the planks - knit blanket

Current Project: Knitted "Plank" Blanket via Martha Stewart

the directions/pattern for this blanket can be found here

A wonderful lady that I work with showed me this blanket, which she made a smaller version for her new grandson. I dove right in, but have since slowed down because while it is a very simple blanket, it is very time-consuming. I have been working on it in pieces, which is easy because that is exactly how you make it - crochet knitted pieces together. I have been calling it the "Plank" blanket because the pieces remind me of floor planks the way they are put together.

this and following two images via

After much consideration (and many store return lines), I chose these colors.

Red Heart - Buff Fleck is the main color because it is neutral, has beautiful blue flecks throughout and is cheap. When you have to buy about 15-17 skeins, price is important. For the accent color I chose Waverly for Bernat - Blue Gown (after changing my mind half a dozen times). I chose this country blue because it picked up the blue tones in the main color, it is incredibly soft, and I was able to get 3 skeins of it on clearance at Michaels'.

I printed out the PDF instructions, adapted the number of cast-on stitches for the gauge I had (using size 10 bamboo needles), and then numbered the planks to keep track of which ones I had finished. This will also make it much easier to stitch together the planks when they are done. I started with the largest pieces first, I am currently about done with the 60x20 inch piece. This blanket will fit a full/queen bed, I think. If anything it may be a little larger than necessary.

I bought these tags at Walmart (great for homemade gifts) to label the pieces and included the dimensions just in case.

I think I have used about 5 skeins so far, maybe six. No worries though, here is the stash (including the original blue I planned on using and have yet to return).

One day I will post with the finished product...Happy knitting!