Our LOLL yarn features a special blend of Merino Wool and Baby Alpaca fibers creating soft-as-a-kitten warmth and squishiness. Sustainably sourced and 100% naturally soft, (not chemically softened), LOLL is grown in the beautiful highlands of Peru and Argentina and spun in a Fair Trade Certified facility.

With cashmere-like softness,  LOLL is not too chunky or hot, making it a perfect choice for all of your upcoming projects (hats, scarves, sweaters, blankets, cowls, interiors accessories). And because it's naturally anti-itch, it's perfect for all those baby gifts you want to make or for anyone who is sensitive to the itch of natural wool.

PROJECT SKILL LEVEL : BEGINNER

This pattern is designed for anyone who has tried a Learn-To-Knit project before or who is an adventurous newbie and wants to try creating a project using a repeating pattern of a knit and a purl stitch.  

TECHNIQUES YOU WILL LEARN

• How To Hold Your Needles & Yarn
• Making a Gauge Swatch
• The Slip-Knot
• Casting-On Stitches (using the Longtail Cast-On Method)
• The Knit Stitch
• Joining Yarn Ends
• Binding Off 
• Weaving In Loose Ends
• Blocking Your Work

TIME TO MAKE 

Small: 20 Hours
Medium: 30 Hours
Large: 40 Hours

PATTERN SIZE

Small, (Medium),  Large

PROJECT MEASUREMENTS

SMALL
Finished length: 40” (with fringe 54”)
Finished width: 25”

(MEDIUM)
Finished length: 50” (with fringe 64”)
Finished width: 35”

LARGE
Finished length: 60” (with fringe 74”)
Finished width: 45”

GAUGE

9mm Needles
12 stitches in knit (garter) stitch x 20 rows = 4" x 4" square

HUNTINGTON BLANKET KIT

SPEND MORE TIME MAKING AND LESS TIME RUNNING AROUND SOURCING SUPPLIES. Project Weekends' all-in-one Huntington Blanket Kit contains all of the necessary tools and supplies to get you started. (Knitting Needles optional with kit purchase) 

KIT CONTENTS

• Small: 6 balls, (Medium: 9 balls), Large:14 Balls, Project Weekend's LOLL, our exclusive naturally soft 65% Fine Peruvian Highland Wool / 35% Superfine Peruvian Alpaca yarn. Each ball weighs 125 GR. (4.4oz) and has 125m (137y). 
  
• 1 pair of 9mm / US 13 60” Circular Knitting Needles (optional with kit purchase)
  
• 1 9mm / M13  Crochet Hook (optional with kit purchase)
  
• 1 Knitters' Sewing Needle 
  
• 1 "PROJECT WEEKEND x Me." Woven Label
• 1 "Made For You" Makers Gift Hangtag
• 1 Organic Cotton Project Bag (size large)

TECHNIQUE TUTORIAL VIDEOS & ILLUSTRATIONS

Not sure how to knit a specific technique? No worries, we've got your back! We've created videos and step-by-step illustrations for you to reference, so your project won't miss a beat. They are conveniently located throughout and at the end of the pattern for you to click and learn from. Happy Knitting!

LET'S BEGIN

Before we start getting into it, let's familiarize ourselves with how we hold our needles and yarn. 

GAUGE SWATCH
WHAT IS IT & WHY MAKE ONE

A gauge swatch is a little test square of fabric that you knit before each project using the exact stitches in your pattern. Once complete, it will tell you if your knitting is too tight or too loose for the pattern that you are creating.  This is a great tool because it helps you make sure that what you are knitting will measure out perfectly to the pattern and ultimately fit right.

Gauge swatches only take a half hour or so to make... many times less.  Yet, a lot of people either rush through this process or skip it all together because they're so excited to get into knitting their project. 

Please learn from our experience.....there is nothing more frustrating than knitting someone a sweater only to realize at the end (and after many invested  hours of knitting) that if only we had made a gauge swatch, our beautiful sweater wouldn't have ended up fitting two sizes too small. 

If your are new to knitting, think of the gauge swatch as a great opportunity to learn how to create your stitches before you start your main project.  

GETTING GAUGE

Every knit project will have gauge swatch instructions. The pattern details and materials list will indicate what size needle you need for each project and it will call out how many stitches per row by how many rows you need to knit to create your swatch to achieve the correct gauge.

As you can see, The Huntington Blanket requires a 9mm sized knitting needle and you will need to cast-on 12 stitches and knit 20 rows of knit (garter) stitch to achieve gauge. Once you complete this, your finished swatch should measure 4” x 4” (10cm x 10cm).

Gauge swatch - 4" x 4"

STEP-BY-STEP : MAKING A GAUGE SWATCH 

1. With a yarn tail approximately 20” long, create a SLIP-KNOT and place it onto one of your knitting needles. This slip-knot is considered your first stitch.   

2. Holding that needle in your right hand, CAST-ON another 11 more stitches using the LONG-TAIL CAST-ON METHOD. You should now have 12 stitches on your needle.

3. Hold the needle with the stitches in your left hand and the empty needle in your right hand. KNIT into each stitch along the row. 

How to knit the KNIT stitch.

4. Switching needles again, hold the needle with the stitches in your left hand and the empty needle in your right hand. This is called turning your work and you will do this each time you knit to the end of each row.

5. Repeat knitting into each stitch along the needle until you reach the end of the row.  and then turn your work and continue with this pattern for each row until you have completed a total 20 rows  

6. BIND-OFF your stitches (Do not cut yarn after binding off, you'll be using this yarn for your main project.)

7. Lay your swatch flat and measure the length and the width. If your swatch comes out smaller than 4”x4”, it means you are knitting too tightly, so unravel your swatch and start again, this time loosen up your stitch tension a bit.

If your swatch comes out larger than 4”x 4”, you are knitting too loosely, so tighten up your stitch a little bit when knitting.

Once you create a swatch that measures 4”x4”, Congratulations! You have found your gauge tension so go ahead, unravel that swatch (you're going to need that yarn for your scarf!)  and begin your knit project. 

MEASUREMENTS OFF BY A TINY BIT?

No stress! When you’re working on beginner projects like this, it’s ok to be a bit off on measurements. So, if you’re just a bit off (+/-0.25" ) go ahead, start knitting that blanket!

THE HUNTINGTON BLANKET PATTERN

LE'TS BEGIN!
1. Cast On 120, (150),  180 stitches using the LONGTAIL CAST-ON method.

TIP: When checking to see how many cast-on stitches you've created (as there are quite a few!), the easiest way is to count in multiples  of 2.   (ex. 2, 4, 6, 8 etc. etc. ).  You can also add little markers every 20 or so to keep track so you don't lose count along the way.
 
2. Row 1: KNIT each stitch.

3. Row 2 and onwards: Repeat Row 1 until your work measures 25”, (35”),  (45”) from the Cast-On edge.

TIP: When you Knit each row over and over using just KNIT stitches, you are creating a stitch pattern commonly referred to as GARTER STITCH.

4. Join the new balls of yarn using the MAGIC KNOT METHOD and continue knitting each row until your work measures the specified measurements. 

5. BIND-OFF your stitches and leave a yarn tail approximately 8"-10" long

TIP: When binding off, ease up a bit on your stitch tension, you want to be a bit on the looser side. If the tension along this edge is too tight, it will gather the edge and your blanket won't measure out properly.

6. Weave in loose ends & proudly sew on your Project Weekend x Me. woven label..

ADDING FRINGE TO YOUR BLANKET 

Cut 48, (64), (80) pieces of yarn into 17” long lengths. Watch our Adding Fringe technique video for a quick & easy way to do this.

TIP: When measuring out the fringe, DO NOT STRETCH! If yarn is stretched out and then cut, it will relax back to shape an inch or two shorter than what you need.

Fringe is added to the short sides of the blanket. One fringe grouping at each corner, and one grouping placed every 5” along the edge.

Once all fringe pieces are cut, grab 4 of them and line them up evenly. Fold them in half, all at the same time, to create a loop. Insert your crochet hook through the first corner stitch or “hole” just in from the edge (corner) of your blanket.

Hook the loop of the folded yarn pieces and gently pull the loop back through the stitch approximately a third of the way. Slip the open yarn ends (there will be 8 ends) through the loop to create a knot. Gently pull it tight, adjusting the ends as you tighten the fringe to get them lined up and even.

Add the next fringe grouping to the opposite corner. Measure out and mark 5” spacings between the two corners, add a fringe grouping at each marker.

Repeat the same above process for the opposite end of the blanket.

TIP: Once finished, resist the urge to take a pair of scissors to the end of your fringe. Fringe has a much more beautiful and natural appearance when the ends are slightly different lengths.

How To Add Fringe To Your Project