Juniper Moon Farm Rue de Rivoli Blanket Knitting Pattern

Juniper Moon Farm Rue de Rivoli Blanket

Project Overview

The Rue de Rivoli blanket is a luxurious knitted throw designed to add warmth and elegance to any space. This seamless, flat-worked blanket features a sophisticated interplay of textured cable panels alternating with reverse stockinette stitch panels, creating a visually striking design that combines classic knitting techniques with modern sensibility. The finished blanket measures 48 inches wide by 30 inches long, making it an ideal size for draping over furniture or snuggling under while reading.

Design and Construction Techniques

This blanket is constructed using a bottom-up approach, meaning knitters begin at the cast-on edge and work toward the bind-off. The piece is worked flat on circular needles rather than in the round, allowing for easy manipulation of the large stitch count across the width. The construction is seamless, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a continuous, polished finished product.

The blanket begins with a garter stitch border worked over 8 rows, which provides a stable, finished edge and prevents curling. Knitters then increase stitches strategically using the m1 (make one) increase method to transition from the border into the main pattern section. The central design features repeating cable panels separated by reverse stockinette stitch panels, with garter stitch edges maintained throughout for structural integrity and a refined frame.

Stitch Work and Pattern Details

The primary stitch techniques employed in this blanket include:

• Garter Stitch: Used for the top and bottom borders and side edges, creating a textured, reversible fabric that lies flat and prevents edge curl
• Stockinette Stitch: The foundation stitch used to calculate gauge and as the base for the cable pattern
• Reverse Stockinette Stitch: Creates 16-stitch panels between the cable sections, providing visual contrast and texture variation
• Cable Stitches: The signature Rue de Rivoli cable features a 5-over-5 front cross cable worked over 15 stitches. This cable pattern is repeated six times across the width of the blanket, with an additional cable panel completing the pattern. Cable crosses are worked using a cable needle to create the distinctive twisted rope effect

The pattern uses stitch markers to clearly delineate sections, helping knitters maintain pattern accuracy across the many stitches. The decrease row mirrors the increase row, returning the stitch count to the original 192 stitches before binding off, ensuring consistent proportions and a balanced finished piece.

Yarn and Materials

This blanket is designed to be worked in Juniper Moon Farm Herriot Great yarn, specifically in color #109 Midnight Blue. The project requires six 100-gram skeins, providing ample yardage for the full blanket. Herriot Great is a luscious, substantial yarn that showcases cable and texture work beautifully.

Essential tools and notions include:

• Size US 10 (6mm) circular needles, 40 inches long, used to accommodate the large number of stitches while working flat
• A cable needle for executing the cable crosses
• Stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and section boundaries
• A tapestry needle for weaving in ends during finishing
• Waste yarn for securing stitches if needed during construction

Gauge and Sizing

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this project. The blanket is designed to a gauge of 14 stitches by 20 rows equals 4 inches in stockinette stitch. For the Rue de Rivoli cable specifically, 15 stitches equal 3 inches. Knitters should swatch before beginning to ensure their finished blanket meets the intended dimensions of 48 inches wide by 30 inches long.

Finishing

After completing the final garter stitch border and binding off purl-wise on the right side, the blanket is finished by weaving in all ends with a tapestry needle. The piece is then blocked to the finished measurements, which helps even out the stitches and allows the cables and texture to fully develop and set. Blocking is particularly important for cable work, as it allows the twisted stitches to relax into their final form and ensures the blanket lies flat and maintains its shape.