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!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
UPDATE: NOW A STAFF PICK
FEBRUARY 2024
We love knitting our Prism Blanket for the same reasons you’ll love it, making it our very first Staff Pick! Meet some of the team…
Jess C., our Senior Fulfillment Specialist + Outreach Assistant, knit a Prism Blanket (above, top) that uses Good Wool’s beautiful range of blues to flicker through all the denim washes… Beautiful! Our longtime Shipping Manager, Anna V., knit a version (middle row, left) that rearranged the color placement into an ode to traditional quilt-making. So clever! Jennifer H.-J., co-owner of Purl Soho, is wrapped up like a spring bouquet in her version (middle row, right). She reports that her favorite thing about knitting the Prism Blanket was how “easy it was without being boring.” The sweet spot! And Margaret H., our Social Media + Outreach Coordinator, displays the first two columns of her blanket, a promising start to her autumnal interpretation! Get in on the action by entering your email into the box above and downloading our Prism Blanket pattern for free!
UPDATE: NOW IN MORNING
MAY 2025
See this favorite project in a whole new light… Cast on for a Prism Blanket in Morning, our machine-washable cotton and yak yarn! Morning is an absolute delight to knit, a soft, round DK-weight yarn with the perfect balance of coolness and coziness. We created three beautiful Prism Blanket In Morning Bundles, each one combining fresh Heirloom White with four of Morning’s cheery, up-with-the-sun colors!
Designed for Purl Soho by Joelle Hoverson and Gaby Bush.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!
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 yarn. Each skein of this sport weight yarn 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 Campfire for the Throw size, and Birthday, Tuber, and Rosebush for our Crib samples.
NOTE, March 2023: We have since added 4 more palettes to this Bundle! Visit our Prism Blanket Bundle page to see all 14 palettes!
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: Winter Grassy; MC2: Heirloom White; CC1: Lemon Meringue; CC2: Pink Salt; CC3: Magnolia Pink
GRASSHOPPER- MC1: Winter Grass; MC2: Heirloom White; CC1: Tree Frog; CC2: Fern Green; CC3: Olive Oil
Fourth Row
AMETHYST- MC1: Winter Grass; MC2: Heirloom White; CC1: Wild Heath; CC2: Purple Pansy; CC3: Periwinkle Gray
WHITE CAPS- MC1: Winter Grass; 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: In order to keep the beautiful Grasshopper, Amethyst, Teacake, and White Caps bundles available, we previously replaced the MC1, Winter Grass, with Driftwood Gray. We’ve since been able to restock Winter Grass and have returned to using it in these palettes! These photos are accurate.
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!
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern is worked over an odd number of stitches.
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!
You will start at the bottom left corner and work your way up the left-hand column to the top left corner. You will then work each subsequent column from the bottom to the top, joining to its neighboring column as you go!
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 (see Notes) 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 remains]
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!
LEARN ABOUT GOOD WOOL + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Good Wool adds loads of character, beauty, and integrity to this knit! A sport-weight yarn whose lofty 2-ply spin can also bloom into a light worsted/DK-weight yarn, Good Wool is made from 100% Andean highland wool, a toothy fiber with a deeply natural appeal. This yarn has a spectacular palette of complex and subtly varied colors, including 5 undyed shades. Very close to the hearts of our customers, Good Wool is a true knitter’s yarn!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our vast collection of (mostly free!) Good Wool knitting patterns and cast on!
More Sport-Weight Yarns + Light Worsted/DK-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of sport-weight yarn
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fiber
- Shop wool yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 45 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 1000’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
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! 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: 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!
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
Thanks!
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 [email protected]) 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
Hi Lili. It was with a size 6 needle. I took your advise & remade the swatch with a size 5 needle. It worked out perfectly! Thanks for your help.
You’re very welcome, Peg!
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
Lili, thank you so much — that was exactly what I needed!!
I am about to start my first square of my prism blanket. I am very excited about this project, but I do have some questions.
Would it be possible for you to publish a schematic numbering which squares are completed in what order. What I mean is what square do we make first, what square do we make second, what square do we make third and so on.
The description of the pattern says there’s no sewing, but as I read through the directions it sounds like I will end up with four or five columns of squares that need to be sewn together. Is there some thing I’m missing about this?
Why are you making an increase by making a yarn over instead of the simple kfb? Could I substitute?
Finally, your tutorial on ssk says to slip one stitch knit wise, then slip one stitch purl wise, then knit the two together. But in the directions for this pattern it says to slip all stitches purl wise. Which should we do?
Help! I really cannot start until I have answers. I think I will make one square and consider it a practice square.
Thank you.
p.s. do you know the max circumference of the Daruma Umbrella Swift that you sell?
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out. I’d be happy to answer all of your questions so you can get started on your blanket!
1. We do have a schematic! You can find it right here. The squares are worked in alphabetic order: In the first column, you’ll work Square A, then all the Square Bs, and for the subsequent columns, you’ll start with Square C and then work all the Square Ds.
2. I can confirm that there is no sewing at all in this pattern! Every single square is knit directly onto the neighboring squares. In the second column (and all following columns), you’ll attach each square to both the square next to it and the square below, using the same technique you used to attach Square B to the one below it in the first column.
3. The yarn over increase was a design choice. You could certainly use a kfb instead, but the yarn over gives it a slightly more streamlined look at the edges!
