Valley Yarns Herringbone Blanket Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Herringbone Blanket

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Herringbone Blanket is a knitted throw blanket inspired by traditional quilt patterns. This project creates a finished blanket available in three sizes: 40" x 42", 40" x 54", or 52" x 54". The design combines striped garter stitch construction with a coordinating border, resulting in a modern interpretation of classic herringbone quilting aesthetics suitable for home decor.

Construction Method

This blanket is constructed using a bottom-up, worked-flat approach with a seamed assembly method. Rather than knitting a single large piece, the blanket is built from multiple individual strips that are knit on the bias and then sewn together. This modular construction technique makes the project more manageable and allows for precise color placement and pattern control. The strips are arranged in a specific color sequence before being joined, and a border is added last by picking up stitches around the perimeter of the assembled blanket.

Techniques Used

• Bias knitting: Strips are created using increases and decreases that cause the fabric to slant diagonally, creating the characteristic herringbone visual effect
• Garter stitch: The primary stitch throughout the blanket, creating a textured, reversible fabric with visible horizontal ridges
• Stripes: Color changes are incorporated within strips and between strips to build visual depth and pattern interest
• Seaming: Completed strips are sewn together using mattress stitch or similar seaming techniques to create the final blanket shape
• Picking up stitches: Used to create the border by picking up stitches along the edges of the assembled strips at a ratio of 3 stitches for every 4 rows
• Color carrying: Unused colors are twisted around each other along the edges of strips on right-side rows to maintain neat, finished edges without cutting yarn
• Increases and decreases: Kfb (knit front and back) for increases and k2tog (knit two together) for decreases shape the bias strips

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch: Knit every row to create the textured base fabric
• Kfb (knit front and back): Increases one stitch by knitting into the front and back of the same stitch
• K2tog (knit two together): Decreases one stitch by knitting two stitches together as one

Materials

Yarn: Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky, a wool and alpaca blend (85% wool/15% alpaca) with approximately 108 yards per 100-gram skein. The project requires four coordinating colors: Natural (Color A) for 6, 7, or 9 skeins depending on size; Light Gray Heather (Color B) for 3, 4, or 5 skeins; Medium Gray Heather (Color C) for 3, 4, or 5 skeins; and Capri (Color D) for 3, 4, or 4 skeins. The gray shades provide subtle depth while the bright Capri border creates a striking color accent.

Needles: US size 10.5 (6.50mm) circular needles, 40 inches in length, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. Circular needles are used despite working flat, as they accommodate the width of the blanket comfortably.

Gauge: 3 stitches and 6 rows equal 1 inch in garter stitch. Achieving proper gauge is essential for the blanket to reach its intended finished dimensions.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as intermediate difficulty. While garter stitch and basic increases and decreases are fundamental techniques, the combination of bias strip construction, color management, seaming multiple pieces together, and border pick-up requires experience with garment assembly and attention to detail. The modular strip-based approach does simplify the overall complexity compared to knitting a large rectangular piece in one go.