Mystery Blanket Club 2025: May, post 4

HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE FOURTH INSTALMENT OF THE 2025 MYSTERY BLANKET CLUB! We are almost at the halfway point of the project, and with six squares to knit this month the blanket is well and truly underway as more squares and clues to the theme are revealed – but have you guessed what the title is yet?!?

It’s been a busy month and all hands have been on deck getting the second part of your knitting kit packed and posted. It’s a huge task, but how lovely has it been to handle all those gorgeous Rowan yarns! And how lovely is it too to have my dining-room free of cardboard boxes at last!!!

This month’s blog kicks off with an intro vid from me, so before you do anything else today, why don’t you settle yourself down in your most comfy chair (knitting optional!) and have a listen to all the latest club news before you get going on your squares. Simply click on the link below and then like magic we can meet for a catch-up!

There is also one new tech vid this month (How to knit intarsia) which might come in handy for Square 22 (Option One), plus you have many other tech vids at your disposal which you will find in the Tutorials on our website.

Mystery Blanket Club 2025 - May Intro | MBC2025

How to knit intarsia

This is a list of all the other tech vids used in this year’s Mystery Blanket which are in our Tutorials:

• How to carry yarns up the side of the work
• Picking up stitches to begin a new square
• How to thread beads onto yarn
• How to bead, the slip-stitch method
• How to cable
• Mattress stitch, horizontal
• Understanding lace stitches
• Square 37, Barnacles (lace and bead stitch)
• How to knit contrast-coloured bobbles
• How to knit fairisle
• Hooked-in beads
• Chain stitch
• Square 2, Gentle Waves (textured slip-stitch pattern)
• Square 3, Shells (textured beaded stitch)
• Square 16, Sandy Squiggles
• Square 17, Fishbones

BEFORE I TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE, I JUST NEED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT A FEW ERRORS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE PRINTED BROCHURE VERSION OF THE MAY FILE:

Page 7: Square 8, Porous: the first line of Row 6 should read as: Camel, K2, [bring yarn forward between the... (the square bracket has moved over).

Page 7: Square 8, Porous: the first line of Row 7 should read as: Camel, P2, [take yarn back between the... (the square bracket has moved over).

Page 9: Square 9, Secluded Cove: ROWS 30-33 should say to repeat rows 28-29 twice (and not rows 12-13).

Page 11: Square 18, Shingle & Pebbles: ignore ROW 1 (RS): Mushroom, knit. This is an incorrect duplicate of NEXT ROW (RS): Mushroom, knit.

I have added these to the Addendum page on our website. However, these errors have been corrected in the digital May file in your downloads, but unfortunately it was too late to correct them for the printed brochures. 

It is always a good idea to visit the Addendum page on our website to check if there have been any errors reported before you begin to knit each square – it could save you a lot of time and stress.

ALL OF THE MYSTERY BLANKET PARCELS HAVE NOW BEEN POSTED, so if you have not received yours yet, it is on its way to you. This second parcel completes the whole knitting kit, so this means that you have everything you need to complete the whole blanket. Just make sure that you check the contents of your kit very carefully to ensure that you have all the things that are supposed to be in there. You will find a printed list in your kit which you can use as a checklist. And if you find that anything is missing, please get in touch with me straight away and I will send you what you need: debbie@debbieabrahams.com

FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS WHO OPTED FOR PRINTED PATTERNS, THEY ARE INCLUDED WITH YOUR KNITTING KIT. So just make sure that when you open your parcel you also take out your printed patterns and don’t leave them behind.

Remember that you can also download the digital version of the May file from your Debbie Abrahams account.

SO WHAT’S IN THE LITTLE COLOURED ENVELOPE IN YOUR PARCEL?!? If you haven’t already opened it, this is the woven label for your Mystery Blanket, which has the title of the design on it. It has a little warning label on the envelope, so hopefully if you haven’t guessed the title and want it to remain a surprise, you’ve kept it sealed. If not, then the ‘mystery’ has been revealed (if you haven’t already guessed it).