4. The note regarding the direction of the slipped stitches only refers to stitches where the direction isn’t otherwise specified! In the ssk, the direction of these stitches are already specified as knitwise and then purlwise, so this note won’t apply.
5. I did some poking around on the internet (and some math), and I’m seeing that the max circumference for this swift would be about 82 inches, since it has a max diameter of 26 inches.
I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
I just started the Prism Project. I live in South Carolina, and I am worried I will b sitting under the blanket working when the weather warms! Wondering if I should work the piece in columns and join the strips. Thoughts?
Hi Corinne,
Thanks for reaching out. You can absolutely do that! I’d recommend using whipstitch to join the columns when you’re ready to do that (or you can use your preferred seaming technique).
All the best,
Lili
Would appreciate your feedback on how to keep all the “seams” super straight. I am finding that pulling snug on the yarn when turning rows is a must or it gets sloppy quickly. Other tips?
When I arrive near the end of knitting the first color on block B; I am not sure that I am correctly seeing the very last bump of the garter row below it. Can you post info about this?
thank you!
Hi Rossana,
Thanks for reaching out. You’re totally right! The best method for making sure the joins between each square are straight is to maintain an even tension. And an easy way to do this is just to pull the working yarn as snug as possible when turning for each row!
The last garter bump you’ll pick up and knit with the first color in Square B will actually be the second to last one. You’ll pick up and knit the final garter bump from Square A on the very first row with the second color in Square B. You can identify this final bump because it will actually contain 2 strands of yarn, making it doubly as thick as the previous bumps! This is because this bump was formed by a decrease stitch you worked in Square A. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I’ve been having a hard time figuring out what the final garter bump is as well!
Is my understanding correct? Or am I off by one? My understanding is that the last garter bump I’ll pick up and knit with the first color in square B will be connected to a line of 3 stitches. The final garter bump on square A that I’ll knit with the second color of square B is the only stitch in the row and has the pulled through string from when I cut off that color.
Hi Miriam,
Thanks for reaching out. Your interpretation sounds correct to me!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! I have finished my column of A and B squares, I have knit square C, and I have just started the decrease section of my first square D. When I got to psso at the ends of Rows 1 and 3, there are big gaps that make the four points of the four squares not joined up together well. Do you have any tips or tricks to make the joined corners look more neat and tidy? Thanks so much!
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for reaching out, and this is a great question! It is completely normal to have a gap between the four points of the adjacent squares. The best way to close up the gap is to strategically weave in your ends–you can twist them around each other in a way that brings the corners of the squares completely together. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you so much!! That definitely helps! 😄
When I did my swatch, I matched the gauge perfectly using my MC1 yarn. I started with the CC1 yarn for the blanket and I’m 3/4 way finished with the increase part of my first square A and I checked my gauge. I’m matching the 22 stitches/4in but I have 24 garter bump rows/4 in., Not 22. Is this going to cause an issue to the overall blanket?
Hi Kim,
I think that that small of a discrepancy will be totally fine! Once you attach more squares, the stitch and row gauge should automatically even out, since the joins between squares will lock everything into place.
All the best,
Lili
I am having a difficult time picking up the 85 stitches on the vertical edge. Have watched video and still have a hard time finding the correct spot to pick up.
I am making it much harder than it is I am sure.
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for reaching out, although I’m sorry to hear that the vertical join has been giving you some trouble! This join is very similar to the horizontal join, as you’ll be picking up and knitting a stitch in each garter ridge bump along the edge of the adjacent square. Since each garter ridge is actually 2 rows, you’ll only need to pick up 43 of these in total, not 85!
I hope this helps clarify things, but if you’re still getting stuck at this point, I’d recommend sending a photo of your work to [email protected] so we can take a closer look at what’s going on!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! My knitting group loves the KAL Prism blanket. When will the kits be available in all color ways again?
Thank you,
Jan, Ilene, Ellen, Mona and Brooke
From Chicago!
Hi Jan,
Thanks for writing in, and we’re thrilled to hear that your knitting group is interested in making the Prism Blanket! We are expecting a shipment of the neutral, undyed colors back in stock in early March, which will bring many of the bundle back in stock. Unfortunately, the dyed colors will take longer though. We’re hoping that they will be back in stock early April, but we don’t yet have a specific date from our mill.
If you’re eager to get started before that though, I’d be happy to help you choose some custom color palettes! Then, you can purchase the skeins you need individually on the Good Wool product page. Let me know if you’d like some color advice!
All the best,
Lili
I keep getting a larger hole when I join at the 4 corners. Is there any way to prevent this?
Hi Gretchen,
Thanks for writing in! The hole that appears between the four corners of the squares is actually completely normal. For our sample blankets, we closed these up by strategically weaving in all the yarn tails that occur at that spot. If you twist these around each other and then weave them into their respective colors, the hole will be drawn closed!
All the best,
Lili
Loving this fun project and the first Zoom KAL was extremely helpful for boosting my confidence. So far so good. But are the Zoom sessions the only place to check in or share? Is there anything on Facebook? I do not use Instagram. Thank You
Hi Mary Ann,
We’re so glad to hear that! In addition to sharing on Zoom and on Instagram, we’re also encouraging knitters to upload photos of their progress to our KAL homepage. If you scroll all the way down to the bottom, there’s a place to upload a photo and also to take a look at what others have made so far!
