Wombat Blanket
(It's a marsupial thing)
There are blankets made to sleep under, blankets to picnic on, and blankets made to cuddle up with someone you love. This is not any of those; this is the blanket you want when you're sitting on the sofa reading, and your feet get cold. It goes especially well with a favorite book, a cup of tea, and maybe a bowl of popcorn. This pattern is given in two versions; the “pattern" version is exactly as I knitted it, while the "recipe" version gives instructions for garter and cabled variations, adjusting gauge to use any chunky or bulky yarn.
The Pattern Version
Yarns: Peace Fleece DK Sport in Kamchatka Sea Moss, (3 skeins) Peace Fleece Worsted in Kalinka Malinka (4 skeins). Knit entire blanket holding the two yarns together. Needles and notions: Two US 11 $/\,8.0\;\mathsf{m m}$ circs, one of which is at least $40^{\mathfrak{s}}$ long; two stitch markers. Gauge: 3 sts / in
Abbreviations:
C6F: slip 3 sts to cable needle and hold to front; K next 3 sts, then K 3 sts off cable ndl C6B: slip 3 sts to cable needle and hold to back; K next 3 sts, then K 3 sts off cable ndl C4F: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front; K next 2 sts, then K 2 sts off cable ndl C4B: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to back; K next 2 sts, then K 2 sts off cable ndl M1L: Use the left needle to pick up the strand between the previous stitch and the next one, slipping the tip of the needle under the stitch from front to back. Knit into the back of this loop (you have just increased by one stitch). M1R: Use the left needle to pick up the strand between the previous stitch and the next one, slipping the tip of the needle under the stitch from back to front. Knit into the front of this loop (you have just increased by one stitch).
Cable pattern:
In the round:
Rnd 1: On N1: K20, slip marker, K6, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of N2. Rnd 2 and all even rounds: Knit stitches as they present - knit the knits and purl the purls Rnd 3: On N1: K20, slip marker, K6, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of N2 Rnd 5: On N1: K20, slip marker, C6F, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, C6B, slip marker, K to end of N2. Rnd 7: On N1: K20, slip marker, K6, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of N2 Rnd 9: On N1: K20, slip marker, K6, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of N2. Rnd 11: On N1: K20, slip marker, C6F, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, C6B, slip marker, K to end of N2 Rnd 12: same as Rnd 2.
When knitting flat:
Row 1: K to marker, slip marker, K6, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of row Row 2 and all even rounds: Knit stitches as they present - knit the knits and purl the purls Row 3: K to marker, slip marker, K6, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of row Row 5: Kto marker, slip marker, C6F, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, C6B, slip marker, K to end of row. Row 7: K to marker, slip marker, K6, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of row Row 9: K to marker, slip marker, K6, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of row. Row 11: Kto marker, slip marker, C6F, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, C6B, slip marker, K to end of row Row 12: same as Row 2
Directions:
Holding the two yarns together, CO 40 sts on each of two circs, using Judy's Magic Cast-on (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html) - 80 sts total. R1: On each ndl, K1, M1l, K9, M1l, K to last 10 sts, M1R, Kto last st, M1R. R2: K Rep these two rnds a total of 6 times - 128 sts. Begin cable pattern in the round. When the foot-pocket is about 12" long (finishing with non-cabled row), BO back middle 24 sts and begin knitting on only one circular needle (104 sts). Use the Cable Cast-On (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/FEATsum05TT.html) to cast 10 sts onto left ndl (114 sts). Switch to knitting back and forth (beginning with RS facing), continuing with cable pattern for flat section. Slip the first st of each row for a nicer edge. K first row, turn, purl cable CO 10 st (124 sts). Cont in patt until blanket is long enough to cover your legs. To finish with a garter border, K 12 rows in garter stitch. BO. Or finish with a knitted-on cable border, as shown here:
CO 29 sts, using cable CO. Knit three rows of garter stitch, to avoid curling: R1: K 29, K2tog (these two are the original two end stitches of the blanket -it seems to make a neater edge.) R2: K30. R3: SI1, K28, K2tog. Then you wil begin the same 24st cable pattern used in the rest of the blanket. At the end of every WS row, K2tog to attach border to blanket, except that every third time you wil K3tog to keep border aligned with blanket: Row 1: SI1, P1, K6, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, K6, P2, K2 Row 2: Knit 29 stitches as they present - knit the knits and purl the purls - then K3tog Row 3: Sl1, P1, K6, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of row Row 4: Knit 29 stitches as they present - knit the knits and purl the purls - then K2tog Row 5: SI1, P1, C6F, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, C6B, slip marker, K to end of row. Row 6: Knit 29 stitches as they present - knit the knits and purl the purls - then K2tog Row 7: Sl1, P1, K6, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of row Row 8: Knit 29 stitches as they present - knit the knits and purl the purls - then K3tog Row 9: Sl1, P1, K6, P2, C4F, C4F, P2, K6, slip marker, K to end of row. Row 10: Knit 29 stitches as they present - knit the knits and purl the purls - then K2tog Row 11: SI1, P1, C6F, P2, K2, C4B, K2, P2, C6B, slip marker, K to end of row Row 12: Knit 29 stitches as they present - knit the knits and purl the purls - then K2tog Continue until you have joined the border to all but the last two stitches of the blanket, finishing with a RS row. K three rows of garter, finishing each WS row with K2tog as before. BO allive sts.
The Recipe Version
Yarns: Any bulky or superbulky yarn. A chenille yarn would be nice for the garter version; use a smooth yarn to show off cables. Needles and notions: Two circs of desired size, one of which is long enough for the whole blanket when it's flat; two stitch markers (only if kniting cable version).
Directions:
Create a gauge swatch. Let $\mathsf{X}=$ number of sts / in The foot-pocket at the bottom of the blanket is basically a constructed as a giant squared-off sock toe: CO 14X sts on each of two circs, using Judy's Magic Cast-on (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html).
For Cable version:
R1: On each ndl, K1, M1L, K9, M1L, K to last 10 sts, M1R, K to last st, M1R. R2: K Rep these two rnds until you have 22X sts on each needle (44X sts total). Begin cable pattern now. Knit (22X - width of cable pattern)/ 2 sts, knit your cables, then K to end of round. Knit about 12" / 30 cm in pattern for the foot pocket, then switch to knitting flat on the longer needle. BO 8X sts in the middle back. Begin knitting flat with right side facing for first row; use Cable Cast-on (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/FEATsum05TT.html) to cast 10 sts onto left needle. SI the first st of every row for a nicer edge. K one row in patt, turn, and cast on another 10 sts to left ndl, using Cable Cast-On again. K the right side in pattern, knit the sts as they present on the wrong side (knit the knits, purl the purls). When the blanket is nearly as long as you want it to be, K 12 rows in garter stitch for a non-curling edge, or see pattern above for a knitted-on cable border.
For Garter version:
R1: On each ndl, K1, M1L, K9, M1L, K to last 10 sts, M1R, K to last st, M1R. R2: P Rep these two rnds until you have 22X sts on each needle (44X sts total). Continue to knit in the round, alternating knit and purl rows, for about 12" / 30 cm to form the foot pocket. Then switch to knitting flat on the longer needle. BO 8X sts in the middle back. Begin knitting flat with right side facing for first row; use Cable Cast-on (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/FEATsum05TT.html) to cast 10 sts onto left needle. Sl the first st of every row for a nicer edge. K one row, turn, and cast on another 10 sts to left ndl, using Cable Cast-On again. From here on, K every row. When the blanket is as long as you want it, BO all stitches.
