THE Purple Shirt Square
by mrsalemp 10" blanket square for the 221b Blanket KAL (aka The "Shlanket" - thank you niamhybeag) Less than 70 yards dark purple worsted yarn (Caron Simply Plum Perfect) 4buttons Size8(5mm) needles EmbroideryNeedle In my opinion the yarn I used for my square is lighter weight worsted. Depending on yarn choice, you may have to go down a needle size to get gauge. The square is worked from side to side, instead of top to bottom. The cast on edge with be the right side of your square. CO 43 Knit in St St for 22 rows (about 4.25") Place all the stitches on a holder or spare yarn (do NOT bind off)
Button Band Rows - Row 1 - Pick up and knit 43 stitches from the row below the held stitches. Do this by inserting the needle through to center of each stitch, wrapping it with the working yarn and pulling through. Row 2 - Purl Row 3-Knit Row 4 - Purl Row 5 - button hole row - K4, YO, K2tog, (K9, YO, K2tog) three times, K4 Row 6 - Purl Row 7 - Knit BO "shirt" unbuttoned Put the held stitches back onto the needle, and rejoin yarn. On the right side, purl the first row. This will make the inside border of the button hold band stand out. Purl the next (Ws) row, and continue on in St St until the square measures 10"(about 27rows) BO Finishing - Block the square by pinning the outer edges and the inside of the button band straight, and then pulling the button holes until they appeared slightly strained. My buttons were sewed on top of the sixth row over from the purl row, but this can be adjusted for the look you want. I suggest sewing the top and bottom of the button band down to the rest of the square to help it hold shape.