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT IN LAST MONTH’S BLOG I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE BALL-BANDS ON SOME OF THE ROWAN DENIM REVIVE YARN WHICH HAD THE INCORRECT SHADE NUMBER ON THEM. Well since then it has been reported to me that some balls of Summerlite DK, Moon shade 478 and Mushroom 454 also have the incorrect ball-bands on them. So do watch out in case yours are affected by this. It won’t really matter if the ball-bands are wrong as long as the yarn is the correct colour. So if you are not sure, send me a quick message to let me know and I’ll get it sorted out for you.

SOME OF THE YARNS IN YOUR KNITTING KIT ARE VERY SIMILAR IN COLOUR, so you will need to be extra careful when you use them. Linen 460 and Seashell 466 are very close in colour, as are Moon 478 and Fav Denims 469. It might be a good idea to keep each colour in a separate bag labelled with the colour name and shade number, and that way you can be pretty much sure that you are knitting with the correct colour. If you do use the wrong colour you could run out of it before you complete your blanket, so it’s best, if you can, to play safe and keep them organised.

YOU WILL FIND IN THE SECOND PART OF YOUR KNITTING KIT THAT YOU HAVE REPEATS OF SOME OF THE COLOURS YOU HAD IN YOUR FIRST KIT. And because the yarn was delivered to me in two large separate batches, you may find that you have mixed dye lots of one colour. This should not be a problem as slightly different dye lots will not be noticeable in the completed blanket across the forty-nine squares. However, if you are knitting a one-colour square, like for example, Mudflats, then it is important that mixed dyes are not used. So check your ball-bands, note any differences, and bear this in mind when you knit your squares.

IF YOU’VE NOT GOT ROUND TO SIGNING UP TO MY 2025 MYSTERY CUSHION CLUB YET, THEN THERE IS STILL TIME TO JOIN! But you’ll have to be quick as there are only just over thirty memberships left and we expect them all to sell out well before the club begins on 14^th June. With this being the final design in the Mystery Cushion collection, it’s a definite for your project list this year if you enjoy my mystery KALS and don’t want to miss out on my next super colourful knitting adventure!

Mystery Blanket Club members receive a 5% discount off the cost of the Mystery Cushion membership (that’s £7.50), and it’s super easy to claim your discount. Simply input MBC25 into the coupon box at checkout, and bingo! – the discount will be applied to your shopping basket.

If you love love love colour then this is the project for you! And just in case you’ve missed our emails and social media posts about it, here is a reminder of what the 2025 Mystery Cushion Club is all about, with a few glimpses of what I have in store for you…

The Mystery Cushion is a smaller project than the blanket, with the first instalment out of five starting on 14^th June and finishing mid-October.  The theme is different to the Mystery Blanket, but it works in the same way with a knitting kit sent out to members at the beginning of the project and monthly emailed patterns. I write a separate blog for the Mystery Cushion as well which will include knitting technique videos, so you can get all the help and support you need as you knit along.

Once you’ve signed up all you need to do it sit back and wait for your knitting kit to arrive at your door, and then enjoy five glorious months of inspirational and super colourful knitting using some of Rowan’s finest and most luxurious yarns including Felted Tweed, Soft Yak and their beautiful new yarn, Pure Alpaca, which I  have combined with my own self-branded Light Wool DK yarn and sparkling beads.

So what about some hints?!? If you love vibrant bold colours and super colourful designs, then this cushion is right up your street! Stripes and textured stitches are combined with busy fairisle patterns, and of course there are lots of sparkling beads in it too! The design is inspired by a 2025 Spring/Summer print trend, so you’ll be knitting up a contemporary design that will add cool style and sophistication to your own home furnishings!

