WELCOME TO THE THIRD INSTALMENT OF THE 2019 MYSTERY BABY BLANKET CLUB BLOG! And as Autumn takes a firm hold, it’s the perfect time to cuddle up on the sofa with your knitting and get stuck into the next five squares of your Baby Blanket! In this month’s blog I have some tips and advice to guide you through your November squares, as well as some exciting news about a Festive knits promotion which begins in a few days time…
THE NOVEMBER PATTERNS (MAIL OUT 3) WERE EMAILED TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS ON 1ST NOVEMBER. And the printed patterns for those members who opted for them were posted on the following dates: overseas on the 25th September; UK on the 30th September. So if you have not received your printed patterns yet, they should be with you very soon.
THE EMAILED MAIL OUT THIS MONTH IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TO THE PRINTED VERSION. Unfortunately we could not fit the charts for Square 16, Spacey Lace, into the brochure without it affecting the flow of the patterns. So we decided to omit them from the printed patterns and include worded instructions only in the brochure. However, both the charts and worded instructions are included in the emailed version.
FANCY A BRAND NEW MYSTERY KAL IN 2020?!? There are still places available in the Mystery Blanket Club, but with limited memberships and only 8 weeks left until the signing up deadline of 31st December, you will need to sign up soon to secure your place. There is an option to pay in instalments, or if you would like to give it as a gift you can order vouchers for any denomination from £10 up to the full cost of the membership. Just contact Sue at sue@debbieabrahams.com for more information. It could be the perfect solution to your Christmas shopping this year!
The design for 2020 focuses on lots of lovely textured stitches and stripe patterns plus some intarsia in a soft palette of over twenty shades of some of Rowan’s best-loved yarns including Felted Tweed, Softyak and Baby Silk Merino DK.
It’s a tantalising journey of an exploration of colour and yarn fibres, with a broad palette ranging from soft sandy neutrals and tweedy greys to brilliant shades of turquoise and green.
If this sounds like an interesting project to indulge yourself in next year then you can sign up to the Club in our online shop. It’s quick and easy to do and payment can be taken by Paypal or debit/credit card.
You can sign up right now by purchasing your membership in the online shop on my website: https://debbieabrahams.com/collections/mystery-knitting-clubs/products/mystery-blanket-club-2020
If you want to find out more about next year’s Mystery Blanket, it would be a good idea to visit the FAQ page on my website where you will find lots more information under ‘Mystery Club FAQS’: https://debbieabrahams.com/pages/faq
THE TITLE OF THE MYSTERY BABY BLANKET has been guessed by a few more of you this month, so big congrats go out to Blake Zummo, Shiona MacDonald and Valerie McNulty!
However, if the title it still a mystery, then here’s another letter to help you. This month the letter I am giving you is “E”:
_ _ _ E / _ _ U / T _ / T _ E / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ / _ _ _ _
If you think you know what it is, why not send your answer to Sue at sue@debbieabrahams.com and see if you are right?!? There are no prizes for the correct answer – it is simply a bit of fun each month until you guess it!
THESE ARE THE FIVE SQUARES THAT YOU WILL KNIT THIS MONTH:
Square 10: Moonshine – intarsia motif:
Below: Colourway 1
Above: Colourway 2
Square 11: Galaxy – striped lace pattern:
Below: Colourway 1
Above: Colourway 2
Square 16: Spacey Lace – lace pattern:
Below: Colourway 1
Above: Colourway 2
Square 31: Candy Cable 2 – striped cable pattern:
Below: Colourway 1
Above: Colourway 2
Square 32: Sleep Well My Love Again 2 – intarsia squares with Swiss darned motifs:
Below: Colourway 1
Above: Colourway 2
The list of Pattern notes and tips for each square are worth reading before you start to knit. But here are a few extra tips to help you with your squares this month…
SQUARE 10, MOONSHINE: this square is similar to Square 29 from Mail Out 2, but this time there are no bobbles to knit – the moon motif is knitted purely in stocking stitch.
This is an intarsia square, so no yarns should be carried across the back of the work, unless absolutely necessary. So this means that the background colour needs to be wound off into separate balls, introducing a second ball of it on Chart row 8. On Chart row 15 however, I would suggest that you take the background colour across the pointed tip of the moon, but I would use a separate short length of Cream to knit Chart rows 15-17. I would approach Chart rows 31-33 in a similar way.
