Valley Yarns Bas-Relief Blanket Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Bas-Relief Blanket

Project Overview

The Valley Yarns Bas-Relief Blanket is a knitted throw designed by Cara Sharpes that combines textural interest with elegant lace elements. This blanket project showcases the interplay between raised cable-inspired motifs and delicate yarn-over lace sections, creating visual depth and dimension across the finished piece.

Construction Method

This blanket is worked flat on straight needles or circular needles in flat mode, allowing knitters to work back and forth in rows rather than in the round. The seamless construction approach means the design is created as one continuous piece without requiring seaming, resulting in a polished, unified finished blanket.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Cable Work: Right twist (RT) stitches appear throughout the pattern, created by slipping 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, slipping them back to the left needle in crossed order, and knitting through the back loops. This technique produces the characteristic twisted, raised texture that gives the blanket its bas-relief quality.
• Lace Techniques: Yarn overs (yo) paired with decreases such as knit 2 together (k2tog) and slip, slip, knit (ssk) create openwork sections that expand and contract across the blanket surface. These decreases balance the yarn overs to maintain stitch count while producing the lace effect.
• Specialty Stitches: The pattern includes knit through back loop (k1b) for twisted stitches and the sl1-k2tog-psso (slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over) decrease for more pronounced lace shaping.
• Stitch Expansion: The pattern features a unique increase method where 3 stitches are created in one stitch by knitting 1, yarning over, and knitting the same stitch again without removing it from the needle first.
• Seed Stitch Edging: An alternating knit and purl pattern creates a textured, non-rolling border that frames the main design.

Stitch Pattern Details

The main pattern repeat is based on a multiple of 28 stitches plus 2 edge stitches, worked over a 22-row repeat. The pattern alternates between wrong-side rows (worked in knit and purl) and right-side rows (featuring the decorative cable twists and lace elements). Wrong-side rows are worked by knitting the knit stitches, purling the purl stitches, and purling all yarn overs to maintain pattern integrity.

The right-side rows showcase two distinct design elements working in opposition: one section features expanding lace created by successive yarn-over increases followed by decreases, while an adjacent section features contracting lace where decreases dominate, creating a visual rhythm across the blanket. The right twist cables punctuate these lace sections, adding structural interest and preventing the blanket from appearing too delicate.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern is designed for use with yarn and needles appropriate to the weight specified in the full pattern instructions. The blanket construction accommodates both straight needles and circular needles used in flat mode, offering flexibility based on knitter preference and yarn quantity.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner project, the Bas-Relief Blanket introduces fundamental techniques in an accessible way. While the pattern includes cables and lace work, the repeating structure and clear abbreviations make it suitable for knitters developing their technical skills. The worked-flat construction eliminates the complexity of managing stitches in the round.