Noro Mosaic Blanket Knitting Pattern

Noro Mosaic Blanket

Project Overview

The Noro Mosaic Blanket is an experienced-level knitting project that creates a sophisticated throw measuring approximately 46 x 48 inches (117 x 122 centimeters). This seamless, worked-flat design combines stranded colorwork techniques with mosaic knitting methods to produce a visually striking blanket with structured panels and mitered corners.

What Is Being Made

This project produces a large rectangular blanket constructed from three distinct sections: a central panel, two side panels, and mitered corners. The blanket is worked in a modular approach, allowing crafters to build the piece systematically from the center outward. The finished dimensions make this an ideal throw-size blanket suitable for draping over furniture or use as a decorative bed accent.

Techniques Used

The Noro Mosaic Blanket employs several advanced knitting techniques:

• Mosaic Knitting: A color technique where only stitches in the working color are knitted while stitches in the opposite color are slipped. This creates intricate colorwork patterns without the complexity of traditional stranded knitting across all stitches.
• Stranded Colorwork: The pattern incorporates charted colorwork sections that build visual interest through strategic color placement.
• Garter Stitch and Stockinette Stitch Combination: Chart rows worked in navy (B) and blackberry (C) are executed in garter stitch, while rows in the primary color (A) are worked in stockinette stitch, creating textural variation.
• Seamless Construction: The blanket is worked flat on circular needles without seaming, with sections picked up and worked from existing edges to create the side panels and corners.
• Mitered Corners: Decorative corner sections are created by picking up stitches along multiple edges and working them together, adding architectural detail to the finished piece.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined in strategic ways:

• Knit Stitch (k): The primary stitch throughout the project.
• Slip Stitch (sl): Essential to the mosaic knitting technique, where stitches in non-working colors are slipped rather than knitted, with yarn tension carefully managed on the wrong side of the work.
• Stockinette Stitch (St st): Used in chart rows worked in color A, creating smooth fabric.
• Garter Stitch: Used in chart rows worked in colors B and C, creating textured ridges.
• Bind Off: Used to secure edges and finish sections.

Materials and Tools

The Noro Mosaic Blanket requires three coordinating yarns in complementary colors:

• Noro Silk Garden in #354 (Color A): 9 skeins of this specialty yarn, which provides the primary color and luxurious fiber content.
• Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in #04 Navy (Color B): 5 balls used for contrast sections and structural elements.
• Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in #55 Blackberry (Color C): 6 balls providing additional color contrast and depth.
• Needles: One pair each of size 9 (5.5mm) and size 10 (6mm) circular needles, 40 inches (100cm) long, allowing for the large stitch counts required for the blanket width.
• Stitch Markers: Used to mark panel boundaries and track pattern repeats throughout construction.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 21 stitches and 34 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) when worked in chart 2 using the size 10 (6mm) needle. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the finished measurements of 46 x 48 inches. The pattern uses a 10-stitch repeat that is worked multiple times across the width—14 times for the central panel and 13 times for each side panel—making gauge accuracy critical for proper fit and proportion.

Pattern Structure

The blanket is constructed in stages. The central panel is worked first, with charted rows repeated until the piece reaches