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Back in 2020 I was reached out to by Lion Brand, wondering if I may want to take part in the Lion Brand Traveling Afghan project again. I of course said yes, and now today I am bringing you my square (#12) in the blanket!
Not sure what the Traveling Afghan project is?
The Traveling Afghan project is a year long blanket project brought together by Lion Brand Yarn using Feels Like Butta. In the effort to bring makers together from all around the world, they came up with this project! This project has both a knit blanket version and a crochet, meaning you can use whatever craft method you like best. At the end, you will have a stunning blanket, will have met new people, and learned a whole bunch of new techniques you may not have known before.
Think of it… as a free pattern blog hop!
THE DEETS
There knit traveling afghan journeys from designer to designer every month. Each designer is creating a 20″ x 20″ square to add to the blanket before sending it off to the next person, and I’m the second last maker (hit up Christie Bodden Designs in the next month for the final finishing touches and border!) All the designers are publishing their square patterns for free online so that YOU can follow along with us and create your own knit or crochet afghan! I am pleased to be the 12th stop of the knit afghan and have loved following along with all the squares that have already been made. This year-long collaborative effort will feature stories from the designers about their paths as makers, and will give you the opportunity to learn new stitches and make new friends in the community along the way!
Here’s how you can participate:
1. Purchase the yarn now for the Traveling Afghan so you have everything you need to get started with us. Note: you’re welcome to use any yarn you like, including what you already have in your stash! But it is recommended you use Lion Brand It Feels Like Butta along with size US 7 (4.5mm) knitting needles. The main blanket will use Feels Like Butta in colors #158 Lemon and #108 Dusty Blue. For the majority of the months you’ll need 2 skeins of each colour with exception of 3 months throughout the year. The border will use 2 colors - meaning for the border and 3 of the 12 months you'll be working with a single color - those months are September, October and November).
2. Visit this page HERE organized by Skeins & Sticks for the itineraries of the afghan along with the master list of all designers and links to their sites so you can follow along as they travel around the world and new patterns get released.
3. Follow the designers on social media to get updates on their pattern releases and learn about their maker journeys. There may even be some giveaways to enter!
4. Host a KAL with your local maker friends! Get together throughout the year virtually until we can get together in person and create with friends – community!! We would love to see YOUR life in yarn too, so make sure to tag Lion Brand Yarn and My Life in Yarn in your posts and use the hashtags #travelingknitafghan2021 #lionbrandyarn and #mylifeinyarn #purlitfoward #purlitforward2021 and #impurlingitforward. You can also post your projects to Ravelry. You can also post your projects to Ravelry!
MY LIFE IN YARN - THE KNITATUDE STORY
I’m an odd duck. I technically learnt how to knit when I was in grade 7, but I think that lasted about a week. It wasn’t until I was 23 that I actually dove in. Within a year I was selling product, started Knitatude and was hitting up social media (follow me on Ig here) even though I hadn’t even learnt how to purl yet! So if that doesn’t tell you that you can do anything you put your mind to, I don’t know what else does haha.
But it wasn’t just the stitches that got me hooked (pardon the crochet pun). I found myself immersed into this amazing craft, and even more so - the community. Knitters and crocheters are a beautiful folk, if I say so myself. We like to share, we like to help, and all around I think we’re a pretty positive and happy group! I fell in love with both.
I never would have known that yarn would change my life this much. I went into knitting to just fiddle with yarn and pass the time, not knowing that I would be designing sweaters and dresses and my own clothes. So thanks for coming along my journey. (Check out my patterns on Ravelry HERE and Etsy HERE.)
THE INSPO BEHIND MY SQUARE
A little backstory: I’m Canadian and I live in Calgary, Alberta which is about an hours drive from the Rocky Mountains. Which is 1) very nice but 2) means I get snow for like… 8/12 months of the year. So I thought it would be fitting to have my square reflects the wintery embrace of snow of my hometown with a snowflake sandwiched between a frosty ground and clouds above. Plus it does have a holiday type vibe, meaning that it’s perfect to launch in December and during the Holidays - for those that celebrate! This pattern uses a colorwork skill called “Intarsia”, so you will use floats in a couple places, but the majority of the white yarn will stay in the middle and you don’t need to carry it from end to end.
