Optic Blanket
Knitting a large blanket can be like climbing a mountain: some preparation, a lot of hard work, and at the very end, a tremendous sense of pride, accomplishment, and beauty!
Our Optic Blanket makes the climb as rewarding as the summit. You cleverly work each square in the round from the periphery inward, decreasing with simple central double decreases. And to begin each square, you pick up stitches along adjacent squares, saving you from the dreaded task of sewing everything together at the end!
We used Purl Soho’s incredibly soft and weighty Flax Down to knit our blanket, especially excited that it’s now available in six new colors! For high contrast drama, we chose rich Kettle Black paired with classic Heirloom White, but the results are equally stunning in all of the colors. We’ve included swatches of each below to help you choose!
Our Optic Blanket may be more ambitious hike than quick jaunt, but it promises a truly fulfilling journey and a spectacular destination! -Kristy
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Kristina McGowan. Click here to see even more of Kristina’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoOpticBlanket, and #PurlSohoFlaxDown. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Yarn A: 9 skeins of Purl Soho’s Flax Down, 43% baby alpaca, 42% extra fine merino, 15% linen. Each skein is 219 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1,971 yards required. We used Kettle Black. (NOTE: We no longer offer Flax Down, but choose from one of our other light worsted/dk weight yarns.)
- Yarn B: 7 skeins of Purl Soho’s Flax Down; approximately 1,533 yards required. We used Heirloom White.
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 16-inch circular needles
- A set of US 7 double pointed needles
- 4 removable stitch markers, including one unique
Kettle Black
Kiln Red
Lavender Opal
Stonewall Gray
Rose Granite
Stillwater Blue
Gauge
20 stitches = 4 inches in garter stitch
Size
Finished dimensions: Approximately 48 inches wide x 56 inches long
Notes
For this blanket you work each square in the round, decreasing from the perimeter to the center. To attach the squares, you pick up stitches from an adjacent square (or two!) and work from there. Don’t worry, it’s easy and we explain everything!
S2kp (slip 2, knit 1, psso): Slip 2 stitches together knit wise wyib, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over knit stitch and off right needle. [2 stitches decreased]
To learn how to change colors for this blanket, check out our Stripes in the Round Tutorial.
Pattern
Square 1
With Yarn A, cast 164 stitches onto the circular needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches. Note: Do not place a marker when you join.
Round 1: With Yarn A, [k40, slip 1 purlwise, place removable stitch marker on slipped stitch (not on needle)] four times. Use the different color marker for the last marker you place. It indicates the end of the round.
Round 2: With Yarn B, [knit to next marked stitch, slip marked stitch purlwise wyib] four times.
Round 3: With Yarn B, [purl to next marked stitch, slip marked stitch purlwise wyib] four times.
Round 4: With Yarn A, [knit to one stitch before next marked stitch, remove stitch marker, s2kp (see Notes, above), place stitch marker on s2kp stitch] four times. [8 stitches decreased]
Round 5: With Yarn A, [purl to one stitch before next marked stitch, remove stitch marker, s2kp, place stitch marker on s2kp stitch] four times. [8 stitches decreased]
Repeat Rounds 2 – 5 eight more times, changing to double pointed needles when necessary. [20 stitches]
Work Rounds 2 – 4 one time. [12 stitches]
Final Round: With Yarn A, s2kp four times, removing stitch markers as you work. [4 stitches]
Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail, and with a tapestry needle, thread the yarn through the remaining 4 stitches. Weave in the tail on the wrong side.
Square 1 is done!
Square 2
With Yarn A, cast 123 stitches onto the circular needles. Then with the right side of both the cast on and Square 1 facing you, use the left end of the needle to pick up 41 stitches purlwise along an edge of Square 1. [164 stitches] Note: For some tips on picking up, please visit our Picking Up Stitches Tutorial.
Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Starting with Round 1, repeat Square 1 instructions to complete Square 2.
Squares 3-7
BLANKET DIAGRAM
Working to create a line of seven squares, continue by casting on 123 stitches and picking up 41 stitches along the top edge of each previous square (always use Yarn A for this). Make each square as instructed for Square 1. Work until you have completed all 7 squares.