There will be a download option only (no knitting kit) for this club, which will enable you to use yarns and beads from your own stash to knit the cushion. The list of yarns and beads for the knitting kit will be released a week before the project begins so you can yourself prepped and ready. The five sets of patterns will be emailed monthly from June to October.

To make things easier you can choose to spread the cost of your payment. If you don’t want to pay in one go you have the option to pay in 2-4 instalments using our Splitit payment plan. There are no admin fees for splitting your payment so you can choose whatever is easiest for you and your finances. This can be used for both the knitting kit and download pattern only options.

Feeling tempted?!? As with all my Mystery Clubs, memberships are limited and once they have sold out the Club will be closed. So don’t delay in getting yourself signed up. There are packages for UK, Europe and the World - it’s a global project and everyone is invited to join in, so come join me for one last time, it’s going to be so much fun!

IF YOU HAVE ALWAYS LONGED TO KNIT UP THE 2012 MYSTERY CUSHION, DIAMOND JULBILEE, BUT MISSED OUT, THEN A KIT HAS BECOME AVAILABLE! It might be that this cushion is missing from your Mystery Cushion collection, or that you just fancy this theme.

If you are interested then please email me, debbie@debbieabrahams.com, and I will put you in touch with the seller.

WE ARE LAUNCHING A NEW KNITTING KIT IN OUR ONLINE SHOP THIS MONTH, so if you fancy another small project to work on alongside your Mystery Blanket, you may be interested in my Allure Evening Bag…

This is one of very few projects in my knitting kit collection that do not use Rowan yarns. The Allure Evening Bag is knitted in Eden Cottage’s beautiful Milburn DK yarn, which is a luxurious combination of British Bluefaced Leicester wool with silk, resulting in a super gorgeous yarn that is an absolute joy to knit with.

This is the workshop project that was knitted by the participants of our Inspired Minds Festive workshop in Bournemouth last year. It’s a small bag measuring approx. 12cm x 18cm, encrusted with beads – all using the slip-stitch method (which may be good news for many of you!) It’s a very easy project to knit and reasonably quick too if you’re nifty with your beading. So in no time at all you could be stepping out with your brand new sparkly accessory!

We will send you an email as soon as the kit is launched. We will have a limited number of kits when we first launch it, so if you want one of them, it’s best to nip in and make your purchase as soon as it becomes available. So keep your eyes on your inbox!

THE TITLE OF THE MYSTERY BLANKET REMAINS A ‘MYSTERY’ FOR SOME OF YOU, however, we have had a handful of correct guesses since the last blog, so congrats go out to all these lovely members who got it right: Hilary Phillips, Valerie Harris, Kathyrn McAteer, Debbie Smith, Felicity Miller and Sherry Nastan.

That leaves a lot of you still guessing what it is, so I am going to give you another letter in the clue below to see if it generates any ideas. But remember that there are also lots of clues in the squares you have knitted and are about to knit this month.

The letter I am giving you this month is “H”.

_  _  _   / _  _  A  _  H  O  R  _ 

Please send your guesses to me at debbie@debbieabrahams.com - there are no prizes for the correct answer, it is simply a bit of fun each month. And if you do get it right, with your permission I will include your name in the next blog. Good luck everyone!

THERE ARE SIX SQUARES TO KNIT THIS MONTH:

Square 8, Porous – reverse stocking stitch stripe (same for both options):

Square 9, Secluded Cove – slip stitch pattern with hooked-in beads (same for both options):

Square 18, Shingle & Pebbles – moss stitch and stocking stitch stripes with contrast-coloured bobbles (same for both options):

Square 22, Crab (option 1) – intarsia motif with slip-stitch beads and chain stitch embroidery:

Square 22, Crab Stripe (option 2) – moss stitch and stocking stitch stripes with slip-stitch beads and contrast-coloured textured stitches:

Square 30, Sandy Squiggles 2 – moss stitch and textured stripe stitch (same for both options):

Square 46, Erosion – reverse stocking stitch stripe with hooked-in beads (same for both options):

On each pattern page there is a list of Pattern notes and tips that are worth reading before you start to knit each square. These bits of advice will help you and give pre-warnings as to what to look out for in the pattern instructions. Also take note of the description under the title of each square as this tells you what the stitch structure is.

