Often, as soon as we complete a pattern, my very first thought is: I wanna make another version of this; one that’s marled, or at a different gauge, or with a different colour palette, or with longer sleeves… The design process is a like a never-ending journey down the rabbit hole, and my ideas for how to remake, adjust, or hack our own designs is a very long one!
As Mad Colour was launched, I simply couldn’t resist casting on for a super-sized marled version of the Polygon Blanket. I used 6.5mm needles, and held 3 yarns together, a DK (or light worsted) plus a couple of skinnier ones; sock or lace.
I’ve only knit a few hexis so far, but I’m sure one day I’ll add this blanket to the pile of woolly goodness that is drowning my couch!
Super Sized Blanket obsession?
You can see in the Marley Blanket (also from Mad Colour) and the great big Tunisian Crochet Stashbuster Blanket, AND the super gigantic Bonfire Blanket I made this year, I have been more than a little bit obsessed with making gigantic blankets at super bulky gauges! Looking back, this all seems a little bit unreasonable…
I don’t know what had gotten into me. OK, strictly that may not be true! I think a lot of these blankets were cast on during my pregnancy, and could be blamed upon the unfortunately termed but quite strong urge to ‘nest’ (yup, like I was a rotund hamster shredding old toilet paper tubes). Regardless of intent, seriously woolly blankets happened, and now everyone is very cozy around here!
Other ways to hack Polygon
Another hack I tried was knitting a striped hexagon, using a self-striping yarn (Noro Kureyon) and a solid white yarn (Cascade Eco). You could create a similar effect to the POP blanket if you started with a main colour, then switched the a CC for the final 8-10 rounds of the hexi. You could also do like @karenelisepage who shared her self-striping hexis on Instagram (she used Noro Kureyon too).
These ideas could be applied to many of our modular blankets; they’re all quite easy to hack. The squares of the Vivid blanket can be worked in different weights, or with a contrast colour garter border (like Alexa did). You could used marled scraps to make the centres of a POP blanket. The Fly Away blanket can be put together in so many different configurations (we love the ones by Tanis of Tanis Fiber Arts, and Undone57).
Fly Away knit by Undone57
Vivid Blanket with contrast garter edges
Fly Away by Tanis Lavallee
What Should you MARL?
Well, really, what shouldn’t you marl? OK, I’d say that where projects have a more complex stitch pattern, this probably won’t read very well if you have a high-contrast marl. But if you’ve been following Tin Can Knits for awhile, you’ll know that we have a pretty extensive stable of basic patterns, which keep it simple for the most part!
Join our fabulous #TCKhackathon
Want to get started on something a little bit different this holiday season? Our holiday KAL is a hackathon! Choose a Tin Can Knits pattern, and then change it up, add stripes, an extra pattern, or work it at a different gauge. There is a super fantastic prize… but the real joy is knitting along with others! Share with the hashtag #TCKhackathon2016
Modular TCK blankets:
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December 13, 2016 @ 11:49 pm
When is the KAL, and what is it? Any TCK pattern changed up? I’ve never done an online KAL. How does it work? Thank you!
December 14, 2016 @ 2:50 pm
Hi Kelly – You’ve got it, any TCK pattern changed up. All the details on prizes, the facebook group, and the rav group can be found here: https://blog.tincanknits.com/2016/12/01/hackathon-mittens/
December 13, 2016 @ 9:49 pm
Definitely love ALL of the blankets, but what caught my attention in this post (and wouldn’t let it go) is the adorable hat on the Polygon blanket ‘model.’ It looks like it started out as a polygon and continues in stripes for the body … am I close? And is there/will there be a pattern for this?? Thanks!
December 14, 2016 @ 2:49 pm
Glad you like it! That is the Prism hat, stripes version, also from Mad Colour! The key is the giant pom though right? So cute on a wee head!
December 15, 2016 @ 11:12 am
Thanks Alexa! Thought I had studied those patterns pretty thoroughly, but I’m off to look again. :)