Finished the Big Blanket and I love it!
Tuesday 17th March 2026
The last time we met, I was in the trenches with a massive project. Now it is finished, and I am really pleased.
It was a 30th birthday gift for Lily. Design-wise it was a fair way outside what I would usually knit, but I really enjoyed the stretch – Lily loves gingham and she loves pink, so I designed a pink and cream gingham inspired Fairisle blanket.
This was knitted in the round, and I steeked it. It was also in aran weight yarns, and it was really big.
The three challenges:
- Texture. As a grid, Fairisle pattern, which I had not knitted before, though I did extensive swatching, I was unprepared for how corrugated it would be. This was 100% resolved with soaking and blocking in a large swatch. On the real thing though, probably due to scale, this was c80% eliminated after soaking, spinning, blocking and then, some pretty assertive steam blocking. It still has some landscape texture and my OCD side twitches a bit. But it is very heavy and I think, with use and body heat, this will further improve.
- Scale. I knew from my swatches that the throw would grow in width by 50%. So the height had to be huge. Once I steeked it, and picked up the border, which was done all in one, in the round with mitred corners and steek sandwiches on each side, I was working with 3 x 150cm long circs, a bit like using giant, flexible DPNs for a sock. This took a lot of wrangling, and I also had to be aware of the impact on the steeks. It was so big, I had to soak it in a clear garden trug.
- The steeks. I was using 2 different yarns – different brands – both aran weight. But one was superwash and smooth (pink); the other was organic and quite fluffy – a lofty spin. So, superwash yarns are not idea for steeking. And I have not steeked a throw for many years. I use the surface crochet method to secure a steek and I use a 5 stitch steek ‘bridge’. Despite this being a big technical challenge, the steeks held up really well. The crochet stayed put and held the steek firmly in place.
I gave it to Lily on Sunday, and she really loves it. I know it was fully appreciated and that it will be used, and loved. 
I have enjoyed the last 6 weeks of knitting time (still only an evening activity for me), but I am also so re halieved to be moving on. I am working on a DK Shetland yarn Fairisle scarf and am just about to cast on a Melt The Ice hat. Not aware of MTI? Take a Google! Yes, as ever, knitting is and should be, political.
Some gorgeous red wool has been acquired and I will knit one as per the pattern which I bought on Rav and the profits from which fund the efforts to mitigate the activities of ICE. Then I have some Shetland red and black and I am going to knit a simplified MTI Kep – once I have designed it!
The blanket looks lovely. Good to know you’re getting back to your knitting, it’s so therapeutic.