Lacie Blankie

Knitted lace blanket in handspun Cotswold wool
by Jackie E-S

This knitted blanket started as a Cotswold fleece, which I prepared and then handspun into a 2-ply light worsted weight (about 65 yards/oz). I had originally started out to knit a blanket in a textured stitch (i.e. non-lace), and kept playing with that last winter when I should have been making some progress working on it. Nothing I tried really "wowed" me. I had given myself a deadline this fall of 1999 to complete it for the "Save the Sheep" awareness promotion that Interweave's Spin-Off magazine is sponsoring. So that meant I had to work on it this summer - yes in the heat, but thank goodness for air conditioning <vbg>.

I just can't seem to get away from my love of lace, even when it is "moose lace", i.e. lace knitted in a large gauge. So, my decision to make a blanket in lace stitches maybe should not be all that surprising. The lace makes it lighter in weight for the size, and I think my hubby and I will enjoy it a lot more than a denser blanket for our climate anyway.

It is about 5' by 7' and a little over 2 lbs. To get to that size, I first started with a rectangle 26" x 54" knitted flat on size 8 US needles. Then picked up stitches all around and worked circularly and increased at the corners for a 15" deep border. For the edging, I increased dramatically in the last few rows and blocked into deep 3-dimensional scallops. Talk about a huge project that wasn't very portable after a certain point. I purchased a new 60" long circular needle just to work this!

See the collected works from the Save the Sheep Project, including my Cotswold Lacie Blankie, in the book from Interweave Press - Handspun Treasures from Rare Wools.

Note: The book Handspun Treasures from Rare Wools does not contain any patterns. I plan to eventually self-publish the pattern for this lace blanket as part of my HeartStrings knitting patterns line. To receive announcement, be sure you are signed up for HeartStrings Knitterly News e-newsletter.

February 2008 update – The publication of pattern instructions for Lacie Blankie is planned for the March 2008 release of new HeartStrings knitting patterns. The sample model I am working on now for this publication features Judith, a new 100% Prime Alpaca yarn from Schaefer Yarns. The colorway is Georgia O'Keeffe.

March 10, 2008 update – Progress on pattern instructions for Lacie Blankie is proceeding well. Lacie Blankie, a pattern in the making.

March 20, 2008 update – the Lacie Blankie pattern is ready for you!