Squares 8-14
For Square 8, continue as above, but pick up the 41 stitches along the left edge of Square 7, instead of at its top.
Orient the completed squares so that they are face up and Squares 1-7 are on the left.
For Square 9, cast 82 stitches onto the circular needles. Then, keeping the right side of the cast on facing you and using the left end of the needles, pick up 41 stitches purlwise along the top of Square 8, and then 41 stitches purlwise along the right side of Square 6. [164 stitches]
Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Starting with Round 1, repeat Square 1 instructions to complete Square 9.
Work Squares 10-14 as you did Square 9, casting on 82 stitches and then picking up 41 stitches from the top and right sides of each previous square.
Squares 15 and 16
Now orient the completed squares so that they face up and Squares 1-7 are again on the right. Cast on 123 stitches, pick up 41 stitches from the left side of Square 14, and make Square 15, as described above.
To attach Square 16, cast on 82 stitches, pick up 41 stitches purlwise from the left side of Square 13 and 41 stitches purlwise from the top of Square 15. Make the square as previously described.
Continue
Using this same logic and referring to the Blanket Diagram, continue to attach and work the remaining squares.
Finish
With a tapestry needle and Color A, sew closed any gaps that may remain at the squares’ intersections.
Weave in ends and block as desired.
The blanket is just gorgeous! I might try a pillow with four or six squares first to see if I’m up for the challenge.
Carol b
i love the visual effects of this pattern … if i dont actually make the blanket, i will use the square motif for a stole or scarf … thankyou so much for all the free patterns!
I love this design. Unfortunately, I can’t use wool. Can you recommend a cotton?
Thank you!
Hi Angelika,
Thanks for writing! Blue Sky Alpaca’s Worsted Cotton (https://www.purlsoho.com/yarn/knitting-crochet/worsted-cotton.html) would be a great cotton to use for the blanket and you should be able to match the gauge of the pattern or come very close! Good luck and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
Hi, I have the mirasol Hap’i yarn.. would that be a good substitute too?
Hi Evelyn,
That substitution should definitely work! The recommended needle size for that yarn is slightly larger than what we used for our sample (we used a size 7 with our Flax Down and the Mirasol suggests a size 8) so you may have to work up a swatch or square and just check your gauge to determine the blanket’s final size, but overall the yarn should be a good fit for this project! Thanks for writing in and for your interest in the pattern!
Kristy
Superbe couverture ! Effet graphique très réussi. J’aime.
Merci pour ce tuto gratuit !
Holy moly, this is gorgeous!
I’ll HAVE to stitch up both a blanket and a scarf.
Blocks measure out to 8″ square, correct?
Hi Liz!
Thanks for writing in! And yes, that’s absolutely right, each square measures 8 inches x 8 inches!
Best,
Kristy
Stunning. I especially like that it is knit in 1 piece and the squares attached as the blanket is worked.
Second comment, sorry, could you also add a little note that says,: in the row with color B when you have to slip a stitch purlwise, you have to bring the yarn to the back, slip the stitch purlwise and then bring the yarn back to the front to purl again the next 40 stitches?
Hi Marthe,
We’ve added a note that the working yarn should be held in back when slipping stitches in Rounds 2 & 3! Thanks for taking the time to write in!
Kristy
Thanks for the details. In the same vein, in round 5 while purling, when we get to s2kp, I’m assuming we should bring the yarn to the back before slipping the stitches? I tried with wyif, s2, wyib, k then psso, but the end result does not look too good. Sorry in advance if this is a obvious thing, but I’d rather make sure. Thank you, and thank you for the awesome pattern! This might be the one to get me going on my first afghan (I’m doing a test run right now, not too concerned with mistakes :).
Hi Pascale,
Yes! Your working yarn should be held in back when slipping stitches for the s2kp. That’s exciting than this might be your first afghan! Please know that we’re always here to answer any questions you may have along the way! Thanks for writing in with this one!
Kristy
Wow, so pretty! I have 9 skeins of Worsted Twist that I was going to make a sweater with, but this would be even better. If I bought Flax Down as the Color B, would that play nicely together? From their stats it looks like they are similar in weight.
