Log Cabin Spectrum Blanket
A log cabin design borrowed from the quilting world, a color story filched from nature, and our newest yarn, Woolly Wool, straight from the sheep… Our Log Cabin Spectrum Blanket takes the best of all worlds for a blanket that is colorful, soft, cuddly, and absolutely beautiful!
The gorgeous family of colors is thanks to Woolly Wool’s exceptional palette, a world of misty tones that bring to mind a landscape on the verge of blossoming!
Woolly Wool is a single-ply super bulky with a soft and gentle beauty. It is (surprise!) 100% wool, warm, cozy, and definitely woolly! We love that its plumpness gives this traditional log cabin pattern a bold look with oversize stitches and a distinctive texture.
On US 17 needles, this one is a total gas to knit, so fast, so interesting, and so fun! Get in on the action with our Log Cabin Spectrum Blanket Bundle, available in this Crib size and in an even bigger Throw size.
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!
Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoLogCabinSpectrumBlanket, and #PurlSohoWoollyWool. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
Our Log Cabin Spectrum Blanket Bundle (NOTE: The Log Cabin Spectrum Blanket Bundle is no longer available) includes 9 (13) skeins of Purl Soho’s Woolly Wool, 100% wool. Each skein is 109 yards/ 200 grams. (NOTE: We no longer offer Woolly Wool, but choose from one of our other super bulky weight yarns.)
- Color A: 1 (1) skein in Heirloom White; approximately 57 (93) yards required.
- Color B: 1 (1) skein in Ice Pond; approximately 54 (87) yards required.
- Color C: 1 (1) skein in Gray Owl; approximately 36 (65) yards required.
- Color D: 1 (1) skein in Peach Lily; approximately 72 (119) yards required.
- Color E: 1 (1) skein in Winter Green; approximately 61 (109) yards required.
- Color F: 1 (2) skein(s) in Juniper Berry; approximately 102 (171) yards required.
- Color G: 1 (2) skein(s) in Purple Moor; approximately 78 (137) yards required.
- Color H: 1 (2) skein(s) in Blossom Pink; approximately 109 (186) yards required.
- Color I: 1 (2) skein(s) in Green Agave; approximately 97 (170) yards required.
You’ll also need…
- US 17 (12 mm), 40-inch circular needles
- Spare US 11, 13 or 15, 60-inch circular needles
NOTE: Spare needles are for putting stitches on hold that you later knit. If you’d rather use scrap yarn, you can. Just be sure you have spare needles to slip the on-hold stitches onto so you can knit them when the time comes!
Gauge
8 stitches and 16 rows [8 garter ridges] = 4 inches in garter stitch
NOTE: For the Crib size, you’ll use just about the full skein of Yarn H, and for the Throw size, you’ll use just about the full skein of Yarn D. To avoid running out of yarn, make sure to achieve this gauge and use Yarn C (of which you have plenty) for your swatch.
Sizes
Crib (Throw)
Finished Dimensions: 30 inches wide x 42 inches long (40 inches wide x 54 inches long)
Notes
Construction
Garter Ridge
A “garter ridge” equals two rows of garter stitch. It looks like a prominent horizontal ridge and is an easy way to count rows!
Picking Up Stitches
For the cleanest pick-up edge, insert the needle into the outer most bump along the edge of the garter ridge.
Pattern
A Block
With Color A, cast on 12 (16) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): Knit to end of row. Mark right side of fabric with scrap yarn or removeable stitch marker.
Knit every row until you have 36 (44) garter ridges (see Notes), ending with a wrong-side row. [Piece measures approximately 18 (22) inches from cast-on edge]
Slip all 12 (16) stitches onto spare needles (or scrap yarn). Cut Color A.
B Block
With right side facing you, turn piece 90 degrees clockwise so left selvage is at the top.
With Color B, pick up and knit (see Notes) 36 (44) stitches along top edge.
Knit every row until you have 12 (16) garter ridges, ending with a wrong-side row. [Piece measures approximately 6 (8) inches from pick-up edge]
Slip all 36 (44) stitches onto same spare needles (or scrap yarn). Cut Color B.
C Block
With right side facing you, turn piece 90 degrees clockwise so cast-on edge is at the top.
With Color C, pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along B Block selvage, then 12 (16) more stitches along A Block cast-on edge. [24 (32) stitches]
Knit every row until you have 12 (16) garter ridges, ending with a wrong-side row. [Piece measures approximately 6 (8) inches from pick-up edge]
Slip all 24 (32) stitches onto same spare needles (or scrap yarn). Cut Color C.
D Block
With right side facing you, turn piece 90 degrees clockwise so right selvages are at the top.
With Color D, pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along C Block selvage, then 36 (44) more stitches along A Block selvage. [48 (60) stitches]
Knit every row until you have 12 (16) garter ridges, ending with a wrong-side row. [Piece measures approximately 6 (8) inches from pick-up edge]
Slip all 48 (60) stitches onto same spare needles (or scrap yarn). Cut Color D.
E Block
With right side facing you, turn piece 90 degrees clockwise so on-hold stitches from A Block are at the top.
With Color E, pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of D Block, then with same working needles, knit across 12 (16) on-hold A Block stitches, then pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of B Block. [36 (48) stitches]
Knit every row until you have 12 (16) garter ridges, ending with a wrong-side row. [Piece measures approximately 6 (8) inches from pick-up edge]
Slip all 36 (48) stitches onto same spare needles (or scrap yarn). Cut Color E.
F Block
With right side facing you, turn piece 90 degrees clockwise so on-hold stitches from B Block are at the top.
With Color F, pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of E Block, then with same working needles, knit across 36 (44) on-hold B Block stitches, then pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of C Block. [60 (76) stitches]
Knit every row until you have 12 (16) garter ridges, ending with a wrong-side row. [Piece measures approximately 6 (8) inches from pick-up edge]
With right side facing you, bind off knitwise, leaving last bind-off stitch on the needle. Cut color F.
G Block
With right side facing you, turn piece 90 degrees clockwise so on-hold stitches from C Block are at the top.
With Color G, pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of F Block, then with same working needles, knit across 24 (32) on-hold C Block stitches, then pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of D Block. [49 (65) stitches, including bind-off stitch from F Block]
Row 1 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 ten (15) more times, then repeat Row 1 once more. [12 (16) garter ridges, measures approximately 6 (8) inches from pick-up edge]
With right side facing you, bind off knitwise, leaving last bind-off stitch on the needle. Cut Color G.
H Block
With right side facing you, turn piece 90 degrees clockwise so on-hold stitches from D Block are at the top.
With Color H, pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of G Block, then with same working needles, knit across 48 (60) on-hold D Block stitches , then pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of E Block 5. [73 (93) stitches including bind-off stitch from G Block]
Row 1 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 wyif, knit to end of row.
Repeat Row 1 and 2 ten (15) more times, then repeat Row 1 once more. [12 (16) garter ridges, measures approximately 6 (8) inches from pick-up edge]
With right side facing you, bind off knitwise, leaving last bind-off stitch on the needle. Cut Color H.
I Block
With right side facing you, turn piece 90 degrees clockwise so on-hold stitches from E Block are at the top.
With Color I, pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of H Block, then with same working needles, knit across 36 (48) on-hold E Block stitches, then pick up and knit 12 (16) stitches along selvage of F Block. [61 (81) stitches including bind-off stitch from H Block]
Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1 wyif, knit to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 wyif, knit to end of row.
Repeat Row 1 and 2 ten (15) more times, then repeat Row 1 once more. [12 (16) garter ridges, measures approximately 6 (8) inches from pick-up edge]
With right side facing you, bind off knitwise.
Finishing
Weave in the ends and steam block, if desired.
Can the Log Cabin baby blanket be crocheted?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out! We don’t currently offer a crochet version of this pattern, however it is pretty basic so I think you could be able to easily adapt the pattern for crochet! Thanks for expressing your interest, I will be sure to pass this along to the rest of the team!
Warm regards,
Gianna
Hi there! Great pattern – can this be made with super soft merino and if so, what size needles and how many skeins would it take?
Hi Jackie,
Thanks for reaching out! You could make this in Super Soft Merino but the gauge would be a bit different, Woolly Wool is more similar to Gentle Giant in terms of weight and gauge! I would recommend working a gauge swatch on an US 11 or 13 needle to figure out your cast on. 1-2 skeins of each color (depending on the section) should be plenty!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Good Morning,
Can the strips of color be knitted separately and then joined by hand rather than knitting the pieces together? I still consider myself a beginner regarding certain aspects of knitting.
Thank you,
Maria
Hi Maria,
Thanks for reaching out! You could certainly knit each rectangle separately and then stitch them together! However, I would recommend working the pattern as written. Even though it might seem intimidating, picking up stitches is very easy and would save you quite a bit of time overall! It also will result in a much more neat looking blanket overall, stitching the pieces together will leave somewhat bulk seams. We have an excellent and easy to follow tutorial for Picking Up Stitches that i would absolutely recommend checking out!
I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any other questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Is there a non-wool yarn that would work for this pattern?
Hi Courtney,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, we don’t offer a non-wool yarn in the same gauge as Woolly Wool (super bulky.) Thank you for expressing your interest and I will be sure to pass this along to the rest of the team!
Warmly,
Gianna
how many ends are there to weave in at the finish of the blanket?
Hi Kudra,
Thanks for reaching out! You will be weaving in 2 ends per color, 18 ends total!
Warmly,
Gianna
It looks there is almost enough yarn to make two baby blankets. Can you calculate how much extra yarn one would need to make two? THANKS Betsey
Hi Betsey,
Thanks for reaching out! For a few of the colors you would have enough to make 2 blankets, however for the majority of the colors you use more than half of the skein which would not leave enough of the color left over for a 2nd blanket. For colors B and C you would have enough of the skein left over for the 2nd, and then for Color A and Colors D-I you will need 2 skein of each color for 2 blankets!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Greetings from Iowa,
What is the weight of the Wooly Wool yarn used to make the “Log Cabin Spectrum Blanket”?
Thank you!
Hi Pamela,
Thanks for reaching out! Our new Woolly Wool is a super bulky weight yarn!
Warmly,
Gianna
Could this be done with worsted weight yarn and a smaller needle.
Hi Celia,
Thanks for reaching out! You could certainly adjust the gauge and use a worsted weight with and appropriate needle size for this blanket! I would recommend working a gauge swatch and adjusting the dimensions and cast on from there!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
I know you don’t offer a non-wool yarn in the same gauge as Woolly Wool (super bulky.) but can you help me adapt this pattern in a worsted cotton? I have several skeins of Blue Sky that I’d like to use. Maybe needle size 8? Thank you.
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you can certainly adjust this pattern to be worked in a worsted weight! I would recommend working a Gauge Swatch with the Worsted Cotton on a US 8 to calculate your gauge. You can adjust the cast on amount from there!
Feel free to reach out with ant more question!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi – I am just trying to figure out much worsted cotton I should purchase if I adapt this pattern, do you happen to know what the cast on would be or how much yarn I might need. I am thinking of using Blue Sky Organics Worsted Cotton.
Thanks!
Jamie
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for reaching out! depending on the size you are planning on making (crib or throw) you will need 1-2 skeins per color (you can see which ones in the yardages break down in the MATERIALS section of the pattern! As for the cast on, when you get the yarn you will want to start out by working a gauge swatch with an appropriately sizes needle, from there you can calculate your stitches per inch to determine your cast on amount! Our tutorial All About Guage is an excellent resource to use!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Can it be done in stockinette stitch and finish in garter stitch around the edges?
Hi Felicia,
Thanks for reaching out! I think you could certainly work the blanket in stockinette with a garter stitch boarder!
Please let us know how this turns out and if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi Gianna,
This blanket is beautiful. I really love receiving emails and product from Purl Soho. My yarn and felt supply from your company is huge, however, I have a hard time resisting a new yarn especially when it’s on sale. Can’t wait to visit your store next time in NYC.
If I use just one color Woolly Wool or one color Gentle Giant, how many skeins would I need?
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I totally understand- I am the exact same way when it comes to yarn!! If you would like to make this blanket in one color of Woolly Wool you would need 7 skeins for the Crib size or 10 skeins for the Throw size! If you want to make the blanket in Gentle Giant you would need quite a bit more since they are fewer yards per skein than Woolly Wool, so for that you would need 16 skeins for the crib size and 25 skeins for the Throw size!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Can the Log Baby Blanket be made for a preemie that is under 4 lbs?
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for reaching out! I think you could certainly make this blanket for a preemie, but you may want to reduce the size a bit so its not overwhelming! I would start off by casting on 8 stitches instead of 12 to start and instead of working each block for 6 inches I would recommend working them for 4-5 inches instead!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Is Woolly Wool yarn washable?
Hi Carolyn,
Thanks for reaching out! Woolly Wool should be Hand washed only and laid flat to dry!
Warmly,
Gianna
Love your Log Cabin pattern
On Section G, Row 2 it says to slip the 1st stitch. Do I slip it knitwise or purlwise?
Thank You
Hi Tina,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! Whenever slipping the first stitch you will slip it purlwise!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thank You!
The purlwise slips are creating a Beautiful Edge!
Love It
Hi Tina,
I’m so glad I could help! I absolutely love the boarder created by slipping the stitch purlwise, I am happy you do too!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
What are the dimensions for the finished throw vs crib?
Hi Lorenda,
Thanks for reaching out! You can find this information under the SIZE section! The finished dimensions for the Crib Size is 30 inches wide x 42 inches long and the Throw Size is 40 inches wide x 54 inches long!
Warmly,
Gianna
Lovely blanket! Does the pattern use all of each skein or will there be leftovers?
Hi Julie,
Thanks for reaching out! You can find the breakdown of how many yards each color uses in the MATERIALS section of the pattern! All the colors use at least half of the skein if not more except Color C that uses less than half, so you will have a bit left over!
Warmly,
Gianna
When will the Log Cabin Spectrum Blanket Bundle be back in stock?
Hi Ester,
Thanks for reaching out! We should hopefully be getting the bundle back in stock in March! The best way to be notified is to add in your email on the Log Cabin Spectrum Blanket Bundle product page under the size you want and we will send you an email as soon as it is available on our site!
Warmly,
Gianna
I was wondering whether you have an updated estimation as to when it will be back in stock?
Hi Ester,
Thanks for reaching out again! No change in the estimate, it will still be some time this month but I do not have an exact date. If you have signed up for the email notifications we will let you know as soon as it is available!
Warmly,
Gianna
This sounds interesting. Postage cost & postage time frame for Australia? Thanks
Hi Robyn,
Thanks for reaching out! You can find this information on our Shipping Page! We offer several options for international shipping, Economy is $15.00, Standard $35.60, Express $60.95, and Expedite $127.00. The time frame for each option is:
Economy: 1-3 weeks
Standard: 1-2 weeks
Express: 5-7 business days (must be placed before 5:30 pm EST)
Expedited: 1-3 business days (must be placed before 5:30 pm EST)
I hope this helps!
Gianna
Hi I am knitting this blanket but when I picked up the stitches there’s a thick rib in one side. I am slipping first stitch . What should I do to have smooth edges
Hi Asha,
Thanks for writing in! When picking up stitches there will always be a slight ridge, this is inevitable! However, you can minimize this by making sure you don’t pick up the stitches too far down from the edge. I would suggest checking out our Picking Up Stitches tutorial to see the exact location where you should be picking up and knitting for the cleanest look.
I hope this helps!
Gianna
My slip stitch in the edge are coming so huge and nothing I do is making it small like bind off edge. Please help.
Hi Asha,
Thanks for writing in! The slip stitch border will look quite different from the bind off edge since it is a totally different technique! To keep a neat slip border, my best advice is to be careful not to overstretch the stitch when you slip it and then when you knit it on the other side. Keep your yarn and stitches taut!
I hope this helps!
Gianna
Thank you so much. Regards, Asha
Hi Gianna, I would like to knit this blanket with Gentle Giant, but I do not know how many skeins of each color I need to buy, can you help me with that? And then I will definitely need your help with the equivalence in the apropriate number of stitches!
Hi Nydia,
Thanks for writing in! Gentle Giant is a perfect option for this blanket! Luckily Gentle Giant and Wolly Wool are about the same gauge, so you don’t need to make any adjustments to the number of stitches! You can follow the pattern as written. As for quantities, Gentle Giant skeins are a bit less than Woolly Wool, so you will need a bit more. So, here are the quantities depending on the size you are planning on making (either the crib or throw, throw quantities will be in the parenthesis.)
You will need Color A: 2 (2) skein, approximately 57 (93) yards required. Color B: 2 (2) skeins, approximately 54 (87) yards required. Color C: 1 (2) skeins, approximately 36 (65) yards required. Color D: 2 (3) skeins, approximately 72 (119) yards required. Color E: 2 (3) skeins, approximately 61 (109) yards required. Color F: 3 (4) skeins, approximately 102 (171) yards required. Color G: 2 (3) skeins, approximately 78 (137) yards required. Color H: 3 (4) skeins, approximately 109 (186) yards required. Color I: 3 (4) skeins, approximately 97 (170) yards required.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Hello! I have made two of these blankets and they are fabulous! I most recently made the four points blanket in Super Soft Merino and the children LOVED the feel of it. Is it possible to make the Log Cabin in Super Soft Merino?
Hi Karen,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so glad to hear that you have enjoyed this blanket! You can certainly make this blanket in Super Soft Merino, I would suggest starting off by working a gauge swatch on a slightly smaller needle, a US 11 (8mm) needle, and from there you can adjust the cast on amount for each section based on the gauge you achieve!
I hope this helps and please let us know how this turns out!
Gianna
have you made this in any other colour ways?
My favourite website…. ever!
Hi Yolande + Webster,
Thank you so much for reaching out to us and for the kind words! While this is the only colorway of the Log Cabin Blanket that’s featured as a sample for this pattern, this blanket makes use of 9 different shades of Woolly Wool so lots of different color combinations are possible! You could use more warm colors, more cool colors, or keep it neutral…it’s all up to your imagination and what sparks joy in you! I hope this was helpful and have a great day!
All the best,
Catherine
Can you make a queen size blanket like this? If so how would the pattern change?
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for writing in. You can absolutely make a queen size blanket using this pattern! The way each “log” is added is essentially in a spiral pattern. After you complete one block, you’ll turn the entire blanket 90 degrees clockwise and start knitting the next block. In this way, you can keep adding more blocks until the blanket reaches your desired size! Just remember–don’t bind off the stitches until you’re sure that that block will be the final one on that edge. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili