This past summer, Craig and I decided to have a Noro knitalong. It really ended up being more of a knitalike since we didn't end up making exactly the same thing!
The idea sprung up from a new delivery of Noro's Ito. It was too beautiful to resist, so we decided to make blankets! Using a nearly identical pattern with slight variations, we created two blankets that look alike but each with its own special flair!
I used Ito on its own for my blanket, while Craig used Ito mixed with Brooklyn Tweed Shelter. Read on for all the details and to the free blanket patterns below. You can also choose your yarn at the bottom of this post!
Noro's Ito is wooly, worsted weight yarn that comes in giant 200-gram skeins with over 400 yards in each ball! While it has a similar feel to Noro's classic Kureyon, the striping repeats are shorter, so you get about one color per row. This means you get ALL the stripes!
As with all Noro, it's definitely a "just one more row" situation, since you'll want to see what color is coming up next!
Craig and I each used a Broken Garter variation that alternates knits and purls to create vertical garter strips. This, combined with the horizontal striping of the Ito, creates an exciting visual impact.
This stitch pattern is soothing and makes for easy knitting. You can sit back and relax. And now, with the temperatures dipping, as the blanket grows it will keep you nice and toasty!
For a more subtle look, alternate 2 balls of the same colorway or use 2 colorways in the same color family. For a brighter, bolder blanket, use 4 different colorways. If you prefer longer color repeats, instead of alternating skeins you can knit through each ball from beginning to end!
2 balls each of 2 colorways of Ito- that 4 balls total.
US 8 40" circular needles
Free pattern! Find the free pattern below. You can order the yarn at the bottom of the page as well.
BROKEN GARTER BLANKET v1
SIZE One Size, 45 inches wide by 44 inches long.
YARN Noro Ito: 2 balls each of 2 colors; we used aurora and raindance
NEEDLES 40-inch US 8 circular needles.
GAUGE 3.75 sts = 1 inch in garter st; note that gauge is not critical for this pattern.
PATTERN
With color A, CO 170 sts.
We recommend placing a marker after every 10th stitch. It will be much easier to switch back and forth between knitting and purling.
Rows 1 and 2: With yarn A, *k10, p10; rep from * to last 10 sts, k10.
Rows 3 and 4: With yarn B, *k10, p10; rep from * to last 10 sts, k10.
Repeat rows 1-4 until work measures 44 inches.
BO in pattern. Weave in ends.
Craig decided to create a more uniform look and alternated Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in truffle hunt with Ito in itako. The texture and spin on the Shelter match the Ito remarkably well so they feel like they belong together. Since Shelter is so lightweight, it makes the whole blanket a bit lighter without sacrificing warmth.
You can see that by adding in the solid stripes of Shelter, the Ito colors really sing! The subtle tweed of Shelter softens the look as well, so the stripes aren't too high contrast.
Since Shelter colors all look so good with Ito, it's hard to go wrong! Any of the Shelterneutrals will make a fabulous backdrop for your favorite Ito colorway. Get more contrast by going dark or light with your Shelter or pick a colorway close to your Ito shade for a more blended look.
2 skeins of Ito
6 skeins of Shelter
US 8 40" circular needles
Free pattern! Find the free pattern below. You can order both yarns below as well.
BROKEN GARTER BLANKET v2
SIZE One Size, 43 inches wide by 38 inches long.
YARN Noro Ito: 2 balls of itako (color A)
Brooklyn Tweed Shelter: 6 hanks of truffle hunt (color B)
NEEDLES 40-inch US 8 circular needles.
GAUGE 3.75 sts = 1 inch in garter st; note that gauge is not critical for this pattern.
PATTERN
With color A, CO 168 sts. We recommend placing a marker after every 8th stitch. It will be much easier to switch back and forth between knitting and purling.
Rows 1 and 2: With yarn A, *k8, p8; rep from * to last 8 sts, k8.
Rows 3 and 4: With yarn B, *k8, p8; rep from * to last 8 sts, k8.
Repeat rows 1-4 until work measures 44 inches.
BO in pattern. Weave in ends.
CHOOSE YOUR ITO + SHELTER BELOW!