Valley Yarns Cardamom Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Cardamom Knit Throw Blanket

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Cardamom is a two-color knit throw blanket designed by Julie Turjoman. This cozy home accessory measures approximately 37 inches wide by 35 inches long, making it an ideal size for draping over a sofa or bed. The throw features a striking interplay of color and texture created through a mosaic stitch pattern worked in contrasting yarn colors, combining soft, lofty warmth with visual interest.

Techniques and Construction Method

This project is worked bottom-up in a seamless construction, meaning the entire throw is knit as one continuous piece without requiring seaming. The blanket is worked flat using back-and-forth rows rather than in the round. The design features 1-inch garter stitch borders on all four sides, with the side borders appearing as 2-row stripes that alternate between the main color and contrasting color, adding a refined finished edge to the throw.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch pattern used throughout the Valley Yarns Cardamom is mosaic stitch, a technique that creates complex color and texture effects through strategic yarn overs, knit stitches, and slip stitches. The mosaic stitch pattern repeats over a multiple of 10 stitches plus 3 additional stitches. The pattern involves alternating rows worked in the main color and contrasting color, with slip stitches creating the characteristic mosaic texture. The borders are worked in garter stitch, the most fundamental knit stitch pattern, created by knitting every row to produce a reversible, textured fabric with horizontal ridges.

Yarn and Materials

This throw is designed to be worked in Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky, a premium yarn blend consisting of 85% wool and 15% alpaca. The yarn is worked at a gauge of 16 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches in the mosaic pattern when blocked. The project requires 6 skeins of the main color (Color 16 Burgundy) and 5 skeins of the contrasting color (Color 44 Tan Heather). Each skein contains 100 grams and yields 108 yards of yardage.

Needles and Additional Supplies

The Valley Yarns Cardamom is worked on a US 10 (6mm) circular needle measuring 40 inches in length, or whatever needle size is required to achieve the specified gauge. The circular needle accommodates the width of the throw while working flat. Additional materials needed include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends during finishing.

Skill Level and Difficulty

This project is rated as Advanced Beginner difficulty, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic knit and purl stitches and are ready to tackle more complex stitch patterns. The mosaic stitch technique, while visually intricate, is manageable for knitters at this skill level, as it primarily involves knit stitches and slip stitches rather than complex decreases or yarn overs. The straightforward bottom-up, flat construction adds to the project's accessibility.