Hi Simone,
Combining the Worsted Twist with Flax Down would definitely work and sounds really beautiful! Best of luck and thanks for writing in!
Kristy
This is absolutely gorgeous! Just curious- would the Purl Worsted Twist yarn work if I wanted to substitute or is the blue sky alpaca yarn mentioned in an earlier comment a better substitute?
Hi Meghan,
Our Worsted Twist would also work beautifully, and the color combinations are endless! Thanks so much for writing in!
Kristy
I love it. Could it be made smaller say baby sized by knitting less squares? What squares would I leave out?
Hi Eileen and Starknitter,
The blanket would be easy to make smaller! Each square is 8 inches x 8 inches and so the length and width of your blanket would simply need to be a multiple of 8. You could try making the blanket 32″ x 32″, which would make a nice baby size, and adjust the pattern’s chart to make squares 1-4 only (instead of 1-7). You would connect Square 5 as we do Square 8, and Square 6 as we do Square 9, etc. for a total of 4 rows up and 4 rows across (16 squares altogether instead of 42). Please let us know if this makes sense or if you have any questions along the way! Thanks for writing!
Kristy
Approximately how much yardage would you recommend for the above mentioned baby size?
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for writing in! The above mentioned baby size (16 squares) is roughly 40% the size of our finished blanket. For Color A you would need 4 skeins or approximately 775 yards and for color B you would need 3 skeins or approximately 625 yards. You will get more yardage than recommended using the 4 and 3 skeins but I always like to have 10% more yarn to account for personal gauge!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I would like to make a smaller edition of this for a baby blanket. What do you suggest for size?
Do you join the stitches in the round?
Hi Suzanne,
Yes, the squares are made by joining stitches to work on the round. You’ll cast on stitches and work from the periphery inward. I hope this helps clarify! Please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
Wonderful! Thank you.
Beautiful pattern, I really want to make this but am concerned about the weight of a big project. Will it work if I make the squares and sew them up at the end.
Ps I don’t mind seeing and the small squares could make a good travel to work project.
Hi Crissie,
It would absolutely work to make individual squares and sew them together at the end (instead of joining the squares as you go). You would simply repeat the instructions for Square 1. Thanks for writing and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
This pattern is GORGEOUS. I’m curious to know about changing colors every other row. Is there lots of weaving in threads after its done or do the color changes magically get carried along with the knitting?
Hi Lynda,
Thanks for writing. Please see our Stripes in the Round Tutorial for how to knit stripes. There are no ends because you are carrying the yarn up.
Best,
Adam
Amazing project! Any suggestions for a superwash alternative?
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for writing in! The best superwash alternative would be Anzula – For Better or Worsted in colors “black” and “au natural”. This yarn is so soft and is 100% machine washable.
Best,
Adam
Hi. What skill level would this be suitable for? I have very basic knitting skills and haven’t knitted for a long time, but would love to try something like this!
Hi Hayley,
Thanks for writing. This is considered an advanced beginner project. You need to know how to pick up stitches and do s2kp. These techniques are pretty easy to learn and you will end up doing them so many times that you’ll never forget how to do them. Good luck!
Best,
Adam
Do you recommend cutting the colours after each round or is it possible to carry them along and avoid so many darn-ins?
Hi Gillian,
Thanks for your question. You will be carrying the yarn up when changing colors, so there shouldn’t be a tail for every stripe. Good luck and happy knitting!
Best,
Adam
Is there anyway for you to send a written copy of this pattern to my physical address
I find no way to download it to save
Hi Roberta,
Thanks for writing us. 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.
Best,
Adam
Beautiful. …again gorgeous subtle assemblage of shades….but could you precise the length required for the circular needles ? I am new to those and not sure which to use. Thank you .
Hi Claudie,
Thanks for contacting us. You will need a US 7, 16″ circular needle for this project. Good luck and happy knitting!
Best,
Adam
Hello! I am also new to knitting in the round, but have a US size 7 20″ circular needle—do you think it is going to cause me too many issues with this pattern? Should I get a 16″ instead? Thank you kindly for your help—and as others have said, thank you for sharing such a gorgeous pattern!
