Berroco Birch Island Blanket Knitting Pattern

Berroco Birch Island Knit Throw Blanket

What is Being Made

The Birch Island is a modular knit throw blanket designed by Brenda York from the Berroco Pima 100 Home Collection. This intermediate-level project creates a finished blanket measuring approximately 52 inches wide by 67 inches long. The throw is constructed from 18 individual squares that can be joined using a join-as-you-go method for convenience or worked separately and sewn together for portability. Lace triangles are then picked up and worked outward in the spaces between the squares to complete the design, creating an intricate geometric composition.

Techniques Used

This blanket employs lace knitting and worked flat construction methods as core techniques. The project utilizes modular knitting, allowing crafters to work individual square units that are later assembled. The construction method offers flexibility—squares can be joined as you go along during the knitting process, or worked individually and sewn together afterward. The lace triangles are created by picking up stitches in the spaces between completed squares and working them outward, adding dimensional detail to the finished piece. This approach makes the project more manageable and portable during the crafting process.

Stitches Used

The pattern incorporates several fundamental and decorative stitches. Stockinette stitch (St st) forms the base fabric and is used to establish gauge at 20 stitches and 28 rounds per 4 inches. Knit and purl stitches are used throughout, with purl stitches creating textural contrast in the set-up rounds. The pattern employs centered double decreases (CDD), a lace technique that decreases three stitches into one, creating the openwork characteristic of lace knitting. Stitch markers are essential notions used to track pattern repeats and marked stitches throughout the construction, with a different colored marker designating the beginning of round.

Materials: Yarn, Needles, and Notions

The Birch Island throw is worked in Berroco Pima 100, a yarn made from 100% pima cotton. The project requires 16 hanks of #8401 Magnolia (the main color) and 1 hank each of three coordinating colors: #8419 Dianthus (C1), #8452 Lavender (C2), and #8437 Bee Balm (C3). Each hank weighs 100 grams. The pattern calls for a 24-inch circular needle in size 7 (4.50 mm) or the size needed to obtain proper gauge, along with one set of double-pointed needles (dpns) in size 7 (4.50 mm) for working smaller sections. Additional notions include 4 removable stitch markers (with one in a different color to mark the beginning of round) and a tapestry needle for seaming and finishing.