thanks for writing in. I don’t know if I understand your question but I think you are asking if you can make the i-cord edge on the blanket using the yarn you have. The i-cord edge is done on US 17 needles holding two strands of the bulky yarn (lightest of the two). The yarn we use is Super Soft Merino and is normally knit on a US 11 or 13. If your gauge is smaller than ours because your yarn is thinner, you can use two ends of your lighter weight yarn to do the i-cord edging and it should work. However, I am unfamiliar with the yarn you are using so I cannot know for sure!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Adam
If you were to make this blanket to fit a double size bed (just to cover the top) what number would you use for cast on, length inches, and how many more skeins would it require?
Thank you,
Cat
Hello, Cat!
Thank you for your question! I believe a double sized blanket is usually 54-inches by 75-inches. Since the gauge of the blanket is 5 stitches over 4 inches in seed stitch, pulling a strand of Yarn A and Yarn B together, I recommend a cast of of 67 stitches. Then you could knit until you reach your desired lenght (or the traditional 75 inch lenght of a double sized blanket). Because you are almost doubling the pattern I recommend almost doubling the amount of yarn, so, get 14 skeins of Yarn A (the Gentle Giant) and 12 skeins of Yarn B (the Super Soft Merino). If you have further questions, please let us know!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
I love your yarn choices! I find that these single ply yarns make gorgeous projects that often get a bit fuzzy/pilly/felty over time. Do you have suggestions for how to keep this yarn beautiful?
Hi TW,
Thanks for writing in!With all natural fibers shedding/pilling is inevitable and do to the nature of this yarn’s spin it is going to shed more than a wool that has a tighter spin to it. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to make it shed less. Try to use it as gently as possible and use a sweater comb every so often to keep the fuzz under control.
If you have further questions, please let us know!
-Cassy
Hi, My question is in relation to the A US 36, 40-inch circular needles, you currently only have available 47-inch circular needles to purchase. Will this make a difference to the pattern? I was thinking not but I thought I’d double check.
Thanks
Peta
Hi peta,
Thanks for writing in and our apologies for the terribly delayed response! You can most certainly use a longer needle. We do not recommend using a shorter needle as the stitched may be bunched up and have a tendency to fall off of the needles. A 47″ needle would work perfectly.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Love this blanket it’s sweet and looks relatively simple I was just wondering if you have a smaller baby version I’d like to make two and not really sure on amounts of yarn and pattern could you point me in right direction please.
Hello, Sarah!
Thank you for writing in! Sorry for the delayed response! To get a baby blanket that is about 24-inches x 37-inches you can follow the pattern as written, casting on 45 stitches and repeating Row 1. You would repeat Row 1 until you reach about 23-inches in length. Then you’d follow the pattern for working the i-cord edge.
You would use roughly the same amount of yarn to make two baby blankets as you would making one of these blankets. So, you would get 8 skeins of Yarn A and 7 skeins of Yarn B. I always recommend getting one more skein in each color (9 of Yarn A and 8 of Yarn B) just in case you run out! If you don’t end us using those additional skeins you can always send them back for store credit or exchange (as long as the yarn is in it’s original condition and within 6 months of purchase).
Please let us know if you have further questions!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
Hi,
I absolutely love this blanket and would like to modify it into a baby blanket. I want to use the same yarn listed here but understand that I should make the blanket at a smaller gauge. Would you please tell me 1) how many skeins of the gentle giant I would need and how many of the super soft merino in order to make a smaller (baby) blanket & 2) which circular needles and double pointed needles would work in order to make it at a smaller gauge.
Thank you in advance.
-Amaury
Hello, Amaury!
Thank you for writing in! Sorry for the delayed response! To get a baby blanket that is about 24-inches x 37-inches you can follow the pattern as written, casting on 45 stitches and repeating Row 1. You would repeat Row 1 until you reach about 23-inches in length. Then you’d follow the pattern for working the i-cord edge. You’re basically cutting the original pattern in half so you would need about 4 skeins of Yarn A (Gentle Giant) and 3 skeins of Yarn B (Super Soft Merino). However, I always recommend getting one more skein in each color (5 of Yarn A and 4 of Yarn B) just in case you run out! If you don’t end us using those additional skeins you can always send them back for store credit or exchange (as long as the yarn is in it’s original condition and within 6 months of purchase).
Please let us know if you have further questions!
Best,
Kumeko
I woukd like knit theEleventh Hour Marled Blanket but the Gentle Giant Heirloom White 1000GG is out of stock. I would like to know what yarn can I use to substitute the Gentle Giant Heirloom White. Thanks
Hi Suzette,
Thanks for writing in. The Heirloom White might be in stock in the store if you call in. I would try that first before finding a substitute. Cascade Magnum would be my suggestion for a substitute. I would choose color cream — it is the closest to heirloom white.
