Bauhaus Throw

Many years ago I was given this postcard.

As soon as I saw it – I thought – “I could knit that”!  It has remained one of those things that I was going to do one day.  About 10 years ago I even bought some acrylic yarn to use for the project, but time drifted by and I didn’t make a start and I decided that I wanted to use better quality yarn.

This year is 100 years since the Bauhaus movement began in Germany after World War 1.  I don’t claim to know much about it – I just like the patterns!  The artists produced some wonderful geometric designs.  This one is actually earlier dating from 1909.  It is a water colour by Hilde Reindl called Textile Design in Six Separate Grids.

On the day of the Knitting and Crochet Guild’s Regional Day at St Anne’s college in May  - I spent a lot of time in Oxford Yarn Store and in end I decided to use Rowan Superwash Worsted for my version of this design.   The colours I have chosen are not exactly the same, but they have the same flavour.

Last week I knitted several sample squares (unlike me) and eventually decided to used 5.5mm needles (2 sizes larger than normally used for the yarn) and to use mitred squares consisting of 23sts (11+1+11).  The aim was to produce a reasonable size throw but avoiding having to use more than one ball of each colour yarn, apart from the main colour.

I have just started the first of the 6 large squares.  I am knitting it in strips of 6.  At the moment I intend to knit the throw in one piece, but I may change my mind.  I won’t if I can avoid it – because I don’t like sewing up squares.