All the best,
Lili
I am almost finished with my first block.
In anticipation of beginning the next square, I have watched the video about the process of joining while I knit. I still have a question about starting my second square. What will happen to the three stitches that I cast on before I start knitting into the bumps of square #1?
Hi Jane,
Thanks for writing in. The 3 cast-on stitches will become the corner of Square B! They may not feel like a corner yet, but once you keep knitting through this square, it will become pointier. And once you’re ready to weave in your ends, that will join together all the points of the adjacent squares!
All the best,
Lili
Hello, I have lost track of the right side of my very first square. I am ready to add the second color and then start the decreases. Do I just finish my first color and turn it over to start the second half of the square? Or is there another way to determine the right side of my knitting? This is my first knitting project, my apologies if the answer is obvious. Thanks!
Hi Judy,
Thanks for reaching out. The best way to determine which is the right side of your square is to look at the diagonal line where the colors change! On one side, this should be a clean switch between colors. This is the right side! On the other side, there should be one row where the two colors “overlap.” This is the wrong side! Let me know if this helps clarify things.
All the best,
Lili
I live in New Zealand but was still able to join in the Prism Blanket KAL. I absolutely loved it. Thanks to all concerned. I am knitting my blanket for charity out of bits and bobs that I have on hand. The postage from the USA makes buying the Kit too expensive. I am enlarging the blanket by doing 6 squares up and 5 across.
Would it be possible to ask the designer of this blanket to make a smaller square …say about 6 inches height? It would be useful to make for the hospital for premature babies? Thanks so much for all your help, encouragement and understanding
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for reaching out, and that’s a great idea! To make a smaller square, you can knit the INCREASE section until you have just 43 stitches (instead of all the way to 85). Then, you can decrease as normal, until you’re left with the final stitch, and you’ll have a smaller square as a result! The overall pattern will work just the same for any size square!
All the best,
Lili
I am having a hard time picking up stitches for the 2nd half of each square. My edge looks uneven and messy on my first square. On the second square I have more than 42 bumps to pick up. What could I be doing wrong? I have ripped out so much that I am losing my excitement about this project,
Thanks.
Hi Jane,
I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve been having trouble with this pattern. Knitting should be a fun and relaxing experience, not a frustrating one, and I absolutely understand how disappointing it is when this isn’t the case! Would you be able to send a photo of your work so far to [email protected]? That way, we’ll be able to visualize exactly what’s going on and give more specific advice!
All the best,
Lili
This blanket is beautiful, I cannot knit. Would your designers create a crochet pattern for the Prism Blanket?
Thanks
Christiana
Hi Christiana,
Thanks for writing in! I think this blanket would look great in crochet, and I would be happy to pass along your message to our Design Team. They always are interested in hearing what people are interested in seeing on our website!
All the best,
Lili
Did you get any feedback from your designers on creating this pattern in crochet?
Thanks,
Christiana
Hi Christiana,
I’m afraid that I haven’t heard back from them yet! The design team generally begins working on new patterns well before they’re released, so it typically takes months (if not over a year!) for patterns to go from the idea stage to being released on our website.
All the best,
Lili
I missed the zoom knit along meeting. Will it be available for me to view? If so, when.?
Thank you,
Myrrah
Hi Myrrah,
Thanks for reaching out, although we’re sorry you couldn’t make it to our recent Zoom + Knit! We’ll be uploading the recording to our YouTube channel as soon as we finish editing the video. I recommend subscribing, if you haven’t already, so you can receive a notification once the latest meeting goes up!
All the best,
Lili
Hello again Lili. Thanks so much for all your kindness and assistance. I am turning the “throw” into a blanket for a king size bed. So far I have made 6 rows up and 6 rows across. May even add another column. The question I have is that can the pattern be given as a pdf file? Because I’m using the pattern so much it gets a bit tatty and its difficult to just select the required pages for printing. I’d be more than happy to pay for a pdf of this wonderful parttern.
Thanks also for your advice to make a smaller square version .
kind regards from New Zealand
Hi Jenny,
You’re very welcome! It looks like you’ve signed up for the KAL, so you would have received a PDF of the pattern in your welcome email. For reference, this email has the subject line “Welcome To The Prism Blanket Knit-Along… Cast On Day Is January 20th!!” Let me know if you’re not able to find this though, and I can email you a copy!
All the best,
Lili
Hi
I’m enjoying knitting the prism blanket. I’ve finished knitting column one and now I have to start column 2 – somehow I got very confused as to where I connect the first square of column 2 to column 1.
Thanks !
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for reaching out! You will connect the first square of Column 2 (Square C) to Column 1 on the very first row of the decrease triangle. You’ll knit to the last stitch on that row, slip the stitch, and work the joining method to join it to the cast-on point of Square A. Then, as you continue knitting the decrease triangle of Square C, it will get joined to the increase triangle of Square A. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Hello,
I purchased the throw size kit and I really love the yarn and the pattern. I would like to make an even bigger version of this blanket in machine washable yarn. I know you’ve mentioned that Cotton Pure is a good substitute, but I was thinking of using the Tulip Cotton to create a bit of a thicker blanket (and hopefully slightly quicker knit!). If I keep the same dimension square (11 inches) and add an extra row and a column to make the blanket 55 x66, are you able to provide a rough estimate of how many yards I would need of the Tulip Cotton?
Thank you so much.
Ashlyn
Hi Ashlyn,
Thanks for writing in, and I’m glad to hear that this pattern has caught your eye! I did some calculating based on the yardage and dimensions of another blanket we’ve designed in Tulip Cotton, and you would probably need about 3,965 yards of this yarn to make a blanket that measures 55 by 66 inches. That would come to 31 skeins, which is admittedly quite a lot of yarn!
The reason that this may seem like a lot more yarn than is used in the Good Wool version is due to the properties of cotton yarn. Cotton fiber is a lot heavier than wool, so each skein ends up containing less yardage per 100g. Thicker yarns also have less yardage per skein, so when using a thicker, cotton yarn to make a larger blanket, it really adds up!
I hope this helps you plan your project though, and please let me know if you’d like assistance with any other calculations or estimations!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lily,
Thanks so much for your response and showing me the other blanket knit in Tulip Cotton! I hadn’t seen that one. I just had a follow up question about the yardage you recommend. The blanket in Tulip Cotton requires 1,179 yards for a blanket 27.25 x 38 inches. If I knit a blanket twice that size (roughly 55 x 76) wouldn’t it only require twice the yarn, about 2358 yards (keeping the same gauge)?
Thanks again for your help.
Ashlyn
Hi Ashlyn,
That’s a great question, and this is where things get very geometrical! A 55 x 76 inch blanket is actually more than double the size of a 27.25 x 38 inch blanket. You can observe this by comparing the areas of the two rectangles:
27.25 inches x 38 inches = 1,035.5 square inches
55 inches x 76 inches = 4,180 square inches
Because the area of the larger rectangle is more than double the area of the smaller rectangle (even though the length and width are double), you would need more than twice the yarn for a blanket of that size.
Here’s how to figure out the dimensions of a blanket that would actually just use up twice the yardage though:
27.25 inches x 38 inches = 1,035.5 square inches
1,035.5 square inches x 2 = 2,071 square inches
So a blanket that would take up twice the yardage would need to have an area of 2,071 square inches. This can be technically realized by an infinite number of different lengths and widths, but here are some that would give you “blanket”-like proportions:
40 x 51.75 inches
41 x 50.5 inches
42 x 49.25 inches
I hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Yes, that makes total sense! I understand now. This is very useful and I’ll keep it in mind for future calculations.
Thanks again for your help!
You’re very welcome, Ashlyn!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I like the pattern and the knitting very much so far – but I’m struggling with the join as you knit. I think, the technique is clear and very well described, the connecting seam looks nice and evenly… at the front. But on the back, it looks uneven und not very pretty. I am sure that I picked up the right bumbs, I am knitting very evenly usually, but this doesn’t work well. Is there any trick, any advice I could follow to get a “perfect” result?
Thanks, kind regards from Cologne, Germany,
Stefanie
Hi Stefanie,
Thanks for reaching out, although I’m sorry to hear that the back of the join hasn’t been turning out as expected! In general, the back will look different from the front. On the back, there are slightly longer, vertical loops of yarn along the edge that you picked up stitches from. This is completely normal and may be what you’re observing! If you’re still worried that something is off, I’d recommend sending a photo of your work to [email protected]. That way, we can visualize exactly what’s going on!
All the best,
Lili
I love this blanket and want to give it a try. However, I am allergic to wool. What yarns can I use instead for this pattern?
Thank you,
Jessica
Hi Jessica,
I would recommend Cotton Pure as a non-wool alternative! Like Good Wool, Cotton Pure is a sportweight yarn, so you’ll be able to knit it up to the same gauge as the pattern specifies. You may need to size up or down your needles though, since plant fibers knit up differently than animal fibers!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! I love this pattern! I’m about half done with the throw size and am not into any of the second skeins – would there be enough yarn left to add another row of squares to either the top or side? Thanks so much ❤️❤️!
Hi Kelly,
I’m so glad to hear that you’re having a great time knitting your Prism Blanket! I’m not positive if you’ll have enough for another row or column at this point, but if you can let me know how much yarn you have left over after you’ve finished the original size you’re making, then I can calculate that for you. It would be helpful to know how much each remaining skein weighs in grams!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks! Will do 🙂
I bought all the yarn from you for the Prism blanket and joined the KAL. However I got sidetracked on another blanket for my grandson to take to college this Fall. Is there any way I can watch the instructions from the KAL class?
Thanks
Hi Margo,
Thanks for reaching out! You can view the recordings of all our Zoom + Knit meetings on our YouTube channel. Here’s the link to the Prism Blanket KAL playlist. Hope this helps you get started on the project!
All the best,
Lili
I started this KAL when it started last year.I have since watched the YouTube videos which were extremely helpful, a picture is worth a thousand words!
I ended up frogging column 2 because my squares weren’t lined up right. My question is: when I am starting the decrease portion square D, 2nd square of column 2 (attaching D to B vertically) do I insert the needle into the point where the tail comes out (like the video showed for joining square C to square A? Or is this corner (not purl bump) pick up reserved for just the base square of each column? Written instructions say “pick up and knit last MC garter ridge of square C”.
