Keep it Simple with a Knit Sampler Afghan

Sometimes you want to knit an afghan without being trapped under an afghan the whole time you’re knitting it.

I mean, I guess that might be true for some people. It is not true for me. I think I mostly knit blankets just for the special joy of the part in the knitting where you’re under your knitting as you knit it.

But if you for some reason might not want to have to deal with the whole blanket while you’re knitting it, a patchwork blanket is a great way to go.

They’re great travel projects because you’re only working on piece at a time, and of course they’re fantastic for using up stash because you can make each square a different color if you want, or use a few different colors to make it coordinate with whatever room you plan to use it in. (You do have different blankets for different rooms, right?)

The Caron Knit Sampler Afghan is a free knitting pattern from Yarnspirations that not only gives you the patchwork look in color, but also in pattern. As written the pattern uses three colors, and three different pattern blocks.

The patterns are basketweave, trinity stitch and mock cable. The pattern shows all of each block worked in the same color, which makes it so that the patterns and colors mix in diagonal rows across the blanket. But you could work the stitches in different colors whether you are working with three colors or more than three.

Using more colors will change up the layout pattern, of course, but you could do eight different colors and change colors for each diagonal row shown in the assembly chart. Or use 20 colors and then you can stitch them together however you want because there will be no pattern at all! Totally up to you.

You can get the free pattern from Yarnspirations.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

Have you read?