Welcome to the home page for the Harmony Blanket, a sampler blanket by 13 knitting designers that will be released from January through November, 2018 as a knit along. In this post, you can find all the information you need about how to follow along, as well as regularly updated links to the KAL patterns.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Yarn for the Harmony Blanket patterns was generously provided by Lion Brand.
I’m so excited to be hosting another (almost) year-long knit along. (You can still find the patterns from the 2016 Anthology Blanket KAL here and the 2017 Knitted Kitchen Blog Hop here.)
How the Harmony Blanket Knit Along Works
I’ve teamed up with Pia from Stitches ‘N’ Scraps, Joanita from Creative Crochet Workshop, and 10 more guest designers, to bring you 48 free knitting patterns for 6″ (15 cm) squares.
Every Thursday from January through November, 2017, we’ll share a free square pattern with you.
Lion Brand has generously provided us with yarn for the knit-a-long, so all of the patterns will be made with Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn, a medium (worsted, #4) weight acrylic yarn.
I’m decided to go with a retro theme when I picked out my colors. I’m using (from left to right) 173 Dusty Green, 158 Mustard, 306 Tangerine Mist, 130 Honey, 135 Rust, and 124 Toffee. Here’s a little sneak peak of my yarn. I hope this gives you a little inspiration for your own version. Update: Tangerine Mist has been discontinued.
When picking your yarn, keep in mind that depending on your gauge, the stitch pattern of a specific square, and the amount of yarn in each skein (Vanna’s Choice Twists have 121 yd/111 m in each skein, while Prints, Mist, and Heathers have 145 yd/133 m and Solids have 170 yd/156 m), each skein will make 3-6 squares. (You can find more information about estimating the yardage you’ll need for your blanket further down in this post, below the schedule for the KAL.)
How to Join the Harmony Blanket KAL
- You can join in by knitting each of the patterns as you have time.
- Share your progress and post pictures of your finished projects. Tag your projects and posts #KALCorner on all social media.
- If you’d like to chat with other knitters, join our KAL Corner Facebook group or visit this thread in the Underground Crafter Ravelry group.
- By the end of the KAL, you’ll have 48 beautiful squares. Learn new stitches while making a blanket and having fun with us! (Don’t like blankets? Assemble your squares into a bag or pillow or any modular project of your choice instead.)
Harmony Blanket KAL Schedule
Be sure to visit the participating designers so you can get see more of their great designs!
- Underground Crafter. Show your support by following Marie (that’s me!) through the weekly newsletter or on Craftsy | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Ravelry | StumbleUpon | Twitter | YouTube
- Stitches ‘N’ Scraps. Show your support by following Pia on Craftsy | Facebook | G+ | Instagram | Pinterest | Ravelry | Twitter
- Creative Crochet Workshop. Show your support by following Joanita on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Ravelry | Twitter
The links below will be updated throughout the KAL to direct you to the pattern. Each pattern will also be shared in the KAL Corner Facebook group, in this thread in the Underground Crafter Ravelry group, and via email to the KAL Corner email list.
- January 4:
- Harmony Blanket Home Page (you are here) – Scroll down for sizing and yarn requirements, seaming tips, and a downloadable planning sheet
- Square 1 by Underground Crafter – Diagonal Seed Stitch Square
- Show your support by following Marie on Newsletter | Craftsy | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Ravelry | Twitter | YouTube
- January 11: Square 2 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Eyelets in the Stream Square
- January 18: Square 3 by Stitches by Debbie – Carolina Square
- January 25: Square 4 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Pique Triangles Square
- February 1: Square 5 by Underground Crafter – Hurdle Stitch Square
- February 8: Square 6 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Two of Hearts Square
- February 15: Square 7 by Jessie At Home – Little Brick Square
- February 22: Square 8 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Pique Zigzag Square
- March 1: Square 9 by Nemcsok Farms – Cascading Cables Blanket Square
- March 8: Square 10 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Bohemian Wraps of Three Square
- March 15: Square 11 by KnitReadPray – The Shamrock & The Trinity Square
- March 22: Square 12 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Tile Stitch Square
- March 29: Square 13 by PattyMac Knits – Duplicate Stitch Square
- April 5: Square 14 by Underground Crafter – Slip Stitch Garter Stitch Boxes Square
- April 12: Square 15 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Weave Only Just Begun Square
- April 19: Square 16 by Stitches by Debbie – April Sunshine Square
- April 26: Square 17 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Fancy Slip Stitch Rib Square
- May 3: Square 18 by Nemcsok Farms – 3 Stitch Twist Blanket Square
- May 10: Square 19 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Message in a Bobble Square in English and Braille
- May 17: Square 20 by Jessie At Home – SKYP Stitch Square
- May 24: Square 21 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Alternating Triangles Square
- May 31: Square 22 by Mama in a Stitch – Mesh Square
- June 7: Square 23 by One Dog Woof – Parquet Square
- June 14: Square 24 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Knit Me Baby, One More Line Square
- June 21: Square 25 by Underground Crafter – Lace Stripes Square
- June 28: Square 26 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Half Daisy Stitch Square
- July 5: Square 27 by Underground Crafter – Uneven Cable Square
- July 12: Square 28 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Wouldn’t It Be Rice Square
- July 19: Square 29 by Stitches by Debbie – Three Woven Ribbons Square
- July 26: Square 30 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Ripple Rib Square
- August 2: Square 31 by Stitches by Debbie – Center Diamond Square
- August 9: Square 32 by Jessie At Home – Criss Cross Square
- August 16: Square 33 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Bad to the Herringbone Square
- August 23: Square 34 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Four Hearts Square
- August 30: Square 35 by Bunny Totem Knits – Simple Diagonal Square
- September 6: Square 36 by Underground Crafter – Cable and Ridge Square
- September 13: Square 37 by Stitches’N’Scraps – I’m Still Stranding Square
- September 20: Square 38 by Underground Crafter – Broken Lines Square
- September 27: Square 39 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Wavy Bobbles Square
- October 4: Square 40 by Underground Crafter – Tiny Double Moss Diamonds Square
- October 11: Square 41 by Stitches’N’Scraps – Ease on Down the Rows Square
- October 18: Square 42 by Stitches by Debbie – Slip Stitch Stripes Square
- October 25: Square 43 by Creative Crochet Workshop – Pinwheel Square
- November 1: Square 44 by Fiber Flux – Diagonal Lace Blanket Square
- November 8: Square 45 by Stitches’N’Scraps: Groove is in the Chart Square
- November 15: Square 46 by Jessie At Home: Linen Stitch Square
- November 22: Square 47 by Underground Crafter: Woven Cable Square
- November 29: Square 48 by Nita B & Nisha N, Inc: Grille Square
Don’t forget to sign up for the KAL Corner email list to get a weekly email when a new pattern is available.
