Felted Plaid Blanket Knitting Pattern

Felted Plaid Blanket Knitting Pattern

Project Overview

The Felted Plaid Blanket is a knitted throw blanket designed by Lion Brand Yarn that combines traditional knitting with wet felting techniques to create a finished piece measuring approximately 46 x 46 inches (117 x 117 cm). This project is classified as Easy skill level, making it accessible to knitters with basic experience. The blanket features a distinctive plaid design created through the combination of horizontal stripes knit directly into the fabric and vertical stripes added afterward using duplicate stitch embroidery.

Design and Technique

The blanket employs a unique two-part striping method that takes advantage of the differential felting properties of the yarns used. Horizontal stripes are knit into the blanket during the initial construction, while vertical stripes are applied after knitting is complete using duplicate stitch, a surface embroidery technique that mimics the appearance of knitted stitches. The most innovative aspect of this design is the selective felting process: only the Fishermen's Wool base yarn will felt during the wet felting process, while the contrast color stripes in Vanna's Choice yarn remain unfelted. This creates a textured plaid pattern with dimensional contrast between the felted and unfelted elements.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch used in this pattern is Stockinette Stitch, worked as knit stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the wrong side. The blanket begins with a K1, P1 Rib pattern, which is a fundamental ribbed stitch created by alternating single knit and purl stitches across each row. This ribbed edge provides elasticity and a finished appearance to the blanket edges. The K1, P1 Rib is worked by repeating the sequence of knitting one stitch and purling one stitch across the row, then knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches on subsequent rows to maintain the ribbed texture.

Materials and Yarn

This pattern calls for a specific combination of Lion Brand yarns selected for their felting and color properties:

• Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool in Nature's Brown (3 balls) serves as the main base yarn and primary felting component
• Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Pea Green (2 balls) provides one contrast stripe color
• Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Purple (2 balls) provides a second contrast stripe color
• Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Dusty Purple (1 ball) provides a third accent stripe color

The Fishermen's Wool is a wool yarn specifically formulated to felt reliably, while Vanna's Choice is a worsted weight acrylic blend that resists felting, allowing the designer to create the intentional plaid effect through selective fiber behavior.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires a circular needle in size 10 (6 mm), measuring 29 inches (73.5 cm) in length. The circular needle is essential for this project because it accommodates the large number of stitches required for the blanket's generous dimensions. Although circular needles are used, the pattern is worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round, meaning the circular needle functions as a tool to hold the stitches rather than for circular knitting. Additionally, large-eye blunt needles (provided as a set of 6) are included for weaving in yarn ends and working the duplicate stitch vertical stripes.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches and 20 rows equaling 4 inches (10 cm) in Stockinette Stitch before felting. Achieving the correct gauge is critical for this project because the blanket will shrink during the felting process, and matching the pre-felting gauge ensures the final dimensions will be accurate. Knitters are advised to check their gauge carefully by creating a test swatch and measuring it before beginning the full project. If the gauge is too loose (fewer stitches and rows per inch), a smaller needle size should be used; if too tight (more stitches and rows per inch), a larger needle size should be used.

Pattern Construction

The blanket is constructed in a straightforward manner suitable for easy-level knitters. The foundation of the blanket is created using Stockinette Stitch with horizontal stripes