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Make a Super Cozy Afghan from Knit Blocks

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block afghan knitting patternAll I want to do, as soon as the weather starts getting cool, is to knit blankets. I normally like blankets worked on one piece or in big panels because they keep you warm while you are knitting them, but I also like this block afghan from Red Heart Yarns.

It’s worked in blocks, where the center square is knit first, then the borders are picked up and stitched around. A variety of color combinations come together to make a harmonious blanket, or use odd balls for the centers and make the borders similar colors to tie it together.

This would be a great travel project because one square’s yarn is not that much to carry around. It would also be a fun group gift knitting project, with each person taking a block or a style of blocks to work on.

[Photo: Red Heart.]

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Knit a Sweet Hood Covered with Flowers

I happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, but I know we have a lot of Southern Hemisphere friends, too, who are heading into the cooler months as we are warming up. Whichever one of the seasons you’re in, you might want to  stitch up this sweet little hood.

This pattern by saskie&co is called snug hood and it uses two colors of yarn to make a close-fitting pixie style hood (almost a balaclava but it doesn’t cover your face, though there is a neck covering portion to keep you a little warmer). You can use the fingering weight wool and mohair held together that are called for in the pattern, or use a single strand of DK weight yarn.

The neck portion and the edging around the face are worked in ribbing in a single color, while the body of the hat includes an allover colorwork flower pattern. The project is worked both flat and in the round and there is colorwork that is knit flat, which means you’ll have to purl in colorwork (which some people don’t like; also, you can’t see what you’re doing as well on the back of the work).

The pattern comes in one size and the colorwork is charted. Testers noted this is a quick and easy project and a great way to learn some new skills (chart reading, working stranded colorwork flat) if you’ve never tried those things before. They noted the hood is cute, comfortable and warm, and a few said it didn’t take as much yarn as the pattern suggests, so bear that in mind if you’re trying to use stash.

Speaking of the pattern notes, check out all the cute color variations in the projects on Ravelry. From pink and red to blue and white to gray and cream, there are lots of great options to think about.

You can buy this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: saskie&co]