Best,
Adam
How many skeins of Cascade magnum would I need for this blanket?
Hello Suzette,
You will need four skeins of Magnum. Best of luck on your project!
-Adam
I was wondering how to make this pattern for an adult size blanket afghan pattern? How many stitches would I cast on? Also how many skeins (of each color) would I need ? I would like the blanket to be 55 “x 72”. Thank you.
Hi Suziem59,
Thanks for writing us! Based on my calculations you will need 11 skeins of Gentle Giant and 10 skeins of Super Soft Merino to knit up a 55″x72″ blanket. Also, based on the gauge in the pattern, you’ll need to cast on roughly 69 stitches. A larger version of this pattern will be so cozy and comfortable. I hope you enjoy knitting it!
Best,
Adam
I made two of the original 11th hour blankets a few years ago and have loved them. They are soft and warm and lovely to wrap up in. However, the Cascade magnum yarn I used pills and sheds terribly, leaving large fuzzy balls all around the room and on whatever you are wearing. I am wondering if the Purl Soho Giant yarn recommended for the updated version of this blanket has this same issue or not….? Thank you for your help!
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for the nice comment! Unfortunately, most chunky and soft yarns will shed because they are not spun tightly. If chunky yarn were spun tightly and even plied it would be extremely heavy. The Gentle Giant will shed, albeit not as much as the Cascade Magnum. What I recommend if you are looking for shed-free is doing a finer gauge blanket with Lanecardate Feltro. This yarn is lightly felted so it does not shed or pill much and can be knit on a US 13 or 15. I really love it and it makes a great throw!
-Adam
Thank you, Adam, for your prompt and helpful response! I may make two more throws– one with the new Purl Soho Giant (because the colors are so beautiful and I can’t resist) and also one with the Lanecardate Feltro!
They are so fun to knit and such great gifts 🙂
-Lynn
I’m a bit confused about how much yarn I need to purchase. On the original Eleventh Hour Blanket (42″x 52″) done in Ecru and Birch Heather, the body of the blanket called for 7 skeins. The original blanket is also knit doubling over the yarns, if I read that correctly. Why does this version (37″x 48″) take 14 skeins for the body (7 of White Peppercorn and 7 of super pink) when both of the blankets result in roughly the same size?
Hi Kiana,
Thank you for writing in! There is much more yardage on the Cascade Magnum (124 yards) which is why you only need seven skeins total for the original blanket. The Gentle Giant has 48 yards per skein, so it takes many more skeins to get the same size blanket. I hope this helps!
-Adam
is this baby blanket washable?
Hi Megan,
Thank you for your question! This lovely blanket using Gentle Giant and Super Soft Merino is hand wash only. Due to the lovely soft character of this yarn, putting it in a washing machine would take away from the lush character of the yarn and possibly lead to felting. If hand washing a blanket is a bit too cumbersome (all of that knit fabric), you can certainly dry clean the blanket!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Does this yarn shed like the original eleventh hour blanket?
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for writing us! Yes, this yarn does fuzz and shed a bit because it is lightly spun. This, however, does give it an incredible softness and warmth.
Best regards,
Adam
Hello,
I LOVE this blanket and am brand new to your site and you are my favorite, wow amazing ideas! Question, do you have video tutorials to learn how to do some of these stitches?
2nd question after reading some questions you mentioned a different yarn to use that is less money for this blanket, is the yarn as soft or close to the gentle giant yarn?
Hi Janna,
Thank you for your questions! We do have a variety of tutorials, some of which contain videos, for a variety of techniques. They can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/knit/tutorials/
The alternate yarns for this blanket are Cascade 128 Superwash and Cascade Magnum. Both a great yarns but not quite as soft as the super fine merino used in Super Soft Merino and Gentle Giant.
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Thank you Cassy! One more question- I measured out the size of the pattern and it is on the small size, I measured a throw I have and it measures 58 x 68. If I decided to make the 58 x 68 how many would I cast on and how many skeins of gentle giant, super wash and magnum would I need?
Thank you!
Hi Janna,
Thanks for writing back! Based on my calculations you will need 11 skeins of Gentle Giant and 10 skeins of Super Soft Merino to knit up a 58″x68″ blanket. Also, based on the gauge in the pattern, you’ll need to cast on roughly 73 stitches. If you would like to use Cascade 128 Superwash and Cascade Magnum, you will need 7 skeins of 128 Superwash and 3 skeins of Magnum.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Thank you!
Hi, I love this blanket and another one I saw with this same pattern that brought me to this one. Isn’t this just the Seed Stitch with an uneven number of stitches cast on? That’s how I do the seed stitch so don’t have to stop and think what I’m up to. You’re still basically always knitting into the opposite but I don’t see the seeds. Maybe it’s the angle of the camera or I’m just crazy.
