Prism Blanket
With its super fun no-sew construction and its boundless color-play potential, our Prism Blanket is a totally absorbing knit!
The building block of this blanket is a bias-knit square made with simple increases, then decreases, plus lots of relaxing knit stitches in between.
A color change halfway through each square creates kaleidoscopic triangles that tumble across the surface of the blanket… An artistic process (which color next?) that results in a work of real craftsmanship.
The clever bit is how you attach each new square to its neighbor by picking up stitches as you knit. This means no interruptions and no pile of squares to deal with at the end! Don’t worry, picking up is easy to do, and we have a step-by-step tutorial that makes it even easier.
The satisfaction of this pattern is enriched by our absolutely gorgeous Good Wool. One hundred percent Andean highland wool, this natural beauty is durable, warm, and softer than you may expect! This yarn is one of our favorites to knit, and creates a garter fabric with a lofty bounce!
Good Wool’s heathered spectrum always sparks our imagination, and with almost forty colors, there’s lots of room to play!
We’ve put together ten lovely Prism Blanket Bundles that come in both crib and throw sizes, or you can get extra creative, and make your own!
Good Wool comes in an affordable 383-yard skein, so pick up a Prism Blanket Bundle or your own palette of skeins, and cast on for the kind of knit you can’t put down… Just one more color! Wait, let me just start the next square! Sorry, I can’t go out today, I’m knitting!
Designed for Purl Soho by Joelle Hoverson and Gaby Bush.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoPrismBlanket, and #PurlSohoGoodWool. We can’t wait to see what you make!
UPDATE: JOIN OUR PRISM BLANKET KNIT-ALONG!
JANUARY 2023
Join Our Free Prism Blanket Knit-Along + Be Entered To Win A $1000 Purl Soho Gift Card!
Cast on for our Prism Blanket KAL! Everyone who signs up is eligible to win a $1000 Purl Soho gift card at the end of the journey, as well as more amazing giveaways along the way. Join for free by clicking here and be sure to share your progress (and check out everyone else’s) at #PurlSohoKAL and #PurlSohoPrismBlanket. We can’t wait to knit with you!
Materials
Our Prism Blanket Bundle comes in Crib (Throw) sizes and includes…
- 7 (10) skeins of Purl Soho’s Good Wool, 100% Andean highland wool. Each skein is 383 yards/ 100 grams.
- MC1: 2 skeins; approximately 435 (725) yards required
- MC2: 2 skeins; approximately 435 (725) yards required
- CC1: 1 (2) skein(s); approximately 290 (510) yards required
- CC2: 1 (2) skein(s); approximately 290 (510) yards required
- CC3: 1 (2) skein(s); approximately 290 (435) yards required
You’ll also need…
- US 6 (4 mm), 24-inch circular needles
PALETTES
Choose from 10 beautiful palettes, each one shown above! We used Birthday for the Throw size, and Campfire, Tuber, and Rosebush for our Crib samples.
Top Row
BIRTHDAY- MC1: Vintage Rose; MC2: Pink Dawn; CC1: Seaside Blue; CC2: Desert Blue; CC3: Pale Patina
CAMPFIRE- MC1: Freshwater Blue; MC2: Periwinkle Gray; CC1: Apple Cider; CC2: Barn Door; CC3: Guava Earth
Second Row
TUBER- MC1: Hickory Nut; MC2: Walking Stick; CC1: Wild Heath; CC2: Wild Violet; CC3: Fresh Loganberry
ROSEBUSH- MC1: Magnolia Pink; MC2: Pink Salt; CC1: Olive Oil; CC2: Fern Green; CC3: Tree Frog
Third Row
TEACAKE- MC1: Driftwood Gray; MC2: Heirloom White; CC1: Lemon Meringue; CC2: Pink Salt; CC3: Magnolia Pink
GRASSHOPPER- MC1: Driftwood Gray; MC2: Heirloom White; CC1: Tree Frog; CC2: Fern Green; CC3: Olive Oil
Fourth Row
AMETHYST- MC1: Driftwood Gray; MC2: Heirloom White; CC1: Wild Heath; CC2: Purple Pansy; CC3: Periwinkle Gray
WHITE CAPS- MC1: Driftwood Gray; MC2: Heirloom White; CC1: Desert Blue; CC2: Seaside Blue; CC3: Freshwater Blue
Bottom Row
CANDLELIGHT- MC1: Violet Night; MC2: Purple Pansy; CC1: Wild Mustard; CC2: Hay Field; CC3: Lemon Meringue
SPRUCE- MC1: Teal Twilight; MC2: Dark Spruce; CC1: Driftwood Gray; CC2: Winter Grass; CC3: Heirloom White
PLEASE NOTE: The Teacake, Grasshopper, White Caps, and Amethyst bundles originally included Winter Grass, but they now use Driftwood Gray, a similar pale neutral. The bundle and swatch photos here show the Winter Grass version!
