Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Violet's Cable Knit Blanket

This blanket was my first cable project, and although it looks scary, it was actually easier than any lace pattern. The nice part about cables is you get seven rows of easy and fun knits and purls and only every eighth row do you have to worry about cable needles.




I used size 10.5 round bamboo needles along with the standard open cable needles, but I think that the cable needles that look like giant safety pins would be easier for this project. For yarn I chose that soft Caron "Spa" bamboo blend again, this time in Soft Sunshine. If you use this yarn, make sure to pull from two balls and you'll need just under 4 balls of yarn total (around 900 yards)

This pattern is a multiple of 11 + 1 and plus an additional 12 for the border. For my blanket I cast on 101 stitches (88 + 1 + 12)

Rows 1-8 ~ Seed Stitch (K1, P1 for border)

Row 9 and all odd rows ~
Seed Stitch for 6 stitches (K1, P1), place marker for border
P1 *K2, P6, K2, P1* till last 6 stitches
place marker for border and Seed Stitch to end (K1, P1)

Row 10 and 12 ~ 6 sts Seed Stitch, K1 *P2, K6, P2, K1* till last 6 sts, Seed Stitch to end

Row 14 ~ 6 sts Seed Stitch, K1 *P2, slip 3 sts on cable needle and hold in BACK. K3 from left needle, K3 off the cable needle, P2, K1* till last 6 sts, Seed Stitch to end

Row 16 ~ 6 sts Seed Stitch, K1 *P2, K6, P2, K1* till last 6 sts, Seed Stitch to end

Repeat Rows 9 to 16 until blanket measures desired length.

Repeat rows 1-8 and bind off knit-wise.
Assemble ends and make sure to block.

Hopefully baby Violet will love her new cable knit blanket!








55 comments:

  1. What were the final dimensions on this blanket? I would like to try it, but for adults. Thanks

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  2. Hi Jenny,
    This blanket measures approx. 18" wide x 24" long. Have fun making a big version! Sounds like a nice idea.

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  3. Are you on Ravelry? I'd love to see what other project you've done!

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  4. i like it, im going to try this one . thanks for sharing :)

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  5. I love this pattern and love cables. I'm working on my first knitting project, a cable scarf, and it is going pretty well. Would you be able to point me in the direction of how to enlarge a knitting pattern? Say if I wanted to make this pattern but in a larger size?

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  6. hi orange sugar,
    you could enlarge this in two ways:
    1. use a super bulky yarn and thicker needles. this will make the whole thing chunkier and bigger, but have the same pattern and number of stitches.
    2. cast-on more stitches using the multiples and have more cables across your blanket. I CO 101 sts, using a multiple of 11 and 8 (+1 and 12 for the border). to double, you could use multiple of 11 and 16 which would be 176 + 1 (and add 12 for the border) would be 189 sts.

    either way you are going to have a larger blanket! hope this helps.

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  7. hello! love your two cable blankets, I think I'm going to make both but in adult size - will post on Ravelry once I'm done, I'm Cataknit ^___^ love your work - I see you are from NZ too? I just moved to Melbourne from Auck - we should start a knitting club if you are in the area?

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  8. Hi Cataknit... No, sigh, I wish I was from New Zealand! I live in San Diego, but I absolutely loved it over there, it was only for about 6 weeks. If I get it together to move that way, I will definitely let you know! In the meantime, please let me know when you post/finish the adult size blankets, would love to see!

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    1. I live in San Diego and am a knitter. I have started knitting this in a wool/silk blend. When finished I am making an extra large king. Love your work

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  9. This blanket is beautiful. I would like to knit one, but with a worsted weight yarn. Do you think it will come out a good size if I cast on the amount you did or will I need to cast on more? I would like a 30x30(inches) baby blanket.

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  10. About the worsted weight yarn for this... I think it would be much too small if you were to use, say, US 7 needles. This final blanket is only 18"w x 24" long. If you'd like it to end up as 30" x 30" you probably need to at least double the pattern amount, maybe even a bit more. I would consider CO of around 200 or 211 (or more) stitches. This is a rough estimate, maybe there is a formula online to get a more exact number!

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  11. Thank you for the reply. I knitted a swatch. I got 5st/1". I multiplied 5 x 30" = 150 sts to cast on to make a 30" wide blanket. I know w/cables it draws the blanket in more. So, I will cast on 200. Thank you again for your help and sharing this beautiful pattern.

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  12. I have done something wrong oops. I definitely have seed stitch along the bottom as it is all bumpy like in your photos but the borders at the edge look like ribbed stitch? Wherever the pattern said seed stitch for 6 I did K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1 should I have been looking at the previous row and knitting the purls and purling the knits? I think the blanket will still look pretty but I would like to try to understand what I did wrong?

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  13. Hi Barbara, Yes, that's exactly what happened on the sides, you knit the knits and purled the purls and it created a ribbed stitch. It probably still looks cute, but may curl a bit at the edge. If you try again, look at the stitch below and knit the purls and purl the knits to create the bumpy seed stitch. It's tricky because when you flip the blanket over, everything reverses so the only definite way to know is check the stitch. Hope this helps!

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  14. Thanks Lulustar, I am really only a beginner as I haven't knitted since I was little and even then I had my mum or nana by my side to pick up all my dropped stitches. Your instructions are great and so far the blanket looks lovely, I even managed the cables. I didn't notice anything wrong until I was well past my first cable row so I will just keep going. I thought that might be what I had done, I'll remember next time.

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  15. Was my last comment really in April??? Well I never claimed to be the fastest knitter in the West. I finally finished my blanket and it looks great. I decided to rip the whole thing out and do it properly with the seed stitch border. This was my first blanket and first time doing cables. Half way through I dropped a stitch and so it also became my first time picking up a dropped stitch (no way was I ripping it out again!!!!). Thank you so much for this pattern. Now I just need someone to have a baby so I can gift it to them. Disclaimer: I did do a couple of other projects in the meantime, it didn't really take me the whole 6 months to complete!!

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  16. Lovely pattern! Just made this baby blanket in a beautiful mint green colour for a friend. Thank you for sharing!

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  17. Hello! This is beautiful!
    This is probably a dumb question but when you write: K1 *P2, K6, P2, K1* till last 6 sts

    Do you repeat: K1 *P2, K6, P2, K1* or only what's between the **, so would you just repeat *P2, K6, P2, K1*

    Thank you!

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    1. Hi Allie, Yep, you're right, the repeats fall between the ** in the pattern. So in your example you would just repeat the P2, K6 P2, K1 part.
      Hope this helps and have fun!

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  18. Hello! I am working on this pattern and I think it is absolutely fantastic. I really like how simple and elegant it is, and I am so excited to finish making it. :D I have posted a photo of what I've done so far on my new blog, ( whereristhenutella.blogspot.com ). I used the enlarged version of 200 stitches across since I really wanted it to be larger. This pattern is also my first ever cable knit pattern. Thank you for posting it! I am making it for my neighbor's baby, but now I don't want to give it away! :)

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  19. Hey Olivia,
    Thanks for sharing your new blog and your (almost done) cable knit blanket! It looks SO beautiful, love it in white. Your neighbor is going to totally love it, if you can part with it :)

    That happens to me all the time, I make something for a gift and end up stashing it away!

    Yeah, the original pattern is not huge, more for a newborn, approx. 18" wide x 24" long.

    Happy knitting!

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  20. I'm trying this out... this is my first time ever knitting a pattern.. I'm surprised how easy it is to do... its coming out good... being a begginner I found it easier to buy a counter thing... so you remember where your at... but surprised how easy this is to do... I used a smaller needle size... wish I bought the suggested size... can you change needle sizes ? Since I'm a beginner the first part was very tight... and hard to k the p and p the k ... but know that I'm getting use to it ... its getting loose er as I go... I'm a almost through my first skan ... can I change sizes? Understanding this is my first ever.... ... its not going to be perfect. What do you think?

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  23. Can you tell me what what you mean by pulling from two balls of yarn? Am I knitting with two strands of yarn together? Or can you send me a link of a video that can at least get me started? I'm guessing this needs two strands of yarn to be knitted on at the same time...

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    1. Hi, it looks like the one I am making out of one of my knitting books, you have a yarn on each end, so you start with one yarn and when you get to the end of that row you drop that yarn, leave it there, start other yarn and use for the next row, so you will always be dropping and picking up a yarn.

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    2. Pulling from 2 balls makes no sense to me at all. I just doubled my yarn so my blanket is heavier. I just don't understand always dropping and picking up a strand. SMH

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    3. Just figured it out. She means pull yarn from 2 skeins at the same time, so it doubles up on the yarn and makes it thicker. Or you could use your winder and just make one big giant ball, using a strand from each

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  24. How do you block this project? Just to the measurements?

