Free Pattern: Color Convergence

FYI and btw, I custom make this blanket to order!  You pick the two yarns, and I do the knitting, or tell me your favorite colors and leave it all up to me.  Check out my Etsy shop, YIYO Designs, for details on price and delivery.

Anywhere I went to work on this--Binky Patrol, knit night, the doctor's waiting room--everyone oohed and ahhed over the colors, and then they just HAD to feel the softness of the yarn (especially because I kept saying how soft it is), so they oohed and ahhed over that too.

If you want to do the knitting yourself, on the other hand, who am I to stand in your way?  Fiber art is my meditation of choice and I love to share the joy.  So here's a free pattern:

COLOR CONVERGENCE

© 2013 Reyna Thera Lorele
www.etsy.com/shop/YIYOdesigns
www.yarninyarnout.blogspot.com
Ravelry: captainhook

This is an EASY pattern--if you can knit and purl, you can make this blanket.

Plus, you can change colors without having to weave in endless ends.  (Let there be rejoicing!)

I used two contrasting colors of James C. Brett Marble Chunky.  Substitute other yarn if you wish.

I chose the Marble because the colors are gorgeous and because I planned to donate this blanket to charity.  It's machine washable and 100% acrylic, but this is not your garden variety acrylic.  It is lofty and super soft.

It also self-stripes, so when you use two contrasting colors, you get lovely color changes as you knit along.

Finished size
36 inches by 36 inches

Materials
1 ball (341 yards) James C. Brett Marble Chunky, for color A (I used #MC34, the purple)
1 ball (341 yards) James C. Brett Marble Chunky, for color B (I used #MC32, aqua and lavender)
#10 needles

Gauge
3 sts per inch

Abbreviations
k = knit
p = purl
CO = cast on
R = right
L = left

Note:  To catch the different colored yarns and carry them up the side, hold the first color in your R hand, and the next color in your L hand.  Insert R needle as if to knit a stitch, but don't knit yet!  Wrap the first color yarn counter-clockwise around the R needle.  Then wrap the new color yarn counter-clockwise around the same needle.  Now unwrap the R-hand yarn, and knit the stitch with the L-hand yarn.  See photos below for tutorial.

Directions
With color A, CO 111 sts.
Knit 4 rows.

Begin pattern:
Row 1: k across.
Row 2: k 3, p across, k 3.

Change color and repeat rows 1 and 2.  Continue repeating rows 1 and 2, changing color every two rows.  I did 37 "double repeats" of 2 rows of Color A and 2 rows of Color B.

With Color A, do rows 1 and 2 of pattern once more.

Knit 4 rows with Color A.  Bind off loosely.  Weave in VERY FEW ENDS!  Yippee!  Block and donate, give as a gift, or snuggle with it yourself!

Here is a photographic tutorial for how to change colors.

Color B on left, previous color A on right

Insert R needle into first st

Wrap color A around R needle...

...counterclockwise

Don't knit the stitch yet!

Grab color B

Wrap it counterclockwise

Unwrap color A

Color A is now caught under color B

Let go of color A

Knit stitch with color B

Take stitch off L needle

Proceed to knit as normal with color B.

I finished the blanket pictured above with a reverse half double crochet on the sides, using color A, but it really doesn't need it.  Here is what the edges look like with no crochet border:

Front, side edge

Back, side edge

I hope you enjoy my first free pattern of the New Year.  More to come!


If you like this one, you might also like these inexpensive patterns:
The Amazing Ribble Blanket
and the adorable Tuck Me In Preemie blanket.















Here's my attempt at uploading a slide show of the above tutorial.  Not sure if it will work.  Feedback appreciated!