Thursday, May 25, 2017

The Boulevard Blanket - Free Chunky Knitting Pattern - Updated!

Two years ago this week I published my first blanket knitting pattern - The Boulevard Blanket.

This blanket is quick and easy to knit...and it's reversible!  This is a great pattern for any level of knitter.

I'm happy to announce that The Boulevard Blanket knitting pattern has been updated to include instructions for six blanket sizes!


The Boulevard Blanket - CLICK to download the FREE PATTERN
Click here to download the PDF pattern file for The Boulevard Blanket.

Or, click here to download the pattern FREE on Ravelry

Or, click here to download the pattern FREE on LoveKnitting.

This pattern is very easy but once in a while knitters need a little extra help getting on track.  Here's a free PDF tutorial for The Boulevard Blanket to address the most common questions.


At first glance, you may think that The Boulevard Blanket is knit with simple garter stitch...but look again! An easy K3, P3 repeat pattern creates a subtle vertical striping effect.  The knitting pattern looks the same on both sides...it's reversible!

The Boulevard Blanket - Free Knitting Pattern
This warm, cozy, chunky blanket is very easy to knit with super bulky yarn.

The pattern includes instructions for six blanket sizes.

SIX BLANKET SIZES:

Baby/Infant Blanket: 28" wide x 28" long
Small (Crib/Lap): 35" wide x 40" long
Medium Throw: 38" wide x 46" long
Large Throw: 44" wide x 50" long
XL Afghan: 47" wide x 55" long
XXL Afghan: 53" wide x 60" long

YARDAGE - SUPER BULKY YARN:

Baby: 320 - 330 yards
Small: 590 - 600 yards
Medium: 730 - 740 yards
Large: 925 - 940 yards
XL: 1100 - 1150 yards
XXL: 1350 - 1400 yards

It's very easy to make any of the blankets longer!  Simply keep knitting and you can bind off on any row.  In the pattern I have included estimates of how much yardage is needed to add 2" in length to each blanket size.

If you prefer to use worsted or Aran weight yarn... use my Meadow Lane blanket knitting pattern.  Click here to download!  Or get the pattern on Ravelry.

Knitting with Lion Brand Hometown in 'Washington Denim'

SUPER BULKY YARN SUGGESTIONS:

Lion Brand Hometown (100% Acrylic) - For the blue blanket shown in the photos I used Lion Brand Hometown in 'Washington Denim'.  This yarn is very soft… but also has great stitch definition so the pattern really ‘pops’.  It’s easy to knit with and very economical.  See all the pretty colorways available and shop for Lion Brand Hometown on the Lion Brand website (US) and LoveCrafts.com (ships to US, Canada, UK, EU and many countries around the world).
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (80% Acrylic / 20% Wool) - I have used this yarn for many blanket projects including my Winter Dance blanket and Game Time blanket.  Great stitch definition.  Get more details and shop for this yarn on the Lion Brand website and LoveCrafts.com

This pattern looks great with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick!

Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick is available in a beautiful selection of colorways!  It’s hard to pick a favorite!  Clockwise from the top: Cilantro (deep olive green), Glacier (light icy blue), Denim (dark denim blue), Air Force (medium cornflower blue), Peanut (tan), and Spice (dark burnt orange). See all of the colorways available in Wool-Ease Thick & Quick on the Lion Brand website or LoveCrafts.  

For The Boulevard Blanket I usually recommend a solid color yarn so the texture of the knitting shows up best.   However, sometimes multi color yarn can have fun results...one Ravelry knitter used two strands of Aran weight multicolored yarn knit together and it looks so cute!

The Boulevard Blanket knitting pattern - it's reversible!
SKILLS NEEDED:

The Boulevard Blanket is easy to knit and is a great pattern for a confident beginner.  If you know how to knit and purl...and switch back and forth between knit and purl...you can knit this blanket!

If you are a beginning knitter...I would suggest sticking with solid color yarn....and you might want to avoid a really dark color as it can be challenging to see your stitches.

KNITTING NEEDLES:

I used US size 13 knitting needles for this blanket.  You could also try US size 15 knitting needles.

Exact gauge is not important.  However, this pattern looks best with fairly tight knitting.  The vertical stripe effect will not show up as distinctly with loose knitting.

When knitting blankets, I recommend using long circular knitting needles to accommodate all of the stitches easily. Work back and forth just as you would with straight needles...at the end of the row simply turn the knitting and start knitting the next row.  Click here to read my blog post on FiftyFourTenStudio.com about knitting a blanket with circular knitting needles.

INSPIRATION FOR THE PATTERN NAME:

The name for this blanket is inspired by my hometown...Kansas City.  The subtle stripes made me think of all the beautiful streets we have in Kansas City.  An old promotional slogan for the city said "More boulevards than Paris, more fountains than Rome."  I can't confirm if either of these claims are true but we do have many attractive tree lined boulevards in my hometown....thus The Boulevard Blanket.

