100 Yarns Throw

At the moment I am trying to clear out my flat – which seems to be an annual event.  I have been looking for yarn for my Everything I have Ever Knitted project – but I have also been thinking about creating yet another throw made from yarn leftover from other projects.  I am calling it the 100 Yarns Throw but I think it will in fact include many more than this.  

I have taken Sally Melville’s advice about using up old yarn – which is to first buy some new yarn to hold everything together.  I bought 6 balls of Adriafil Stella Alpina classic in a dark brown shade.  Because I am not really planning this throw at all – it is just happening as I find yarn that I like – I am knitting individual squares which I will sew together afterwards.  I am using the dark brown as an edging and I will then sew all the dark brown edges to each other.   Here are some examples of squares that I have knitted so far.

These are definitely an answer to the question - what can I do with odd bits of yarn that I can't bear to throw away.

Bauhaus Throw – Rough Pattern

Two weeks ago, when I finished this Bauhaus throw, I took it to Oxford Yarn Store.  I was encouraged to write a pattern – so that others could have a go at the throw if they liked it. Therefore, I am including the rough pattern below.  I hope it doesn’t contain any mistakes. The photos have been stolen from the Oxford Yarn Store Newsletter.  When knitting the throw – I turned the postcard on its end – so that I could knit 2 columns of 3 large squares one on top of another– rather than 3 columns of 2 large squares.

Materials:

9 Shades of Rowan Pure Wool Worsted (100g/200m) – 10 balls in total:
I ball of Mauve (158), Blue (146), Gold (133), Black (109), Lime (125), Grey (112), Rust (106), Red (136) and 2 balls of Cream (102). [I used about 80g of each ball.]

Needles: 5½mm

The throw is made up of 6 large squares made up of 36 small squares – there are 4 squares of each colour within a large square.

This throw has been knitted in one piece – there is no sewing up.

Start in the bottom left-hand corner. [On the postcard above that is the top lefthand corner]

Instructions for Basic Square
Row 1: Cast on (or pick up) 23sts.
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3:  K10, slip 1, K2tog, psso (pass slipped stitch over), K10 (21sts)
Row 4:  Knit.
Row 5:  K9, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K9 (19sts)
Row 6:  Knit.
Row 7:  K8, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K8 (17sts)
Row 8:  Knit.
Row 9:  K7, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K7 (15sts)
Row 10: Knit.
Row 11: K6, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K6 (13sts)
Row 12: Knit.
Row 13: K5, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K5 (11sts)
Row 14: Knit.
Row 15: K4, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K4 (9sts)
Row 16: Knit.
Row 17: K3, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K3 (7sts)
Row 18: Knit.
Row 19: K2, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K2 (5sts)
Row 20: Knit.
Row 21: K1, slip 1, K2tog, psso, K1 (3sts)
Row 22: K3tog and fasten off.

Next knit the square above the first one by picking up 11sts from the top of the first square and casting on 12sts to make 23.  Then complete from Row 2 onwards. 

I worked the first 6 squares in a column, and then started at the bottom again – where you need to cast on first and then pick up sts from the side of the first square.

When I had completed all 36 little squares – I picked up and knitted 72sts across the whole large square and knitted 5 rows in the main colour.  I then knitted large square 2 above the first square and then another 5 rows of main colour and then Square 3.  You can divide the 72 sts into 6 groups of 12 and then you just need to cast on or pick up 11 for the left-hand side of each small square on the base row.

When I had completed 3 large squares, I then picked up 204sts along the right-hand side of the 3 large squares and the 2 strips and knitted 5 rows in the main colour for the centre spine. I left these stitches on spare yarn and then used them as necessary for the side of the next column of squares.

I then knitted the 3 large squares on the other side, starting by casting on 12sts and then knitting 11sts from the central spine.

When you knit the horizontal strips on the left-hand side of the throw you can join them to the spine by knitting the edge stitches together or you can sew up the small hole.

When all 6 large squares are knitted – knit the edges.

Side Edges: In main colour – pick up 204sts and knit 5 rows.  Cast off.

Bottom and Top Edges: In main colour pick up 141sts across the squares and the edge of the side edging.  Knit 5 rows and cast off.

Sew in ends and block the piece.