GAUGE
22 stitches and 44 rows (22 ridges) = 4 inches in garter stitch
SIZES
Crib (Throw)
Finished Dimensions: 33 inches wide x 44 inches long (44 inches wide x 55 inches long)
Finished Square Dimensions: 11 inches square
SAMPLES: Our Crib size samples use the Birthday, Rosebush, and Tuber bundles, and our Throw size sample uses the Campfire bundle.
NOTES
CONSTRUCTION
You will work this blanket in one piece, beginning with the bottom left square. You will work in columns, one bias-knit square at a time. When necessary, you will pick up stitches from an adjacent square (or two!) in order to continue seamlessly. Don’t worry, it’s easy and we explain everything!
PLANNING CUSTOM COLORS
If you want to design your own color story, be sure to check out this handy coloring worksheet!
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
K1 TBL (KNIT 1 THROUGH THE BACK LOOP)
In this pattern, every time you knit through the back loop, it will be into a yarn over from the previous row. To do it, just insert the right needle into the back leg of the yarn over and knit as usual.
For more help with this technique, visit our tutorial at purlsoho.com/create/knit-through-the-back-loop-k-tbl/
SLIP STITCHES
Slip all slipped stitches purlwise unless otherwise specified.
PICKING UP STITCHES
For the cleanest pick-up edge, insert the needle into the outer most bump of the garter ridge edge.
Visit purlsoho.com/create/picking-up-stitches and scroll down to the “Along A Vertical Edge: Garter Stitch, Into the Ridge” section to see exactly how to pick up stitches for this project.
SCHEMATIC
Key
Schematic
NOTE: The instructions for Squares A, B, C and D are slightly different. The pattern explains them all!
Want to see it bigger? Download this Schematic as a PDF!
PATTERN
COLUMN 1
SQUARE A
INCREASE
Using a Long Tail Cast On and CC1, cast on 3 stitches.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Row 1 (right side): K1, yarn over (yo), knit to last stitch, yo, k1. [2 stitches increased]
Row 2 (wrong side): K1, k1 through back loop (tbl; see Notes), knit to last 2 stitches, k1tbl, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 forty more times, ending with Row 2. [85 stitches; piece measures approximately 11 inches along selvage]
Cut CC1.
DECREASE
With right side facing you, join MC1.
Rows 1-3: Knit to end of row.
Row 4 (wrong side): K1, slip slip knit (ssk), knit to last 3 stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog), k1. [2 stitches decreased]
Row 5 (right side): Knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until 5 stitches remain, ending with Row 5.
Next Row (wrong side): Ssk, k1, k2tog. [3 stitches remain]
Next Row (right side): Slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over (psso). [1 stitch remains]
Cut MC1 and pull through remaining stitch.
SQUARE B
NOTE: To see Square B in action, check out our tutorial at purlsoho.com/create/join-as-you-knit
INCREASE
Using a Long Tail Cast On and CC2, cast on 3 stitches.
With Square A oriented so right side is facing you and cast on point is at bottom right corner…
Row 1 (right side): Knit to last stitch of Square B, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from last CC garter ridge at top right corner of Square A, psso to join Square B to Square A, turn work.
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Row 3 (right side): K1, yo, k1, yo, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from first MC garter ridge at top right corner of Square A, psso to join Square B to Square A, turn work. [5 stitches]
Row 4 (wrong side): K1, k1 tbl, knit to last 2 stitches, k1 tbl, k1.
Row 5 (right side): K1, yo, knit to last stitch, yo, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from next MC garter ridge of Square A, psso to join Square B to Square A, turn work. [2 stitches increased]
Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until 1 garter ridge remains from Square A.
Repeat Row 4 one more time. [85 stitches]
Cut CC2.
DECREASE
With right side facing you, join MC1.
Row 1 (right side): Knit to last stitch, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from last MC1 garter ridge of Square A, psso, turn work.
