Sand Drift Blanket
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.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoSandDriftBlanket, and #PurlSohoSweetgrass. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Update: New Yarn!
May 21, 2021
When a yarn like Santolina comes around, our fiber-loving instincts take over and works in progress become “works we’ll get back to,” and the time to cast on with this beauty becomes now! Santolina’s palette of silvery colors lends itself to the smooth gradient of our Sand Drift Blanket. Originally knit in our undyed Sweetgrass, we used the same simple (and fun!) slip stitch pattern but, this time, added some color to the picture. Available in three palettes and two size options, click here to read more!
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/ 100 grams; 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 (5.5 mm), 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 strands 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!
I love this blanket! Do you have any estimate on the number of hours that it would take to make? I’m looking to make it as a gift and want to be able to do it justice.
Hi Hannah,
Thanks for reaching out. It’s difficult for me to give an accurate estimate of how many hours it would take for you make this blanket, since every knitter works at a different speed! But here’s how I’d recommend getting an estimate for yourself: If you time yourself as you make your gauge swatch in pattern, you can use that to calculate how long it might take to make the whole thing! The formula would be: (# hours to make swatch * area of full blanket) / area of swatch. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Genius
I have knitted a swatch and here are my results.
23 stitches = 3 1/2 inches
30 rows = 2 1/2 inches
Size 9 needle. Two strands of yarn worked in the pattern.
What should I do? Size 8 needle? Also, what color is best for the swatch so I don’t run out of yarn?
Hi Sue,
Thanks for reaching out. It looks like your stitch gauge is a little too small, but your row gauge is a little tall. Have you blocked your swatch yet? You’ll likely be able to even out this discrepancy with a bit of aggressive blocking! All you’ll need to do is tug horizontally on your swatch once it’s wet, and then let it dry at the correct dimensions. When you block your blanket, you’ll be able to do the same thing so that it also matches gauge. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Is it possible to make this a throw size? And what would the amount of yarn to be needed of the sweet grass
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out! The finished dimensions for the Sand Drift Blanket are 32 inches wide x 46 inches long, but if you wanted to double the size of the blanket you could use two Sand Drift Blanket yarn bundles and cast on 371 stitches, then continue the pattern as written.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Carly
Thank you so much
If I order the kit, 1) does it come in other colors like grays? Can the yarn be wound and if so, will it cost extra? Thank you.
Hi Phyllis!
Thank you for your interest in this blanket! We are currently only offering the bundle in the colors listed for the Santolina bundles and the Sweetgrass bundle, however you are welcome to put together your own bundle, as the individual skeins are also on sale today! If you would like your skeins to be wound, you can include a note in the special instructions box at checkout. Please note that this will add additional processing time to your order, as we are working with a limited staff!
I hope this helps, and please feel free to reach out to us at customerservice@purlsoho.com if you would like more help picking out your bundle!
All the best,
Margaret
What would dimension be if you doubled the size
Hello,
Thanks for your question! The original dimensions for the Sand Drift Blanket are 32 inches wide x 46 inches long, so doubling the size would make a blanket that is 64 inches wide x 92 inches long.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Carly
I am a bit strung out having bought lots of Morning for other blankets. How long do you think you will continue to stock Santolina?
I know the sale is over, but I have to finish some knitting before I can stock up on this gorgeous looking stuff.
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your question and for the very kind words! We love Santolina too, and we don’t have any plans to discontinue it. Santolina will continue to be regularly restocked as well as featured in fun new projects!
The sale we are currently running is for 25% off Purl Soho brand goods through Monday, but I would encourage you to sign-up for our newsletter if you haven’t already. Not only will you receive a code for 15% off your first order of Purl Soho goods, but you also will receive updates on all of our upcoming promotions and sales! To sign up, you can click “newsletter” on the upper right corner of our website, then submit your email address in the box.
Please let us know if you have any questions!
All the best,
Carly
Hi, Is it possible to knit this blanket with Linen Quill? And would the pattern come through?
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for writing in. This pattern will definitely work in Linen Quill! I think that would look beautiful as there are so many interesting colors to choose from!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you for your reply. I have all the yarn for the blue mitered blanket pattern, but it’s a lot of knitting and I think the drift blanket will go faster and is a bit easier. I think the amount of yarn I purchased for the Mitered blanket should be enough for this pattern. If you have any thoughts on this, let me know. Thanks.
