Tessellate baby blanket: now available on LoveCrafts!

The Tessellate baby blanket is available now in LoveCrafts store!* Haven't heard of LoveCrafts? It's the new combined home of LoveKnitting and LoveCrochet. You can find all my downloadable patterns in my LoveCrafts store.*

The Tessellate baby blanket* (originally published in Knit Now issue 86) is a bold, high contrast design, inspired by patchwork and quilting. The blanket features a strong geometric design created using simple two-colour squares that are knitted on the diagonal – this blanket makes excellent TV knitting, and is a great portable project. You could work the blanket in pastels, as shown, for a really pretty baby blanket, or you could use something brighter and bolder for a more contemporary look.

Unusually for me, this pattern is completely suitable for beginners. All you need to be able to do is knit garter stitch, work simple increases and decreases, and pick up stitches! The project is also perfect for those of you that want an easy project to take along on days out over the summer – as it's worked as individual squares, it'll fit perfectly in your bag among all the other stuff you need for a day out.

The pattern is written for the baby-sized blanket, as shown, but I've also included details on how to make a larger or smaller blanket, and provided diagrams for alternative seaming arrangements, so this blanket is fully customisable.

The original blanket is knitted in Three Bears Yarn Affection 100% Cotton Aran, which is spun in Lancashire by English Fine Cottons, but you can use any aran weight yarn that is suitable for babies (ideally chose something smooth and machine washable to make it easy for new parents to care for). LoveCrafts doesn't sell Three Bears Yarn, so I've suggested using Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran, which comes in a brilliant array of colours!

Happy knitting!

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Pattern details

Sizes

One size: 93 cm (36.5 in) square

Tension

17 sts and 34 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in garter stitch worked flat on 5 mm (US 8) needles after wet blocking, or size needed to obtain correct tension.

Yarn

Aran-weight yarn in the following colours and amounts (for the blanket as shown; options are included to make a larger or smaller blanket):

A (white): 285 m (310 yds)

B (light blue): 285 m (310 yds)

C (light purple): 160 m (175 yds)

Needles

5 mm (US 8) straight needles at least 25 cm (10 in) in length

5 mm (US 8) circular needle at least 60 cm (24 in) in length

Notions

Tapestry needle

Sample details

The sample is knitted in Three Bears Yarn Affection Aran (aran, 85 m per 50 g ball, 100% cotton) in Pure White (A), Baby Blue (B) and Purple Delight (C).

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*Affiliate link.

Tessellate baby blanket

Hello! I'm back into full-swing with work (well, as full-swing as is possible around three children during the summer term – a lot of my time seems to be taken up with sports days!), and have been starting to work through the pile of third-party designs that need adding to my Ravelry store.

The Tessellate baby blanket (originally published in Knit Now issue 86) is a bold, high contrast design, inspired by patchwork and quilting. The blanket features a strong geometric design created using simple two colour squares that are knitted on the diagonal – this blanket makes excellent TV knitting, and is a great portable project. You could work the blanket in pastels, as shown, for a really pretty baby blanket, or you could use something brighter and bolder for a more contemporary look.

Unusually for me, this pattern is completely suitable for beginners. All you need to be able to do is knit garter stitch, work simple increases and decreases, and pick up stitches! The project is also perfect for those of you that want an easy project to take along on days out over the summer – as it's worked as individual squares, it'll fit perfectly in your bag among all the other stuff you need for a day out.

The pattern is written for the baby-sized blanket, as shown, but I've also included details on how to make a larger or smaller blanket, and provided diagrams for alternative seaming arrangements, so this blanket is fully customisable.

The original blanket is knitted in Three Bears Yarn Affection 100% Cotton Aran, which is spun in Lancashire by English Fine Cottons, but you can use any aran weight yarn that is suitable for babies (ideally chose something smooth and machine washable to make it easy for new parents to care for).

The pattern is available now on Ravelry. From now until 11.59pm BST, Sunday 7th July 2019, you can get 20% off with the code TESSELLATE, just add the code before you check out.

The pattern will also be available shortly on Love Crafts* (the new name for Love Knitting) - just search for Tessellate baby blanket (note that discount codes do not apply on Love Crafts).

Happy knitting!

********

Pattern details

Sizes

One size: 93 cm (36.5 in) square

Tension

17 sts and 34 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in garter stitch worked flat on 5 mm (US 8) needles after wet blocking, or size needed to obtain correct tension.

Yarn

Aran-weight yarn in the following colours and amounts (for the blanket as shown; options are included to make a larger or smaller blanket):

A (white): 285 m (310 yds)

B (light blue): 285 m (310 yds)

C (light purple): 160 m (175 yds)

Needles

5 mm (US 8) straight needles at least 25 cm (10 in) in length

5 mm (US 8) circular needle at least 60 cm (24 in) in length

Notions

Tapestry needle

Sample details

The sample is knitted in Three Bears Yarn Affection Aran (aran, 85 m per 50 g ball, 100% cotton) in Pure White (A), Baby Blue (B) and Purple Delight (C).

********

*Affiliate link.

New designs: Paddington Bear jumper and Tessellate baby blanket

Hello! I hope this post finds you well. After the 'mini beast from the East' at the weekend (does that make anyone else think there might have been a ladybird invasion? Rest assured, it was just a bit more snow), it finally feels like spring might be on its way – there's a possibility that I might be able to leave the house without a coat on this afternoon!

I have two new patterns to share with you today, both from the latest issue of Knit Now magazine (Issue 86), which is goes on sale today. This issue of Knit Now magazine is the annual British issue, which celebrates British yarns and British designers – every pattern featured in the magazine is designed by a British designer, and every yarn featured has a strong British link, whether it is fully manufactured in Britain or is produced by a British company.

First up we have a pattern that I have been itching to share with you for ages: the Paddington jumper. Paddington Bear, a bear who travels from Peru to London in search of a new life and new adventures, is one of my childhood favourites and one that has a different incarnation for each new generation: for me it was the books and television series, while for the latest generation it is the Paddington movies (Paddington 2 was out at the end of last year, and is excellent). I was delighted when I was asked by Knit Now to design a jumper featuring the famous bear and this is what I came up with: Paddington in his classic duffle coat and hat, carrying his suitcase.

The jumper is knitted in DK weight yarn (Patons Merino Extrafine DK*), and sized to fit ages 2–10. The jumper is knitted in pieces from the bottom up with the Paddington motif incorporated using the intarsia technique. The neckline is knitted on in the round after the shoulders have been seamed. Extra detailing is added at the end using embroidery.

My second pattern in this issue of Knit Now is the Tessellate baby blanket. Unusually for me, this pattern is completely suitable for beginners. All you need to be able to do is knit garter stitch, work simple increases and decreases, and pick up stitches!

The blanket is a bold, high contrast design, inspired by patchwork and quilting. The blanket features a strong geometric design created using simple two colour squares that are knitted on the diagonal. The squares are sewn together at the end and finished with a border in a contrast colour.

The Tessellate baby blanket is knitted in Three Bears Yarn Affection 100% Cotton Aran, which is spun in Lancashire by English Fine Cottons.

Issue 86 of Knit Now magazine is available now from newsagents and supermarkets in the UK. Copies may also be purchased from MoreMags. Please note that the pattern for the Paddington jumper is only included in UK editions, not digital or international editions.

As ever, I would love to see if you knit any of my designs. The easiest way to share is to create a project page on Ravelry,** or to post a photo on Instagram and tag me (@vikkibirddesigns).

Happy knitting!

*Affiliate link.

**Ravelry is a forum for fibre crafts. Membership is free.

All images copyright Practical Publishing.