Rows 2 and 3: Knit to end of row.
Row 4 (wrong side): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. [2 stitches decreased]
Row 5 (right side): Knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until 5 stitches remain, ending with Row 5.
Next Row (wrong side): Ssk, k1, k2tog. [3 stitches remain]
Next Row (right side): Slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, psso. [1 stitch remains]
Cut MC1 and pull through remaining stitch.
CONTINUE
Using the same logic as Square B and referring to the Schematic (see Notes) for color placement, continue to work and attach squares until you have 4 (5) total squares in Column 1.
COLUMN 2
SQUARE C
INCREASE
With CC2, work Increase section of Square A.
DECREASE
With right side facing you, join MC2.
Row 1 (right side): Knit to last stitch, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from cast-on point of Square A, psso to join Square C to Square A, turn work.
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Row 3: Knit to last stitch, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from next garter ridge of Square A, psso, turn work.
Row 4: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. [2 stitches decreased]
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until 5 stitches remain, then repeat Row 3 one more time.
Next Row (wrong side): Ssk, k1, k2tog. [3 stitches remain]
Next Row (right side): Ssk, slip 1, pick up and knit 1 stitch from last CC garter ridge of Square A, pass previous 2 stitches over. [1 stitch remains]
Cut MC2 and draw through remaining stitch.
SQUARE D
INCREASE
With CC1 and right side facing you, begin at top right corner of Square C and work Increase section of Square B.
DECREASE
With right side facing you, join MC1.
Row 1 (right side): Knit to last stitch, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from last MC garter ridge of Square C, psso to join Square D to Square C, turn work.
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.
Row 3: Knit to last stitch, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from first garter ridge of Square B, psso, turn work.
Row 4: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. [2 stitches decreased]
Row 5: Knit to last stitch, slip last stitch, pick up and knit 1 stitch from next garter ridge of Square B, psso, turn work.
Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until 5 stitches remain, ending with Row 5.
Next Row (wrong side): Ssk, k1, k2tog. [3 stitches remain]
Next Row (right side): Ssk, slip 1, pick up and knit 1 stitch from last CC garter ridge of Square B, pass previous 2 stitches over. [1 stitch remain]
Cut MC1 and draw through remaining stitch.
CONTINUE
Using the same logic as Square D and referring to the Schematic for color placement, continue to work and attach the remaining squares until you have 4 (5) squares total in Column 2.
WORK REMAINING COLUMNS
Referring to the Schematic for color placement, work as for Column 2 one (2) more time(s), until you have 3 (4) total Columns.
FINISHING
Weave in ends, closing holes between squares with tails or scrap yarn. Wet block to finished dimensions and enjoy!
when do you attach squares
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for reaching out! In this pattern, you will attach each square as you knit, so that you work the blanket all in one piece, beginning with the bottom left square. To do so, you will work in columns, one bias-knit square at a time. When necessary, you will pick up stitches from an adjacent square (or two!) in order to continue seamlessly. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Hello: the colors in the Wonderful Good Wool yarn are beautiful.
However, after reading through the pattern instructions, I feel that this pattern is beyond my knitting skills.
Would you be able to recommend an easier pattern for a blanket using the Wonderful Wool Yarn, please?
Thank you
Mary
Hi Mary,
We’re so glad to hear Good Wool caught your eye! For other blanket patterns that would work with this yarn, I suggest our Loop-The-Loop Blanket or our Super Easy Baby Blanket! Our Slipped Garter Blanket would be a good option too. Of the three of these, the Super Easy Baby Blanket is the easiest pattern and allows you to use 7 of your favorite colors, too, however you can’t go wrong with any of these patterns!
All the best,
Margaret
Would you still use the size 6 needles for the Super Easy Baby blanket?
Hi Denise,
Thanks for your question! Yes, US 6 needles would be a great option for a Super Easy Baby Blanket in Good Wool, though you could of course adjust based on your preference! To find the amount of stitches to cast on, if you’re getting the same gauge as the Prism Blanket using US 6 needles (22 stitches and 44 rows (22 ridges) = 4 inches in garter stitch; i.e. 5.5 stitches per inch), you would just multiply 5.5 stitches by your preferred width in inches to find the number of cast-on stitches for your project! For reference, a crib-sized blanket measuring 30″ wide would have a cast-on of 165 stitches.
Hope this helps! Let us know if we can assist with anything else.