Hi Margaret!
You should have more than enough yarn to knit this blanket with the Mitered Corner Blanket Bundle yarn! Each skein of Santolina in the Sand Drift Blanket has 437 yards, while each skein of Linen Quill in the Mitered Corner Blanket has 439 yards, and seeing that you have at least 15 skeins of Linen Quill but only need about 10 of them for the Sand Drift Blanket, you should be just fine!
Happy knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
Can you please help me find a video for this pattern. I have tried to follow the instructions, but I am having a heck of a time with it!
Thanks in advance!
PS. I love your products!
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out to us with your question!
We don’t currently have a video featuring this stitch pattern, however, the blanket is worked using knit stitches and slipped stitches, so I’d recommend getting familiar with those stitches individually first. Once you feel more comfortable with these stitches, the color-change rows will feel a lot less daunting! We also offer free 1-on-1 help over zoom where we’d be happy to help you with your project!
I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Carly
I am planning to knit this blanket 40×60 inches with the Cool Bundle colors I bought to knit the Mitered Corner Blanket. I don’t want to buy more yarn and would like to use what I have and can rip out what I started to knit. I would love your suggestions for how to combine the yarn I have to knit this blanket. I am not so concerned if the strips aren’t all the same width. I was thinking of the following for a 40 x 60, (and have put in parentheses the # of skeins I have)
A. Oatmeal Gray (2)
B. Vintage Celadon (3)
C. True Turquoise (3)
D. High Tide (3)
E. Mountain Bluebird (Need 3 skeins and only have 2 – I could use High Tide if I need extra, or what should I use for 3rd skein?
F. I need 2 skeins: I have 1 each of Gray Denim, Stillwater Blue & Kettle Black and 2 skeins of Heirloom White.
Would welcome any suggestions for how to use the yarn I have for colors E and F.
Thank you, Margaret
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for reaching out! I’d be happy to recommend a color combination for the Linen Quill colors that you have!
You will need 656 yards (2 skeins of Linen Quill) for colors A and E, and 1,184 yards (3 skeins of Linen Quill) for colors B, C, D, and F (if you would like to include a 6th color). Here is how I would organize the colors:
A- Heirloom White + Oatmeal Gray
B- Vintage Celadon
C- True Turquois
D- High Tide
E- Mountain Bluebird
F- Gray Denim + Oatmeal Gray (you can knit F until you run out of your second skein of Oatmeal Gray, then switch to Heirloom White, or bind of so that this color block is a little shorter than the others)
I hope this helps, and please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Carly
Thank you very much! I appreciate your recommendations!
Margaret
I have a question. Just started Sand Drift blanket. In notes it sat all slip stitches purlwise
However in instructions it say for row 1 and 3 slip with yarn in back (wyib) . Isn’t that knitwise?
Thank you for any help in advance,
Beth L
Hi Beth,
Thanks for reaching out! When slipping a stitch purlwise, you are slipping your right needle through the stitch as if to purl, but this can actually be done with the yarn held in front or in back. To slip a stitch knitwise you slip the right needle through the center of the stitch from left to right as if you are about to knit it!
I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any questions!
All the best,
Carly
For a 50×60” version, 277 stitch cast on? And how many inches of knitting for each section? The 9 inches in written pattern do not include each single color 4 row section correct?
Thanks
Hi AC,
Thanks for reaching out. If you’d like to make a 50″ x 60″ version of this blanket, you would need to start by casting on 287 stitches (not 277)! Then, you would have to knit for 11.8 inches in each section (not including the single-color sections) to achieve a 60-inch long blanket. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
For 50” X 60 “ version, how much additional yarn would you need to complete?
Thanks
Hi Bill,
Thanks for reaching out. If you’d like to make a 50 x 60 inch version of this blanket, you would need the following quantities of Sweetgrass:
Color A: 2 skeins of Heirloom White
Color B: 4 skeins of Pale Sesame
Color C: 4 skeins of Buckwheat Beige
Color D: 4 skeins of Rye Flour
Color E: 4 skeins of Walnut Shell
Color F: 2 skeins of Beech Bark
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili