IT’S TIME FOR THE NEXT INSTALMENT – WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER MYSTERY BLANKET BLOG! With the heatwaves in the UK behind us and the season of Autumn about to begin, what could be better than settling down with your blanket squares for the seventh instalment of this year’s Club!?!
With six more squares to knit this month the blanket is now in the final stages, with just three more instalments to come before the final design is revealed. Have you guessed the title of the blanket yet? If not then there’s still time, and the extra letter in the puzzle this month might just lead you to the correct answer, let’s see…
There are no new tech vids this month, so let’s begin with my intro which is worth a look and a listen before you read the rest of this blog, so here goes!
INDEX OF MBC22 VLOGS BY SUBJECT AND MONTH, to enable you to locate them more easily as and when you need them:
- How to thread beads onto yarn MARCH
- How to bead, the slip-stitch method MARCH
- How to bead, the hooking-in method MARCH
- Razzle Dazzle: Chevron stitch MARCH
- Diamonds: T3R and T3L MARCH
- Diamonds: T2R and T2L MARCH
- How to attach a rhinestone stud to knitting MARCH
- Squares 15 & 16, Lanvin: lace stitches APRIL
- Square 36, Suave: P1tbl, K1tbl, c9b, c9f APRIL
- How to pick up stitches along a cast-off edge MAY
- How to knit the decorative slip-stitch stripe MAY
- How to pick up stitches using a long tail & ‘m1’ MAY
- The fairisle technique MAY
- How to knit the decorative beaded loop stitch MAY
- Mattress stitch (horizontal) AUGUST
- Mattress stitch (vertical) AUGUST
- Three-needle bind-off AUGUST
THE PRINTED PATTERNS HAVE BEEN POSTED AND ARE ON THEIR WAY! |The overseas patterns were posted on the 22nd August and the UK were posted on the 30th August. Every member has been sent the patterns by email but remember you can also download them from your Debbie Abrahams account.
THERE ARE NO MORE COMPLETED STRIPS THIS MONTH WHICH MEANS THERE IS NO SEWING TOGETHER OF PANELS TO DO. So you can rest up your sewing-up needle until the next mail out in October. I have had a few queries about Strips 1 and 2 which I have addressed in my video intro. The query has been where to begin sewing the strips together – from the points of the zig-zags or from the side edge? The answer to that is that you begin on the side edge at the beginning of Row 1 of Square 1 which means that the points of the wavy edge will drop down below the level of the seam. I think that the confusion may have arisen from the Piecing Diagram which shows the wavy edges matched to the beginning of Square 8 (in strip 2). However, these images have been cropped and therefore are not accurate to work from. So it is important that you work as I have instructed so that the finished edges along the top and bottom of the blanket look as they should do. Here is an image of Squares 1 and 8 sewn together before the edging is attached:
HEY! HAVE YOU HEARD THAT MEMBERSHIPS FOR THE 2023 MYSTERY BLANKET HAVE NOW GONE ON SALE?!? And if you haven’t signed up yet, pop along to our online shop and you can secure yourself a membership today. We sent you an email about the 2023 Mystery Blanket Club on the 26th August when we launched which hopefully you received. But if you didn’t, let us know and we will forward it onto you.
Next year’s blanket is a whole new adventure with different techniques, new yarns and a fabulous new colour palette to enjoy! So there’s plenty to get excited about…
Above: Mystery Blanket 2014, Back To The Country.
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OFFER!
We have an Early Bird special offer for everyone who signs up before the 30th September:
- 5% off the cost of the membership
- 10% discount voucher for a single transaction in our online shop*
- Entry into our Double Prize Draw with ten gifts up for grabs!
For each of these prizes there will be two winners:
1st Prize: 2023 Mystery Blanket Club membership (we will refund what you have paid for your membership fee)
2nd Prize: 2023 Mystery Cushion Club membership
3rd Prize: Set of 10 printed patterns for the 2023 Mystery Blanket Club
4th Prize: Mystery Festive Knit Box
5th Prize: Knitting kit from a selection in our online shop
*excludes Mystery products and Gift Cards.
Winners of the Double Prize Draw will be notified by email on the 1st October.
YARNS AND COLOURS
I am thrilled to be working with UK spinner James Laxton for this project, and together we have created a beautiful bespoke Merino DK yarn especially for the blanket. Laxtons have produced yarns for three previous Mystery Blankets – Nordic Adventure, Back To The Country and One Thousand & One Nights. And this year I am absolutely delighted to be working with this wonderful team again. What’s so great about this venture is that they are spinning my yarn in the UK, at their state-of-the-art new warehouse which is just a couple of hours drive from my house. So there is no trans-Europe delivery to worry about and if there are any issues, I can nip up there very easily. For me it’s the perfect way to work, and for everyone that signs up, you will get a beautiful unique yarn to knit your blanket with next year!