All the best,
Cat
You guys always come up with such beautiful color combinations!
Hi!
It’s there a video showing how the colors are joined within each square, and again how each column is joined?
Thanks!
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
Thank you for writing in! While we currently do not have a video tutorial for these techniques, we really appreciate your interest in them, and we will pass along your request to our team! In the meantime, I recommend taking a look at our Four Points Baby Blanket under “Triangle 4” to see how to join the edge of one fabric to another for the squares and columns.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Margaret
Hi! The blanket is beautiful and I have new babies in the family to knit for. I’ve never used wool for a baby blanket… wouldn’t that be too scratchy for a little one?
Hi Andrea,
Thank you for writing in! This blanket is a great wool blanket for a baby, however if you would prefer a softer and machine washable yarn, I suggest using Cotton Pure for this pattern! Cotton Pure is spun from organically grown cotton, making it ideal for baby knitting. Since it is also a similar gauge yarn, it will work with this blanket’s gauge, too!
I hope this helps with your project planning, and happy knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
Thank you for this Prism Blanket pattern. Please give an estimate, or a range, for planning how many hours the throw would take to knit-assuming an intermediate knitter. It would be helpful to have some idea before purchasing the materials.
Thank you
Hello!
Thank you for your interest in this blanket. Every knitter knits at a different speed, so to best estimate how long it would take to knit this blanket, I recommend setting a timer and knitting one square using scrap yarn, stopping the timer, and then multiplying that number by the amount of squares in the blanket (20) for an approximate knitting time! This way, you’ll get a feel for how long it will take to make this blanket based on your specific knitting speed.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Margaret
Hello! I love the dynamic pattern of your Prism Blanket and the campfire colors are stunning. For me, living in the high north, a 44″ x 55″ thrown is a bit small on a chilly evening. How would you recommend extending the pattern and do you offer larger bundle sets? Thank you in advance.
Hello!
We’re thrilled to hear this pattern has caught your eye, and I’d be happy to help offer some tips for making a larger blanket! There are two easy routes for making a larger blanket with this pattern: making larger individual squares or knitting additional squares at the same size! To knit larger squares, all you’ll need to do is knit more repeats of the increase section rows so that you end up with more than 85 live stitches, and then decrease accordingly. To make more squares at the size listed in the pattern, you can continue working additional columns of squares as established in the schematic. Unfortunately, we do not offer bundle sets for larger blankets, however one idea is to purchase one bundle of each size for a slightly larger blanket, or additional individual skeins for your larger blanket.
I hope this helps you make an extra cuddly throw!
All the best,
Margaret
I’m knittint the crib-size Prism blanket. What is slip slip knit (ssk)?
Hi Diane,
Slip slip knit (ssk) is a type of decrease stitch! I’d recommend checking out our tutorial on this technique if you want to see a video demonstration. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I love the yarn and the look of the pattern, however for the life of me I cannot figure out how to knit onto the first block. I am thinking of just knitting blocks and sewing them together. What do you think? Thanks Margaret Thompson
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for reaching out, although I’m sorry to hear that you’re having difficulty knitting the next square onto the first one! For this pattern, you will pick up and knit one stitch in the outer-most bump of each garter ridge. Is this technique what’s tripping you up? I’d be happy to help clarify it further if you’d like!
But if you instead want to proceed knitting each block separately, that will certainly work! The blanket will still look great with the blocks sewn together.
All the best,
Lili
Is the yarn you recommend for the Prism shawl a worsted yarn? If it’s thinner why would you use a 4mm needle? Judging by the guage it seems to be thinner, perhaps fingering such as one might use for socks.
Hi Ruth,
Thanks for writing in! We knit up the Prism Blanket with Good Wool, which is a sportweight yarn. It is definitely thinner than worsted weight! The reason we recommend using size US 6 (4mm) needles is because that’s the size that our sample knitter was able to achieve gauge (22 stitches and 44 rows (22 ridges) = 4 inches in garter stitch) with. You may find that you need to use either smaller or larger needles to achieve the correct gauge though!
All the best,
Lili
Hi there, I am beyond confused about starting the next square. After I’ve cast on the three stitches for Square B, knit two, and then slipped the last, what am I picking up? “Outermost bump of the garter ridge” isn’t clear without a photo. Which part is that? Where exactly am I inserting my needle to pick it up? Although I pick up what I think looks like a bump, my join of the two squares is extremely stretched out and sloppy, so I know I’m doing something wrong.