Hi Leslie,
I’m so glad to hear that you’ve found our Zoom + Knit recordings to be so helpful! The beginning of the DECREASE section of Square D is slightly different from Square C. You’ll insert your needle into the first garter ridge, which is just above where the tail comes out. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Instructions say slipped stitches should be slipped purlwise unless specified otherwise. Does this include the SSK’s ?
Hi Cullen,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, for ssk stitches, there is a stitch that is specified to be slipped knitwise, so you would want to slip that one knitwise!
All the best,
Lili
How much more yarn of each color would be needed to make an actual blanket version in the candle light bundle?
Hi Karen,
The yardage will depend on how large you want to make the blanket! Can you let me know what size (length and width) you’re aiming for? And were you planning on knitting each square larger, or adding more rows and columns of the original, 11-inch squares?
All the best,
Lili
Hello, I have Purl Soho’s Picnic Cotton (2 of the Veggie bundles plus 9 more skeins for a total of 43 skeins). Would this be appropriate for the Prism blanket? Can you provide any feedback on how the size of the blanket would change with this different yarn? I am a novice so not sure about the math, etc. Tx!
Hi Dee,
That amount of yarn will definitely be enough for this blanket! And actually, it’s possible to make the blanket the exact same size. All you’ll need to do is knit each square until the sides measure 11 inches, as they do in the original pattern. You’ll likely have more stitches on your needles since the gauge will probably be smaller, but the pattern works with any number of stitches per square!
All the best,
Lili
I have finished the first two columns and the first square on column three. I am stumped on how to continue. Please help.
Hi Maxine,
I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve hit a stopping point in this pattern! The remaining squares on Column 3 are all Square D, which is actually the same square type you already knit throughout Column 2. Did you have a particular question about the instructions for Square D? If so, let me know, and I’ll be happy to help clarify anything that’s confusing!
All the best,
Lili
Help. I’m knitting the full size, and I am about at the halfway point. I have ran out of both MC1 and MC 2 and have to start on the second skeins already. Thinking ahead this means that I will likely not have enough to finish. Using size 6 and my squares are all the appropriate size.
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for writing in! It sounds like you may have just enough yarn to finish the blanket. Since you’re halfway through, and you’ve used half of each MC, the remaining yarn should be the perfect amount to finish the second half of the blanket!
If you do end up running out though, please let us know, and we can look into next steps from there.
All the best,
Lili
Hi, Love this pattern! I’m currently working on the Campfire, Throw version, which is so delightful. I am looking ahead and want to make this blanket again but with a different, heavier weight yarn and I’m coming across two separate issues I was hoping you might be able to help me solve:
(1) In the original pattern, it says that we need 725yds or 2 skeins of Good Wool for both MC1 and MC2. However Good Wool only comes with 343yds which doubled only gets us to 686yds. Does this mean that the bundle I purchased isn’t actually going to be enough yarn for the throw?
(2) One of the yarns I’m considering is the Purl Soho Yonder yarn which only comes with 140 yds per skein and has a gauge of 4.25 st per inch vs. Good Wool at 5.5 st per inch. I’ve done the math to adjust the pattern to max out the diagonal of each square at approximately 67 stitches with Yonder if I want to keep the same dimensions roughly as described in the pattern. What I’m struggling to figure out is, based on this information, how much yardage would I need for each color? I can’t seem to figure out how that should be calculated or perhaps I’m wildly over-thinking it. Would really appreciate your help.
Thank you so much!
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in! So happy you are making both of these patterns, I think us makers always have the next project in mind even while working on one haha!
The pattern bundles come with all the yarn you will need as our Good Wool skeins actually have a yardage of 383, giving you 766 yards for the two skeins. Each bundle includes enough yarn for either the crib size or the throw size. If you have any issues, definitely let us know.
This blanket would be absolutely lovely in Yonder as well! We have designed a similar blanket in Yonder called the the Knitter’s Choice Blanket and working with that stitch gauge, you will need approximately 1936 yards of Yonder to complete the Prism Blanket. As long as you are able to meet gauge of that pattern, you are looking at 5 skeins for MC1, 5 skeins for MC2, 3 skeins for CC1, 3 skeins for CC2, and 3 skeins for CC3!
I hope this helps but please feel free to let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hello! I am at the point (again) of decreasing Square D, and knitting into the first garter ridge of Square B. I am wondering how many vertical bumps I will be picking up along Square B, before Square D will be finished. Is 42 right? I want to pick up all the vertical bumps on a separate needle to map it out before giving this another go, as my last attempt to attach Square D left it jagged/mismatched to Square B and I had to rip it out. Thanks for your help!
Hi Kiara,
Thanks so much for writing in and I hope we can get you back on track! You are correct that you will be picking up 42 stitches from the side of your garter stitch ridges beginning with the corner stitch! I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any more questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi,
I am just finishing the second square of column 1 and realized that I have 86 stitches – I must have picked up incorrectly along the way … do you hav a suggestion to address this error so I don’t have to frog my work?! 🤞🏻
Hi Cullen,
Thanks for writing in! One option is to frog back a few rows and add in an additional knit 2 together somewhere in your work. I recommend doing this a few stitches into your work that way it doesn’t change the look of your edges as you will be working with those throughout the pattern. With garter stitch it should be hardly noticeable. You could also just do this on your current row if you don’t feel like ripping anything back! I hope this helps but let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Thank you for your speedy response!! Follow up question … I reread the pattern and think I actually had 85 stitches …
I am at the decrease section of square B – last instruction b/f starting decrease with MC1 reads “Repeat rows 4&5 until 1 garter ridge remains from square A”. I picked up that last garter ridge and I think that’s how I ended up with 86 stitches …
What do you think? Do you pick up the last garter ridge ?
