Knitted log cabin or ripple blanket? Experienced knitters, please help me decide!

[goodjambadjar]

Hi, after I've finished the three Xmas projects I have in the go, I was hoping to make a blanket for us. I like the ripple effect, but I like the log cabin style too.

Have you done either of these projects? can you offer me advice please?

I have about 20 balls of acrylic DK, all in different colours, so it will be pretty colourful! I want to make it at least double bed size, so we can both snuggle under it!

So, any tips or preferences as to which style? I'm not brilliant at knitting but I can get by, and I cannot crochet, so that option is out!

TIA.

Double bed size - gosh that is going to be a big blanket!

It depends on what style the room is that it is going to be in - I think the log cabin style is more modern and contempory whereas the ripple effect is more fancy. Is the ripple stitch hard to do? For speed I might do the log cabin style but if you have longer then I would do the ripple as it is pretty.

Hello Goodjam

For your log cabin blanket are you thinking of something like this? I have made log cabin panels like this but nothing near double bed size.

For the knitted ripple would you be using feather & fan stitch? It looks lovely but I find it boring after a while plus you would be working on a very long row for a double bed.

Hi monikar, it doesn't have to match any decor, our living room is a mix of colours thanks to a toddler, and our bedroom is cream, so it will brighten it up a bit. It might be put to use in the guest room, which is white walls and purple soft furnishings, but I was going to incorporate lots of purple anyway!

And hello Wooly, I'm not sure what type ripple pattern, I need to find one that is easy! The log pattern would be similar to the link, I'm not sure if I want to try and do one massive square blanket or join squares like that one.

I've made myself feel better about this project by doing some work on the outstanding ones!

I know it will be a labour of love, and am not planning on it being done in a week! Just something I can pick up in the evening and work on as I've not done anything for us, unless you count the scarf I made for myself last week, but it only took a couple of hours! (super chunky wool and 20mm needles!)

The Crochet Crowd tutorials on You Tube are great - I made my first ripple from the rainbow one.

I've written a ripple pattern here. I was hoping to make a proper Ravelry pattern of it tomorrow actually, now I've finished the blanket, and photographed it. It would indeed be quite a long row; most people do make knitted blankets of squares/strips sewn together or you can use a long circular needle.

It took 7 x 50g balls to make a baby blanket.

I've made Log cabin too, they are both great.

Thanks fossil, that was actually one of the ones I looked at! Is it easier than it looks to create a ripple?

Yes, like a lot of things in knitting it's a bit of a cheat. Every 4th row you do the increases/decreases. Other 3 rows are pretty well knit plain. Just make sure they stay lined up (from experience ) A few stitch markers might help.

Can I just ask a very stupid question? How on earth do you knot a double bed sized blanket? Do you need special needles?

Knit not knot!

If I was doing a log cabin it would be on straight needles, as far as I understand you are knitting thin strips into the side of the main work, so you won't have the whole piece on your needles.

Ripple would be done on my longest circulars.

That was my plan, anyway!

You can knit back-and-forth on circular needles. The weight of the work sits on your lap, rather than hanging on the arms/needles. The stitches bunch up quite a bit so you don't need a circular the full width, but it would need to be a decent length maybe 100cm or 120cm.

as here (1st picture)

You see, fossil, you send me a link like that and I end up downloading 3 free ebooks!

I'll check out my circular needles later, see how long they are.

There is a new pattern on Ravelry now

So not getting anything done today.

That pattern is lovely, it's a baby blanket so would need to adjust for adult size.

I could make two singles in his and hers. I could have all the funky colours and he would have the boring one!