Yesterday I wrote about the swatches I made to help me choose the color sequence and the number of stitches for my Bubble Trouble Throw Blanket worked with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Oatmeal, Barley, and Raisin colorway and fixed circular needles from the KNITTER’S PRIDE Mindful collection 100 cm (40″) 9mm (US 13).
Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease thick & quick in Oatmeal, Barley, and Raisin colorway and 100cm (40”) Knitter’s Pride Mindful Fixed Circular Knitting Needle, 9mm (US 13).
There are a few more things I need to evaluate on my swatches before I start knitting the blanket.
As I opted to switch colors every 6 rows in a repeat sequence A-B-C-A-B-C… I need to see if I can carry the yarn along one side instead of cutting it every time.
I do not like cutting the yarn when I don’t need to; I will try to catch the carried yarn with the working yarn by bringing the working yarn under the carried yarn at the beginning of each wrong side row.
Carrying unused yarn along the side and one ball of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn.
I do this at the beginning of each wrong side row and this way the vertical floats are tucked neatly along the edge. If I don’t do it on every wrong side row the floats will be too long as the yarn is thick (and quick as the label states) and the rows are rather high.
Here’s the summary of my conclusions after swatching:
- I’ll cast on 99 stitches for the blanket/throw.
- I’ll knit the first and last stitch of every row on the right side of the work.
- I’ll slip purlwise the first and last stitch of every wrong side row.
- I’ll use a repetitive color sequence: 6 rows A, 6 rows B, 6 rows C … finishing with a bubble stripe of A where A – Barley, B – Raisin, and C – Oatmeal.
- I’ll change color every bubble stripe (row 1 and row 7 of the repeat).
- I’ll carry the unused yarn along one edge and will catch it along the edge with the working yarn at every beginning of a wrong side row.
- The knit-on border color will match the color of the first and last color stripe and will be dark gray (Barley).
This only shows how much I learned from my swatches, even swatches for a blanket can give so much information! This time it’s not as much about the gauge but the construction and color options.
It’s time to cast on and start the blanket.
Join me tomorrow as I start knitting the Bubble Trouble Throw Blanket using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Oatmeal, Barley, and Raisin colorway and fixed circular needles from the KNITTER’S PRIDE Mindful collection 100 cm (40″) 9mm (US 13).