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for reaching out, and what perfect timing! We actually just came out with a new addition to our Picking Up Stitches tutorial that shows exactly how to do this. It’s the section titled ALONG A VERTICAL EDGE: GARTER STITCH, INTO THE RIDGE. Hope this helps you visualize this step better!
All the best,
Lili
I’ll check this out, thank you so much!
I’m thinking of joining the KAL for this pattern but I hesitate to make a throw that needs to be hand washed and dried flat. With pets and limited floor space that seems impossible. Would it be possible to put it in the dryer with no heat?
Hi Chantal,
Thanks so much for your question! We would not recommend putting projects made of Good Wool in the dryer even on no heat because Good Wool might felt easily. If you’d prefer a blanket that’s machine washable and dry-able, though, we’d recommend Cotton Pure instead (https://www.purlsoho.com/cotton-pure.html)! This yarn is also a sport weight so it would match well in terms of gauge and comes in many colors as well. With yarn substitutions, we also recommend doing a gauge swatch to make sure your gauge is consistent with the pattern’s. Here’s our guide on swatching if you’d like more information (https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2020/08/20/all-about-gauge/)!
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
Hello!
I am planning on the KAL for this blanket and can’t decide between Dark Spruce and Well Water as my darkest dark.
—
My other colors are going to be:
MC1: Driftwood Gray
MC2: Winter Grass
CC1: Teal Twilight
CC2: Teal Abyss
CC3: ???
—
Obviously I can’t really see the colors in person: but which of those two would look best in that color scheme or would it be sixes?
Thank you so much! <3
Hi Mckenzie,
Thanks so much for writing in. We’re so happy to hear that you’re planning on joining our KAL!
I think Dark Spruce would go well with the color palette you’re working with and provide a really nice pop of jewel-toned green in your blanket! If you’d like to get a sense for how that might look, we actually have combined Dark Spruce, Teal Twilight, Winter Grass, and Driftwood Gray (as well as Heirloom White) as one of our Prism Blanket Bundles in the Spruce palette (https://www.purlsoho.com/prism-blanket-bundle.html)!
I hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Cat
Hi! Do you work to 85sts for both the crib & the throw sizes?
Hi Melanie,
Yes, each square is worked to 85 stitches for either size of the blanket! The difference in dimension for the finished blankets occurs because you knit different amounts of columns and rows of squares. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Ah! That makes sense. Didn’t catch that in my first read through apparently. So looking forward to the KAL!
Thanks so much Lili!!
I really want to join this Knit A long but I do not currently have a yarn winder and do not want to wind all this yarn by hand. Is there any way for y’all to wind the yarn before shipping it?
Hi Candace,
Thanks for reaching out to us directly! We temporarily halted winding yarn to keep up with the holiday orders. We can technically still do it if you need, but this is adding a significant delay to processing times (about a week or so) for every two balls. If you’re okay with waiting longer, we’d recommend including the following message in the Special Instructions on the checkout page: “I approve the wait time for winding all skeins as described to me by the CS team.”
All the best,
Lili
Thank you so much for the response! Can’t wait to start!
Thanks for launching the knit along, great way to start the new year!
I am a stickler for softness. How soft would you say Good Wool is in comparison to Cashmere Bloom or Super Soft Merino? Are there any others you could recommend (not Cotton Pure) that may work?
Happy new year!
Hi Chermia,
We’re happy to hear that you’re interested in joining our knit-along! While Good Wool is quite soft for a standard wool yarn, it will still probably scratch a bit. Cashmere Merino Bloom and Super Soft Merino are much softer and will not itch since they’re made with fibers that have lower micron counts. That means that the fibers are so fine that they bend to the touch, rather than sticking up and scratching.
Since you’re looking for softness, then Wigeon or Season Alpaca would be the best options! Wigeon is 100% merino wool, so will be on par with the two other yarns you already mentioned. Season Alpaca is 100% baby alpaca fiber, which is also extremely soft!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks so much!
Can I choose my own colors for this
Kal?
Hi Nila,
Yes, you can absolutely choose your own colors! If you’d like to purchase individual skeins of Good Wool, you can do so at this link. Hope this helps, and we can’t wait to see what you create!
All the best,
Lili
I signed up to do the KAL but I will be at work at that time. Will you have these saved somewhere for me to watch them at a later time?
