Baker's Quilt

We've recently been inspired by blanket knitting, because knitting something that could be considered an heirloom is a wonderful thing.  Knitting a blanket for a baby shows how much you love the baby itself (or the person who will be delivering it).  Knitting squares for a blanket is also a way to use up bits and pieces of wool, great for knitters with endless small balls of wool in their stash, but also spinners who have little bits of singles left on bobbins that can be plied to make a brand new yarn.

So with blanket inspiration in mind, I've scoured the internet on your behalf (it's such a chore) and found the Beekeepers Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits.

I think you'll agree that it is a very beautiful thing. The idea behind it is that it is knitted in hexagons, or hexipuffs, on DPNs and it creates a little pouch which you are able to stuff with wadding and then sew together.  If you are a competent knitter, then it's well worth buying the pattern

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-beekeepers-quilt

If though, you are a relatively new, or not particularly confident knitter, then Myra, the genius that she is, has come up with a much simpler version.  It's based on squares rather than hexagons, so we've named it the Baker's Quilt, based on loaves of bread.  Thanks Fran for that.

Here's how you do it:

Start with your DPNs, I used size 4mm, but it will work with whatever you have. 

Cast on 10 stitches.

M1 on each stitch, so that you end up with 20 stitches

There are my lovely 20 stitches on my DPNs.  The more observant of you will see that my knitting is not the neatest and not the best.  Please don't cry, because there is more.

The pattern goes as follows

K1, Yfwd, Sl1, Yback, and repeat

Knit in this manner until you have a square.  It should look something like this, although yours could be so much neater.

At this point, you will need to separate your stitches onto two other DPNs, first stitch on one needle, second on the other, third on the first need etc, until you have 10 stitches on each needle. You should then be able to open the pouch so that it looks like this:

So, now it's time to fill the pouch with a little wadding, so that there will be a comfortable bounce in your finished blanket.

Now it's time to cast off, go through the two stitches together and knit them and then cast off as you normally would.

You should end up with a little filled pouch of wonder like this one (if you're lucky),

My casting off tension is a little bit too tight but people in the know tell me that if I use a larger needle, my problems would be over.  Tiny Owl Knits says that one of the best things about knitting this way is that you can knit on the go, and it's absolutely true, its so easy and portable.

I've used my own hanspun yarn that I had left, I'd spun it as 4 ply, but we would recommend 4ply for 4mm needles.  We have some 4ply in the shop that would be perfect for this.

Adriafil Avant Garde, fancy mixing these shades?

Or Katia Mississippi, which is always a popular yarn

Or you could go wild, mad, throw caution to the wind and mix and match - that moss green Avant Garde and the denim blue Katia  - yum!!

If you aren't a particularly confident knitter, there are places on the Beginners Knitters mini workshop on Saturday afternoon, 2-4, you'll come away with enthusiasm and the ability to knit and purl, there'll be no stopping you.

Give us a call or pop in if you're passing, Mark might even make you a brew!

Speak soon