Last year, I spent a little while looking through my stash of 4 ply and sock yarns, and decided that I needed to use some of the leftovers. With this in mind, I started thinking about different projects for using up this beautiful yarn. I’m really enjoying thinking about and planning all the projects that I want to make using this gorgeous yarn.
For a very long time I have been knitting using 4ply and sock yarn. When I first started knitting clothes for the Sasha doll girls, boys, toddlers and babies, I began amassing a collection of these yarns in a myriad of colours. I have many part balls and scraps ranging in every colour in the colour wheel. All stored in airtight plastic crates and sorted by colour. In addition, I have boxes of small quantities of scraps from projects that I have finished over the years.
I’ve never been able to bring myself to throw away yarn, even tiny scraps. I always find that I can find a way to use them. But I do love to keep my colour choices coordinated when I am making a project. I enjoy colour schemes that I can enjoy living with.
For the mitred square blanket I chose leftover sock yarns that were predominantly on the cool side of the colour wheel. I collected together yarns that were mainly greens, teals, blues, purples, violets but with the addition of touches of pink and rust brown. The pink and rust gives a little a zap to the overall colour scheme.
The mitred squares are knit using two 3.25mm Clover Takumi bamboo double pointed needles. Knitting this mitred square blanket has become positively addictive. I find myself reaching for it when I should be doing something else. I love how it is growing in size. The first squares when knit measured 9cm/3 1/2″ but as the blanket grows they stretch a little to measure 9.5cm/3 3/4”
I haven’t really decided how big the finished blanket will be but I want to use it as a small lap blanket. I’ve been wondering also whether to make it a square or a rectangle. At the moment in my mind I am thinking of 12 squares by 12 squares (144 mitred squares) or possible 12 squares by 16 squares (192 mitred squares). I’ll probably make the first size and see what I think of it then it is easy to add an additional 4 rows of squares if I want it larger. I’ve also been wondering whether I should knit a border on the blanket?
I’ve reached the stage where I need to decide if I am going to find more of my boxes of sock yarn leftovers and see if I will have enough different sock yarns to use a different yarn for each square or whether to start reusing the yarns I have already used again. So far I’ve used 60 different sock yarns and the blanket would be beautiful if I reused the yarns another 3 times where possible. For about 10 of the yarns that I used in the first 60 I have none left.
For each square I cast on 48 sts, turn.
- Row 1: k24, place marker, k24, turn.
- Row 2: knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, slip marker, k2tog, knit to end, turn
- Row 3: knit
- Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until square is finished.
I’m really enjoying doing this. It is such a pleasure to knit. And already, I find myself planning a cover for the old nursing chair that sits in our lounge. At the moment it has a patchwork throw over it. But I think it would look beautiful covered with a knitted cover and with its legs painted white. I’ve always loved how working on one project often leads to ideas for new projects.
I love this idea as I have too much yarn in this pandemic ofCovid-19. I have made the first set with worsted weight scrap yarn,alternating solid colors and variegated squares, making a placemat. I think it i s too lumpy and this was because I was attaching the new square to the old per your method. The last square I did as a separate square and it is much neater being sewn on. I think it is critical that all yarns are the same weight.
I have made one mitred blanket with left over sock wool but started each square with two rows of black , making the whole blanket look like stained glass . I cast on 31 stitches and haven’t got a colour theme , but ensure similar colours are distributed evenly . My blanket measures 65”square and knitted on 2.25 needles which I use for my socks. Initially I couldn’t decide how to finish the edges but used an attached i chord which worked very well. I am now working on a 2nd blanket .
Thank you for the pattern and tips, l will try the black edges for the stained glass look, sounds great. Jen
Why 31 stitches? I thought we suppose to uses and even number. Would you explain me? Please. Because someone told me the same to cast on 31 stitches but the pattern are even number.
I’m making a similar blanket. I am choosing randomly from the full bag, then putting the yarn into the other bag, random choices, huge colour jags and I love it. My squares are slightly smaller than yours, and I intend to mount it and satin bind it to a piece of blanket from our mill shop.
Jean In Tasmania
I have been looking at your Mitered Square blanket pattern. Just want to say that I appreciate the level of detail you provide. So many patterns assume that the person using the pattern is well versed in knitting and knitting terms and this makes it very difficult for a beginner. Thank you!
I’m going to start a mitred blanket that will measure approximately 80 ” x 90 “. I may make the squares bigger. . .insights and advice as well as good wishes greatly appreciated!!😊
Hi, Looks beautiful! Was there any planning in how you chose what yarns to be next to one another? This has been on my knitting bucket list. Looking forward to getting started but suffering a bit from analysis paralysis. 🙂
Mainly, made sure that it was a different yarn and that the same yarn didn’t appear to close to it. Tried to avoid too much yellow or orange but a little did show up in the yarns that I used.
Approximately how many squares to do you get from a 20 yard sock yarn mini?
Ive just knitted my very first mitred square just to see how it turned out! My QUESTION is are you thinking of producing a book on Mildred knitting? I went to my local wool shop today and the owner who is a very experienced knitter had never heard of matrid knitting. I was very surprised as she had been in the business for 40 years. I told her about your site and I think she will probably knit one of your blankets as she was very impressed!
Why is it necessary to use open ended needles? I had to order them on line as the wool shop only sold very short open ended needles!
What size straight needles
I love this blanket and will definitely be having a go sometime soon.
Thank you!
I am a keen knitter and have wanted to knit a blanket for myself for some time. Today, instead of doing housework and general chores, I have sat all afternoon and into the evening and knitted 4 mitred squares, as per your tutorial. Oh my goodness it is highly addictive! I intend to finish my first attempt as a blanket for my grandsons pushchair and then will start another one for myself but with wool similar to that shown on your webpage. Thank you.
So pleased you are enjoying knitting the Mitred Square Blanket. I used the same technique for knitting a cushion for my mother-in-law for Christmas and was delighted with how it turned out.
Are you sewing the squares as your going or picking up end stitches? Thanks in advance, Tammie
Hi, The first mitred square had all the 48 stitches cast on and the marker placed in the centre. It was the square in the bottom right corner.
For the next square (situated to the left of the first square), I knit the last two stitches of the previous square together using the new sock yarn, then I continued to pick up and knit 23 stitches along the edge of the first square, placed the marker, and then cast on 24 stitches. I use a long tail of yarn to pick up and knit the stitches and then to use it to do a long tail cast on.
For the first square on the second row, I did a long tail cast on of 24 stitches, placed the marker, then picked up and knit 24 stitches across the top of the first square.
For all of the squares that are in the body of the blanket, I knit the last two stitches of the previous square together using the new sock yarn, then I continued to pick up and knit 23 stitches along the left edge of the square I have just finished, place the marker, then pick up and knit 24 stitches along the top of the square in the row below.
This is the right side of the blanket. I do all the shaping on the right side rows of the garter stitch. I also knit in the ends on the wrong side of the blanket for about 12 stitches. Then I snip the ends fairly near to the knitting. It means the blanket will have the minimum of finishing to do to it.
I hope that this helps. Nicolette
Are you joining as you go????? Or picking up stitches
Hi, I am picking up stitches. I hope my answer to Tammy’s comment covers your question in a bit more detail. Happy Knitting, Nicolette.