The play between light and dark (not to be confused with good and evil, which is a discussion for elsewhere!) has perplexed and inspired artists forever. Here, with yarn and needles, we humbly attempt to tackle this relationship, between the brightness and the shadow.
In our Shadow Study Throw, we’ve combined colors, as well as fibers. For the brighter outer areas, we used our Worsted Twist merino. Its smooth spin catches the light and reflects a warm glow. For the center squares, we used our Alpaca Pure. These rich, saturated colors absorb the light and act perfect “shadows” to the luminous Worsted Twist.
Newly expanded palettes of Worsted Twist and Alpaca Pure make all this color play possible. Our Shadow Study Throw Bundles are available in two color stories, but now that these yarns have solids, heathers and helix options, lots of in-depth studies are possible!
In garter stitch, the intarsia technique we used here couldn’t be simpler to learn or to master, so go on… step into the shadows! –Laura
P.S. And for a similar but smaller-scale color exploration, check out our Color Study Blanket, now available in three new palettes: Peppercorn, Moor, and Rooibos!
Materials
- Purl Soho’s Shadow Study Throw Bundle. Our Shadow Study Throw Bundle comes in two palettes. Here, we used the warm and earthy Sea Heather. Oyster Shell is a cooler take on the concept and is equally beautiful! Each one includes…
- 10 skeins of Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist, 100% merino wool
- 4 skeins of Purl Soho’s Alpaca Pure, 100% alpaca
- US 8, 32 or 40-inch circular needles
Sea Heather
- Color A: 1 skein of Worsted Twist in Ballet Pink
- Color B: 2 skeins of Worsted Twist in Honey Pink
- Color C: 1 skein of Alpaca Pure in Rose Granite
- Color D: 1 skein of Alpaca Pure in Copper Penny
- Color E: 3 skeins of Worsted Twist in Wheat Flour
- Color F: 1 skein of Alpaca Pure in Tabby Gray
- Color G: 1 skein of Alpaca Pure in Peach Stone
- Color H: 4 skeins of Worsted Twist in Lavender Moon
Oyster Shell
- Color A: 1 skein of Worsted Twist in Sea Salt
- Color B: 2 skeins of Worsted Twist in Oatmeal Gray
- Color C: 1 skein of Alpaca Pure in Tabby Gray
- Color D: 1 skein of Alpaca Pure in Salt + Pepper
- Color E: 3 skeins of Worsted Twist in Heirloom White
- Color F: 1 skein of Alpaca Pure in Oyster Gray
- Color G: 1 skein of Alpaca Pure in Trout Brown
- Color H: 4 skeins of Worsted Twist in Storm Gray
Gauge
18 stitches and 36 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch
Size
Finished Dimensions: 40 inches wide x 50 inches long
Notes
In this pattern, you will change colors using a technique called “intarsia.” Each row involves either two or four balls of yarn, which is much easier than it may sound! For some tips on this technique, please visit our Intarsia in Garter Stitch Tutorial.
Pattern
Begin with Two Colors
With Color B, cast on 108 stitches. Put Color B down (without cutting it). With Color A, cast 72 stitches onto the same needle. [180 total stitches] (At this point, the two colors are not attached to each other, but as you work the intarsia, they will be!)
NOTE: When you switch colors in the following rows, be sure to use the intarsia techniques described in our Intarsia in Garter Stitch Tutorial.
Row 1 (right side): With Color A, k72; with Color B, knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 knitwise; with Color B, k107; with Color A, knit to end of row.
Row 3: Slip 1 knitwise; with Color A, k71; with Color B, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until piece measures 6 inches from cast-on edge, ending after working a wrong-side row (Row 2).
Cut Color B.
Continue with Four Colors
Row 1 (right side): Slip 1 knitwise; with Color A, k27; join Color C and k44; join Color D and k44; join Color B and knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 knitwise; with Color B, k63; with Color D, k44; with Color C, k44; with Color A, knit to end of row.