Hi Marjorie,
Thanks for the kind comment! Yes, this is the seed stitch and I think it’s because of the marled yarn that you aren’t quite seeing the definition. It’s quite a neat textile in person.
Hope you knit it!
-Adam
Can you suggest a cheaper alternative for this blanket? I love it but it calls for a lot at yarn on the more expensive side..
Hi Laurie,
We totally understand that many of the yarns are out of many of our price ranges! Take a look at the colors of Cascade’s 128 Superwash here: https://www.purlsoho.com/superwash-128.html and Cascade’s Magnum to replace the Gentle Giant found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/magnum.html Both yarns are a little thinner than the originals, but it should work and be just as squishy!
Best of luck!
Cassy
Help! I can’t pull up the video link and I’m a very basic beginner so any tutorial references are greatly appreciated! Super excited to make the 11th hour blanket.
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for writing in! For this pattern we have only one video available and that is to graft the i-cord using a technique called the kitchener stitch. The video for the kitchener stitch can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nlWKvrGp-4&feature=youtu.be
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Hi, Stephanie!
Thank you for writing in! Is it the Kitchener Stitch video that you’re having trouble with? If so, you can find that video tutorial here. Please let us know if you have further questions, we are happy to help!
Best,
Kumeko
two questions!
first… I am a bit confused as to why it calls for 8 skeins of the first color but only 7 skeins of the second color that looks like is then the color you use for the border? Why is this? wouldn’t you run of out the second color?
second… I want to clarify the pattern… if you are knitting on circular needles you then flip it over to knit row two as if they were straight needles correct? so would you not then do the opposite of row one at start p1k1 to develop seed stitch?
Sorry if these are dumb questions!
thanks
Hi Molly,
Thanks for writing in! We are happy to help! The difference in the number of skeins for the two different types of yarn has to do with the different yardages for the two yarns. Our Super Soft has 87 yards per skein and out Gentle Giant has 48 yards per skein. That is to say that, in this blanket, fewer skeins of the Super Soft will take you farther than the Gentle Giant.
To your second question, the seed stitch here is worked over an odd number of stitches. In this case, working the row the same each time will yield the stitch pattern correctly. If you were working the seed stitch over an even number of stitches, you would have to reverse the purl and knit combination. But as we are working over an odd number of stitches here, you will be all set with the row as written!
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Hi there! I’m interested in making this for a baby blanket. Is it possible to use 2 strands of bulky weight yarn as opposed to one super bulky and one bulky? If so, what yardage would I then need? Thank you!!
Hi Alison,
Thanks for writing in to us. It all depends on how bulky the yarn is and what needle it knits up on held single. Usually bulky yarn that knits up on a US 11 can be doubled to knit on a 19, but yarn that normally knits up on a 13 or 15 might have to be plied with a heavier yarn to knit up on a 36. As for yardage, it’s hard to say because I don’t know your gauge or the yarn you are knitting with. Feel free to get back to me and I’d be glad to help you out. Thanks!
-Adam
Hi there! I’m interested in making this an adult size blanket afghan 55 “x 72”. I want to use the Purl Soho Super Soft Merino together with the Madeline Tosh Merino Well Water color( instead of the Purl Soho Gentle Giant). What color of the Purl Soho Super Soft Merino would you suggest to substitute the Gentle Giant in Pigeon Gray ? Also how many skeins (of each color) would I need ? How many stitches would I cast on? What US inch circular needle would I need? Thanks for your continued help!
Hi Susie,
Thanks for writing in and apologies for the delayed response! I will try my best to help! Changing the gauge dramatically means that we do need to do a fair amount of math to approximate the number of skeins that you would need. This also means that the numbers are not hard and fast rules so much as they are our best educated guess based on proportions. I think that you would need roughly 8 skeins of Super Soft (I think that Oyster Gray would work well with Well Water) and roughly 5 skeins of the MadTosh Merino (this would include yarn for the border).
As for needle size and cast on number, you will need to do a gauge swatch to determine these numbers. For needle size, I would suggest swatching on US 17 to see if you like the fabric. If it is too loose, you may need to go down to a US 15 and it if it is too tight, going up to a US 19. You will then count the stitches per inch that you are getting on the swatch that you like and multiply that number by 37 inches. This blanket is worked over a multiple of 2 stitches plus 1. So you will select the nearest number that fits this equation and use that as your cast on number.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi there!
This looks so beautiful and cozy! But…we live in Arizona and it is just too warm for my husband. He lamented just the other day that I had not made him a blanket yet and I would love to make one similar to this. Do you have any suggestions for yarn and the corresponding amounts I would need (and possibly how many stitches to cast on)?
Thank you!
Hi Janina,
Thanks for writing in! What a nice gift! This is a rather chunky and warm yarn. We do not have any yarns that knit at this gauge that are not going to be very warm indeed. You can certainly work this pattern with much smaller and lighter yarn!
