Modern and minimal, earthy and sumptuous, our Sand Drift Blanket spans all six shades of our new undyed organic cotton and alpaca Sweetgrass yarn.
It may look like seed stitch, but you actually make this blanket without the trouble of purling (yup!). Holding two strands of yarn, you just work a very simple slip stitch pattern, alternating colors every third row. Doubled yarn and a super-tactile texture, the warm landscape of the Sand Drift Blanket has an incredibly satisfying weight and heft.
Plus, the full tour of the Sweetgrass spectrum lends a barefoot-on-the-beach kind of pleasure. We love the study in nature, the celebration of subtlety, and the beauty of undyed fiber!
Designed for Purl Soho by Jake Canton.
Materials
Our Sand Drift Blanket Bundle includes…
- 10 skeins of Purl Soho’s Sweetgrass, 65% organic cotton and 35% superfine alpaca. Each skein is 437 yards; approximately 381 yards of Color A and Color F and 726 yards of Color B-Color E required. Shown above from top to bottom…
- Color A: 1 skein of Heirloom White
- Color B: 2 skeins of Pale Sesame
- Color C: 2 skeins of Buckwheat Beige
- Color D: 2 skeins of Rye Flour
- Color E: 2 skeins of Walnut Shell
- Color F: 1 skein of Beech Bark
You will also need…
- US 9, 32-, 40- or 47-inch circular needles
Gauge
23 stitches and 60 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern with yarn doubled
Size
Finished Dimensions: 32 inches wide x 46 inches long
Notes
Slip Stitches
Slip all slip stitches purlwise.
Stitch Multiple
This pattern works over an odd multiple of stitches.
Double The Yarn
Throughout this pattern you will hold two strands of the same color yarn as you work. If you only have one skein of the color, pull from both the inside and outside of the ball.
Stitch Pattern
Row 1 (right side): With Yarn 2, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyib.
Row 2 (wrong side): With Yarn 2, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyif.
Row 3: With Yarn 1, *k1, slip 1 wyib, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 4: With Yarn 1, *k1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Pattern
With 2 strands of Color A, cast on 185 stitches.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): With Color A, *k1, slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Work in Stitch Pattern (see Notes), using two strands of Color A as Yarn 1 and two strands of Color B as Yarn 2, until piece measures 9 inches from cast-on edge.
Cut Color A.
Using just Color B (doubled), repeat Rows 1-4 of Stitch Pattern one time.
Work in Stitch Pattern, using two strands of Color C as Yarn 1 and two strands of Color B as Yarn 2, for 9 inches.
Cut Color B.
Using just Color C (doubled), repeat Rows 1-4 of Stitch Pattern one time.
Work in Stitch Pattern, using two strands of Color C as Yarn 1 and two strand of Color D as Yarn 2, for 9 inches.
Cut Color C.
Using just Color D (doubled), repeat Rows 1-4 of Stitch Pattern one time.
Work in Stitch Pattern, using two strands of Color E as Yarn 1 and two strands of Color D as Yarn 2, for 9 inches.
Cut Color D.
Using just Color E (doubled), repeat Rows 1-4 of Stitch Pattern one time.
Work in Stitch Pattern, using two strands of Color E as Yarn 1 and two strands of Color F as Yarn 2, for 9 inches.
Cut Color E.
With right side facing you, use Color F (doubled) to bind off in 1×1 Rib. Here’s how…
Bind Off Row (right side): K1, *p1, pass first stitch over, k1, pass first stitch over, repeat from * to end of row.
Weave in ends and block your finished blanket!
PRINT
Can the stitch pattern here be adapted for the Nature’s Palette Blanket? I’m currently working on that one and the purl/knit switching is taking me forever. This seems like a more straight-forward pattern but I don’t want to jeopardize the look if this is too different for that blanket. Separate question: could I buy 14 skeins of this and make a similar-sized blanket as the Nature’s Palette using these colors?
Hello Elizabeth,
Thank you for reaching out! The biggest difference between these two patterns is that you slide your yarn in Nature’s Palette and you do not in the Sand Drift Blanket. This means that you will need to be very aware of your wrong side and right side, because if you slide your work instead of turning your work you will remain on the same side as the previous row you knit. In the Nature Palette’s blanket the stitch pattern has two right side rows and then two wrong side rows, while the Sand Drift Blanket alternates between wrong side and right side. Linen Quill and Sweetgrass have a similar gauge and yardage so they are very compatible yarns and you can certainly knit this blanket up in Linen quill!
