Off to College blankets.

Two of our girls are planning on going off to College in September. It will be a big transition and will take some getting used to on all parts. To make this a bit less daunting we have decided to make each of them a going off to College blanket, a bit of home to wrap up in while doing homework, watching a film or reading.

For a few years now we have been making blankets from yarn scraps and odd balls of wool found in the charity shops. Many friends have also donated wool left over from various knitting projects, for which we are very grateful and happy. It is a lot of fun, easy and relaxing to put these simple soft wonders together.

In true permaculture spirit the blankets have several benefits and the most obvious being that any amount of wool, no matter how small, can be incorporated into the design. We like to use the smallest amounts for adding tassels in a fringe along the side edges. This is also a great way to tie in all the wool threads from the stripes without having to do any securing and sewing in work.

Many different thicknesses of yarn can be included as one, two or even three strands can be combined to create a uniform tension and appearance throughout the blanket.

Another benefit is the fact that wrapped up in the soft, thick blanket you can really enjoy an evening in without having to crank the heating up too high. We have saved copious amounts of fuel in the last few years living by this principle.

Knitting is also a great way to relax and enjoy a creative experience.

For this round blanket, made a few years back, we used this pattern on Ravelry.

All the other designs have simply been made up on the spot and some are rectangular while others are triangular. There is no end to the variations and styles that can be created.

We used a 20mm needle for this one and the large stiches creates a light blanket that holds a lot of air and is surprisingly warm.

It is great to think of a person and add their favourite colours and patterns to a blanket. While knitting it is easy to meditate and think happy and loving thoughts about the recipient. It is our strong belief that some of these thoughts will be captured in the finished piece.  The first one will be triangular and have hues of blue, purple and turquoise. The second one will be square and have a more neutral palette. Both of them will be worked on a circular, 8mm needle, knitting forward and back. This allows for a large number of stiches at once.

We think our girls will enjoy the comfort and warmth of their blankets come autumn. In the meantime, making them is a great wat to stay sane in the very stressful times leading up to their final exams in June.