There is a huge emphasis on community at the moment and how we are apart but trying to maintain some kind of connectivity. If you are a knitter, one way you can do this is to join Rowan’s latest Knit Along (KAL) and knit their Elder Throw along with other knitters in your community, all over the UK and even the whole world.
Elder Throw, designed by Lisa Richardson
This Elder Throw KAL actually began at the beginning of April but it is not too late to start now. The patterns are free to download from Rowan’s website (https://knitrowan.com/en). Just remember you have to register on their website to download the patterns. There will be eight pattern releases in total together with video tutorials for each one. There has already been three releases with the forth this Friday 15th May.
I have knitted and crocheted several Rowan blankets or throws and love them all. The first KAL I was involved in was Rowan’s first… a Mystery Knit Along, designed by Martin Storey… a 48-block motif blanket using Pure Wool Superwash Worsted yarn. Here’s a picture of mine below…
Then I joined the Martin Storey KAL in 2016 and knitted another blanket, also using Pure Wool Superwash Worsted yarn. Here’s mine below. Some readers may remember that I knitted on the trim rather than knitting it separately and then sewing on afterwards.
Then I crocheted a shawl and 2 baby blankets in Summerlite 4ply 100% cotton yarn as part of the Lisa Richardson Spring Crochet Along. Here’s my shawl…
and here’s one baby blanket…
and here’s the other baby blanket…
And then I crocheted this lovely blanket as part of the Lisa Richardson Crochet Along 2017. Here’s a few close-up pics of my blanket…
The crocheted blanket above was made using Felted Tweed, just like the Elder Throw, and I can say that this is a beautiful DK yarn withy a tweed effect. It crochets, or knits up, great to a cosy yet lightweight fabric with a lovely drape. It also washes well, hand wash of course, as it is a combination of 50% lightly-felted wool, 25% viscose and 25% alpaca. Felted Tweed yarn colours are beautiful too and there are so many to choose from, 44 in fact. Take a look below…
One thing that I am not keen on when making blankets constructed of separate squares and panels is all the sewing up that you have to do at the end. But the Elder Throw is different. You start with knitting a mitre square and then pick up and knit along two edges of the completed square and start knitting the adjoining mitre square. Picking up and knitting as you go along with each knitted square or panel means there will be a lot less sewing to do at the end. I like this idea very much!
The downside of picking up stitches and knitting onto previously knitted squares is that you’ll end up with an ever increasing pile of knitting on your lap. This doesn’t bother me at all but if it bothers you there is the option of knitting the squares and panels separately and sewing them all together at the end. So, it’s your choice: pick-up and knit or sew-up?
I’ve watched the Elder Throw introduction video with Lisa Richardson, the Elder Throw designer, and she says that there is nothing too complicated about the pattern. If you have basic knitting techniques, such as casting on, casting off and can knit and purl, you’ll find that knitting the Elder Throw is a great way to increase your knitting skills. All the video tutorials are a great help too. More experienced knitters will also enjoy this KAL as with each new pattern release you’ll be doing something different so won’t get bored. There is a variety of techniques involved, some that you may or may not know such as slip-stitches, colour work and lace work.
If you are interested in making one of the blankets or the shawl that I mentioned above, all the patterns for these KALs and CALs are still available to download for free from the Rowan website. Don’t forget, after you click the links below you will need to register on Rowan’s website, or login if you have previously registered, to download the patterns.
Martin Storey’s Mystery Knit Along
Martin Storey KAL 2016
Lisa Richardson Spring Crochet Along
Lisa Richardson Crochet Along 2017
With these past KALs and CALs you get all the pattens straight away in one download rather than having to wait every couple of weeks for the next pattern release as you do with this current Elder Throw KAL. Anyway, you do have a few blankets to choose from.
Take a look at the Elder Throw introduction video below.
And if you want to view the Elder Throw shopping list, click the link below.
Elder Throw Shopping List
Find more information and how other Elder Throw Knit Alongers have been doing by adding the hashtags below to the search bar in Facebook, Instagram, You Tube, etc
#elderthrow | #lisarichardsonkal | #rowanyarnskal2020 | #feltedtweedkal
So, are you already knitting the Elder Throw or think you might like to. Or maybe you would like to knit one of the other blankets? Please do let me know by scrolling down to “Leave a Reply” below.
Thanks for reading my blog. Stay safe and well.
Esther x
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