Hi Shelly,
A 20″ circular needle will work well! You will just need to switch to double pointed needles as you decrease down to the point when your stitches get too tight to use the circular. But yes! There is no need for you to go out and get a 16″ needle if you already have a 20″ to use! I hope this helps clarify! Please let us know if you have any other questions along the way! Thanks for writing!
Kristy
I´m in love with this blanket!
How to I get a paper copy of this pattern?
I do not have a printer.
I would gladly pay for a paper copy.
Hi Nat,
Thanks for writing us. We don’t provide paper copies of free patterns but if you do have access to a printer, I would have somebody print it for you. I also suggest making a pdf of the pattern and saving it on your phone. I hope this helps.
Best,
Adam
This is gorgeous! I am a little concerned about sewing up the gaps at the end of the project. Can this be done with a single, continuous length of yarn that is carried throughout the blanket to sew up all the gaps, or would you have to cut a new piece of yarn (and weave in all the associated ends) for each gap? I love to knit but HATE weaving in ends! Thanks so much for providing yet another amazing and beautiful free pattern.
Hi Dianne,
Most of the gaps that may remain at the squares’ intersections can be sewn together by using the ends that already exist after you create each of the squares. We definitely tried to keep the ends at a minimum! I hope this helps clarify and welcome any further questions you may have. Thanks for writing in!
Kristy
Does anyone know how to print this with less pages then 19?
Hi Annette,
If you click on “Print” you should see an option at the top of the page to “Remove Images,” and if you select this option, you’ll be able to print the pattern in 4 pages. I hope this helps! Thanks for writing!
Kristy
The Kettle black flax down is out of stock – are you getting more of it?
Hi Rossana!
We do have plenty of the Kettle Black Flax Down in stock and the yarn should be available now for you to order online! Thank you for writing in to let us know!
Kristy
I have been thinking about this blanket since it was posted on IG this morning!! Can I substitute the yarn in the mosaic blanket for the yarn used in this pattern? I LOVE the super pink and white together!! Thank you for ALLLLL of your awesomeness!! ❤️
Hi Sarah,
That would be a beautiful combination and the pattern should also work very well with the substitution! I’m not sure what the pattern’s gauge would be with the alternate yarns, but you should be able to get quite close! Thanks so much for writing!
Kristy
So beautiful!! Thank you so much Purl Bee for sharing free, inspiring patterns!
I am having a stitch count issue. Do the number of stitches between each corner stitch stay the same for each section (corner, 20 st, corner 20 st, corner, 20 st. Corner 20 st)?
I figured it out. Each section does have the same number of stitches. On the decrease rounds the first section will have one extra stitch until the last section is completed using the extra stitch. I made a mistake part through my first square and tried to take it back but could not. Ripped it and started again, now all is well.
Hello
I´ll make a baby blanket with this pattern, and i would like to know which would be the number of stitches if i´ll do a smaller square, let´s say 6” ?
Thank you for your inspiring patterns
Isabel
Hi Isabel,
With a gauge os 20 stitches = 4 inches in garter stitch, if you wanted to try making the squares 6″ instead of 8″, you could cast on 124 stitches instead of 164, and for Round 1, k30 instead of k40. For Square 2, you would then cast on 93 stitches (instead of 123) and 31 stitches purlwise along an edge of Square 1, for a total of 124 stitches. For Square 9, you’d pick up 62 stitches (instead of 82), and 31 stitches purlwise along the top of Square 8, and 31 stitches purlwise along the right side of Square 6. I hope this helps! Let us know if you have questions along the way! Good luck and thanks for writing in,
Kristy
Thank you for your answer! Good luck for all your projects
I am the worst at joining in the round after casting on stitches (especially this many) – I always end up with a twist and having to start over. To keep this from happening I just knit the first few rows back and forth and join them when I can be a little surer of not having any twists. Would there be any modifications in the first few rows for the first square if I were to knit it this way?
Thanks!