This blanket is 37 inches wide x 48 inches long. If you were to do it using 1 strand of Blue Sky Worsted Cotton and 1 strand of Cotton Pure, you may be able to get a similar look on much smaller yarn. You would probably need 7 skeins of the Blue Sky and 5 skeins of Cotton Pure. Keep in mind that that this is just an estimate and you may need more or less depending on your gauge. I would also recommend knitting a gauge swatch in pattern and calculating your gauge. Once you know how many stitches per inch you are getting, you can calculate your cast on number by multiplying the stitches per inch by 37 inches and casting on the nearest multiple of 2 stitches plus 1 stitch. For instance if you are getting 4 stitches per inch, 4 x 37 = 148; 148 + 1 = 149 stitch cast on.
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Love this pattern. Do u attach the I- cord when knitting it!
Never made that before.
Thx.
Hello Carol,
Thank you for reaching out! You actually attache the I-cord after knitting the blanket. For more information on how to do this check out our tutorial on the Attached I-Cord. I hope this helps and Happy knitting!
-Marilla
This blanket is lovely! Quick question… instructions say:
With one strand of Yarn A and one strand of Yarn B, cast 45 stitches onto the circular needles.
Row 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Repeat Row 1 until you have used nearly all 8 skeins of Yarn A, leaving enough yarn for the bind off row.
I know that I’m casting on using both Yarn A and Yarn B. But when I knit the rows, am I still using both Yarn A and Yarn B or just Yarn A? I’m confused by “Repeat Row 1 until you have used nearly all 8 skeins of Yarn A, leaving enough yarn for the bind off row.” If I’ve used all 8 skeins of Yarn A, wouldn’t I have also used all 8 skeins of Yarn B?
Hello Nora,
Thank you for reaching out! You will be knitting with both yarn A and B throughout the blanket. The reason you will be using 8 skeins of yarn A and not Yarn B, is that Gentle Giant (Yarn A) Is a Thicker yarn with much less yardage than Super Soft (yarn B), so you will run out of Yarn A before you run out of Yarn B. On top of this you will need the rest of your yarn B to make your I-Cord edge.
I hope this clears things up for you.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Lovely blanket! Do you have to do the I-cord with yarn over or can you do the other one?
Hello Corinna,
Thank you for reaching out! You could certainly do a different Attached I-cord technique if you wish, though we used the technique using a yarn over in our blanket so it is possible it will not come out exactly like our sample.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi,
Is the gentle giant honey amber and the super soft merino in tumeric yellow the same color or would there be some contrast. Also if I skipped the I-cord and made a slipped stitch edge would that work or would that spoil the construction, and/ or make the blanket less durable or shed more ?
Thanks for your help !
Hi Alice,
Thanks for writing in! The Honey Amber and Turmeric Yellow colors are quite similar – although Turmeric Yellow is a bit darker, I think the two colors might blend together so you will lose the contrast in the blanket. I would suggest pairing Gentle Giant in either Wolf Brown or Clay Pot with Super Soft Merino in Turmeric Yellow for a warm toned marled effect! You certainly can skip the I-Cord edging if you prefer, it is purely decorative.
I hope that helps!
=Julianna
Can you modify this for a baby blanket size please?
Hi Karen,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, absolutely! For a baby blanket measuring approximately 29 inches by 38 inches, you will cast on 35 stitches and knit the seed stitch body until it measures 38 inches. You can follow the rest of the pattern as written without any changes, and you will need 5 skeins of Gentle Giant and 4 skeins of Super Soft Merino.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I am enjoying knitting this throw, but I’m wondering how best to weave in bulky end pieces( especially Gentle Giant) so they are not noticeable. Should I split the bulky strands? Also, do I use a needle or crochet hook to weave in ends?
Thanks.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! Since these are two very bulky yarns I would definitely suggest using Wet Splice! That would be a great option to take care of the ends! Otherwise you would need a needle or crochet hook, and I would suggest checking out our Weaving in Your Ends tutorial!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
I am using two Aran weight yarns for a baby blanket. What would you recommend as the number of stitches to cast on?
Thank you ~ Amy
Hi Amy,
Thanks for reaching out! I would suggest starting off by working a gauge swatch with the two yarns held double, from there you can calculate your stitches per inch to determine your cast on amount! I would also suggest checking out our wonderful tutorial All About Gauge, it is an excellent resource to use!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
I’ve been wanting to try this for years and finally ordered yarn with 25% holiday promotion. I have a question about the I-cord. It says to use 2 strands of yarn B; will they be from 2 remaining skeins or should one skein be balled so the yarn can be pulled from both ends?
Hi Jen,
Thanks for reaching out. Both options are great ways to use 2 strands of Color B at once! Either one will work perfectly.
All the best,
Lili