The counterpane project continues!

My first post about the Counterpane Project is here, in case you haven't read it yet.  This first photo shows the main, central part of the pattern seamed up.  I love how the light catches on the vertical rib placement!

If you’re not familiar with this book, it’s filled with great patterns for traditional counterpane blankets.  I used the Alsacian Scallops stitch pattern in a scarf and mitten design many years ago, as the curviness of the scallops lend themselves to be used as an edging, which became the gauntlet on the mittens.

Now, when I say “patterns” I mean stitch patterns.  Each blanket design has several elements, usually a center motif, with several border motifs.  Each element has line-by-line instructions, but there’s no instructions included for how large, long, or wide to work the elements, nor how many are needed.

So, one needs to CO with the yarn of choice and appropriate size needles, and work a couple repeats of the main element, then do the math to figure out how many are needed, and approximately how much yarn will be needed.

Most of the patterns are worked in fine cottons on small needles, which I would never be inclined to use!  Instead, I spun about 6 or 7 lbs. of bulky weight Falkland wool singles, knit with US size 10 (6 mm) Addi Turbo circulars, working flat.  (I have yet to weigh all the parts to see the final weight.)

I knit 80 main motifs, knitting 4 together in each *square* grouping, then made 20 groups.  I laid them out 4 groups across and 5 groups down, which gives a 56” wide x 68” long large afghan.

This ribbed counterpane pattern has 2 borders – a cable and seed stitch border, then an interlocking ribs border.

I decided to leave off the last border, as the afghan would be large enough (and heavy enough) without it.  Instead, as the main ribbed pattern is more modern-looking than the other counterpane patterns in the book, I decided that the final edging would be Applied I-cord.

I also decided not to lay out the motif groups on their axis, as shown in the above photo, as that would have required the knitting of all those small triangles to create straight  top and side edges to the afghan.

The book mentions an option to leave a corner in plain stockinette, so to stitch on the year the afghan was made.  I decided to go one step further and have a plain corner on all 4 corners.  This way, one corner will have the year, one corner will have the bride’s initials, one will have the groom’s initials, and the last corner will have a heart.

To keep the stockinette on all 4 plain corners going in the same direction, I knit 2 lengths of just the cable and seed stitch patterns for the top and bottom edges.  The side edges begin and end with the stockinette sections.

I need to dig through stash for a tan or camel color, for the corner stitching, as I want it to be seen, but not stand out like a sore thumb against the white wool.

The cable borders are 3.5” wide, which will make the afghan 63” wide x 75”.  The I-cord may add 1/4 - 1/2” around.  It’s a generous size for snuggling up together on the sofa, or can be used either lengthwise or crosswise on a queen size bed.

One last blanket post will be forthcoming, showing how I’m attaching the cable border to the wavy body piece, then working the Applied I-cord, and showing the finished afghan.

Onward!
Dawn