Above and below: yarn being made at Laxtons in Yorkshire, UK.
I know how much you like variety in the blanket, so I have combined my bespoke yarn with a few of my favourite Rowan yarns – Felted Tweed, Alpaca Soft and Soft Yak. These yarns knit up beautifully together with my Merino wool and create a wonderful mixture of fibres that I have loved working with, so hopefully you will love them too!
I don’t like to say too much about the blanket, but I think it’s always helpful for you to have an idea about the colour palette (and if you are hesitating it might just tempt you to hit that ‘buy’ button!). So for next year the colours are bold and bright and have an Autumnal feel, with rich shades of rust red, emerald green, gold and deep turquoise included in the palette. That’s not all the colours though, there are over twelve different shades in the blanket. But it gives you some idea of what to expect. Oh, and there are plenty of my glass beads in it too, giving the blanket an extra bit of sparkle!
HOW DOES THE CLUB WORK?
It works exactly the same as this year’s Mystery Blanket Club, with each member receiving a knitting kit (which includes over thirty balls of premium quality yarn), ten sets of emailed patterns (with the option to purchase additional printed patterns), Debbie Abrahams size 6 beads and a woven label. The kit will be posted in two halves with the first one delivered in February, followed by the second one in May.
WHAT ABOUT THE DESIGN?
The theme of the blanket is a ‘mystery’ which is revealed bit by bit as more of the squares are knitted each month – that’s all part of the fun! It includes the techniques of intarsia, fairisle, lace, textured stitches, stripes and beads, offering you a feast of squares to knit up over ten months. It’s a great way to learn new knitting techniques, with my monthly online blog and knitting tech vids available for members to access help and guidance throughout the whole project. So there’s plenty of help at hand. However, if you fancy an easier option, I offer a choice of two options for the trickier squares (fairisle and intarsia), enabling both novice and experienced knitters to participate in this unique knitting experience.
Above: Mystery Blanket 2021, One Thousand & One Nights.
WHO CAN SIGN UP?
Knitters from all over the world are invited to join me – this is a global project! So you will find membership packages for UK, Europe and World Zones 1, 2 and 3, with Printed Patterns offered as an optional extra. Tracked Delivery is mandatory on all World and European memberships but is optional for UK members.
CHOOSE TO SPREAD THE COST OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP
For those who would prefer to pay in instalments we have a payment system in place called Splitit which enables you to spread your payment over 2-4 months. Simply select this option at checkout when you make your first payment and then your remaining payments will be taken automatically from your account. It’s simple, easy to use and does not incur any extra fees than if you pay in one go. Plus, you still get the Early Bird offer if you sign up before 30th September.
Interested? Then why not visit our online shop today and sign yourself up!?! With memberships limited to 500, you won’t want to miss out on next year’s brand new KAL – it’s going to be so much fun!
THE TITLE OF THE 2022 MYSTERY BLANKET has been guessed correctly by another five members this month, so congratulations go to Kate Plantholt, Ruth Simmons, Debby Sutcliffe, Julia Green and Paula Barham!
I can only give you one more letter before the title is revealed, so here we go for anyone who is still playing the game, you have got just one more chance…
The letter I am giving you this month is “O”:
_ E C O / _ R E A M S
Please send your guesses to Sue. There are no prizes for the correct answer – it is simply a bit of fun each month. And if you do guess it right, with your permission we will include your name in the next blog.
THERE ARE SIX SQUARES TO KNIT THIS MONTH (and no options):
Square 18, Chic – cable pattern with hooked-in beads (same for both options):
Squares 34 & 35, Lanvin – striped chevrons, lace stitches and slip-stitch beads (same for both options):
Square 34, Sauvage – diagonal pattern with slip-stitch beads and twisted stitches (same for both options):
Squares 48 & 49, Razzle Dazzle – striped chevrons, hooked-in beads, stocking stitch stripes and a rhinestone detail (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 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.
