Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Yesterday


Yesterday, for the first time in over two decades, school began without me.  I really am a retiree, aren't I?

I spent the day putzing around the house, stopping off to deliver a baby blanket, pulling together little plant gifts for a few desks of my teacher friends, and taking my first gentle yoga class.  At the dimming of the day, Jim and I pedaled through the Penn State campus, the setting sun painting the sky and lilting brass notes from the Blue Band offering soft ambience. It was all good....

This is the blanket I delivered.  I don't often post a pattern, but from time to time it feels right, especially if it is such an easy yet basic one.  This Basket Weave Baby Blanket never disappoints.  I used Berroco Comfort Yarn (isn't that the perfect name for yarn used in a baby blanket?), a soft, worsted weight yarn that is rapidly becoming my go-to yarn for baby projects.  And here's the pattern:

Simple Basket-Weave Baby Blanket

Yarn needed: 5 skeins (2 oz. each) worsted weight yarn
1 size 8 circular needle, 24 inches long

1. Cast on 105 stitches.

2. Row 1-6:  Work in seed stitch.

3. Row 7: Work first 5 stitches in seed stitch starting with a knit stitch and ending with a knit stitch.  Then, work across the row in knit 5 purl 5 pattern until there are 5 stitches remaining.  Again, work the last 5 stitches in seed stitch, beginning with knit 1.

4. Row 8: Work the first 5 stitches in seed stitch. Then work across the row in purl 5 knit 5 pattern until there are 5 stitches left.  Work the remaining stitches in seed stitch.

5. Row 9 through 14: Repeat rows 7 and 8 three more times, for a total of 8 rows in the pattern.  You should see the basket-weave pattern begin to take shape.

6. Row 15: Work the first 5 stitches in seed stitch.  Then work across the row in purl 5, knit 5 pattern until there are 5 stitches left.   Work the remaining stitches in seed stitch.

7. Row 16: Work the first 5 stitches in seed stitch.  Then work across the row in knit 5, purl 5 pattern until there are 5 stitches left.  Work the remaining stitches in seed stitch.

8. Repeat rows 15 and 16 three more times for a total of 8 rows in the pattern.

9. Continue the pattern repeating steps 3 through 8 until the blanket measures 32 inches.

Work 6 rows in seed stitch.

Bind off. Weave in and trim loose ends.  Block if desired.

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