But then I just realized I need to pick up and knit 1 stitch from lastMC1 garter ridge of square A – so, if you don’t mind answering – do you pick up last garter ridge from square A? Thank you!
I am so happy you were able to figure out your stitches and get back on track! The most important part is to make sure you have 85 stitches after picking up the last ridge as it will be important for the subsequent triangles. So after you work the last ridge, you should be right at 85 sts. I hope this makes sense but again, please let me know if you have more questions.
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Got it!! I really appreciate the feedback!
Thank you, Gavriella ! Your feedback has been so helpful!
I love the look of this blanket and wanted to make a baby blanket, but may only use 2 colors. My first question is how many tails will I need to weave I to the blanket at the end? I have made quite a few blankets, and many baby blankets, but I find the more tails I have to weave in, the more they can come unwound, especially the more the blanket is used. If using only 2 colors can I carry over the yarn more with less cutting?
Hi Petey,
Thank you for writing in! Since this blanket is ultimately made piece by piece, you will still have the same amount of ends. One thing you could try is knitting in the ends as you go, I especially like to use this method when I know there will be many in my project. One last recommendation is to felt your ends after weaving them in to keep them secure permanently. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I am just about finished making this blanket. Do you have any suggestions/recommendations for weaving in the yarn ends to close up the holes so that they don’t get loose and open up later on? Is this addressed in any of the KAL tutorial videos? Thanks in advance!
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for writing in! I would recommend checking out our Weaving In Your Ends tutorial as a great way to take care of those tails! Occasionally, I also like to use a small felting needle to really secure those ends but that is totally optional. I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any more questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi,
Can I pre-thread the bumps on the vertical sides the same way as for the horizontal?
Thank you!
Hi Chris,
Thank you for writing in with your question! You definitely can use the same technique on this section as well. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi! I love this pattern and would love to knit it using Gaby’s color palette. Can you tell please tell me what those colors are. Thanks so much
Hi Jody,
Thank you so much for writing in! We are thrilled you liked Gaby’s selection of colors! Her color palette for this project includes the following colors listed below:
MC1: Fresh Loganberry
MC2: Wild Violet
CC1: Barn Door
CC2: Apple Cider
CC3: Guava Earth
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi! Can you please advise the colors and number of skeins to make Jess’ prism blanket? The one with the natural and blue colors.
Many thanks!!
Hi CA,
Thank you for writing in! Jess really does have such a wonderful palette for her blanket! The colors she used were 4 skeins of Heirloom White, and 1 skein each of Well Water, Teal Abyss, Teal Twilight, Desert Blue, Pale Patina, and Winter Grass. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions and we would be happy to help!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
This is a beautiful pattern! I am interested in making the crib size. How soft is the yarn? I was hoping to knit it for a newborn so just wanting to make sure it’s soft enough and not irritating. If the yarn is on the rougher side is there another yarn that could be substituted? Love the birthday color palette so much!! Thank you.
Hi Jenna,
Thank you for writing in! While Good Wool is a wonderful yarn, it is a bit more hearty and can feel scratchy to those with extra sensitive skin. Our Cashmere Merino Bloom or Season Alpaca could be great alternatives for this pattern without needing to alter the pattern. Not to mention these two are wonderfully soft! I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi,
I’d like to adapt this to the new Linen Quill mini bundles, but I think it would probably need to be smaller squares. Do you have a sense of how I could adapt this pattern to LQ? Thanks!
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for writing in! I would recommend starting with a gauge swatch to see if you are able to match the one in the pattern and to determine if you are happy with the fabric. If so then you can proceed exactly as written in the pattern. If you feel you need to adjust to make smaller squares, you can follow the directions in the pattern to add additional column and row squares to size up your blanket. We would also recommend taking advantage of the coloring sheet included with this pattern as it can be really fun to plan out your project colors! I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I’m just about to start this so I’ve been practicing making the first square with some extra yarn I have, but because this is garter stitch and uses a long tail cast on, I don’t feel confident about how I identify what is the “right’ side if I’m only starting with 3 stitches. Is it just the side I’m starting with?
Hi Nini,
A good way to determine the right side of this pattern in particular is to keep in mind that the right side is the only one you work the increase stitches on! If you’re working the yo’s at the beginning and end of a row, then that row is a right side row. Once you have an inch or so of knit fabric, you can also attach a removable stitch marker to the right side. So whenever you see the stitch marker facing you, you’ll know for sure you’re on a right side row!
All the best,
Lili
So helpful, thank you! Another question: in the Prism blanket KAL from Jan 27, 2023, there is reference to threading all your stitches onto your needle the first time you join while knitting (first column, first square to second square), but I couldn’t find any follow up on how to actually join the squares using this method since the KAL just went on in the regular way, doing it one stitch at a time. I just could not figure out how that would work. Thanks
Hi Nini,
Thank you for your question! You can check out how we used this technique in the following video here! I have shared a timestamped version but if you need to scroll through, you can see the threaded technique at 27:36 in the video!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi! I’m new to circular needles and find myself fighting the cable making it feel impossible to knit the first three stitches. What am I missing? Must I use circular needles with this pattern?
