Strawberry Thief Blanket Designed by Debbie Bliss & Chloé Elizabeth Birch in Morris DK

Strawberry Thief Blanket Knitting Pattern

Project Overview

The Strawberry Thief Blanket is an advanced-level knitting project designed by Debbie Bliss and Chloé Elizabeth Birch. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished square blanket measuring 81cm x 81cm (32 x 32 inches), making it an ideal size for a decorative throw or crib blanket. The design incorporates the classic William Morris aesthetic through colorwork techniques and charted pattern work.

What Is Being Made

This is a knitted blanket worked in the round or in rows using a combination of stocking stitch and colorwork elements. The blanket features a sophisticated design that showcases multiple colors inspired by the Morris DK yarn range, creating a finished piece suitable for home décor or gifting.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern uses West Yorkshire Spinners Morris DK yarn, a 100% wool fiber. The total yarn requirement is 6 x 50g balls distributed across seven distinct colors:

• A – Blackthorn (1276): 110 yards, 6 x 50g balls
• B – Strawberry (1293): 110 yards, 3 x 50g balls
• C – Daisy (1275): 110 yards, 1 x 50g ball
• D – Hyacinth (1278): 110 yards, 1 x 50g ball
• E – Yew (1282): 110 yards, 1 x 50g ball
• F – Rose (1292): 110 yards, 1 x 50g ball
• G – Marigold (1287): 110 yards, 1 x 50g ball

The pattern requires two pairs of knitting needles: one pair of 3.25mm (UK10/US3) needles and one pair of 4mm (UK8/US6) needles. The 4mm needles are used for the main fabric.

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this advanced project. The pattern specifies a tension of 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10cm (4 inches), measured over stocking stitch and colorwork on 4mm needles. Knitters must work a tension square before beginning the full blanket. If your gauge shows fewer stitches than stated, you will need to decrease needle sizes; if you have more stitches, increase needle sizes until the correct tension is achieved. Working to the stated tension ensures the blanket reaches its intended finished measurements and fabric quality.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This advanced pattern employs several professional-level colorwork and construction techniques:

Stocking Stitch

The foundation stitch for the blanket is stocking stitch (st-st), which alternates one row of knit stitches with one row of purl stitches when working in rows. This creates the classic smooth, V-textured fabric characteristic of knitted blankets.

Fair Isle and Intarsia Colorwork

The pattern incorporates Fair Isle and Intarsia techniques to create the multicolored design. When working with two or three colors simultaneously, the colors not currently in use should be stranded loosely across the back of the color being worked. This stranding method prevents long floats on the wrong side that could snag or create an uneven fabric.

When stranding becomes difficult—typically when color floats would span more than a few stitches—the pattern directs knitters to use a separate ball of yarn for each color section. In these instances, the yarns must be twisted about each other on the wrong side where colors meet to link them together and prevent holes from forming in the fabric.

Swiss Darning

The pattern also incorporates Swiss darning, a surface embroidery technique used in parts of the design. Swiss darning allows for detailed colorwork to be added after the main knitting is complete, providing an alternative to stranding or intarsia for small color areas or fine details.

Chart Reading

The blanket is worked from a charted pattern