Valley Yarns Charette Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Charette Knit Blanket

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Charette is a cabled knit blanket designed by Julie Turjoman as part of WEBS' Heirloom Baby Blanket series. This project is available in two sizes: a Baby Blanket measuring approximately 38" wide by 45¼" long, and a larger Throw size measuring approximately 55¾" wide by 71½" long. The blanket features an easily memorized cable pattern, making it suitable as a speedy gift for new babies or, in the larger throw size, as a unique gift for weddings or house-warming occasions.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The blanket is worked from the cast-on edge upward, built row by row to the finished length.
• Worked flat: The piece is knitted back and forth on circular needles rather than in the round, creating a flat rectangular blanket.
• Cable work: The design features cable stitches that create dimensional texture and visual interest throughout the piece.
• Single hem: A finished edge treatment is incorporated into the blanket's construction.
• Garter stitch foundation: The blanket begins with 8 rows of garter stitch before transitioning into the cable pattern section.

Stitches Used

The Valley Yarns Charette utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with cable techniques:

• Knit stitch (K): The primary stitch used throughout the blanket.
• Purl stitch (P): Used in combination with knit stitches to create texture and pattern definition.
• Garter stitch: Created by knitting every row, this stitch forms the initial 8 rows and provides a stable foundation.
• Cable stitches: Specifically 2/2 RC (right cable) and 2/2 LC (left cable) stitches, where two stitches are placed on a cable needle, held to the back or front, then knitted in a specific order to create the characteristic twisted cable effect.
• Twisted stitches: Purl through the back loop (p1 tbl) is used to create vertical line details within the pattern.
• Increases: Purl into the front and back of the same stitch (pfb) is used during the cable set-up row to increase stitch count from 125 (or 183) stitches to 133 (or 195) stitches.

Materials and Tools

The Valley Yarns Charette is designed to be worked with Valley Yarns Haydenville Bulky yarn, a blend of 60% Superwash Merino wool and 40% Acrylic Microfiber. Each skein contains 100 grams and approximately 109 yards. The baby blanket size requires 9 skeins, while the larger throw size requires 20 skeins. The sample shown is worked in color 04 Light Gray.

Needles required include US 10 (6mm) circular needles measuring 40 inches long for the baby blanket size or 60 inches long for the throw size. Additional materials include a cable needle for working cable stitches, a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends, and stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and edge stitches. The gauge is 14 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) when measured over the cable stitch pattern on blocked fabric using US 10 (6mm) needles.

Pattern Structure and Difficulty

Rated as an intermediate-level project, the Valley Yarns Charette is accessible to knitters with foundational skills who are ready to work with cable stitches. The cable pattern repeats are easily memorized, reducing the need for constant pattern reference and making this an efficient project for experienced beginners. The blanket is constructed using the long-tail cast-on method and worked continuously until the piece reaches the desired finished length, with the cable pattern repeated 15 times for the baby blanket or 24 times for the throw size.