The Boulevard Blanket - named for the boulevards in Kansas City
MORE BLANKET KNITTING PATTERNS...

If you like this pattern you might also like my other easy to knit blanket patterns.

Click here to see all of my blanket knitting patterns on Ravelry.

Shop all of my knitting patterns on FiftyFourTenStudio.com.  



Would you like to receive updates on new pattern designs?  Click here to sign up for my Fifty Four Ten Studio email newsletter.

Thanks so much for reading and for your interest in my knitting patterns!

Happy knitting!

Mary Lee
Fifty Four Ten Studio

18 comments:

  1. Hi, I love your blanket patterns they look beautiful but I live in the UK. What size needles would I need to use here? Thank you, Gemma x

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  2. Thanks for your interest in my patterns! My knitting gauge tool says a US 13 knitting needle is the same as 9 mm. I'm not an expert on UK knitting needle sizes but I just found a handy chart on another website. Looks like a good reference for comparing needle sizes...
    http://www.katyafrankel.com/p/a-handy-conversion-chart-of-knitting.html
    Hope this helps!

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  3. I stumbled upon your website and am so glad I did. Your designs are beautiful.
    Thank you, Carolina

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm not a fan of circular needles. Is it possible to use straight needles for this pattern?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You might be able to use straight needles to make a baby size blanket. However, for any of the larger blankets you really need the circular needles to have the long cord to hold all the stitches. You really won't be able to fit 75 - 100+ stitches with super bulky yarn on traditional straight needles. Use the circular needles just like you would straight needles...turning the work at the end of the row. For a big blanket...circular knitting needles are the way to go! I know it feels different than knitting with straight needles!
      Mary Lee

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    2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iE72CyC3DQ here is a video that helped me visualize the concept of blanket knitting on circular needles!

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    3. Thanks for sharing!! I'm so glad you found a video that helped you get on track with knitting your blanket with circular knitting needles....knitting back and forth as though they are straight needles.
      Mary Lee

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  5. Hi Mary Lee,
    Love this pattern! I was thinking of a change in selvedge. Could I slip the first stitch purlwise
    and knit the last stitch of every row? Any thoughts?
    Thank you, Lynne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lynne,
      I have not tried slipping the first stitch purlwise. Maybe try a little test knitting to see if you like the appearance? To test knit this pattern...cast this number of stitches...3 multiplied by any odd number. For example...3 x 7 = 21. This will keep the pattern. Another idea...consider adding 1 extra stitch to each edge of the pattern...to account for slipping the first stitch on each row. I have not tried this so I'm not sure how it would work but it might be worth a try! Happy knitting!
      Mary Lee

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  6. This blanket is so pretty! When you add new yarn, do you knit all the way across and then continue with the pattern, or add in the new yarn in the knit/purl pattern?
    Thank you, Sara

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I keep working the K3, P3 pattern all of the time...even when I change from one ball of yarn to the next. I like to change skeins of yarn in the middle of the row so I don't have woven in ends on the edges. Also...if you are a beginning knitter...it can help to tie a piece of contrasting color yarn to the side of the blanket you decide will be the "wrong side" or back of the blanket...so that you weave in all of the ends on the back. I hope this helps answer your question! :)
      Mary Lee

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  7. So if we end the stitching with a k3 do we turn and start the project with a p3 or a k3?

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    Replies
    1. Basically...every row is exactly the same. Start every row with K3...and end every row with K3. (This works if your number of stitches is 3 multiplied by any odd number.)

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  8. Oh ok. Even though I tried knitting tight it isn't coming out the way it supposed to look and it looks too lose. I was working with a 69 stitch, size 13 needle, super bulky 6 yarn.

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    Replies
    1. I'm so sorry...I just noticed your comment!! The best way to reach me is to send an email to the address shown in the pattern. If you are still working on The Boulevard Blanket...send me a photo of your knitting and I'm happy to help with suggestions. It's hard to say without seeing a photo. Again...so sorry for the delay in responding to your comment!

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  9. Can you tell me please how many balls of wool are needed for the large size. In Australian, the balls of wool don't state yardage. Hope you can help. Thank you and love the pattern.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you have a certain yarn in mind? Every brand of yarn is different so it's impossible to say how many 'balls of wool' you would need....since there can be a different quantity of yarn provided from one brand to another.

      You should be able to look up the yardage of most yarns on Ravelry or possibly the website for the yarn company. Use this link to get to the page on Ravelry where you can look up yarns and usually get the yardage: https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/search#sort=best&query=

      Also...my email address is in the pattern. Email me if you would like help tracking down the yardage and figuring out how much yarn you would need for the large size blanket. :)

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