Hi Phyllis,
Thanks for reaching out. We will be recording all 3 of our Zoom + Knit Meetings that are taking place throughout the duration of the KAL! Once we’ve finished editing each video, we’ll be posting them on our YouTube channel, which you can find right here. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I got my kit and will be joining the KAL for this blanket but I need to make it longer – 55 inches is too short for my family. I would like to add one more row onto this pattern. So it would still be 4 colums wide but 6 rows longs. Is that going to work and how much more yarn will I need? I’m thinking I would add one more color to the mix. Thank you for the help on this project.
Hi Mary Ann,
Thanks for writing in! To add an extra row to your throw blanket, you would need about 581 additional yards of yarn. I would recommend getting 2 more skeins (1 each) of the main colors since the original throw size will utilize most of the yarn in those main colors and then 1 more color if you’d like to add an additional color to your blanket. You’ll have about 2/3 to 4/5 of a skein left in each of the original contrast colors if you were to complete the blanket in the regular throw size, so if you’re getting gauge, I think you should be able to continue using the contrast colors you have as well! I wanted to mention though that since these are rough estimates, we recommend just keeping an eye on your yardage too when you’re working on your blanket and grabbing an extra skein here or there as you need throughout the process.
I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Cat
Hi, I am hoping to put together a custom color palette for the KAL! It’s hard for me to envision but I was thinking of MCs Lemon Meringue and Hay, and CCs Wild Heath, Periwinkle Grey and Violet Night. Could you give me a head’s up if those are too clashy and maybe some suggestions for a yellow/purple or possibly yellow/grey palette? Thank you in advance!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for writing in! I think a purple and yellow Prism Blanket would look extremely cool! Lemon Meringue and Hay Field would make for excellent Main Colors and I think the other colors you’ve picked are spot on too. Your blanket will have a great range of purple and gold hues and plenty of contrast!
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Cat
I love the colors and blanket but really prefer to use machine washable/dryable for a baby blanket. Is there a good substitute for this blanket?
Hi Liz,
Thanks for reaching out. For a machine washable yarn, I suggest using Cotton Pure for this pattern! Cotton Pure is spun from organically grown cotton, making it ideal for baby knitting. Since it is also a similar gauge yarn, it will work with this blanket’s gauge, too!
All the best,
Lili
Hello. I just finished my first triangle and the Selvedge edge is only 9” (I have 85 stitches). Which is more important to stop at 85 stitches or 11” for the triangle. I am making the crib size. Thank you!
Hi Leslie,
Thanks so much for your comment! Could you please let us know if you’re measuring along the diagonal hypotenuse of the triangle or the other 2 sides? If the hypotenuse measures 11″, that should actually correspond with about 9″ for each of the other 2 sides, so you might be right on track! Hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
When connecting the first square A to the first square B, I cannot tell from the video and photos if I’m supposed to pick up one or two strands. It looks like picking up only one strand would result in a very weak seam.
Hi Cris,
Thanks for reaching out! You’ll only need to pick up one strand from the garter ridge bump when picking up a stitch. Fortunately, it still creates a very strong seam! While just one picked-up stitch on its own might not seem very strong, when combined in a row with all the others, the strength grows exponentially. All the picked-up stitches work together to create an extremely secure seam!
All the best,
Lili
Are there recommended color combinations for the KAL, but using Cotton Pure yarn?
I love all the combos in the Prism Blanket bundles, especially White Caps crib size and
Vvv vvv. crib size. What color combinations of Cotton Pure could be used to create a similar effect?
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for writing in! I’d recommend using the following combinations of Cotton Pure colors to match the White Caps and Spruce color palettes as closely as possible:
White Caps
Warm Rock
Heirloom White
Moonflower Blue
Waterdrop Blue
Blue Gale
Spruce
Blue Gale
Linden Green
Heirloom White
Alabaster Cream
Warm Rock
Hope this helps you plan your blankets!
All the best,
Lili
I meant to write “White Caps crib size and SPRUCE crib size” in my above post.