You can use the tech vids to help you knit your squares. But here are a few extra tips to assist you:

SQUARE 8, POROUS:  a reverse stocking stitch stripe with slipped stitches creates a textured all-over pattern in a graduated colourway of biscuit and cream.

Videos to watch for assistance with this square:

• How to carry yarns up the side of the work (find it in Tutorials).

The needle size used for this square is smaller than the main recommended size, which you can see in the boxed information on the far left-hand side of page 6 (3.25mm).

In this square, what is usually the wrong side of the work (the purl side) is the right side of the work, and it’s the reverse stocking stitch stripes that help the three colours blend one into another at the colour changes. It’s a simple stitch structure which you should find fairly easy and quick to knit. Just remember to slip all of the stitches purlwise when instructed (sl1p), otherwise these stitches will be twisted.

Remember also that this square has some corrections:

Page 7: Square 8, Porous: the first line of Row 6 should read as: Camel, K2, [bring yarn forward between the... (the square bracket has moved over).

Page 7: Square 8, Porous: the first line of Row 7 should read as: Camel, P2, [take yarn back between the... (the square bracket has moved over).

SQUARE 9, SECLUDED COVE: stitches are slipped in groups of two to create a multi-colour pattern in contrasting shades of grey and blue.

Videos to watch for assistance with this square:

• Picking up stitches to begin a new square: (find it in Tutorials).
• Mattress stitch, horizontal: (find it in Tutorials).
• How to carry yarns up the side of the work (find it in Tutorials).
• Hooked-in beads (find it in Tutorials).

This square may look more difficult to knit than it is, but it is really quite simple, created by slipping stitches while knitting with a contrast colour – easy! Stitches are slipped in groups of two, and individually, ie, one by one rather than together at the same time. And they must be slipped purlwise (sl2p) to avoid twisting them.

Although the contrast-coloured lozenge shapes may look the same size as each other, there are actually variations in the number of rows that are worked in Stonewash, Silt and Plain. This is because Denim Revive (Stonewash and Silt) have a smaller row count to 10cm than Soft Yak (Plain). I am only mentioning this as my test knitter queried whether this was an error in the instructions, but I can confirm for sure that it is not!

Pebble beads are hooked in on rows 9, 17, 35 and their subsequent repeats, however, they are very difficult to see on the image on page 8. So just make sure that you remember to knit them in when instructed. It is also worth mentioning the second Pattern note and tip (also on page 8), which advises that the stitch onto which the bead is hooked it purled, even though you are on a RS row.

Remember also that this square has a correction:

Page 9: Square 9, Secluded Cove: ROWS 30-33 should say to repeat rows 28-29 twice (and not rows 12-13).

SQUARE 18, SHINGLE & PEBBLES: a mixture of stocking stitch and moss stitch stripes are interspersed with multi-coloured bobbles.

Videos to watch for assistance with this square:

• Picking up stitches to begin a new square (find it in Tutorials).
• Mattress stitch, horizontal (find it in Tutorials).
• How to carry yarns up the side of the work (find it in Tutorials).
• How to knit contrast-coloured bobbles (find it in Tutorials).

There are two needle sizes used to knit this square, with the smaller needles (2.50mm) needed for the rows of moss stitch. This will keep the stitches neat and even otherwise they could look uneven and a bit loose.

For the bobbles you need to pre-cut lengths of yarn (instructions are on page 10), and each separate length is used to knit one bobble. These lengths are introduced into the work on the row before the bobbles are knitted, so on a wrong side row, and the stitch is purled. These instructions are included in the pattern, so you don’t need to worry, I’m just giving you a heads-up before you begin knitting it. There is a tech vid for how to knit a contrast-coloured bobble, so if you need some guidance, nip off to the Tutorials section on our website to take a look.