There are no new tech vids this month, but if needed you can use the vids from previous blogs to help you knit your squares. Here are a few extra tips to assist you:
SQUARE 18, Chic – this new square has twisted stitches (worked through the back of the loop) and hooked-in beads, resulting in a crisp cable pattern which is presented as a chart and as worded instructions:
Videos to watch for assistance with this square:
- How to bead, the hooking-in method MARCH blog
- Square 36, Suave: P1tbl, K1tbl, c9b, c9f APRIL blog
- How to pick up stitches along a cast-off edge MAY blog
The tech vid for Square 36, as mentioned above, shows how to work stitches through the back of the loop. However, the cable twist is different to Square 18 and shows c9b and c9f, whereas you will be knitting c8f. So it is important that you refer to this tech vid for how to work stitches through the back of the loop and not for how to knit this specific cable pattern.
If you are picking up stitches to knit this square onto Square 17, you are instructed to use a long tail and then transfer the stitches back onto the other needle before commencing with the RS increase row. Whether you decide to work from the chart or worded instructions, you will need to complete both the RS increase row and the WS row before starting Row 1 which begins on page 7 for the worded instructions and page 8 for the chart.
Cables are twisted both on RS and WS rows, the instructions for which are on page 27 of the September mail out (c8f). Note that this is a new abbreviation which has not appeared before in previous mail outs. In the instruction for this cable, you will notice that some of the stitches are worked through the back of the loop. You will also notice that in the worded instructions and on the chart, the same stitches are worked through the back of the loop. This is important to do throughout the whole of this square as it tightens up the edges of the cables making them much more defined and neater in their appearance.
The beads are hooked into the knitting in clusters of four, two Spearmint and two Shell. They might feel a bit tight as you are adding them, but as you knit on and move away from where they are positioned, they will settle down into place. They just need to get used to their new home!
SQUARES 34 & 35, Lanvin: this is an exact repeat of Squares 15 and 16 from the April mail out – wow, that’s a long time ago now! But once you start knitting you might remember some of the stitches, and if not, then there are tech vids you can refer to for guidance.
Videos to watch for assistance with these two squares:
- Razzle Dazzle: Chevron stitch MARCH blog
- Squares 15 & 16, Lanvin: lace stitches APRIL blog
- How to thread beads onto yarn MARCH blog
- How to bead, the slip-stitch method MARCH blog
It is really important to realise before you begin these squares that you are knitting them separately, they are not picked up and knitted onto a previous square. This is because they will be added to the blanket from the top, so in effect they will be upside down when they are sewn in, with Square 35 at the top of strip 5. If you are in any doubt, take a look at the Piecing Diagrams on page 4 of your September mail out:
Remember the lace stitches in this square? They are quite straightforward but if you are unsure about any of them it is best to check the Abbreviations list on page 27 of your September mail out. Plus you can help from the tech vid mentioned above in the April blog which shows how to ssk, K2tog, yo and s2kpo.
There is an instruction after Rows 9 and 23, and their subsequent repeats, to change to smaller needles for five rows of purl (which creates garter stitch), so make sure you watch out for that, otherwise these rows will be too loose.
When you have completed Squares 34 and 35 you will need to block them to the correct measurements. This is 18cm across in width and 36cm down in length. You are pinning them out in the same way that you pinned out Squares 15 and 16, beginning at the tip of each chevron and finishing at the cast-off edge. Remember that you are measuring 36cm from the beginning of the Nutkin stripe at the side edge and not from the tip of the chevrons. The zig-zag edging does need to be pinned out and stretched down to emphasise the points, but they will fall outside the 36cm measurement.
SQUARE 33, SAUVAGE: this square is exactly the same as Square 17 which was also part of the April mail out. It is knitted onto Square 34.
Videos to watch for assistance with this square:
- Diamonds: T3R and T3L MARCH blog
- Diamonds: T2R and T2L MARCH blog
- How to thread beads onto yarn MARCH blog
- How to bead, the slip-stitch method MARCH blog
You can use the tech vids from March to help you with this square which demonstrate how to knit the twisted stitches in the Diamonds square - the technique is exactly the same for Sauvage. But as this is an exact repeat of a square you have knitted before, you might find you only need a gentle reminder. The strong pattern repeat across this square makes it an easy one to remember.
Just watch out for the increase at the beginning after you have cast on/picked up the stitches, and the decrease at the end after Row 69. Row 70 which is the decrease row but it is not included on the chart.
SQUARES 48 & 49, Razzle Dazzle: for these squares we are hopping back even further to the very first instalment in March when you knitted Squares 1 & 2 because these are exactly the same. So, it’s time for a bit more revision and hopefully a nice easy knit to complete the September squares.