Getting Started with Your Harmony Blanket
Each of the 48 square patterns will include a garter stitch border as well as edge stitches on each side to make it easier to join your squares.
Yarn Requirements and Sizing
There will be some variety in the amount of yarn used for each square (depending on the stitch pattern and the designer’s gauge), but it’s safe to say that each square will use somewhere between 35 yd (32 m) to 50 yd (46 m) in Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn, a smooth, medium (#4, worsted) weight yarn.
You can get a good estimate of the number of yards you’ll need for your blanket by taking an average of those yardage amounts (42.5 yd/39 m) and using these formulas:
Number of Squares x 42.5 yd = Total Yardage Required for Your Blanket
Total Yardage Required / Yardage in Your Skeins = Number of Skeins Required
As an example, for a 48-square baby blanket, you would need 2,040 yd (48 squares x 42.5 yd). If you used Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice Solids, which have 170 yd in each skein, you should be prepared to use 12 skeins (2,040 yd/170 yd rounded up).
How do you know how many squares you need for your blanket? Download the planning worksheet below. It includes a chart with different blanket sizes and how many squares you’ll need for each size.
Shop for Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice at your favorite retailer! LeisureArts | Craftsy | Amazon | Wool Warehouse UK
Casting On and Binding Off
I used the long tail cast on and the “standard” or “chain” bind off for my squares. If you’re a newbie knitter, these videos by Lion Brand Yarn demonstrate those techniques.
You are welcome to use any cast on or bind off method that you prefer – it’s your blanket!
Tension, Gauge, and Blocking
My squares measured 6” (15 cm) when I used Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn (a smooth, medium weight yarn) along with US-7 (4.5 mm) knitting needles. However, with 13 designers, a variety of stitch patterns, and different tensions and gauges, it’s possible that your squares will be a little bigger or smaller.
You may want to block your squares before assembly. Many knitters block everything, others block only sometimes, and the rest never block. The garter stitch borders will help your squares lay flat, so if you hate blocking, you can probably avoid it. But, you may find that your blanket looks more even and is easier to assemble if you do block. Blocking can be particularly helpful for very textured squares. I used the spray blocking method for my squares. You can learn more about blocking in this post.
Weaving in Ends
Make sure to leave a yarn tail at least 6” (15 cm) long on your cast on edge of each square.
- Weaving in ends keeps your work from unraveling. This is especially important for blankets, which usually get a lot of wash and wear.
- Weaving in ends also makes your projects look neat. Very Pink Knits has a video demonstrating how to weave in ends on garter stitch (like the borders for this pattern).
- Waiting until your project is finished to weave in your ends usually creates a lot of anxiety! Weave in the yarn from your cast on edge as you finish each square, and it won’t be as tedious.
If you leave a yarn tail at least 3 times the length of your square on the bind off edge, you can use it to join your squares together (so don’t weave it in yet).
Seaming and Assembly
Seam your squares as you finish them, randomly, or spread them out after finishing all 48 (or more) to choose the layout you like best.
- If you don’t have a lot of room to lay out your squares (or if pets or children will promptly move them) take a picture of each square and use a free photo collage website, like BeFunky, to help you plan your layout.
- I recommend using the yarn tail from your bind off edge and any one of these seaming methods to join each square together.
- Photo tutorial for joining squares with the mattress stitch,
- Photo tutorial for joining squares with the whipstitch, or
- Photo tutorial for joining squares with the slip stitch.
- Leave a yarn tail approximately 3 times the length of your square after you bind off for seaming.
- Join squares together across a row using the yarn tail.
- After each square is joined, weave in the remaining yarn tail.
- Once each row is formed, cut a long strand of yarn (approximately 3 times the length of the row) and use the same seaming method to join the rows together.
- After each row is joined, weave in the remaining yarn tail.
- Once the blanket is assembled, weave in any remaining ends.
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