I made the sugar & spice blanket from the book, ”Knitted Gifts,” by Interweave, using Drops merino extra fine yarn. I recommend buying the book to get the pattern.
It turned out lovely. I am quite proud of it.
Yarn Review:
I used drops merino extra fine. This yarn has a tendency to grow when washed. It also gets very soft and is a beautiful yarn. So I just roll with it. You have to be a lot more careful with clothing than blankets. I usually stick to baby items with this yarn these days.
Pattern review:
I have made this blanket several times. It uses a thin yarn and a lot of hours. I made several changes/additions to the pattern this time around.
My patten adjustments and notes
This is the fourth time I have made this pattern. I really like it! It’s the first time I have added edging, though; I did make a doll-sized blanket with the edging (also called a swatch) for a niece to try it out once, and it is fussy and a bit tricky. But this time I wanted an edging. The blanket is going to a classmate of my husband’s.
Body notes:
- Cast on 171 stitches for a smaller version of the blanket.
- Do not use old Norwegian cast on if you are doing edging, because the fancy cast on will be hidden and you will hate picking up stitches from it for the edging (ask me how I know).
- Do not slip yarn purlwise at the start of each row when working the main body, if adding an edging. That weakens the edge of the fabric.
- Work a German short row (no wrapping, just turn) on each edge once per repeat, in the rows with the eyelets.
- Block the blanket while still on the needles when you think it is long enough. Especially with drops merino: it grows a lot sideways when washed. You may find it’s not long enough after all.
- Then block the blanket again before adding edging.
Edging notes:
- I bound off the last row before adding the edging for a more even finished look.
- Work the edging counter clockwise (so the ridge is on the back).
- Tighten the work every time you start a new row from the knitted side… slip yarn purlwise and pull snug and tight, then work the row.
- That last row looks best if you put a YO in the right spot. The chart in the book is wrong to not have it, I think.
- Slip yarn purlwise when starting a new row at the edge side, except for the longest row, when I purl that first stitch. It creates a very pretty point on the edging.