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  25. curious if you double the pattern to make it wider, how would you alter rows 9-16 to increase?

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  26. Hi, I am working diligently making my blanket. I chose a Caron yarn as well, but I can't tell you how many times I have had to pull all the stitches off and change needle size. But that isn't my problem. I really want to know what you mean by pulling from 2 balls? It seems to me you would just wind 2 together so you can knit with double yarn, but your saying something entirely different. Can you explain??

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    1. Hi Cindy, No, I think that you've got it, just pick two balls of yarn and pull from each of them, together, in order to create a thicker piece of yarn. This way I could avoid having to use smaller needles. I usually just put both balls in a small bag so they stay contained and knit from both, you don't have to wind them or anything. Just think of it as one piece of yarn so you don't get confused. Hope that helps!

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  27. Hi - this is an absolutely fab pattern. Thank you for sharing. I too am confused by what you meant,"puling from 2 balls."
    Does that mean you are working the blanket double?
    You are using 2 strands of yarn at once? I have read through all the comments trying to see if anyone else had this question and I think from the gist of your reply - you worked 2 strands of yarn at once,,correct?

    I am definitely making this and should choose something from my stash - but I LOVE the soft yellow color you chose. Finding Caron Spa bamboo blend right now has proved a challenge.
    Thank you again,
    Jan

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  28. About to start knitting,can't wait.But is it using 2 strands of wool together?

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  29. Beautiful pattern although dimensions seem really small. So I will be doubling size as you suggested and using circular needles. I have never attempted cable but your directions make it seem easy. Thank you !!!

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  30. hi, what about row 11, 13 and 15? Are they the 'odd" rows?
    maybe its a silly question, but i really do not knoiw! :( could someone tell me please?

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  31. Hello
    I just finished this beautiful pattern and I'd like to know if you allow the translation of it to Portuguese in a video tutorial. I always like to post the patterns with a little video, so people can understand how to do the cable torsion and things like that.
    Please let me know if that's ok to you or not. Thank's for sharing the pattern anyway :)
    Big hug o/

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    1. Hi blogby day,
      Sure you can use this pattern for your blog tutorial! Hope you've enjoyed the pattern and that someone else will get to learn from you too!
      Thanks for asking :)

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  32. Could you down size this for a preemie blanket? I knit and donate preemie blankets to local hospitals and I would love to make some of these for them.
    Thank you for sharing this pattern.

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  33. Could you down size this for a preemie blanket? I knit and donate preemie blankets to local hospitals and I would love to make some of these for them.
    Thank you for sharing this pattern.

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  34. Love ur cable knit blanket but want to make an adult size one!! My question is can the border be done it nit stitches instead of seed stitch with out blending into the pattern and not being able to see the border from the actual pattern?

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  35. Hi! This is such a beautiful blanket and I'm super excited to make it. I was wondering if it would be possible to add a fabric backing to this? Or would it be too thick then? Thanks in advance!

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  36. I'm going to give this lovely afghan a go....but, I'm just wondering, do you use circular needles or just straight??

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    1. I'm currently knitting this blanket and I choose to knit it on a 24 inch circular needle. There are a bunch of stitches and they're easier to manage on the circular.

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    2. Thanks Sam....are you making the blanket larger than specified? Perhaps doubling up the wool is the best way to make it bigger as well as larger needles.

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    3. I'm just knitting the baby size, but I don't see why doubling the wool and using larger needles wouldn't work. I would use a 29 or 32 inch curcular needle instead of the 24 inch because that just barely hold the stitches I'm knitting for the baby blanket.

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  37. The needles.... US 10.5 or the 10.5 mm?

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  38. will this work with worsted weight yarn?
    thanks jullie

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  40. Hi. I would like the bigger size too. Can you tell me how many stitches, what wool you’re using and size of needle, to get the size you want. Thank you

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  41. I am currently working on this using size 19 circular needles and a super bulky yarn. It is absolutely beautiful and so soft!

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  42. I made this lovely throw but used a bulky yarn with a blend of acrylic and alpaca. It is super soft and durable. Such fun to knit. This was a fast knit and one of my favorites

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  43. I Love this pattern. Thank you very much for sharing it. I want to make it for an adult. If I cast in 303 sts, will that be enough? I multiplied 18" wide x 3 = 54". Also, are you using metric 10.5 needles or US? Thank you so much for your help. I'm excited to make this for my daughter��

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