Row 3: Slip 1 knitwise; with Color A, k27; with Color C, k44; with Color D, k44; with Color B, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until piece measures 16 inches from cast-on edge, ending after working a wrong-side row (Row 2).
Cut Colors A, B, C and D.
Continue with Four Different Colors
Row 1 (right side): Join Color E, k28; join Color F and k44; join Color G and k44; join Color H and knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 knitwise; with Color H, k63; with Color G, k44; with Color F, k44; with Color E, knit to end of row.
Row 3: Slip 1 knitwise; with Color E, k27; with Color F, k44; with Color G, k44; with Color H, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until piece measures 26 inches from cast-on edge, ending after working a wrong-side row (Row 2).
Cut Colors F, G and H.
Continue with Two Colors
Row 1 (right side): Slip 1 knitwise; with Color E, k71; join Color H and knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 knitwise; with Color H, k107; with Color E, knit to end of row.
Row 3: Slip 1 knitwise; with Color E, k71; with Color H, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until piece measures 50 inches from cast-on edge, ending after working a right-side row (Row 3).
Bind Off (wrong side): With Color H, loosely bind off 108 stitches knitwise (one Color H stitch will remain on the left needle), cut Color H; with Color E, bind off remaining stitches knitwise, cut Color E and pull through remaining stitch.
Finish
Weave in the ends and block as desired.
PRINT
Hi Purl Soho Team,
I have a question. I am looking for a green-olive-gray color. Is your tabby gray in this direction or ist more gray-brown. Thanks a lot for your help!
Best,
viviane
Hi Viviane!
Our Tabby Gray is more gray/grown than green olive. Hope this helps!
-Adam
Sorry to bug you guys. I know you are busy. I have only been knitting a little over a year. Love it. I have made scarfs socks rags and enjoy it. This pattern I understand it but I have never changed colors. It is a big blanket. Should I start with something littler? I am still working on confidence. Can I go to u tube and learn color changing? Thanks for your help. I love this blanket, want to order it, just need some advice first. Thank you for your time.
Pam Kramer
Hi Pamela,
Never fear! We have a tutorial for intarsia! You can also find helpful videos on Youtube. Once you get the hang of intarsia it’s very easy. It just looks complicated. Best of luck!
-Adam
This throw is absolutely peaceful!
I would like to order the color study blanket in the sea heather. Would you wind the yarns for me. I have ordered a lot from you on the past
Hi Carol,
Thanks for writing in to us! You will have to build your own Color Study blanket by buying the individual colors on our website or by calling our store. We did not offer this colorway in the Color Study blanket because the new colors were not out when the pattern was published. We’d be glad to wind the yarns for you — just put it in the notes online or tell the associate at the store. Thanks again!
-Adam
I plan to use only 2 colors of the worsted and 2 colors of the alpaca. How many total skeins of each color?
Thanks!
Hi Janie,
Thanks for writing in! If you are only going to use 2 colors of each yarn type, you will need 5 of each color of Worsted Twist (10 skeins total) and 2 of each color of Alpaca Pure (4 skeins total).
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I would love to make this blanket and like most of the colors in the Sea Heather kit except for B (Honey Pink) and D (Copper Penny). I’m wondering whether you can suggest substitutions?
Thank you.
I’m finishing up the cashmere ombre shawl and would love to get to work on this throw if you have any color substitution ideas.
Hi Diana,
Thanks for writing in. I suggest Stillwater Blue in substitution for Copper Penny and Faded Blue in substitution for Honey Pink. Hope you like the recommendation!
-Adam
Thank you for this suggestion, Adam. I do like the blue but can’t find Stillwater Blue as an option in Alpaca Pure. Would you suggest using a different yarn? Do you think Steel Blue would be too light?
Hi Diana,
I’d go with the Stillwater Blue in Worsted Twist and the Faded Blue in Worsted Twist for that part of the blanket. Thanks!
-Adam
Adam-
I took your recommendation. The yarn just arrived and I’m excited to get started. I love the blues. Thank you.