The colours on the chart for Colourway 1 are quite pale and might be hard to see. So if you are struggling with this you can read the pattern from the chart for Colourway 2 but use Baby Blue in place of Turquoise.
SQUARE 11, GALAXY: this striped lace pattern involves slipping stitches to achieve a multi-coloured effect on the stocking stitch stripes between the lace stripes. Colourway 1 uses two colours, however, Colourway 2 uses three. This is clearly indicated in the instructions by the coloured boxes at the beginning of each row and also by the colour letter references in the patterns instructions.
You are instructed to change to a smaller needle size to knit rows 11-16 and their subsequent repeats. These are the lace rows and they require a smaller needle to keep the stitches neat and to the same tension as the other rows in the square.
There is a very small error in this pattern where you are advised to cut off yarn A for Colourway 1, when in fact it should stay joined into the work. It’s after Row 8 and Row 20, which should both read: Cut off yarn B (Colourway 2 only).
SQUARE 16, SPACEY LACE: this is a brand new lace square in the blanket, but it involves only basic lace stitches which are very straightforward to knit. If you are not sure what any of them mean though, simply refer to the Abbreviations page at the end of the pattern instructions for advice.
Smaller needles are needed to knit this square, so make sure that you grab your 3.00mm needles rather than your 3.25mm ones! Because lace stitches are an open structure they loosen up the tension. So the smaller needles will keep the stitches neat and even and to the same tension as the other squares in the blanket.
SQUARE 31, CANDY CABLE 2: it’s time for a bit of revision as this is exactly the same as Square 5 from Mail Out 2. All of the cables are knitted with the stitches held to the front so that they twist to the left. So no holding them at the back!!!
SQUARE 32, SLEEP WELL MY LOVE AGAIN 2: this square is a mirror image of Square 4 from Mail Out 2, but the Lavender/Fuchsia have been swapped for Baby Blue/Turquoise.
The colours on the chart for Colourway 1 are quite pale and might be hard to see. So if you are struggling with this you can read the pattern from the chart for Colourway 2 but use the colours in the key for Colourway 1. You can also refer to the images of the squares on the first pattern page for Square 32 to see the colours more clearly.
NOW FOR SOME NEWS OF AN EXCITING PROMOTION WHICH BEGINS ON FRIDAY 8TH NOVEMBER! We are offering 10% discount off all of our Festive kits as well as our whole range of Debbie Abrahams Beads until Friday 6th December! Three new kits have been added to my Festive kit collection: Let It Snow Mitts (see image below), Festive Favour Bags and Mini Christmas Stockings. But you can also add to your basket a choice of three different festive buntings, candle cosies and wine bottle cosies.
Below: Let It Snow Mitts
We will send you an emailed newsletter when the promotion begins on 8th November which will include details of how you can claim your discount in our online shop.
So no more worries about what gifts to get your loved ones and special friends – if they are knitters then we’ve got the perfect solution! Happy festive shopping!
THE PENULTIMATE MYSTERY CLUB MEETING FOR THIS YEAR WAS HELD LAST MONTH IN BEESTON, NOTTINGHAM. I was joined by Mary Leeson, Liz Jenks, Kath Owen, Joan Bray, Catherine Pope, Claire Goode and Jane Muggleton for a couple of hours of very enjoyable knit and chat at Sarah’s house.
To read more about the meeting please follow this link to my November Mystery Blanket blog:
https://debbieabrahams.com/blogs/news
Unfortunately after the next meeting on 9th November, there will not be any more Mystery Club meetings until the New Year. But if you have any queries about your Baby Mystery Blanket, remember that you can always talk to the lovely ladies in the Debbie Abrahams Ravelry group, or drop me an email and I will do my best to help you.
We are almost halfway through this first Mystery Baby Blanket Club, however, there are still lots more surprises in store! Don't forget to send in any photos or stories about your 'mystery' knitting and we will share them with the other members next month. Until then, keep those knitting needles going and I will see you back here on 1st December for the next instalment , Debbie x