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla
Hey there! If I wanted to make this blanket just as a solid but keep the interest of two colors, would I get 5 skeins of each color? I’m not clear if this is doubled or actually 4 strands of the yarn. Could you clarify? I love the idea of a big seed stitch like blanket without the purling!! Thank you!!
Hi Marissa,
Thank you for reaching out- what a lovely idea! This blanket is knit holding two strands at once but changes between two color combinations within the 4 row stitch pattern. If you want to knit this blanket holding two colors together but not changing color combination you can knit it using 4 skeins of each color!
I hope this makes sense and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Could this pattern be scaled down to perhaps create a shawl or wrap of sorts? Is the blanket heavy, having used two strands throughout? I was thinking with the blend of cotton and alpaca that it could make a lovely wrap for summer evenings but I was wondering if the weight created by holding two strands together would leave the piece with a heavier drape?
Hello Elizabeth,
Thank you for reaching out! I think this could be a beautiful shawl. It is on the heavier side, but with the reduction of your cast on number it shouldn’t be too heavy. If you cast on 83 stitches you will get a width of approximately 15″.
I hope this helps and let us know how it goes!
-Marilla
The different colors are alphabetically listed but don’t understand on the stitch pattern what is Yarn 2 and Yarn 1?
Row 1 (right side): With Yarn 2,
Row 2 (wrong side): With Yarn 2,
Row 3: With Yarn 1, *
Row 4: With Yarn 1,
Hello Barbara,
Thank you for reaching out- this is a great question! Each section in the pattern will explain what your yarn 1 and yarn 2 will be for that section. For example “Work in Stitch Pattern (see Notes), using two strands of Color A as Yarn 1 and two strands of Color B as Yarn 2, until piece measures 9 inches from cast-on edge.”
I hope this helps and happy knitting,
Marilla
This throw, could I do it in pinks?
Hello Barbara,
Thank you for reaching out! This throw would be lovely in pinks. I would check out our Linen Quill or Posy yarns for shades of pink.
Happy knitting,
Marilla
How could I adapt this pattern to make it a baby blanket?
Hello Abby,
Thank you for reaching out! A baby blanket is usually around 30″ x 40″. This blanket has a dimension of 32″ x 46″, so it isn’t so far off. The easiest way to adapt would be to just knit each section for 8″ rather than 9″ giving you blanket that is 32″x 41″.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Beautiful blanket! Can you provide instructions to make it larger? At least another 12” or so in length and width? And the corresponding yarn requirements? Thank you!
Hello Mary,
Thank you for reaching out! You can certainly make this blanket larger. To get a width of 44″ you will want to cast on 253 stitches. To add length I would reccomend adding 2 1/2″ to each 9″ section, making them 11 1/2″. This will give you a blanket that is 44″ x 58 1/2″. You will need an extra skein of each color.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
What’s the process for winding the yarn into a ball so I can pull from both ends? Thanks!
Hello Sarah,
This is a great question! To wind your yarn so that you can pull from both the inside and the outside you will need a Swift and a Ball Winder. You have likely seen these tools set up at your local yarn store. Using these tools to wind your yarn will create a cake and you will be able to pull from the inside of the cake as well as the outside. You can also request to have your yarn wound when checking out- It will just make your yarn final sale.
Happy knitting!
Hi. So excited to make this blanket, it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for! Any idea how much extra yarn I’d need to make the blanket bigger – say 60×80? I can probably do the math but if you’ve already done it, that would be great. 🙂 Thanks!
Hello Lucy,
Thank you for reaching out! According to my calculations you will need the following;
Color A: 3 skein of Heirloom White
Color B: 5 skeins of Pale Sesame
Color C: 5 skeins of Buckwheat Beige
Color D: 5 skeins of Rye Flour
Color E: 5 skeins of Walnut Shell
Color F: 3 skein of Beech Bark
The Pale Sesame will be close, so you might want to get an extra skein to be on the safe side. Let us know how it goes and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hello, thank you for this pattern! I was wondering, do you carry the yarn up the sides since you’re switching colors every third row? This is a technique I haven’t done yet, but am hoping to learn.
Hi Kelly,
Thank you for reaching out! Because you are switching colors every third row your yarn will move up the side of your work without you having to do anything. If you were changing colors every 5th row then you would need to carry your yarn up, but with this pattern when you get back to the color you are striping with it will be there waiting for you.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I would appreciate your making your print darker, so some of us can make out the directions, better.
Make no mistake, I love your site, but I find I have to copy your patterns with a dark pen, so I’m sure I do not make a mistake.
Thank you, much!
