Here’s my favorite draft: a baby blanket based on the old Mary
Atwater M's and O's design (looks like M's and O's when you're
done!). The directions and some notes are below the
draft:
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---||---|---|---|---|---|---| | 4 | | 4 | | 4 | | 4 | | | | 4 | | 4 | | | | 4 | | 4 | | | | 4 | | 4 | || | * | | * | * | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---||---|---|---|---|---|---| | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | || | * | * | | | * | tie-up |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---||---|---|---|---|---|---| | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | 2 | | | 2 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | || * | | | * | | * | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---||---|---|---|---|---|---| | | 1 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 || * | | * | | * | | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---||---|---|---|---|---|---| || | x | | | | | || x | | | | | | || | x | | | | | Block A || x | | | | | | || | x | | | | | || x | | | | | | ||-----------------------| treadling || | | | x | | | || | | x | | | | || | | | x | | | || | | x | | | | || | | | x | | | || | | x | | | | Block B || | | | x | | | || | | x | | | | || | | | x | | | ||-----------------------|
I use a cotton/acrylic 3-ply "sports weight" blend yarn for the base of the blanket: a solid color works best. The cotton/acrylic blend tends to wash well and hide typical baby stains. The boucle yarn should also be a blend for the same reason. The yarns listed below were used for the first blanket I made: whatever's on sale is what works best, though!
Yarn: "Chanteleine Rumba" acrylic/cotton boucle, white (50 grams/123
yards)
"Pingouin Corrida no. 3" cotton/acrylic, yellow (50 grams/230 yards)
Used: 2 balls white boucle, 4 balls yellow 3-ply
Warp length: 2 yards (includes 16 inches wastage and 10 percent shrinkage)
Warp color order:
Boucle = 40 ends
3-ply = 252 ends
Boucle = 40 ends
Total warp ends = 332 ends
Warp width = 33.5 inches in warp
Read the warping draft from left to right, warping from left to right if you sit at the front of the loom (reverse it, of course, if you warp the other way, as I do). The tie-ups include two treadles of 1/4 and 2/3 to produce a tabby pattern for beginning and ending between blankets, if you warp for more than one at a time.
Confused yet? Hang on--this is an easy project to weave.
Finish by tying fringes in groups of 4 ends. Wash in gentle cycle of machine or by hand, line-dry, and press while still damp. (In future washings, it can be thrown in the washing machine and dryer on warm.)
Warping time: approx. 1.5 hours (if you listen to books on tape while working). Weaving time: approx. 1 hour. This is a fast project--good for weekends.
This is one of the first projects I ever designed myself, and
was given as a present to a friend while she was still
expecting her first child. When I last spoke with her, her
little boy still used this blanket as his "blankie," dragging
it everywhere with him. I could never have received a more
precious compliment!