Katie
Hi Katie,
Because of the slipped stitches used in the pattern and the way the decreases are worked (S2kp), working the first few rows back and forth instead of in rounds becomes difficult, especially with the last stitches in each round, and you really will need to have joined the stitches to work in the round in order for the pattern to work. Although avoiding twists can definitely be tricky, I found this clip that I hope might help you (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuMHgB_SoUQ). Thanks for writing in,
Kristy
how many skeins of each color for the baby blanket or crib size
Hi Lynn,
For a 32″ x 32″ blanket, you will need about 7 skeins of Kettle Black and 6 skeins of Heirloom White. I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions!
Thanks for writing,
Kristy
I have a question regarding the decrease rounds, namely on the round5(A):at the end of the round we´ll have slip2 (the last stitches on the round) and the next st that we purl and then p2sso will be the first on the next round, won´t it? If we do it that way, then the colour at corner will be white(B) insted of blue (A).
Because the yarn i´m using is bulkier than yours, the squares are still to big. Is it possible to downsize , let´s say one inch?
Sorry to bother you again, and many thanks
Hi Isabel,
For the last s2kp in Round 5 you will not switch colors before the round is completed (you will work the entire round in Yarn A, Kettle Black). Although you will work the first stitch in the next round in order to complete the last s2kp in Round 5, the yarn you use will remain the same (Kettle Black). Please let us know if this helps clarify!
For sizing, what is the gauge of the yarn you are currently using? Once we know that we can try to help you figure out how to make the squares smaller!
Thanks for writing!
Kristy
Your answer is quite useful and i now understand where i went wrong. i´m using the #stitches in your answer may 12th (begin with 124st), and the yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran :
Gauge: 18.0 sts = 4 inches
Needle size: US 8 – 5mm
Thank you Kristy
Hi Isabel!
To decrease your squares by about an inch, you could try casting on 108 stitches and knitting 26 stitches (instead of 40) for Round 1 and proceeding according to the pattern from there. Good luck and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
Gorgeous pattern. Just wondering what cast on you recommend using? Thanks
Hi Jody,
A long-tail cast on should work well! (https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2006/09/29/long-tail-cast-on/) Thanks for writing in!
Kristy
Would a knitted cast on also work? Thx.
Jody
Hi Jody,
Yes, a knitted cast on would also work! Thanks for writing!
Kristy
I just started this pattern and am wondering if, when I get to the point of switching to double-pointed needles, will it make much difference if my dpn’s are size 6.5 rather than size 7? I’m hoping not to have to run out and buy a set of size 7 dpns! Thank you for the stunning pattern, I am so excited to see how it turns out!
Hi Romy,
Using size 6.5 dpns instead of 7 shouldn’t make much of a difference and especially if you’re using the same needles to work all of your squares and are keeping things consistent that way, you should be just fine! Good luck and thanks for writing in!
Kristy
I think the final round might be missing a “slip 1 purlwise” right before “s2kp four times.” If I don’t slip 1 first, the “X” that is created by the final round doesn’t match up with the larger “X” of the square. I screwed it up with the first square but was able to fix it for my second.
Hi Emily!
At the start of your final round, you should have 12 stitches, so that when you s2kp four times (which will decrease your stitch count by 8) you will then have four stitches left at the end of the round. If you started the round with more stitches, it could be throwing things off. You should not need to slip any additional stitches. I hope this helps clarify! Please let us know if you have any further questions, and thanks for taking the time to write in!
Kristy
The last round 4 ends with the s2kp, which leaves two stitches before the marked stitch, so you must do something with that first stitch to have the final round line up correctly. Emily is slipping that stitch, is that the best option?
Hi Sally,
For Round 4, with Yarn A, you will knit to one stitch before next marked stitch, not two. In order to work the following s2kp, you will need to remove the stitch marker. So you’ll knit to one stitch before the next marked stitch, remove the stitch marker, s2kp, and then place the stitch marker back on the s2kp stitch. I hope this helps clarify! Please let us know if you have any further questions and thanks for writing in with this one!
Kristy
Hi, I’m having the exact same issue as Emily. I had 12 stitches at the final row but the marked stitch was the third stitch from the beginning of the round. So doing the s2kp from the very beginning of the round is still resulting in the 4 remaining stitches but it is off from the X created from all the previous rows. The center now looks more circular than the previous rows.
