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The Reason No One Else Got Anything Knit for Christmas

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bernat blanket waffle stitch blanketI have been working all fall and as much of winter as we’ve had so far mostly on one gigantic project.

Months ago my daughter and I were at the craft store and she picked a few giant skeins of Bernat Blanket yarn that she wanted me to use to knit her a blanket.

I finally got the project started, and finished, and boy was it a doozy.

This blanket is gigantic.

I used their free Waffle Stitch Throw pattern, and four skeins of yarn, though I didn’t totally finish the fourth one because the blanket was already as big as her bed and I was tired.

This thing is so heavy it kept popping the join in the cable I was using, which just added to the fun.

The things we do for love.

I think this is the biggest, size-wise, project I’ve ever knit. Of course she loves it and it was all worth it.

Here’s hoping if you made any gifts this year they are received with the love and appreciation they deserve.

And if they aren’t, at least you know who you don’t need to knit for next year.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and a happy Monday to those who don’t!

[Photo: Yarnspirations.]

Looking for more Christmas themed Knitting patterns? Check out some of our favorite Knitting patterns on Etsy and

These Christmas Knitting Pattern Books on Amazon

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Comments

  1. That is a lovely blanket, and wonderful gift. Now I know why I haven’t received the handknit house with a swimming pool, sauna, and room for a pony yet. OOPS, just having a little Hyacinth moment there. Merry Christmas to you and yours, and best wishes for Happy New Year.

Have you read?

Felted Bag Knitting Patterns

I feel like felting is a knitting genre that deserves a resurgence. My first knitting book (which came out in 2008, eek!) was all about felting, but I don’t feel like there are a lot of felting knitting projects out there these days. I really like the technique as an easy way to make a thicker, more durable knit fabric, and it’s actually perfect for knitting bags.

The ZZ Bag from yamagara recently caught my eye and got me thinking about felted bags, and maybe remaking one of the bags that was in that book. This one has a fun zigzag pattern and is worked in worsted weight yarn. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

A lot of the other knit and felted bag patterns I could find were older, but that doesn’t make them bad patterns. I’ve always loved the booga bag from Black Sheep Bags (the pattern is on their website but the photo is broken so you can also check it out on Ravelry). This is a fun one because you can use all your leftovers or a self-striping yarn (the original was made with Noro) to give it a colorful look that’s super easy to knit. 

An envelope purse is another easy shape to knit, and this version from Lavender Hill Knits on Etsy comes in different sizes for younger girls and teens or adults. The small version is worked with one strand of worsted weight yarn, while the larger uses two held together.

The Japanese knot bag is a classic, and a felted version is a lot of fun. You can find this pattern from Cindy Pilon on Ravelry and knit one for yourself using bulky yarn. I also love her bag The Curve, which is also on Ravelry and has a fun rounded shape and contrasting handles.

And there’s also the amazing stained glass bag from Knitting Dream, which also uses a Noro yarn, but you could use wool scraps on the different fans to give it a unique look. There are two size options to choose from and it’s not as tricky as it looks.