knitted mood blanket 2014| joining squares

When I decided on using mitered squares for my mood blanket I didn’t really think about how to connect them and beyond that how to connect the rows together. I just knew I liked the way they looked and that people had been connecting them somehow. So mitered squaring I was. Connecting the first row of squares as I made them was easy. When it came time to start row 2…then the trouble came. I knew I wanted my diagonals to go in the same direction as row 1 so I figured out how to make the first square and quickly realized that square 2 and the rest of the row wouldn’t prove to be as easy. I didn’t want to bother with seaming 2 long rows together so I scoured the interwebs for some kind of solution. I quickly realized that the easiest way to connect mitered squares just happens to be in a diagonal fashion . I certainly wasn’t about to un-knit 21 days of progress so I knew I had to find another answer and find another answer I did! So I figured it was only the nice thing to do to share my answer with anyone else who cares to know. So I took some pictures and I’ll explain my steps. If something doesn’t seem right or you have any questions, just ask!

Note: I’m making my squares with 20 stitches on each side so if you attempt this with a different sized square, adjust your numbers accordingly.

I’ll be referring to 3 different squares to work with:
-The Previous Square-the square in the same row as your new square: Pink
-The New Square-the square you’re knitting: Yellow
-The Top Row Square-the square in the row above your new square: Blue

Let’s go!

Step 1:

(RS)
With a spare needle (I used a smaller one than my squares are made with-a US5), pick up 20 stitches from the right side of the Previous Square(pink), starting at the bottom of the square
Step 2:
With the proper needle-US7, cast on 20 stitches with the yarn your New Square(yellow) will be made in
 
Step 3:
 
I found it easiest to achieve this step by placing the Top Row Square(blue) right side down, so the bottom edge is on top. 
(WS)
 With the needle you just cast stitches onto, pick up a stitch from the right side corner of the bottom edge of the Top Row Square. Having the New Square yarn in front, wrap it on top of your needle(back to front)
(WS)
 Using your free needle-US7, slip your Top Row Square stitch over your New Square yarn, from the back
(WS)
 Repeat this step, picking up 20 stitches altogether. You should now have 40 stitches on your needle with your New Square yarn
Step 4:
To begin this step, turn your work over so the Previous Square is to the right of your cast on stitches.
 
(RS)
 Slip the first stitch from the New Square onto the needle holding the Previous Square stitches
(RS)
With the New Square yarn in front, slip the Previous Square stitch over the New Square stitch from behind and slip your New Square stitch back onto its needle. 
Knit the next row, then continue making your miter square making sure to repeat Step 4 every time you finish the row ending next to the Previous Square.
(RS)
As your miter square decreases to the corner the number of stitches from the Previous Square should lessen evenly until you finish the corner.
(RS)
It should end up looking like this!! It’s not quite as smooth as the top row but I have every faith that it will block out nicely….and that I won’t mind it too badly even if it doesn’t! 
Now that that’s settled I’m also glad to announce that I’m officially caught up on my mood days! It’s such a relief and I’m really happy with the way it’s coming out. Needless to say, 2014 will certainly be colorful!

knitted mood blanket 2014

Guys…..for real….I’ve found the most wonderful project of all time! My friend Holly over at Crafty Holly Louise posted about this particular project she found on instagram(there’s a blog now!) that has taken the crochet world by storm!! It’s called the Crochet Mood Blanket 2014. The idea is that you designate a number of colors of yarn (as many as you wish) to moods that you feel. Then you pick a pattern to crochet and each day make 1 block with the color of your mood that day. Awesome right?! Except for that minor detail of the fact that I don’t know how to crochet!! Obviously I wasn’t going to let that stop me so I decided on knitting my instead. duh. 

Most people are making it in a DK weight so I chose Tosh DK by madelinetosh….because their yarns are my all time fave. A girl that comes into the yarn shop where I work is currently working on a blanket with miter squares and I love the way it looks so I decided that would be my pattern. With those decisions made I went about choosing my moods and colors. Since madelinetosh comes up with such great names for their colors I wanted to base my moods off the color names as much as I could. This is what I came up with and I couldn’t be happier!

Last night I went about figuring out my moods for the days in January I missed so I can catch up and today I decided that I needed a yarn for good ol’ happiness so I chose Courbet’s Green. My squares come out to be about 3 1/4 inches and I want the finished shape to be square as well so I decided 20 rows x 20 rows (with a few extra squares to fill the last row) will do and make a nice humongous blanket! I can’t wait to sit down and catch up!! I see a lot of edison bulb and courbet’s green happening in the month of January.

It’s especially awesome to see the way this blanket idea has taken off. There’s a Facebook group for people making it with over 3,000 people in it. Everyone shares their progress, asks for suggestions and really encourages each other. It’s really amazing to be a part of. And if you feel inspired and want to join in the fun DO IT! It’s not too late and who says you can’t start your year today! There really are no rules! I can’t wait to share my progress with you all here and see this blanket take shape. It’s my first, so it’s even more special.