Snuffle, snuffle: Hedgehog and Hoglets available now!

Some of you may remember that last October I had a pattern published in Knit Now for a blanket featuring three hedgehogs. Well, the rights have reverted to me and the pattern is now available in my Ravelry store.

I have always loved hedgehogs - something that probably started with my mum reading The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle to me when I was little - and a quick search on Pinterest will always bring up a lot of beautiful images of woodland-themed nurseries, so I thought that hedgehogs would make an excellent image for a baby blanket. The Hedgehog and Hoglets blanket features a cute little hedgehog family, with two baby hedgehogs (hoglets) following their mum.

This blanket is knitted in one piece from the bottom up, with a moss stitch border knitted at the same time as the rest of the blanket, so once you've finished knitting the only finishing required is darning in the ends. The hedgehogs are knitted into the blanket using the intarsia technique; the facial features can either be knitted in, or added at the end using duplicate stitch.

As an experiment, I have included written instructions for the intarsia portion of the blanket, as well as the usual charts. If this approach is successful I'll start including written instructions for all my future intarsia designs, so let me know in the comments if this is something you'd like to see more of.

Head to my Ravelry store to pick up your copy. If you use the code SNUFFLE you'll be able to buy the pattern for £3.25, rather than the usual price of £4 (the code is valid until 11.59pm BST, Friday June 30th 2017). If you start knitting now you might even have time to finish the blanket in time to gift it to an autumn arrival! 

Like the blanket, but would prefer it if the background was a different colour? The blanket is knitted in a standard aran-weight yarn (the sample is knitted in King Cole Fashion Aran*), so you can use any aran weight yarn you would like. I would recommend using a machine washable wool or wool/acrylic blend yarn to make the blanket easy to care for.

Beige not your thing? Feel free to choose any colours you'd prefer!

As ever, I would love to see your finished blanket. You can share pictures via Ravelry or Love Knitting by linking your finished project to the pattern page, or via Instagram by tagging your image #vikkibirddesigns

Happy knitting!

*Affiliate link.

Quick and Easy Baby Knits

Every once in a while the team at Knit Now publish a compilation of knitting patterns that have appeared in their magazine. The collections are always themed, and the latest is quick and easy baby knits, and features four of my patterns: Elephant Parade, Barley Twist Cardigan, Reach for the Stars baby jumper and Hedgehogs and Hoglets.

Elephant Parade. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

Barley Twist cardigan. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

Reach for the Stars. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

Hedgehogs and Hoglets. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

The magazine also features an excellent selection of baby knits from other designers. My favourites include Lucy Lamb by Barbara Prime and Beach Hut Cushion by Kim Dickinson.

Lucy Lamb by Barbara Prime. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

Beach Hut Cushion by Kim Dickinson. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

The collection is available at many newsagents and supermarkets, or can be ordered online, and is a bargain at only £7.99.