Hand Knit Cabled Baby Blanket

I knit this blanket with malabrigo wool, which is ridiculously soft and so amazing to knit with. It’s also very warm and not at all scratchy. I have it on my project list to knit a large blanket for our bed with it, as well as a sweater. The pattern is incredibly easy (are you sensing a theme here, in regards to my patterns? My idea of incredibly easy is when a project is repetitive enough that you can mindlessly knit away) and made a lot of fun with the cables and seed stitch.

Know Love Cabled Baby Blanket

Finished size: length is 28 1/2 inches and the width is 23 inches.

Materials needed: Size 7 US Needles (I used circular needles, 32 inches in length,) cable needle, stitch markers (this is optional but really good for the beginning,) 5 skeins of worsted weight yarn of your choosing.

Yarn used: 2 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted Weight Buscando Azul and 3 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted Weight Polar Morn.

Pattern:

Cast on 212 stitches, placing the first marker after the fourth stitch and the second marker after the 208th stitch. This will mark the borders, which are worked in seed stitch.

Work Rows 1-4 in seed stitch.

Work the next 12 rows as follows: odd rows are to be knit with the first 4 stitches worked in seed stitch, knit 12 and purl 4 (repeating 13 times EXCEPT on the last repeat where you only knit 12) and work the last 4 stitches in seed stitch. The even rows are to be knit with the first 4 stitches worked in seed stitch, purl 12 and knit 4 (repeating 13 times EXCEPT on the last repeat where you only purl 12) and work the last 4 stitches in seed stitch. You will start this pattern on an odd row.

Cable Pattern for Main Body (this does not include the border stitches):

R1: Knit 12 stitches, purl 4. Repeat 13 times. Do not purl 4 in the last repeat.

R2: And all even rows, purl 12 stitches, knit 4. Repeat 13 times. Do not knit 4 in the last repeat.

R3: C8B, K4, purl 4

R5: Knit 12 stitches, purl 4. Repeat 13 times. Do not purl 4 in the last repeat.

R7: K4, C8F, purl 4

R9: Knit 12 stitches, purl 4. Repeat 13 times. Do not purl 4 in the last repeat.

R11: C8B, K4, purl 4

R13: Knit 12 stitches, purl 4. Repeat 13 times. Do not purl 4 in the last repeat.

R15: K4, C8F, purl 4

Main Body: Work first 4 stitches in seed stitch, work the cable pattern 13 times, work last 4 stitches in seed stitch (Note: you do not need to purl 4 before the seed stitches.) Repeat this until you have worked through most of your 5th skein of yarn. Piece will measure 26 1/2 inches at this point.

Work the next 12 rows as follows (beginning with an odd row): odd rows are to be knit with the first 4 stitches worked in seed stitch, knit 12 and purl 4 (repeating 13 times EXCEPT on the last repeat only knit 12) and work the last 4 stitches in seed stitch. The even rows are to be knit with the first 4 stitches worked in seed stitch, purl 12 and knit 4 (repeating 13 times EXCEPT in the last repeat only purl 12) and work the last 4 stitches in seed stitch.

Work last 4 rows in seed stitch and bind off.

Enjoy, and I’d love to see photos of your completed blankets! If you’re on Instagram, tag your photos with the hashtag #knowloveknowcolor. xo, Ev.

Crochet Basket

This basket was my first crochet project and now I get all of the hype… Crocheting is addicting, relaxing and entertaining. I found the rhythm of it easy with this super bulky yarn (which had the added bonus of being a quick and easy project.)

Disclaimer: I will tell you how I did this but know going into it that I adopted the philosophy of “just wing it” and did not follow a pattern! Crochet patterns are a mystery to me and I figure everything out by trial and error. Not being able to read a pattern means that I also don’t know how to write one. With that said…

I first started with a chain of 100 and single crocheted until it was the length needed for the desired circumference of the basket. I then seamed it together, inside out, using a single crochet. It looks good on the right side, which is important to me, but doesn’t have that seamless look- that’s my next skill to learn!

The handles were done separately, and crocheted to the basket itself.

For the bottom I crocheted in a flat circle until it fit the basket. Again, I crocheted it to the basket, inside out.

And that’s it! It wasn’t meant to be stiff to the point of standing straight up; I achieved the perfect balance between stiffness and floppiness by using a super bulky yarn and a hook that was a size smaller than one would normally use. I crocheted this specifically to hold yarn and my only requirements were for the handles to be durable (and they sure are… There is a lot of weight in yarn there and it’s only half full!) I’d love to see what baskets you’ve been crocheting- share them on Instagram using the hashtag #knowloveknowcolor for a chance to be featured on my Instagram site! xo, Ev.

Caught My Eye

One of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my pregnancy is to slow it down during our hikes yet it has also been the most rewarding. It’s been rewarding because I keep spotting really awesome details, such as insects everywhere, like this daddy long legs, hanging out on the mossy tree.

Mushrooms are my favorite to spot and I’ve always keep an eye out for them. I am currently researching mushroom and toadstool guides to see which one I’d like to buy. Any suggestions and favorites, leave it in the comment section below!

Sprocket is a Puerto Rican rescue dog so we don’t really know what mix she actually is. I see a lot of whippet in her as well as some cocker spaniel and for sure, terrier. Which makes me love this photo all the more that she stopped chasing after this wood frog (Disclaimer: I could be wrong about the identification of species) long enough for me to get a photo.

As soon as we got into the car, a torrential downpour started- it couldn’t have been better timing.