For those of you who looked at this square and thought, oh no! – contrast-coloured bobbles!!! – you could opt out of knitting them and knit all the bobbles in Linen instead. Or alternatively you could omit them altogether, simply ignore the instructions for them, and knit all the stitches in Linen instead. The choice is up to you, but I think that all of the options I’ve given you will look great!

Remember also that this square has a correction:

Page 11: Square 18, Shingle & Pebbles: ignore ROW 1 (RS): Mushroom, knit. This is an incorrect duplicate of NEXT ROW (RS): Mushroom, knit.

SQUARE 22, CRAB (opt 1): this jolly little creature is knitted using the intarsia technique and has the option of adding chain stitch embroidery to the background.

Videos to watch for assistance with this square:

• NEW! How to knit intarsia (find it in Tutorials).
• How to bead, the slip-stitch method (find it in Tutorials).

There are two options for this square, but it does not matter which option you choose, and it does not have to be the same as your choices for the first two fairisle squares, Square 2 Gentle Waves and Square 44 Gentle Dunes. You can choose to mix it all up a bit if you want!

This is the first intarsia square in the blanket (so could there be more?!?), and it is the tricker option to knit, but a great challenge to take on if you fancy tackling some colourwork. There is a new tech vid this month which demonstrates the intarsia technique on a generic sample that shows how to join in a new colour when in the middle of a row, and how to cross the yarns to avoid gaps at the colour changes. These are the two most important techniques to master with intarsia, and this square will certainly stretch your abilities as there is a lot of joining in and a lot of colour changes!

I always find that yarn bobbins make my life a whole lot easier when I’m knitting intarsia, and I always prep them before I begin knitting so that they are ready to pick up and use when I need them. So it is advisable to have a good look at the chart before you make a start and to count the number of separate areas or blocks of colour so that you wind off enough bobbins. It may be extremely tempting to use one bobbin for each of the pairs of the crab’s back legs, however this would mean stranding the yarn across the back of the work, from one leg to the other, and in intarsia knitting this is something that should really be avoided. It could result in the knitting puckering and not sitting flat, so it is best to use separate bobbins for each of his legs.

I always get asked how much yarn to wind off for each section, but this can be quite tricky to answer. One way that you can gauge it very approximately is to count the number of stitches in the section you are winding off yarn for, and then to wind the yarn around the needle that number of times, plus 5-6 inches. Alternatively, what I usually do is fill up a bobbin as much as I can, and then any yarn which is left over I keep for other squares, sewing up or embroidery.

If you haven’t tried intarsia before then this is a great opportunity to have a go. Take one row at a time, get yourself prepped with bobbins (or without!) before you begin and don’t rush. Take your time and you will be fine.

SQUARE 22, CRAB STRIPE (opt 2): this is the easier option if you don’t fancy tackling intarsia, and combines moss stitch and stocking stitch stripes with beads and textured contrast-coloured stitches.

Videos to watch for assistance with this square:

• How to carry yarns up the side of the work (find it in Tutorials).
• How to thread beads onto yarn (find it in Tutorials).
• How to bead, the slip-stitch method (find it in Tutorials).
• Square 2, Gentle Waves (textured slip-stitch pattern) (find it in Tutorials).

As I mentioned above for the Crab, it does not matter which option you choose for this square, so feel free to go with whatever floats your boat!

If you opt for this square then you should find it a relatively easy one to knit, with enough stitch interest to keep you motivated. There are changes of needle size to watch out for – important for the rows of stocking stitch and moss stitch. And there are beads too, which are knitted in using the slip-stitch method. The instructions for threading on the beads are on page 14 of your mail-out.