The last round 4 ends on the s2kp as you indicate below but that leaves 2 stitches before the next marked stitch. So it seems like we should be doing something with that first stitch.
Hopefully this is making sense. I’m going to start on my second square but hoping to figure out the issue before I get to my next center
Thank you!
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in and I’m sorry that this part of the pattern is giving you trouble! I think that somewhere in the pattern you might have offset by one stitch. I’d slip the stitch at the beginning of the round for now and see if you run into the same problem on the second square. If you do, please let me know. At the beginning of your second square, make sure to double count the stitches between your markers to make sure you are all aligned. Best of luck and happy knitting!
-Adam
First of all, THANK YOU for all of the gorgeous patterns! I had been looking for a blanket pattern for my son’s 40th birthday, and this is perfect! I’d like to make it in stockinette stitch (all knit in the round) instead of garter stitch. What adjustments would I need to make?
Thank you!
Debra
Hi Debra,
Thanks for writing! To make the blanket in stockinette stitch instead of garter, you will simply follow the pattern as currently written except you will knit every round. That means for Rounds 3 and 5 you will knit the stitches instead of purling them. I hope this helps and please let us know if you have any further questions along the way!
Kristy
Dying to knit this in Blue Sky cotton. How many skeins will I need — same number? Same needle size? Can’t wait!
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for writing! In using the Blue Sky Cotton, you should be able to use the same needle size (7). The yardage for the Cotton is 150 yards per skein, while the Flax Down is slightly higher, 219 yards, so you’ll need a bit more yarn. Our sample took 3444 yards total to make (1911 yards of Color A and 1533 yards of Color B), so an estimate of the Cotton you will need would be 13 skeins of Color A and 10 skeins of Color B. I hope this helps! Best of luck with the blanket!
Kristy
One more question- could the squares be knit on two circulars, like socks. I don’t find knitting with 16″ circulars to be that comfortable so I’m looking for an alternative. Thanks.
Jody
Hi Jody,
Yes! Knitting with two longer circulars (instead of 16″ needles or a set of double pointed needles) would also work for this project, and would be a useful alternative if you don’t like using 16″ needles. Please let us know if you have any further questions! Thanks for writing in!
Kristy
Dear purl Bee, thuis blanket is really georgious!! I tried one first square but found it a fuss to knit from outside to the inside. Is it possible to make the same squares but knitting from the inside to the outside, so not decreasing but increasing stitches? Thanks a lot in advance!
Hi Bernadette,
Although we chose to create the squares for this blanket by casting on and working from the outside inward, it wouldn’t be difficult to reverse the process and work from the center outward, increasing instead of decreasing just as you suggest. In her book, “Learn To Knit Afghan Book” (http://www.schoolhousepress.com/books/schoolhouse-press-titles/learn-to-knit-afghan-book.html) Barbara Walker includes instructions for this very square, (which she calls “Increasing Seamless Square”) and the book might be a great resource for you to explore. The decreases we used allowed us to create 4 solid lines of black, and I’m not sure what increases one might choose to achieve a similar look, but hopefully the book will be useful and help guide you in the right direction! Best of luck and thanks for writing in!
Kristy
Thank you so much for your advise, Kristy! I’m going to check out this book you recommended!
Sorry for my late reply, I just discovered your answer (am new at PurlBee!).
Hello!
This is sucj a gorgeous pattern. Is it possible to provide a similar pattern for crochet?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Cassandra!
Thanks for writing and for letting us know that you’d like to see a crocheted version of this pattern! We will be sure to keep your suggestion in mind and appreciate your interest!
Kristy
I’m with Cassandra! A pattern in crochet would be terrific! I can knit with circular needles, but when it comes to DP’s, I’m lost!
Thanks so much
This looks fun. I think it would be attractive with a variety of colors. Keeping the pale yarn the same throughout, but using 5 or 6 different colors for the contrast. I suppose there could be a plan (diagonal stripes?), but random placement of the blocks would be interesting.