Hello Marilyn,
Thank you for reaching out and for sharing your experience with us! Getting this kind of feedback is so valuable to us. I will pass it along!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Sweetgrass is stunning! I am also pondering baby blanket ideas. Alpaca can shed a bit, which can be messy with sticky little fingers. How would you rate the shed factor of Sweetgrass? Thank you for so much wonderful-ness!
Hello Elsie,
Thank you for reaching out! This is a great question. Because this yarn is 65% organic cotton and 35% superfine alpaca you get the softness of the alpaca with minimal the shedding.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I’m absolutely thrilled to see this new yarn line, it hits all my sweet spots for knitting, undyed, graduated colors, organic, and soft! Just perfect for warmer weather! Has anyone tried using this yarn yet at the shop for Fair Isle knitting? I think it would make a gorgeous tam. I have arthritic hands and have found 100% cotton to be hard on the hands without any give in the yarn, what a wonderful idea of adding the super fine alpaca to the blend! I’m amazed at how you were able to achieve such beautiful results with the colors using 2 different fibers! Wow!
Hello Kathy,
Thank you for reaching out and for all of your kind words! We haven’t tried this yarn out with fair Isle, but I think it could be really beautiful!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Would Sweetgrass be appropriate for knitting up ankle socks? For warmer season wear. It’s such a lovely yarn. Thanks!
Hello Yvette,
Thank you for reaching out! I wouldn’t reccomend this yarn for socks as Cotton and Alpaca have a tendency to grow over time.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
What kind of cast on and why the bind off in rib?
Hi Jan,
Thanks for writing in! We used a long tail cast on, but you could also use a cable cast on if you prefer. Since casting off creates another row of knitting, casting off in a rib pattern will ensure that the last row of the blanket matches the rest of the stitch pattern.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hi there – hope it’s ok to leave a question about the yarn instead of the pattern! Would Sweetgrass be appropriate for a warp? The yarn looks lovely and the fiber combination is so interesting but it’s hard to tell from the screen how it’s spun and other characteristics. Thanks!
Hello Magdalena,
Thank you for reaching out. Yes- this yarn would work beautifully for a wrap!
Happy kitting!
-Marilla
Sorry, not a wrap, a warp 🙂 Like for weaving. I’m not sure how this yarn would stand up to the tension of a loom?
Hello Magdalena,
Aha! My mistake :). I think this yarn would work well as a warp because it 65% cotton.
I hope this helps and happy weaving!
-Marilla
Hi,
Could I make this as a scarf using only a single strand of each color so it doesn’t come out so heavy?
I will be in NYC next week and look forward (actually really excited) to visiting your store.
Thanks!
Hi Sandy,
I think that sounds like a lovely idea! I would suggest knitting a swatch in the stitch pattern using a single strand of yarn on US 3 or 4 needles. You can then multiply your stitches per inch by however wide you would like to make the scarf and round to the nearest odd number.
Best of luck, and please let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
Slightly off-tangent cast-on question: For a long-tail cast-on of a large number of stitches, I would pull strands from either two balls of yarn or the center and outside of a single ball. Since this requires a cast-on with two strands, would I actually be using four strands — two strands for both the working strand and the tail? I’m planning to use this stitch pattern for my Nature’s Palette blanket. Thank you!
Hi Eliana,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, you will need to use two strands for each tail of the long tail cast on when the blanket is worked with the yarn held double. Please do let us know how the Nature’s Palette bundle turns out in this stitch pattern!
Best,
Julianna
Hello! Could you explain how I would alternate colors to knit in a fairly tight stripe, using just two colors? Thank you!
Hello Katherine,
Thank you for reaching out! This pattern is striped, but the contrast is so subtle it is not a distinct stripe. But, if you use a higher contrast with just two colors you can just follow the pattern of;
Row 1 (right side): With Yarn 2, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyib.
Row 2 (wrong side): With Yarn 2, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyif.
Row 3: With Yarn 1, *k1, slip 1 wyib, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 4: With Yarn 1, *k1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Can this blanket be made without doubling up the yarn? If so, could you advise on what size needles and changes to pattern? Thank you.
Hello Anne,
Thank you for reaching out! The first thing you will need to do is knit up a gauge swatch to find a tension that you are happy with. I would try using a US2 – US4 needle to find out how many stitches per inch you are getting. Once you have this number you can multiply it by the width of your blanket to get your cast on number. You will just want to be sure that you are casting on an odd number.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I would like to make this using wool. What would you recommend as a good substitute- I’m making baby blanket size.
Thank you!
Patricia
Hello Patricia,
Thank you for reaching out! I would reccomend using our Posy yarn which is 75% superwash merino, 15% cashmere, and 10% nylon or our Line Weight yarn which is 100% merino.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla