The spectrum of a landscape seen through the frame of a window, our Color Wash Blanket is our kind of scene… Natural beauty, low-key flair, and stunning color!

Color Wash Blanket | Purl Soho

Earth or sky, land or sea, it all depends on your palette. Our version is setting sun, with striations of pink and orange cloud layers, surrounded by the coming night, and we call it Sundown!

Color Wash Blanket | Purl Soho

No matter what your combo, the Color Wash Blanket is simple garter stitch, knit holding two different-color strands of our gorgeous Linen Quill. You work the whole center panel first, from bottom to top, then pick up each side to work the left and right frames. A surprisingly simple and truly beautiful view of the world!

Color Wash Blanket | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho founder and co-owner, Joelle Hoverson.

Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoColorwashBlanket, and #PurlSohoLinenQuill. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Color Wash Blanket | Purl Soho

Our Color Wash Blanket is made from a combination of colors, and is written for two sizes: Small Throw (shown above and the size of our sample) and Large Throw. The Small Throw (Large Throw) Blanket requires…

  • 8 (16) skeins of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca and 15% linen. Each skein is 439 yards/ 100 grams.
    • Color A: 2 (4) skeins, approximately 715 (1,616) yards required
    • Color B: 2 (4) skeins, approximately 715 (1,616) yards required
    • Color C: 1 (1) skein, approximately 127 (288) yards required
    • Color D: 1 (3) skein(s), approximately 439 (1,080) yards required
    • Color E: 1 (3) skein(s), approximately 402 (909) yards required
    • Color F: 1 (1) skein, approximately 194 (439) yards required

You will also need…
• US 7 (4.5 mm), 32- or 40- inch circular needles

We’ve created five color palettes for inspiration…

Sundown

Shown above and the palette we used to knit up our sample…

  • Color A: Dark Denim
  • Color B: Stillwater Blue
  • Color C: Lychee Pink
  • Color D: Super Orange
  • Color E: Peachy Pink
  • Color F: Oatmeal Gray

Radish

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  • Color A: Wheat Flour
  • Color B: Pale Mushroom
  • Color C: Rhubarb Pink
  • Color D: Pink Pop
  • Color E: Bright Flamingo
  • Color F: Kiln Red

Chamomile

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  • Color A: Rosewood Pink
  • Color B: Lychee Pink
  • Color C: Calendula Orange
  • Color D: Turmeric Yellow
  • Color E: Mustard Seed
  • Color F: Dandelion Yellow

Reef

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  • Color A: Chestnut Red
  • Color B: Fresh Nutmeg
  • Color C: High Tide
  • Color D: True Turquoise
  • Color E: Green Turquoise
  • Color F: Eggshell Blue

Summit

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  • Color A: Juniper Green
  • Color B: Fresh Pickle
  • Color C: Stonewall Gray
  • Color D: Oatmeal Gray
  • Color E: Pale Oats
  • Color F: Heirloom White

Gauge

19 stitches and 38 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch, with yarn doubled

NOTE: The pattern uses just about the full skein of Color D for the Small Throw size, so please use another color to make your gauge swatch and make sure to achieve proper gauge so that you have enough yarn!

Sizes

Small Throw (Large Throw)

Finished Dimensions: 32 inches wide x 39 inches long (48 inches wide x 56½ inches long)

Notes

Double The Yarn

Throughout this pattern, you will pull two different-color strands together.

Turn + Slide

When you work the Two-Color Garter Stitch Pattern, you either “slide” or “turn” the work at the end of each row.

“Turn work” means to do what you would normally do when knitting rows with circular needles: Transfer the needle from your left hand into your right hand and the needle from your right hand into your left, flipping the work around so the opposite side is facing you.

“Slide work” means to keep the same side of the work facing you and to push all the stitches to the right end of the circular needles. Without turning the work, start the new row as you normally would.

You will know that you’re doing this right if the yarn you need to complete the next row is right there waiting for you!

Old Colors + New Colors

In this pattern, “Old Colors” are the two different-color strands of yarn you have been knitting with, and “New Colors” are the two different-color strands you’re going to knit with.

Two-Color Garter Stitch Pattern

Set-Up Row (right side): With Old Colors, knit to end of row. Measure off 15 (25) yards of Old Colors, cut yarns and wind into a ball. Slide work (see Turn + Slide, above).
NOTE: The reason you make a ball of Old Colors is because a skein of one of the colors needs to be available to use for the New Colors.

Row 1 (right side): With New Colors, purl to end of row. Turn work (see Turn + Slide, above).

Row 2 (wrong side): With little ball of Old Colors, purl to end of row. Slide work.

Row 3 (wrong side): With New Colors, knit to end of row. Turn work.

Row 4: (right side): With little ball of Old Colors, knit to end of row. Slide work.

Repeat Rows 1–4.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Cut Old Colors.

Pattern

Center Panel

Bottom Border

With one strand of Color A and one strand of Color B (see Double The Yarn in NOTES), cast on 114 (172) stitches.

With Colors A and B, knit every row until piece measures 9 (13½) inches from cast-on edge, ending with a wrong-side row.

Cut Colors A and B.

Inset Color Section

With Colors C and D and starting with a right-side row, knit every row for 5 (7½) inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

Using Colors C and D as Old Colors and Colors D and E as New Colors, work Two-Color Garter Stitch Pattern (see Notes).

Continuing with Colors D and E, knit every row for 9 (13½) inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

Using Colors D and E as Old Colors and Colors D and F as New Colors, work Two-Color Garter Stitch Pattern.

Continuing with Colors D and F, knit every row for 1¼ (1¾) inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

Using Colors D and F as Old Colors and Colors E and F as New Colors, work Two-Color Garter Stitch Pattern.

Continuing with Colors E and F, knit every row until Inset Color Section measures 24 (36) inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

Cut Colors E and F.

Top Border

With Colors A and B and starting with a right-side row, knit every row for 6 (9) inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

With right side facing you, bind off knitwise to finish Center Panel. Do not cut yarns.

Left-Hand Side Panel

With right side facing you and bind-off edge at top, rotate blanket 90 degrees clockwise. With Colors A and B, pick up and knit one stitch between each garter ridge along selvage now at top. Be sure to pick up and knit first stitch between Center Panel bind off and first garter ridge and also last stitch between last garter ridge and Center Panel cast on.
NOTE: For assistance, please see our tutorial for picking up stitches along a vertical garter stitch edge within our Picking Up Stitches Tutorial.

Continuing with Colors A and B, knit every row for 4 (6) inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

With right side facing you, bind off knitwise. Cut Colors A and B.

Right-Hand Side Panel

With right side facing you and Center Panel bind off-edge at top, rotate blanket 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Joining Colors A and B, pick up and knit one stitch between each garter ridge along selvage now at top, starting at Center Panel cast-on edge corner. Be sure to pick up and knit first stitch between Center Panel cast on and first garter ridge and also last stitch between last garter ridge and Center Panel bind off.

Continuing with Colors A and B, knit every row for 4 (6) inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

With right side facing you, bind off knitwise.

Weave in ends and block as desired!

Color Wash Blanket | Purl Soho