My grandmother taught me to knit when I was (thinks back…) perhaps four or five. And then I kind of forgot about it.

Then my grandmother had a heart attack and when she was in hospital, started to knit me a bottle green scarf. We laughed and joked about me trying to remember how to do it myself. She was getting better. But then on New Year’s Eve, we had the phonecall to say that she had had another huge heart attack and passed away. I was devastated, more than I could ever put into words. Through the tears and sorrow and grief that followed, one of the things that gave me some comfort was the fact that I was going to finish that scarf. Silly? Perhaps. But it made me feel connected to her still. So I tried and tried, and got myself into all sorts of knots, kept ending up making extra stitches, dropping stitches and having to unpick and restart my rows. And then something just totally clicked. Lightbulb moment. PING. I was away.

Then my mum came to visit, and as a knitter herself, finished the scarf for me. And I treasure it. My three generation scarf. You can totally see where each person’s tension is just a little bit different too and it means the world to me.

Having mastered the art of the scarf, all of my friends and family now have at least one I’ve made for them. Cushion covers? Check. I had rather a fear of knitting around corners though until my mother bought me a teacosy knitting pattern for Christmas. It took me days, literally days of huffing, and naughty words. The air was quite blue in fact, in between the jingle bells. But I did it, totally mastered everything. Am now uber confident knitter.

So I think – hmmmmmm a delightful blanket would be nice – and I investigate how I go about this – do I do squares or do I go LARGE?  I decide on the latter and having struggled for over a month to find any kind of pattern, I made up my own.

The wool is Drops Polaris in off white which I bought online. There are several options with places to buy but it depends who has what you need in stock at the time. I love Wool Warehouse as they deliver your wool in a beautiful organza bag, it’s like Christmas when the postman arrived. The needles are size 15mm circular Pony brand.

Is there a pattern I hear you cry?! Well, this is as basic as you like. Can you cast on? Can you knit? Can you purl? Well that’s it! Boom Bangabang. Knit four, purl four then repeat on each row for this delightful chunky rib pattern. You just need to remember to cast on a multiple of eight so that you always start with knit four and end with purl four. Simples! This one I cast on 80.

It did take a while, I’ll be honest, but totally worth it. I took it on a couple of long car journeys (as a passenger, rolls eyes…) and then did a few rows each evening. Got there in the end and it’s totally worth the effort and hours spent I can promise you. It took 16 skeins in the end, I guessed at 12 but half way through realised that I’d need some more so did a little top up order of another 4.

 

It’s so lovely, hubby asked for one of his own… So I purchased more wool and decided to knit this one on 20mm needles for a very slightly looser finish.

Ironically I think I might actually get this beauty finished just in time for the longest day of the year which is rapidly approaching us lol! Desperately trying to finish him before I get all carried away with a new hobby as I’m booked on my crochet course on Wednesday (tomorrow) night…

This particular one is done with Drops Polaris taupe mix, cast on 64. It drapes really well around you for maximum coziness. Rather satisfying to make too as it grows fairly rapidly (providing you don’t just sit and look at it) 16 skeins will give you a really great size blanket to cosy up with sitting by the fire…

Go on, do it do it do it! Have a go. Watch a little tutorial on YouTube, get a book, ask your Nan to show you. There’s something so much more lovely about curling up under one of these than one you’ve bought, I totally and utterly pinky promise you 😉