Knit a Blanket to Bring Color to Your Mornings

No matter how many blankets I am working on or have finished — knit or crochet — I feel like there’s always room for another one. Blankets can make great gifts or charity projects, and it’s also just lovely (for me, anyway) to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house.

So while I have at least three blankets “in progress” right now, I’m sorely tempted to cast on a Good Morning Blanket from Purl Soho.

If you take one look at it I’m sure you’ll feel the same way.

This luscious, colorful blanket looks so squishy in garter stitch, and it gives you practice with the log cabin technique, which you’ll want to use again and again once you learn it (this is such a fun way to use stash, for example).

The version shown here is worked in a 100 percent cotton that’s light worsted or DK weight, and the throw blanket size uses 32 colors (plus the main color, which is the large white block). Assuming you don’t want to buy all of that yarn in one go, you can use whatever yarn (and weight from DK to a heavier worsted) you have on hand for this one. The contrast color balls come in 58 yard/53 meter skeins so you can probably use a lot of little odd balls from your stash to make this one.

You can also change colors more or less frequently or use these techniques to make a blanket that is larger or smaller. The pattern includes instructions for a throw and a crib-sized baby blanket, which uses five contrasting colors along with the main color.

This looks like such a fun project, and once you get the idea down it’s smooth knitting because it’s all garter stitch. It’s a perfect TV project or for whenever you need something that doesn’t take much thought.

You can get the free pattern from Purl Soho.

[Photo: Purl Soho]

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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