On rows 11-12 and rows 28-29 and their subsequent repeats, you are knitting stitches in alternate colours on the first row (which is a very basic fairisle row), and then on the next row you are slipping stitches and working with one colour only to create a textured pattern with contrast-coloured stitches. If you need some guidance with this then check out the tech vid for Square 2, Gentle Waves, and this should help you through these two rows.

Just one last thing to mention is that you are asked to transfer stitches onto the other needle a few times so that you are at the correct end of the work to pick up the yarn you need for the next row. This means that some of the odd numbered rows which would usually be right-side rows are wrong-side rows, and vice versa.

SQUARE 30, SANDY SQUIGGLES 2: this is similar to Square 16, Sandy Squiggles, but it has subtle changes in colour, giving it a slightly different look and feel.

Videos to watch for assistance with this square:

• Picking up stitches to begin a new square: (find it in Tutorials).
• Mattress stitch, horizontal: (find it in Tutorials).
• How to carry yarns up the side of the work (find it in Tutorials).
• Square 16, Sandy Squiggles (find it in Tutorials).

If you enjoyed knitting up Sandy Squiggles last month, then this month you can enjoy it all over again, but in a slightly different colourway. Whilst Mocha stays the same, there are changes to the moss stitch stripes which are in a three-colour rotation of Alabaster, Mushroom and Linen. This will give you extra ends in comparison to Square 16, but some of these could be knitted in to save darning them all in.

Both needle sizes used for this square are smaller than the main recommended size, which you can see in the boxed information on the far left-hand side of page 16 (2.50mm and 3.25mm). These changes are necessary to keep the width of the square uniform as you swap from stocking stitch to moss stitch.

If you are struggling to remember how to knit the textured purl stitch on rows 10-11 and their subsequent repeats, then there is a tech vid for Square 16, Sandy Squiggles which would be advisable to watch. The most important thing about these two rows is to keep the yarn held on the correct side of the work as instructed in the pattern, as you work the wrong-side row followed by the right-side row, otherwise your square will end up looking very different!

Once Mocha has been joined in there is no need to cut it off as you will always be at the correct end of the row when you need it next. However, to avoid long loops at the side edges, you will need to remember to carry it up the side of the work when it is not in use. If you need some guidance as how to do this nice and neatly, check out my tech vid for this technique which you will find in our Tutorials.

SQUARE 46, EROSION:  a reverse stocking stitch stripe with slipped stitches creates a textured all-over pattern, with a sprinkle of soft pebble coloured beads.

Videos to watch for assistance with this square:

• Picking up stitches to begin a new square (find it in Tutorials).
• Mattress stitch (horizontal) (find it in Tutorials).
• How to carry yarns up the side of the work (find it in Tutorials).
• Hooked-in beads (find it in Tutorials).

The needle size used for this square is smaller than the main recommended size, which you can see in the boxed information on the far left-hand side of page 6 (3.25mm).

Essentially it is the same in stitch structure as Square 8, Porous, but with the addition of hooked-in beads, plus it uses different colours. So all the tips for Porous can be re-read for this square.

DAPHNE CAVANAH FROM WADEBRIDGE IN THE UK HAS BEEN BUSY MAKING SOME MORE OF HER BEAUTIFUL HATS, AND THIS TIME SHE IS SELLING THEM TO RAISE MONEY FOR TWO GREAT CAUSES THAT ARE VERY DEAR TO HER. Daphne’s hats are absolutely stunning, and she was happy for me to share her words and pics in the blog in case anyone would like to order one from her.

Daphne says: “I knitted a hat from my 2023 Mystery Blanket leftovers and put it up on a Facebook post asking if anyone would like it and donate towards my Feed the Birds and Hoggies. That was Thursday evening. I have sold the first hat and have orders for three more!

I thought you may like to see the finished one and my WOP, at the moment it's called Blue Skies and Bay Leaves. The pansy one was very trying at times , but turned out rather pretty. And I’ve knitted more, this one is Glastonbury Vibes.”

