I'm excited to announce my new blanket knitting pattern...the
Flint Hills Blanket.
This blanket is knit with super bulky yarn on big needles. It is an easy pattern that will work well for confident beginners or experienced knitters who enjoy an easy knitting project.
The Flint Hills Blanket knitting pattern is available on
Ravelry,
Craftsy,
LoveKnitting and
Etsy.
This pattern is named for the Flint Hills - a large region in the east central portion of Kansas which features rocky, rolling hills of limestone and flint (hard gray rock). Early settlers in this area were unable to till the earth due to the rock so the land was mostly used for cattle ranches. Today, the area is known for the largest intact tallgrass prairie in North America. You may think all of Kansas is perfectly flat, but the east central portion of Kansas is full of beautiful rolling hills. Here's a photo I took this past August as we drove through the Flint Hills...
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| Flint Hills in Kansas |
The texture of this blanket design reminded me of that drive through the Flint Hills.
I used Loops & Threads Cozy Wool super bulky weight yarn from Michael's Craft Store. The color is called 'Thunder'. I have used this yarn many times for other projects. It is very soft and easy to knit. One thing to keep in mind...this yarn is hand wash only.
If you would prefer a machine washable yarn you might try
Lion Brand Hometown USA.
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick would also be a great choice for this pattern.
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| Weaving in the ends on the Flint Hills Blanket. |
For best results, I recommend blocking the finished blanket. Note: When using Loops & Threads Cozy Wool...I find it best to dampen the blanket moderately before blocking...NOT soak it completely in water. This yarn really soaks up the water and can become very water logged and stretch too much. I placed my blanket in the kitchen sink and ran water over the blanket...but I did
not fill the sink with water. For more tips on blocking the finished blanket, see my
blog post from March 2016.
The
Flint Hills Blanket knitting pattern includes instructions for five blanket sizes so you can make a very small baby blanket, a crib size blanket, a medium or large throw...or a very large afghan. It's easy to adjust the length for any of the sizes...details in the pattern.
APRIL 2018 UPDATE:
I made some slight updates to the pattern! I made the small size blanket with Lion Brand Hometown USA in 'Aspen Tweed'. I love how this natural shade compliments the theme of the blanket design!
See more photos and read more about the Flint Hills Blanket I made in 2018 on my blog.
Pattern includes instructions for five sizes:
XL: 47.5" wide x 54.5" long
Large: 40" wide x 49.5" long
Medium: 37.5" wide x 47" long
Small (Crib/Lap): 35" wide x 37" long
Baby: 30" wide x 32" long
This blanket is knit flat in one piece. I use 38" long circular knitting needles in US size 13. The long length makes it easy to accommodate a lot of stitches when knitting a blanket.
One more thing about the Flint Hills...a few years ago I had the opportunity to go with a dear friend and her parents to the "Symphony in the Flint Hills". It has become a tradition for the Kansas City Symphony to hold a summer outdoor concert out on the Flint Hills. It is an incredible event. People purchase tickets months in advance. On the day of the event people drive from all around to park in a field, hike about a half mile or so, and set up their folding chairs on a hill to view the concert. The backdrop is the panoramic view of the rolling Flint Hills...it's simply breathtaking and my photos from 2010 do not to it justice.
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| Symphony in the Flint Hills June 2010 |
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| After sunset at Symphony in the Flint Hills - June 2010. |
Thanks so much for reading!
The Flint Hills Blanket knitting pattern is now available
on Ravelry,
Craftsy,
LoveKnitting and in my
Etsy shop.
Happy knitting!
Mary Lee
Fifty Four Ten Studio
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