Hello,
If I wanted a larger blanket, could I keep going in the same fashion, adding a few more rows of squares?
Thanks.
Hi Caroline,
That’s absolutely right! The easiest way to make the blanket larger is to add additional squares, keeping in mind that each square adds 8″. I hope that this helps! Good luck and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
I may have done myself in. As each woman in my family marries, I make an afghan for them, their choice of color and stitch. My artist daughter LOVES the Optic Blanket and I would love to make it for her, but it seems so very daunting. Tell me I can do it!
Hi Jane,
What a beautiful tradition, and how lucky each woman in your family is to receive such a thoughtful gift! Although the Optic Blanket may seem daunting in scope (it’s one of those projects that looks far more complicated to make than it actually is!), I’m hopeful that once you complete your first square, you’ll realize that it’s far easier to work up than you might think. The first square should help you learn the construction and then it should be smooth sailing from there. Adding the squares on as you go also allows you leeway on the blanket’s final size. We made our sample 48 x 56, but you could easily make it smaller (any measurement divisible by 8, 40 x 48, etc. if that seems more manageable) We’d love to hear how it goes and wish you the best of luck! Thanks for writing!
Kristy
I’ve just started to knit this blanket for my son to take off to college with him in a bit over a year…leaving myself plenty of time! I have just finished the first square and am getting ready to start the second. The only way I can get it to look like the picture is to ‘pick up and knit’ rather than just ‘pick up’ sts on the first square. Is this correct? Otherwise the working yarn ends up in the wrong place. Thanks for your help.
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for writing! “Picking up stitches” (specifically as we do here for the Optic Blanket) is the same thing as “picking up and knitting” them. You’ll insert your needle into the stitch where you want to pick up, pull a loop through of your working yarn, and place it on your right needle. A useful tutorial for these steps can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2016/05/09/picking-up-stitches/. In rare instances a pattern might call for picking up stitches without using your working yarn, but that’s not case here. In this case, both terms indicate the same action. It’s a great question and I hope that this helps clarify! Please let us know if you have any further questions!
Best,
Kristy
Did you guys update the pattern? It seems a little different than when I started.
Hi Edie,
No, the pattern hasn’t been updated or changed. Please let us know if you have any questions or need help with anything!
Kristy
What size yarn do I use? I tried using a US 9/5.5 mm sized yarn but my blanket doesn’t look the same as the picture. My blanket doesn’t really show the thicker black lines that you can see that separates each of the blocks. I’ve done the pattern correctly and it looks the same expect for that part where you connect it. I have also connected it correctly. I’m thinking maybe it’s the yarn but I’m not sure.
Hi Renee,
Thanks for contacting us! I’m glad you are tackling this pattern. I have a feeling that it might be your yarn, but also read over the pattern again and triple check that you are picking up the stitches in the same way. Maybe there is a difference in techniques? Let me know if you have any other questions.
Best of luck,
Adam
Yeah I haven’t been picking the stitches the same way. I’m going to try to restart that and if that doesn’t seem to work then I will just go get new yarn. Thank you so much and I love your patterns
Hi
I just remembered I knitted a scarf patterned by Purl Soho using the same yarn and it’s kind of fuzzy and the yarn stick to my clothes. Is this expected it? I lived in tropical country and I guess a cotton blanket will be sufficient but my husband loves this yarn.
Thanks
YS
Hi YS! The Flax Down is a beautiful blend of fibers and in the right conditions that blend can create a halo. The humidity of your climate might “enhance” that halo. Trying this blanket in cotton might be the perfect solution! Thanks for writing in!
Keith
I’m struggling a little with the dpns. Is there any reason why I couldn’t use the “magic circle” strategy? And I’m also guessing that since I knit a little bit on the loose side dropping to a size 6 wouldn’t be the end of the world…correct?
Thanks!
Hi Robin!
Great questions! If you are a loose knitter, you can certainly go down a needle size. Just be sure to do a gauge swatch if you want the blanket to be the precise measurements. However, if you are not worried about getting the exact measurements, go right ahead without!
You could also definitely use the magic loop technique in place of DPNs. Several of our customers have done exactly that!
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Thank you!