Hi! I’m starting the prism blanket KAL and I’m having trouble with the gauge. A size six needle is giving me a square measuring 3.75 by 4 inches, but the swatch made with a size 7 needle is too big (and didn’t look as good). I’ve completed the first half of the first square (with needle size 6) but the side is measuring ~10 inches rather than ~11 inches, and I’m worried the blanket will be too small over all. What is the best course for me now? Should I add squares to the total blanket size (in which case I worry I would need more yarn) or should I try to make the individual squares larger? If I do the latter, I think I would make the first triangle a total of 48 ridges rather than 41 – I’m getting about 7 ridges to an inch along the selvage. But how would this impact the rest of the pattern? Could I follow as is or would I need to make other adjustments?
Hi Elsa,
Thanks for reaching out! I actually think that your gauge with the size 6 needles is close enough to work with, but it sounds like it’s turning out to be a bit smaller in the actual blanket. One thing you could do to fix this without altering the pattern is aggressively block your swatch and eventually your finished blanket. Since your gauge is pretty close already, stretching it while it dries should bring it up to the correct dimensions.
If you want to alter the pattern a bit though (or if you’re not planning on blocking the blanket at all), then I’d recommend adding stitches to each square! This pattern is great because you really don’t need to alter it very much to make any size squares–just make a note of how many stitches you plan to knit each square to so that it remains consistent. Then you can follow the pattern as written, other than that change!
All the best,
Lili
Looking forward to my bundle arriving this weekend and jumping in with the KAL! Do I need to fix the dye before beginning? (If it helps, I ordered the Campfire colorway bundle.)
Thanks in advance and excited about casting on as soon as possible!
Hi Leslie,
Thanks so much for writing in! We haven’t experienced any cases of dye running in Good Wool so you should be all set! But if you’d like to make sure that this won’t be an issue with your yarn, you could try taking a small portion of the yarn and letting it soak in some tepid water for an hour or so and then checking to see if there’s any residue left in the water. If you notice any color transfer we’d appreciate knowing (feel free to email us at customerservice@purlsoho.com) and we can help figure out the best next steps from there!
All the best,
Cat
Hi I signed up for the KAL but am finding that many of the Good Wool colors are out of stock. Are you expecting more soon or would I be better off to go ahead and choose a different yarn for the project ? Would you have suggestions on good alternatives? Thanks so much.
Hi Sue,
Thanks for writing in, and we’re also sorry that many of the Prism Blanket Bundles are sold out! The response to this exciting bundle has been overwhelming, and we just couldn’t keep them on the shelves for long. We’re hoping to have them all back in stock by the end of March, but in the meantime, I’d be happy to help you pick a new color combination so you can get started as soon as possible. If you can give me a sense of generally what sort of color palette you’re interested in, I can come up with some suggestions!
All the best,
Lili
When I am joining the second color for the decreases, I am getting the little purl bumps on the other side, so I get a little stripe of the new color and then a stripe of the old color before the new color starts. I have zoomed in on all the photos and I really don’t see this in all your photos- is there something I am doing wrong when joining the second color of the square?
Hi Holly,
Thanks for writing in, and you’re not doing anything wrong! When changing colors in garter stitch, you will always get a small stripe of the old color at the join on one side of the knit fabric. In this pattern, we designed the color change so that this stripe will only appear on the wrong side of the fabric, on the back of the blanket. That way, it won’t be visible when the blanket is laid out face-up, which is how we took the photos of our samples!
All the best,
Lili
Hello. I have made my swatch & it appears I will need smaller needles. How do I determine what size I should try? Using size 6 needles, 20 rows=4”
Hi Peg,
Thanks for reaching out. Could you quickly clarify the gauge you’re getting with the size 6 needles? 20 rows in 4 inches sounds very, very large, since the gauge is 44 rows in 4 inches. Are you perhaps counting the garter ridges instead? If so, then you’re actually very close, and I’d recommend trying size 5 needles!
All the best,
Lili
Like a few others have commented, I’m less than certain that I’m picking up the outermost bump of a garter stitch when joining square B to A. It would help me to know how many stitches i will have on my needle when I complete the CC triangle of square B. (That way I can make certain I’ve picked up the right amount of stitches from Square A, and can accurately predict ahead of time which “bumps” those will be.) I hope my question makes sense. 😉
PS I have viewed the tutorial specific to this… the yarn used in the tutorial that makes it so clear there becomes much less so in the Good Wool used for the project. (The Good Wool yarn I love by the way!)
Hi Antoinette,
Thanks for writing in! Once you complete the first triangle of any square, you should always have 85 live stitches on your needles. That also means that you will have picked up 42 garter bumps from Square A. Hope this helps you predict things ahead of time!
All the best,
Lili