Saga Blanket Knitting Pattern

Saga Blanket in Berroco Lanas Light

What is Being Made

The Saga Blanket is a rectangular throw blanket designed by Åsa Buchta, measuring approximately 40 inches by 56 inches (not including fringe). This is a substantial home accessory project suitable for intermediate knitters seeking a finished, professional-quality blanket with visual interest created through strategic color blocking.

Craft and Technique Overview

This is a knitting project classified at the intermediate skill level. The blanket is constructed by knitting from one short end to the other in a single continuous piece. A distinctive feature of this design is the use of two strands of yarn held together throughout the entire blanket, which creates a thicker, more substantial fabric suitable for a cozy throw. The pattern employs a color-blocking technique where separate balls or bobbins of yarn are used for each section to prevent carrying yarn across the work, ensuring clean color transitions without visible floats on the back of the fabric.

Stitches Used

The Saga Blanket is worked entirely in garter stitch, which is created by knitting every row. Garter stitch is a fundamental knitting technique that produces a reversible, textured fabric with horizontal ridges. This stitch choice is ideal for blankets because it lies flat, provides excellent drape, and is forgiving for knitters at the intermediate level. The gauge for this project is 18 stitches and 36 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch when working with 2 strands held together, measured after blocking.

Color Work and Pattern Construction

The blanket incorporates a structured color-blocking design using two complementary colorways. Two strands of the primary color (C1) are used for each solid-colored block, while the striped sections alternate between either 2 strands of the secondary color (C2) or 1 strand each of C1 and C2 combined. When changing colors, the pattern instructs knitters to hold yarn to the left and pick up the new color from underneath, a technique that prevents holes and maintains the integrity of the fabric at color transitions. This intarsia-adjacent approach requires the use of separate yarn balls or bobbins for each color section rather than carrying yarn across the back of the work.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

This project calls for Berroco Lanas Light yarn, a premium yarn choice that works beautifully when held as two strands. The specific yardage requirements are 9 balls of #78102 Steel Cut Oats (C1) and 4 balls of #78130 Driftwood (C2), each ball weighing 100 grams. These two colorways—Steel Cut Oats and Driftwood—create a sophisticated, neutral palette suitable for various home décor styles.

The primary needles required are a 40-inch circular needle in size 8 (5 mm), or the size needed to obtain the specified gauge. Circular needles are recommended for this project because they accommodate the width of the blanket comfortably and distribute the weight of the growing fabric evenly. Additional notions include yarn bobbins for managing separate color sections and a removable stitch marker for tracking pattern placement. A size H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook is also required for adding fringe to the finished blanket.

Finishing Details

The blanket is finished by weaving in all ends and blocking as desired to achieve the specified finished measurements and even out the garter stitch texture. Fringe is added using strands of the secondary color (C2), with the pattern specifying four 16-inch strands for each fringe section, creating a decorative and tactile edge treatment that enhances the blanket's visual appeal.