Hi Jennie,
Thank you for writing in! I am so sorry this is giving you trouble! You can definitely start your blanket on straight needles if that is more comfortable for you and switch over to circular needles once your blanket grows to a size that feels too heavy for straight needles. This might help you get a better hold of the stitches as you start out! You can also boil some water in a pot, turn off the heat, and dip JUST your cords into the water for a few seconds to help them relax. Just be sure to not dip your needles or the connections into the water. Sometimes if a cord has never been used before, it tends to be quite stiff upon first use. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Gavriella, thank you for the response/tips. I’d tried loosening the cable but still struggling with getting things started so will do as you suggest and start on straight needles moving back when the piece is larger. Would it be okay to use a longer cable when I go back, still using the same size needle? So excited to make this blanket! Thanks again!
Absolutely! The cable size isn’t as important as the needle size and sometimes a longer cord can be more comfortable for knitters as well. Let us know if you have any other questions along the way!
Hi, I have tried to make this but I really do not like the way it looks on the knit into seams. Is there another baby blanket pattern I can make using this yarn?
Hi Faye,
We are so sorry to hear your project isn’t exactly what you expected! Some other great options to use with your Good Wool are The Double Knit Blanket, The Amazing Log Cabin Blanket, or the Fine Lines blanket. These are just a few of the projects but you can see our full list of sport-weight blankets here! I hope this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions!
Warmly,
Gavriella
Hello
Very excited to start this. With the pattern listed is that for the crib size?
85 sts/ 11inches
Thanks!
Hi Kari,
Thanks for writing in! This pattern is constructed in squares which you will create as you knit along. The size of each square for both sizes is 11 x 11 inches. The instructions before the parentheses are for the crib size and the instructions for the throw size are IN parentheses. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi,
I inadvertently started the middle column on the left instead of the right and now the diagonal is from bottom right to top left instead of from bottom left to top right. How do I continue?
Hi Faye,
Thank you for writing in although we are so sorry to hear you have hit a road bump! We’d recommend ripping back and starting over beginning at the start of this pattern. Doing so will ensure you are able to connect all your square accordingly and it’ll help your stitches line up nicely. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi I just started this project. I was wondering can I make the squares smaller? I’m sure I can still follow the method for inc and dec or will this have an impact on the pattern?
Hi Riana,
Thank you for writing in! Do you mean smaller gauge wise? or smaller stitch count wise? Either way, I think you could modify the pattern to your liking for a project you will love! If you decide to modify gauge wise, you should be able to follow the pattern as is with no adjustments needed. I will keep an eye out for your reply!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi Gavriella
Thank you for your response.
I mean stitch count wise. So instead of a square of 85sts maybe half of that.
Great and thank you for following up with those details! Since this pattern square works up over any number of stitches, you will just need to make a note about how many stitches in your square as you work them up. This will help keep your squares consistent and help when its time to pick up stitches as well.
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Thank you so much.
You are very welcome!
I loved making this blanket, every single fingering-weight stitch of it. For my very first grand-nephew. Just finished it. Just wet-blocked it. Steeled my nerves and machine-washed it after that — because the yarn I used (stash, though I adore Purl Soho yarns and Purl Soho everything) is machine-wash, lay flat to dry — and I wanted to see what The New Mom would face when she laundered it herself. This leads to a question for Purl Soho: although the edge following the pattern is very lovely, when the blanket is washed, it tends to spread out at the edges and terrifically at the corners. What would you recommend for an edging for the Prism Blanket? I-cord? Or a crochet something?
The reason is that because the baby is Texas, I wanted a light blanket. I used fingering yarn Tosh Light on 4’s with 71-stitch squares, coming to be about 10″ blocked. I made it square, 4×4, rather than crib, your recommended 3×5. The fabric, therefore, is not firm blanket, but light and drapey blanket. It is absolutely gorgeous.
What would you recommend to “stay” the edges of the blanket?
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for writing in! We are so happy to hear you have enjoyed making this blanket! It will be such a lovely gift for a sweet baby! I’d recommend knitting an attached i-cord for a nice clean finish! I think it will really bring a nice secure border to your blanket and will be such a nice detail. I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Thank you for the suggestion! It worked to keep the shape of the corners when the blanket is damp from spin-drying in the washer, a boon for the new mom. I ended up attaching a 4-stitch I-cord, using the instructions in your tutorial for joining I-cord of a different colour (since the triangle colours vary around the edge). I really can’t decide which I like best — the beautiful edge that the pattern created, or the I-cord edging. It’s an heirloom!
Thank you so much for your help, Gavriella, and for your wonderful patterns and the fabulous yarns.
Oh I am so happy to hear this! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful update!
Hi! I just started knitting the crib size of this blanket. I’m on Square A (the first square) and am about to join the new color to start the decrease. I’m confused by part of the directions though.
It says to join the new color with the right side facing up. Then knit rows 1 through 3, which means rows 1 and 3 would be on the wrong side. But in the directions, row 4 is noted as being on the wrong side (as opposed to the right side). Am I missing something? Thanks so much for your help!