TIPS FOR INTARSIA COLORWORK
1) Try your best to knit each stitch in the same tension as the one before. This will ensure that each stitch comes out the same size, and there won’t be a big difference in the different colour changes.
2) There are a few spots in this patten where you will need to use a “float”. This tags in your yarn that isn’t being used and secures it to the back of the piece - meaning your toes won’t get caught in the colorwork each time you use this blanket. I would suggest catching your floats every 4-5 stitches to lock that floating yarn in.
3) Know that blocking is going to be your best friend. There will always be tension issues, but blocking at the end should help them! (Not solve, but help!)
DECEMBER SQUARE #12 PATTERN
MATERIALS:
•1 skein of Lion Brand Feels Like Butta or approximately 174m/190yards of another worsted weight yarn, category 4 in colour A
•1 skein of Lion Brand Feels Like Butta or approximately 85m/100yards of another worsted weight yarn, category 4 in colour B
•Size US 7/4.5mm needles
• Scissors
•Darning needle
DIMENSIONS
Height: 20”/51cm
Width: 20”/51cm
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Advanced Beginner/Intermediate
GLOSSARY
CO = Cast On
K = Knit
P = Purl
SL1 = Slip 1 purlwise
ST(S) = Stitch(es)
BO = Bind Off
GAUGE
Knit in stockinette flat US 7/4.5mm needles: 18 sts x 26 rows = 4” x 4”
PATTERN
GARTER STITCH BORDER
On US7/4.5mm needles CO 89 sts in Colour A (the lighter colour/white)
R1-14: SL1, K until end of row
BODY
R1 (RS): SL1, K all sts
R2 (WS): SL1, K9, P until last 10 sts, K10
R3-8: Repeat R1-2 of this section.
Switch to the blue yarn. You can cut the cream colour and weave it in.
R9-30: repeat R1-2 of this section in Colour B (The blue)
R31 (RS): SL1, K22, PM, K43, PM, K23
R32 (WS): SL1, K9, P all sts until the last 10 sts (slipping your markers as they come), K10
STARTING YOUR SNOWFLAKE
You will now start working the colourwork chart below. The colourwork will take place in between your two stitch markers. For all RS rows you will knit these stitches, for all WS rows you will purl them in. For all rows, ensure that you are working the instructions for the stitches on either side of the markers as below:
RS: SL1, K until marker, SM, work chart in knit stitches, K until end of row
WS: SL1, K9, P until marker, work chart in purl stitches, P until last 10 sts, K10
How to read a colourwork chart. For all odd rows (1, 3, 5 etc) you will work the chart from right to left. For all even rows (2, 4, 6 etc), you will work the chart from left to right. When you are done the chart, start on the body section after.
CHART
BODY
After you have finished your colourwork chart, in the blue color only, work as instructed below.
R1 (WS): SL1, K9, P until last 10 sts, K10
R2 (RS): SL1, K all sts
R3-22: Repeat R1-2 of this section.
R23 (WS): Repeat R1
Switch to the cream yarn. You can cut the blue yarn and weave it in.
R24 (RS): SL1, K all sts
R25 (WS): SL1, K9, P until last 10 sts, K10
R26-32: repeat R24-25 of this section.
BORDER
R1-14: SL1, K until end of row.
R15: BO all sts.
FINISHING YOUR PIECE
I highly suggest blocking your piece to ensure it lands at 20” x 20” to line up with the other squares of your Traveling Afghan. Thread your tail end of yarn onto a darning needle. Using mattress stitch or a wip stitch, seam your square to the rest of your #traveingKnitAfghans project.
I used my favourite steamer - which I got at amazon here!
If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email at knitatude@gmail.com, or hit me up on social media at:
Instagram - @knitatude
Facebook – www.facebook.com/knitatude
Etsy – knitatude.etsy.com
POLICIES
This pattern is a copyright of Chantal Miyagishima of Knitatude. Squares created using this pattern may be sold with credit given to Chantal Miyagishima of Knitatude. Credit must be given to Knitatude / knitatude.etsy.com. Pattern and photos can not be used for resale purposes.
Please share your work with the hashtag #TravelingKnitAfghan2021 and #knitatudeknits to share the handmade love!