When you say “waffle” to knitters, before we think of syrup-laden breakfast, we think texture. Waffle, with its grid of ridges and hollowed-out boxes, just screams lofty, soft, and cozy, and our Colorblock Jute Stitch Blanket is one big ode to this kind of waffle-y goodness!
The stitch pattern is called jute stitch (no, nothing to do with cushion-y waffles!), a super easy slip-stitch pattern. The idea is simple. Start with a block of one color, then alternate two colors to create a beautiful speckled band, and finish with a block of your second shade.
Okay, so we’ve got waffles, jute (?!), and color blocks, let’s add into the mix our newest yarn, Linen Quill Worsted. Everything you love about our classic Linen Quill, this new worsted weight makes the knitting speedier, the stitches more in-your-face, and the fabric plumper.
Pick a color duo from our palette of 28 gorgeous colors, then decide on a size: crib or throw, and finally, get to knitting your waffled, color-blocked, jute-stitch blanket in Linen Quill Worsted!
Designed for Purl Soho by Jake Canton.
Materials
- Color A: 3 (6) skeins of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill Worsted, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. Each skein is 164 yards; approximately 459 (984) yards required. We used the color Pink Pop.
- Color B: 4 (8) skeins of Linen Quill Worsted. Approximately 592 (1,286) yards required. We used the color Pale Oats.
- US 8, 32- or 40-inch circular needles
Gauge
22 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Sizes
Crib (Throw)
Finished Dimensions: 30 inches wide x 39 inches long (42 inches wide x 55 inches long)
Sample: The blanket shown here is the Crib size.
Notes
Stitch Multiple
This pattern works over any odd number of stitches.
Slip Stitches
Slip all slipped stitches purlwise.
Turn + Slide
When you work the Two-Color Jute 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!
Pattern
With Color A, cast on 165 (231) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
One-Color Jute Stitch
Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), *k1, p1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, slip 1 wyif.
Row 2 (right side): K1, slip 1 wyif, *k1, slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k1, slip 1 wyif, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 8 (11) inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 2.
Two-Color Jute Stitch
Set-Up Row (wrong side): With Color A, slip 1 wyif, *k1, p1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, slip 1 wyib. Turn work.
Join Color B.
Row 1 (right side): With Color B, k1, slip 1 wyif, *k1, slip 1 wyib, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k1, slip 1 wyif, k1. Slide work.
Row 2 (right side): With Color A, slip 1 wyif, *p1, k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p1, slip 1 wyif. Turn work.
Row 3 (wrong side): With Color B, p1, slip 1 wyib, *p1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, p1, slip 1 wyib, p1. Slide work.
Row 4 (wrong side): With Color A, slip 1 wyib, *k1, p1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, slip 1 wyib.
Repeat Rows 1-4 for 14 (20) inches, ending with Row 1.
Cut Color A.
One-Color Jute Stitch
With Color B…
Row 1 (right side): K1, slip 1 wyif, *k1, slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k1, slip 1 wyif, k1.
Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), *k1, p1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, slip 1 wyif.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for 17 (24) inches, ending with Row 2. [Piece measures 39 (55) inches from cast-on edge]
Bind-Off Row (right side): K1, *p1, pass first stitch over, k1, pass first stitch over, repeat from * to end of row.
Weave in the ends and wet block.
PRINT
Hi, can I do this stitch with straight needles if using less stitches? Thank you
Hi and thanks for reaching out! While you could do the single color portions of this blanket on straight needles, you do need to have a circular needle to work the two-color jute stitch, since you will sometimes have to slide your stitches to the other end of the needle.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
I love many of your blankets but don’t dare make one going to a young person, as most of the yarns you use need special attention. So would you occasionally mention another yarn you carry that could be machine washed and dried.
Thanks
Hi Mary Jane,
Thanks so much for writing in! We are always happy to recommend alternative yarns! In this case, I would suggest using Blue Sky Worsted Cotton. We have had great success washing and drying blankets and other items made from this yarn, and it has the exact same yardage as Linen Quill Worsted, so you can order the same number of skeins as is listed above.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I like this blanket very much. I see the yarn requirements are given for the crib-sized blanket. Is the yarn specifications also given for the throw size? Are they two different things? And, my apologies if the throw yarn is included here and I missed it.
Thank you.
Hi Carol,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for reaching out! The yarn amounts for the throw size are given in parentheses after the amounts for the crib size, so you will need 6 skeins of Color A and 8 skeins of Color B for the throw size.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
There are really long double-pointed needles out there, usually made in Germany, so you could always try to work the blanket on them if you don’t like circular needles. Put point protectors on the ends so that your stitches won’t fall off.
Hi, is this a beginner friendly pattern? It’s a lot of $$$ yarn to invest if I’m not skilled enough to execute…I practiced a little with some wool on straight needles, without much success, but I suspect it’s very different on round needles?
Also, is the 40” specifically for the throw? Or could you do that on a 32” too? You’re just out of the 40” bamboo, and it’s my understated they are easier for beginners? And advice welcome.
Thank you
Stay well.
Hi and thanks for reaching out! Yes, this is a very beginner friendly pattern! This blanket only basic stitches – knitting, purling, and slipping stitches, which just means moving a stitch from the left needle to the right needle without working it – so the stitch is very easy to master. Because this is knit flat and not in the round, there shouldn’t be any difference between knitting it on circular or straight needles, so you might just need a bit more practice to get the hang of the stitch.
You could use either the 32″ or 40″ blanket for the throw size blanket. The width of the finished blanket is 42 inches, which will still squish up to fit comfortably on a 32″ needle. Most beginners do prefer bamboo needles because they have a bit more grip so your stitches feel more secure, but you could always give metal needles a try! Many knitters find that the super slick metal of Addi and Addi Turbo needles allows them to knit much faster.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong, but when I start the two color stitch, the Color B stitches are not in a straight line – they are staggered. Any ideas?
Hi Sarah,
Thanks so much for reaching out with this question! Not to worry, what you described sounds like what you can expect when knitting the Two-Color Jute Stitch. You’ll know you’re on the right track if your completed Row 1 stitches are alternating colors: Color B for the k1’s and Color A for the slipped stitches.
I hope that helps!
Gaby