Diana
Hello. This is beautiful, and I would love to make it for my mother; however she is allergic to wool. Do you have any yarn recommendations to substitute for the Worsted Twist in the Sea Heather palette?
Many thanks!
-Jen
Hi Jen,
Thanks for writing in! The only non-wool yarn that we carry in a similar weight is Blue Sky Worsted Cotton but this yarn doesn’t come in colors similar to Sea Heather. I’d peruse the cotton and see if you like any of the colors.
Best,
Adam
Hi there,
I have just started knitting the shadow study throw in sea heather and noticed a difference in thickness between the ballet pink and honey pink. When I checked the label, the ballet pink is worsted twist whereas the honey pink is worsted twist heather. Is that as it should be?
Hello, Marianne!
Thank you for writing in! Hmmm, there shouldn’t be a gauge difference between the Honey Pink and the Ballet Pink, they are essentially the same yarn. The only difference between the two is that the Honey Pink is heathered in color whereas the Ballet Pink is a solid color. There would be a slight difference in density regarding the Worsted Twist and the Alpaca Pure, but there shouldn’t be between the Worsted Twist and the Worsted Twist Heather.
Have you worked more on the blanket since posting this comment? Please let us know.
Best wishes,
Kumeko
PS, I forgot to mention in my previous email that the honey pink in wortsed twist heather was in the kit I bought from Purlsoho.
Marianne,
I have noticed the same thing with the Honey Pink yarn in my kit. The other 3 worsted twist colours are all alike in weight but noticeably thicker than the Honey Pink?!?
Hi Melissa,
Thank you so much for writing to us. We are very sorry (and alarmed!) to hear that your Honey Pink is thinner than the other colors. We work hard to ensure that our yarn meets our high standards and to hear that yours isn’t is very upsetting. We are taking our Honey Pink offline right now so that we can thoroughly investigate this situation. We’re also talking to our mill about this issue and will definitely follow up to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
In the meantime, would you like to replace the skeins you have now? We are very happy to offer you either a different color, or skeins of Honey Pink from a new shipment due to arrive in late August or early September. Another option might be to add a strand of Line Weight in Honey Pink, depending on how thin your Worsted Twist is.
Please let us know what would be the best solution for you. We couldn’t be sorrier for the trouble you’re having and are very anxious to get you back on track with your Shadow Study Blanket!
Thank you again your very valuable feedback.
Best,
Cassy
Hi Marianne,
Since you wrote to us, we have more deeply investigated the discrepancy between the weight of Honey Pink and our other Worsted Twist colors and have found that you were absolutely correct. There was, indeed, an issue at the mill with the production of Honey Pink. While it does knit up to the same gauge as the other yarns in the collection, it for sure is a bit thinner.
We are very, very sorry, not only that this happened, but also that we didn’t catch the error sooner. As we wrote to Melissa, above, the quality of our yarns is absolutely paramount to us, and this episode, if nothing else, has served to keep us on our toes!
We will contact you directly to offer you either an exchange or refund for the faulty yarn you bought, and again, we can’t say enough how sorry we are for this mistake!
Best,
Cassy
I love this blanket! It’s a really lovely, modern (and easy!) pattern… and fun to make your own color palette too. Great intro to intarsia.
Do you have a recommendation for the bind-off method? Would Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Better Bind-off work well? I did a long-tail cast on and I’m always worried about messing up the whole project in the bind-off!!
Thanks for any tips 🙂
– Kelly
Hey Kelly!
Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Better Bind-off is a great method for this project, especially if you cast on using the long-tail method!
Happy knitting!
Carly
Hi purl team!
I am planning to do the throw but in stockinett stitch as I want it a bit thinner. I was wondering if I should still slip the first stitch on each side, and if so should I slip the stitch purlwise on the purl side or still knitwise?
Thanks a lot!
Hello Sara,
Thank you for writing us! To create a clean edge you will still want to slip the first stitch of every row purlwise. Because of the tendency of the stockinette stitch to curl I would also consider adding a border. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Marilla