I absolutely love your hats Daphne, and the fact that some of them have been made out of Mystery Blanket leftovers is really amazing! I am sure that the members will love seeing them as much as I did, and hopefully you will raise some money to help keep your little garden friends fed! If anyone is interested in purchasing one of Daphne’s hats then you can contact her at this address: mezereon@btinternet.com

SUSANNE IHMIG FROM ESSEN IN GERMANY HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY OF HOOKING IN BEADS, AND I AM DELIGHTED THAT SHE WROTE IN TO SHARE IT WITH US! This is what Susanne had to say:

“I'm sitting on my balcony, enjoying the April sun and knitting Square 17. It was a bit tricky at first as your tutorial video is really fantastic but in Germany we hold the yarn in our left hand.... however, now I've got the hang of it!

My technique to hook-in a bead is a bit different to yours as I use a beading needle, which I find easier to pull the bead over the floss. I enclose some photos…”

Thank you so much for your great tip and photos Susanne! It is always good to hear about other techniques that people are using for beading, and each time I learn something new too!

PIPPA TAYLOR FROM CAMRIDGE IN THE UK OPTED FOR PATTERNS-ONLY FOR THIS YEAR’S MYSTERY BLANKET, AND WROTE IN TO LET ME KNOW HOW SHE IS GETTING ON WITHOUT A KNITTING KIT. As you can see, she’s managed to match up everything she needs to the colours I used.

Pippa says: “You mentioned that you’d be interested in seeing how people with the patterns-only option were getting on. Here are pictures of my squares so far. I finished a week or so apart from the embroidery, which I completed last night. I’d loved doing it for past blankets but was finding it hard until it clicked yesterday. 

It’s all Rowan yarns except the cotton in the Mudflat squares and the Gentle Waves and Gentle Dunes squares. I’ve used a felted Tweed colour for the dark brown, so there’s a colour change in Square 9.

This morning my May patterns arrived, so I finished April just in time!”

This is wonderful to see Pippa, so thanks for sharing! The patterns-only option is great if you have a large yarn stash, and is a great way to use some of it up. And if your yarn stash is anything like mine, you’d probably have enough to knit up several Mystery Blankets!

IT'A ALWAYS LOVELY TO HEAR THAT MYSTERY BLANKET MEMBERS ARE ENJOYING THEIR FIRST MBC EXPERIENCE, so it was an absolute joy to hear from Alison Puplett from Surrey in the UK who wrote in to share her excitement with the members.

Alison says: “I'm emailing you to say thank you for your wonderful designs for the Mystery Blanket. It's the first time that I have joined the Mystery Blanket Club and it has been an absolute joy to knit the squares with all those beautiful Rowan yarns (I've been a member of Rowan for many years).

Last year was a tough one for me healthwise. I suffered from a trapped nerve in my shoulder which led to other issues and basically I was unable to go back to work. I had been a full time primary school teacher for thirty-four years, the last twenty-four being at my current school. It totally derailed me and I had to retire.

Your blanket has been the perfect retirement gift to myself! I look forward to the first of every month and have to ration myself knitting the squares over the month to prolong the joy! I'm enjoying learning new techniques, my favourite one is hooked-in beads. My eighty-five year old mum has been experimenting with knitting with beads too!

 

As my health has improved,  I'm now really enjoying being retired and don't know how I ever fitted in a full time job! I've attached a few photos of my squares so far.

Thank you again and I await eagerly for the 1st May!”

I am thrilled to hear that you are enjoying your first Mystery Blanket Alison, and that your mum is enjoying beading too. It’s never too late to tackle the sparkles and try out a new technique, so well done to both of you. But watch out – knitting with beads gets very addictive!

