Tahki Yarns Sunrise Mountain Blanket & Pillow Knitting

Tahki Yarns Sunrise Mountain Blanket & Pillow

Project Overview

The Sunrise Mountain Blanket & Pillow is a coordinated knitting project designed by Susan Baron that combines a substantial throw blanket with a matching decorative pillow. Both pieces feature the same distinctive basketweave stitch pattern and are worked in the same luxurious yarn, making them ideal companion projects for creating a cohesive home décor set.

Blanket Details

What is Being Made: A knitted throw blanket available in two sizes—a smaller Throw measuring 37" wide by 46" long, and a larger Blanket measuring 47½" wide by 58" long. The blanket is designed to provide warmth and visual interest through its textured stitch pattern.

Techniques Used: The blanket is worked flat on circular needles using a bottom-up construction method. The piece incorporates seamed finishing techniques and combines multiple stitch patterns within a single project. The construction maintains garter stitch borders on all sides while the central area showcases the basketweave pattern, creating a framed effect.

Stitches Used: The primary stitch pattern is the Basketweave Pattern, which works over a multiple of 6 stitches plus 3. This 12-row repeat creates a textured, woven appearance by alternating knit and purl stitches in the first half of the pattern, then introducing slip stitches worked with yarn in front and yarn in back to create the dimensional basketweave effect. The pattern is bordered with Garter Stitch, which is created by knitting every row, providing a sturdy, textured frame. The blanket also incorporates Stockinette Stitch in specific areas for structural definition.

Materials: The blanket requires 9 hanks for the Throw size or 14 hanks for the larger Blanket size of Tahki Yarns Superwash Merino Bulky, which is 100% superwash merino wool. Each hank contains 3.5 ounces and yields 109 yards. The yarn is worked in color #23 rust, a warm, earthy tone. US size 11 (8mm) circular needles measuring 32–40 inches long are required, with needle size adjusted as needed to achieve the specified gauge of 11¾ stitches and 18 rows over 4 inches in the Basketweave pattern when blocked.

Pillow Details

What is Being Made: A 20-inch square decorative pillow that coordinates with the blanket. The pillow can be finished with a zipper closure for easy removal of the pillow form, or it can be stuffed with fiberfill for a permanent closure.

Techniques Used: The pillow is worked flat on a circular needle using a seamless construction method, with stitches picked up and worked from cast-on edges. The piece is worked bottom-up and finished with bind-off. The pillow features edge stitches worked in Stockinette Stitch that frame the central basketweave pattern.

Stitches Used: The pillow features the same Basketweave Pattern as the blanket, creating visual continuity between the two pieces. The pattern is framed with single stitches of Stockinette Stitch on each edge, which provides a clean, finished appearance and helps define the pillow's edges.

Materials: The pillow requires 4 hanks of the same Tahki Yarns Superwash Merino Bulky yarn in color #23 rust. A US size 11 (8mm) circular needle measuring 24 inches long is used, adjusted as needed to match the blanket's gauge. The finished pillow cover requires either a 20-inch by 20-inch pillow form or polyester fiberfill for stuffing. An 18-inch zipper is optional for creating a removable cover.

Skill Level and Construction Notes

This project is rated as Advanced Beginner difficulty, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic techniques and are ready to work with more complex stitch patterns and larger projects. The basketweave pattern, while visually intricate, is built from fundamental knitting techniques including knit, purl, and slip stitches. The use of stitch markers helps manage pattern repeats and edge stitches, and the project benefits from careful attention to gauge to ensure proper finished dimensions.

Finishing and Care

Both the blanket and pillow are finished by weaving in ends and blocking gently. Blocking helps even out the basketweave pattern and ensures the pieces reach their intended measurements. The superwash merino wool used throughout is durable and easy to care for, making these pieces practical as well as beautiful.