Videos to watch for assistance with these squares:
- How to bead, the hooking-in method MARCH blog
- Razzle Dazzle: Chevron stitch MARCH blog
- How to attach a rhinestone stud to knitting MARCH blog
Like squares 34 and 35, these are also knitted separately - they are not picked up and knitted onto a previous square. This is because they will be added to the blanket from the top with Square 49 at the top of strip 6. If in any doubt, take a look at the Piecing Diagram on page 4 of your September mail out.
When you have completed Squares 48 and 49 you will need to block them to the correct measurements. This is 18cm across in width and 36cm down in length. You are pinning them out in the same way that you pinned out Squares 1 and 2, beginning at the tip of each chevron and finishing at the cast-off edge. Remember that you are measuring 36cm from the beginning of the Royal stripe at the side edge and not from the tip of the chevrons. The zig-zag edging does need to be pinned out and stretched down to emphasise the points, but they will fall outside the 36cm measurement.
Ta-dah! That’s September completed, enjoy your knitting everyone!
TO FINISH OFF THIS MONTH, I HAVE A VERY USEFUL TIP TO SHARE WITH YOU WHICH HAS BEEN SENT IN BY GAIL COLES FROM BERKSHIRE, UK. Now I need to tell you a little bit about Gail before I pass on her wonderful advice, as she has been a Mystery Blanket member for a very very long time. And although she did not sign up to the first few blankets (because she did not know about them at the time), she has successfully purchased and knitted the entire collection of all fifteen blankets – that’s every single one since the Mystery Blanket Club began in 2008! And not only has she knitted every Mystery Blanket, but she has also knitted the Mystery Cushions too! But it doesn’t stop there as Gail as signed up to the 2023 Mystery Blanket to keep up her 100% Mystery Blanket record – what an achievement. Huge thanks to you Gail for being such an amazing and loyal member!
Gail’s tip is about easing in rows when sewing together the blanket strips, so if this is something you struggle with you might find it very useful:
Gail says: “I just wondered if you would be interested in my method of joining the strips together? I use quilter’s clips and attach a clip at every seam and a clip halfway up the square. By doing this I find it easier to ease in the squares if there are an uneven amount to mattress stitch.
I’ve used this technique on all the sewing together of not only your blankets and cushions but on all items that I use mattress stitch on. It takes away the guesswork of easing in and, so far, I’ve never had a problem joining my work. I must confess though that this is my least favourite thing to do, I much prefer sewing in ends!
I can’t believe next year will be my 16th blanket! As long as you design, I will always buy!”
Thanks Gail for such a helpful tip which I am sure many of the members will try out when they sew their strips together. We would all be very wise to listen to your advice after having knitted fifteen Mystery Blankets. Thanks for sharing!
AND FINALLY FOR THIS POSTING, THE SEVENTH 2022 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 SEVEN (SEPTEMBER): this month’s winner is member 441, Amy Paulson from State College, Pennsylvania, USA. Well done Amy! Please choose a prize from the following selection:
- Your choice of one of the Rainbow Purse knitting kits: Neon, Hot or Cool (take a look at them in our online shop)
- Five packs of Debbie Abrahams Beads (size 8/0 or 6/0) from the selection on http://www.debbieabrahamsbeads.co.uk
- A £20 voucher towards a Debbie Abrahams Mystery Club membership: 2023 Mystery Cushion Club; 2023 Mystery Blanket Club
- A ‘mystery’ bag of five knitting related goodies.
We will notify Amy to let her know the good news!
It’s time now to leave you to get on with your September knitting which I am hoping will continue to keep you busy and inspired this month. This week I am prepping a lovely project for my forthcoming trip to France where I will be joined by nine ladies for a fabulous week of eating, drinking, sightseeing and of course knitting, hosted by Sue and Culli (Knitting Holidays in France) – I cannot wait! I look forward to seeing some of you there!
Don’t forget to send in your photos and stories of your ‘mystery’ knitting, and with your permission I will share them in the next blog. And if you are still trying to guess the theme, there’s still time to have one more go, so why not send in your ideas to see if you are right!?!
I just want to finish by saying a HUGE thank you to everyone that has already signed up to the 2023 Mystery Blanket Club – your support is always amazing! And if you haven’t yet or are hesitating, just think of all that lovely yarn that could be arriving on your doorstep next February – how can you resist?!? Until next month, take care and I look forward to seeing you back here in October! Debbie x
2 comments
I’m not a quilter so don’t know anything about quilter clips. But I do the same thing with short scraps of yarn. Tying off the corners and middle of each square.
Just to backup Gail’s tip about quilters clips. I always use them when sewing up knitting or crochet. Makes it so much easier.