Hi Jill,
Thank you for writing in. In this section, your right side rows are on your odd numbered rows. So in this case, row 2 and 4 are your wrong sides. So for row 1, you are both simultaneously joining your MC1 to your right side row as you knit, I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Thank you for clarifying! 🙂
I love the color palette done by Jess( your staff) in the blue hues. If I were to use Season Alpaca which colours would I use and how many of each?
Hi Bella,
Thank you for asking! For a similar style to Jess’s color palette, I’d recommend Heirloom White, Dove Gray, Winter Sage, True Turquoise, Cobalt Turquoise, Ebb tide Blue and Blue Jeans! I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I’m making this blanket in sports team colors as a gift, so I will be assembling my own bundle. Is the “well water” color black, or a very dark blue? Thank you!
Hi Nadia,
That sounds like such a fun project! Well water is a dark blue!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hello,
I’m having trouble starting the first square with the yarn over/knit through the back – I keep getting a space, so I’m either doing the YO incorrectly or the KTB incorrectly. I’ve looked for videos for help any can’t find anything useful.
Hi Maggie,
Thanks for writing in! Here’s what might be happening: When you do the yo, you may be working it backwards, which then causes the ktbl not to actually twist the stitch, resulting in a hole. To avoid this happening, make sure that you work the yo by first bringing the yarn forward from the back to the front through the needles, and then up and over the right needle. That will situate the yo correctly on the needle so that knitting it through the back loop will twist it and remove the gap!
Let me know if that works when you give it a try, but if you’re still having trouble, please send a photo of your work to [email protected] so that we can better visualize what’s going on!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! I started this project quite a while ago and then life happened and I put it down. I’m wanting to pick it back up again, but I’m trying to figure out how to start again. Long story short, is there any way of knowing which side is RS and which one is WS, so I know which row to start with? I’m only on the second square of the first column, in the decreasing stage. Thank you so much!
Hi Lauren,
That’s a great question! Since it sounds like you have worked a bit of the second square, if you position the blanket so that the first column 2 square and a half is in the lower right hand corner, then that means the side facing up is the right side! You can also look for the slightly raised ridge that is formed on the wrong side. This can help you identify which side is which as the ridge will only be on the wrong side.
All the best,
Gavriella
Hello! I have chosen this pattern as my first blanket project. I am not an experienced knitter but I have made a few things and feel comfortable with basic stitches.
When casting on I am curious if the slipknot is counted as a stitch?
Also I have checked my gauge and found that the size 7 needles are best for my tension but I have been having much trouble knitting through the back loop of my yarn overs- the tension seems too tight and I have to maneuver my needles and yarn in an uncomfortable way to make the stitch, but my last stitch is so loose that I’m not sure if my gauge is good.
The swatch I made was a rectangle in garter stitch. Should I make a swatch knitted on the bias? Will that make me run short on yarn?
I have started this project several times and frogged all of them due to one or more of these issues but I feel like once I got this down I would be good, it’s just getting to that point that I’m struggling with.
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for writing in, and I’m happy to answer your questions!
1. Yes, the slipknot counts as a stitch!
2. I’d recommend sticking with the size 7 needles since you were able to achieve gauge with them. To make the k1 tbl’s easier, you could try sliding the stitch to the very tip of your needle. That way, the needle itself is thinner and should be easier to get through the stitch! That should help keep your tension more even overall as well, including in your final stitch.
3. Rectangular is totally fine for the swatch! Also, you can totally reuse the swatch yarn if you need to, but based on the total yardage, you should have a lot of leeway with yardage and shouldn’t have to.
I hope this helps you move forward in your project, but please let me know if any other questions come up along the way!
All the best,
Lili
Hi. I am working on my first square of the Prism Blanket (Throw size) and I made a slight adjustment, ending my first color triangle after 80 rows and 83 stitches on the needle before switching my colors. As long as I do this for every square, will I have any difficulties I’m not thinking through? I’m loving this project – a 40th birthday gift for my niece, in Spruce. Thanks. Leigh
Hi Leigh,
Yep, that will totally work! As long as each square is consistent in size, everything will go smoothly!
All the best,
Lili
Hi. I’m really enjoying knitting this Prism Blanket. I’m thinking I might add a border. 1) Might I use the Dark Spruce, or is there another green you think might look good? and 2) do you have a recommended pattern, either a mitered garter or an iCord perhaps? Thanks so much. I have some time but would like to get the additional yarn now. Leigh
Hi Leigh,
That’s so great to hear! Can you please let me know what color palette you’re using? Or just what colors, if you chose your own? Then I’ll take a look and see if I think Dark Spruce will look good alongside the others!
All the best,
Lili
Oops. Spruce! So Teal Twilight, Dark Spruce, Heirloom White, Driftwood Gray, and Winter Grass.
Thanks for letting me know! In that case, Dark Spruce would definitely work, but if you want to add a totally different color, then I think Pale Patina would be a fun choice! That color would bridge the gap between the dark blue-greens and lighter neutral colors.
And I think either of your ideas for the border would be lovely. Personally, I think I’d go for an attached I-cord since that would probably be a bit easier to work, and will turn out just as beautiful!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks Lili! Pale Patina ordered!