I have always said I’d never knit an afghan. I am a quilter and, frankly, I like quilts better when it comes to form and function. Also, they are much faster to produce. And yet, a few months ago I started contemplated knitting a blanket with leftover sock yarn. I’ve seen some really colorful ones and I’ve become . . . intrigued.
The week before Christmas I spent some time planning and researching. I studied various mitered square techniques. I knew I wanted my squares to be joined together as I went along since I am not being a big fan of seaming. And I knew I wanted them to be squares and not diamonds. I cobbled together ideas from this mitered square blanket pattern and this mitered square wrap and shawl and then I took the plunge.
I’ve got several squares completed so far and I love it. Each square is simple and fast and I’m taking excellent notes so that I can put it down and pick it up much later and (hopefully) not be confused.
There’s just one problem. Since I was so sure I’d never knit a blanket I didn’t actually save my sock yarn leftovers. All those socks I’ve knit over the years and I’ve only got enough yarn to knit 12 unique squares.
It would be funny if it wasn’t so pathetic.
This is such an intriguing idea! I love that these squares will use up those leftovers from all your sock knitting. I, too, am not big on blanket knitting except for babies, but alas I’ve embarked on the Great American Aran afghan as a year long project for 2012.
I’m knitting a sock blanket too and have a fair variety of leftovers. Would you like me to send you some? Roughly how many ozs/grams are you needing to knit each square?
Jenny
That is funny! But. It’ll be nice to continue the blanket . . . at a leisurely pace. . . as you continue to knit socks. It’s going to be a gorgeous blanket!
This is in my queue. I’m jazzed to see yours moving along so well. You are an expert sock knitter. You’ll have scads of squares added by the end of this year!
How about starting with a pillow cover? It would be very cute.
I have a blanket started from sock yarn leftovers. My LYS had a yarn swap where everyone brought in their leftovers which were separated into equal amounts and then redistruibuted. You got back as much as you contributed but in many different colors and patterns. The pattern is a round pinwheel type blanket it doesn’t get much attention with all the other projects I have going.
That’s why I never started a blanket…I’m always giving my leftovers away. I’ve resolved to keep them, although I will truly never knit a blanket. I’m going to send you a few, as soon as I can find them.
You can always put out the call to your readers for leftovers. I mailed some to another blogger a few years ago and she got enough from all her readers to complete a blanket and then pay it forward. I know I am never knitting a mitered sock yarn blanket so you can have all my leftovers! Just say the word.
I’ve got some around I’m certain – please send your address if you’d like them!
You will enjoy knitting this and it’s a great way to use that
left over yarn from socks. I am doing the same thing! It will
be fun watching your progress. Let me know if you need some more yarn after readers send you some of theirs. I think I can find some to send you. I will have extra.
I’ll be very interested to follow your project. I’m also a quilter and for pretty much the reasons you mention find it hard to imagine knitting a blanket. And yet those gals over at Mason-Dixon seem to be on a crusade to convince me by popping out eye stunners every time the idea goes off and leaves me alone. Good luck!
I would be happy to contribute my leftovers to you! Although much of my sock yarn is still in the haven’t-made-them-yet state.
I’ve knit several pairs of socks from my left over yarn. I knit the cuff in the patterned yarn and I knit the heel and foot in a solid that matches the cuff. I wasn’t too sure if everyone I knit for would like them but they actually turned out really nice. One woman in my group asked if I was knitting from a kit. That’s when I knew that they did not look cobbled together.
maybe we can all send you some of our scrap yarn!
It sounds like you may benefit from one of those sock yarn swaps. There is a Swaps That Rock group within Ravelry. You might be able to get in on a mini-skein swap there. The group is dedicated to Blue Moon Fiber Arts yarn. Perhaps there are other groups on Ravelry that are dedicated to swapping other sock yarn brands…..
I have a couple of sock yarn blankets in the works (one is waiting for the sew up which will start probably next week) including one that I really should rip. I keep looking at it and deciding that it is abyssmally ugly.
I’ll be glad to send you sock yarn leftovers! I don’t imagine I’ll ever be ambitious enough to make a blanket with them, but I sure admire you for doing this!
I suspect you will get enough offers of sock yarn leftovers to make several blankets. Not from me, though; I started one of these last year 🙂
That looks mildy addictive. I have been saving my leftover sock yarn in a small bin and I had this in mind to do one day. But then something else jumps in front and I never get to cast it on. One of my goals for this year is to use up alot of the sock yarn that I have in my stash – if I accomplish that then I will definitely have enough to finish a blanket!
Keep posting progress pics!
What a great use of leftover sock yarn. Maybe I’ll start one too with my leftovers and then make it a habit to add on squares at the beginning of each year with the prior year’s leftovers. Great idea Carole!
It’s as though you were reading my mind. I want to make a mitered square blanket for my niece’s baby (5 months away) and spent a lot of time over the wkend looking at the genre and trying to figure out how to proceed. Your links are more than helpful — thank you so much!
The only blankets I have ever knit were the two I did for my parents in the Lizard Ridge pattern (but with one colour – loved them but oh what a project!). I do have another in progress but it’s been in progress for oh, 10 years!
I would be happy to send you my leftover sock yarn if you want it!
jumping on board with all the others who have offered sockyarn scraps. I’d love to send some your way!
Like the others, I’d be happy to send some yarn your way. Just let me know. (So you may have enough yarn promised to you to be able to make two blankets!)
I only did a scarf with them, but the darned things are like salted peanuts or potato chips – bet you can’t knit just 1 ;^) Have fun!
Funny you should post about the blanket just now. I had actually just knit a few squares as well, but know I don’t have enough scraps either. I wouldn’t be opposed to using full skeins from my stash, but if I’m going to connect them as I go it would take more pre-planning than I am wanting to do right now. It seems like it would make me crazy trying to figure it out that way. I wouldn’t mind making a Babette blanket either, and then I could crochet the squares with scraps and stash, and seam later. Good luck with your blankie.
ugh oh you have inspired me…i have lots of leftovers…..HOw are you connecting them? If I have to sew them together I won’t do this particular pattern. …..
I always think that making a blanket like this, in pieces sounds like a fabulous idea but I’m not sure I’ll ever get around to making one myself. Too much knitty ADD.
It looks great and if you keep knitting socks you’ll eventually have enough leftovers. 🙂
It looks great so far. I also once started a vest out of smaller mitered squares of leftover sock yarn, but got bored.