The Oaty Beginings

My Oatmeal Reeds Blanket Begins

After my slightly woozy trip down to the yarn store the previous week, I returned home with over a kilo of Shetland yarn in what I believe is a lovely shade of oatmeal. All prepped and ready, after much begging at my local store to roll it up for me as I am a hopeful mess maker and have previously spent over 4 hours attempting to unravel the mess that is rolling up a ball of yarn, I was ready to begin upon the afghan journey!

I knew I wanted to make something that followed the reed-like pattern of Knitting Nature, but with no book and thus no pattern I had to wing it a bit.


I cast on as much as I could fit on my brand new shiny metal needles (the only kind sold in Argentina) in a size 5 mm, which came out to be 140 stiches across, or if you prefer 35 sets of 4. 4 stitches purled, 4 stockinette, 22 rows of this constant ribbing and then 4 rows of all stockinette until you switch, checkerboard style, and start over with your purl and stockinette pattern.

I have no idea if this is remotely close to the original book pattern, but it seems to be working out, if you like woolly sausages-which is what my poor blanket strongly resembles. But it is very warm and with a bit of blocking I think I may be able to make them less sausage, more reed, which is the goal.