PAT GORDON-SMITH FROM LONDON IN THE UK IS ALSO NEW TO THE MYSTERY BLANKET CLUB THIS YEAR, AND IS ALSO ENJOYING HER FIRST EXPERIENCE OF BEING A BLANKETEER! This is what she had to say:

“Happy Easter Debbie! I just wanted to say how much I’m enjoying your use of yarns and knitting stitches as materials and techniques used for individual impressionistic artworks. I like it so much that I’m embroidering name labels and sewing them on as I go. It’s a nice way to sign off on each one.

This is my first Mystery Blanket, and I’m loving the experience. Thank you!”

Thanks for writing in Pat! It’s great to hear how much you are enjoying your first Mystery Blanket, and your little labels are absolutely delightful! What a great idea to remind you of all the names of the individual squares. I think it gives your blanket an extra special personal touch!

IF YOU FANCY A KNIT AND NATTER WITH FELLOW MYSTERY BLANKET MEMBERS AND CAN GET TO NOTTINGHAM, THEN COME AND JOIN US AT YARN LOFT! I met up with some of the members at the beginning of April for a couple of very enjoyable hours, but unfortunately I did not take any photos to record our meeting. However, I can tell you that there was a lot of chatter and some knitting done too, and we all had a fabulous time!

Our next meeting at Yarn Loft will be on Wednesday the 7^th May, so if you live locally and can pop in to the shop, do come and join us. Yarn Loft is at 118 Hucknall Road, Carrington, Nottingham, tel number 07825 702433, website: www.yarnloft.co.uk. Meetings are held between 4-6pm and to cover the costs of hosting the meeting there is a small sub to pay (£3.00), which can be paid to Doreen on the day.

I hope to see you there!

FOLLOW US AND JOIN IN ALL THE FRIENDLY BANTER ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS!

If you are not already a Ravelry member, then it is very easy (and free!) to join. Just follow the instructions on their website: http://www.ravelry.com

The Debbie Abrahams Mystery Knitters group on Facebook is another fun way to keep in touch with other members. It was set up a few years ago and has grown in size to over 800 members, so that’s well worth joining too.

We also have our own Facebook page where you will find regular updates on everything we are doing from knitting kits to workshops and events!

Instagram: debbieabrahams_knitting

Pinterest: debbieabrahams@debbieabrahamsk

Facebook: Debbie Abrahams Mystery Knitters

Facebook: Debbie Abrahams Handknits

Ravelry: Debbie Abrahams Handknits

AND FINALLY, IT’S TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THE FOURTH 2025 MYSTERY BLANKET CLUB PRIZE DRAW!!! Each month a member is picked at random to win a Debbie Abrahams prize. So it is worth reading right the way to the end of each blog to see if you are that lucky member!

PRIZE DRAW FOUR (MAY): this month’s winner is member 447, Carol Millman from McLean in Virginia, USA. Well done Carol! Please choose a prize from the following selection:

• Your choice of one of Debbie’s knitting kits up to the value of £30.00 (take a look at them in our online shop).
• Six packs of Debbie Abrahams Beads (size 8/0 or 6/0) from the selection on http://www.debbieabrahamsbeads.co.uk

• A £30 voucher towards a Debbie Abrahams Mystery Club membership: 2025 Mystery Cushion Club or 2026 Mystery Blanket Club.
• A Mystery bag of five gifts!

We will notify Carol to let her know the good news!

I’m currently away from home tutoring a knitting workshop holiday in Scotland, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the west coast with a wonderful group of knitters, many of whom are Mystery Blanket Club members (past and present!). So here are a few pics to finish off this blog of where we are and what we are doing…

If you are interested in the Stroll Along The Seashore bag the participants are working on, then it will be released soon in our online shop, so keep an eye on your inbox for news of its imminent launch - that is, of course, if you have any spare time in between your Mystery Blanket squares to take on another project!

Please do come back here next month to catch up with all the latest Mystery Blanket Club news. There won’t be a video intro from me, but there will be a ton of useful info in my written blog, so it would be great if you could spare half an hour or so to give it a read – I assure you it will be worth it! Until then, take care, and enjoy your May squares! See you soon, Debbie x