Rowan Florentine Blanket Knitting Pattern

Rowan Florentine Knitted Throw by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Florentine is a knitted throw blanket designed by Martin Storey. This finished piece measures approximately 90 cm (35½ inches) wide and 146 cm (57½ inches) long, making it a substantial blanket suitable for draping over furniture or use as a decorative throw. The project combines structural moss stitch edging with an intricate lace pattern throughout the central section, creating a sophisticated textile with both visual interest and functional warmth.

Techniques Used

This throw employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its finished design:

• Bottom-up construction: The throw is worked from the cast-on edge upward, allowing knitters to easily adjust the finished length as needed before binding off
• Flat knitting: Despite using a circular needle, the pattern is worked flat in rows rather than in the round, with right-side and wrong-side rows clearly distinguished throughout
• Lace knitting: The central 135 stitches feature a charted lace pattern that repeats over 32 rows and 16 stitches, creating an open, decorative fabric within the structured borders
• Chart reading: Knitters follow a written chart that indicates specific stitch placements, requiring interpretation of symbols for yarn-overs, decreases, and slipped stitches
• Moss stitch edging: A reversible textured border frames the lace center, providing structure and a finished appearance on all edges

Stitches Used

The Rowan Florentine incorporates fundamental knitting stitches combined to create its distinctive appearance:

• Moss stitch (seed stitch): Formed by alternating knit and purl stitches in a checkerboard pattern, creating a bumpy, reversible fabric used for the 5-row borders on all sides
• Yarn-over (yfwd): Creates the open lace holes characteristic of the central pattern, formed by bringing yarn forward before the next stitch
• Knit two together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease that balances the yarn-overs and shapes the lace motifs
• Slip, knit one, pass slipped stitch over (Sl1, K1, psso): A left-leaning decrease that works in conjunction with yarn-overs to form the lace design
• Slip, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over (Sl1, K2tog, psso): A double decrease used strategically within the lace pattern for shaping and visual definition

Materials and Tools

The Rowan Florentine is designed to be worked with specific materials that contribute to its final appearance and drape:

• Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed Aran, a worsted-weight yarn requiring 16 balls of 50g each (800g total). The pattern is photographed in the colorway Granite 719, though other Felted Tweed Aran colors are available through knitrowan.com
• Needles: 5mm (US size 8) circular needle measuring at least 80cm in length. The circular needle accommodates the 145 cast-on stitches and allows for comfortable flat knitting of the large throw
• Gauge: 16 stitches and 23 rows measure 10 cm when worked over the lace pattern using 5mm needles. Achieving correct gauge is essential for the throw to reach its intended finished dimensions

Pattern Structure and Construction

The throw begins with casting on 145 stitches and working 8 rows of moss stitch to establish a stable, decorative edge. The main body then introduces the charted lace pattern, which is worked across the central 135 stitches while maintaining moss stitch on the outer edge stitches (5 stitches on each side). This creates a framed effect with the lace contained within a textured border. The 32-row pattern repeat continues until the throw reaches approximately 143 cm in length, at which point 8 final rows of moss stitch are worked across all stitches before casting off. This construction method ensures the throw has finished, professional edges on all sides and a balanced, symmetrical appearance.