I'm so excited to share this quick basketweave knitted throw with you today as the next project in our current handmade gift series. I haven't shared any knitting projects with you before and I'm not sure why because I knit almost every day. I find it very calming and really look forward to my knitting time each night. I don't watch a movie or tv show without a knitting project anymore (well, unless I'm at a theater - I can't knit in the dark, though I've read some who can!).
The thing is, I'm really a very simple knitter (surprised?) - I don't get 'bored' knitting the same thing, probably because I just enjoy the process of knitting. Since it's a calming thing to me, I usually don't want to have to spend a lot of time learning a pattern. I've knitted for years and have made sweaters and cardigans for many in my family, but I've never created cables or other complicated patterns and I find sock patterns WAY overwhelming. Three to four needles at one time and markers everywhere? No thank you.
So you can be sure that when I titled this project 'quick' it's true. I also could've added easy, but there are so many 'quick & easy' projects out there, I just wanted to be different this time. The basketweave knitted throw pattern I'm sharing with you today is simple, yet the edging and basket-like center provides just enough interest.
More importantly, this fabulous throw makes a wonderful gift that you can be proud to give to your family or friends - I know I am. And it requires only knowing (or learning) a simple seed stitch (basically, knit-purl-knit-purl, etc.) and the basic stockinette stitch. I think the basketweave pattern looks more complicated than it really is, which is just alternating blocks of knitting and purling. Yep, my kind of pattern.
If you know basic knitting techniques and have make things like scarves, you can make this throw!
Material Notes
- What makes this quick is using a bulky yarn. I found a deal on cones of wool (from DNBY - my favorite place to get quality yarn at prices I can actually afford), but they weren't bulky so I held two strands together to create the gauge of a bulky yarn. So any bulky yarn or worsted-weight yarn doubled up to create a bulkier yarn will work in the pattern.
- The wool I used was a bit scratchy, but it became nice and soft when washed and machine dried without felting too much which hid the weaved-in ends really well. Some wool doesn't felt (i.e., shrink up) as much as others - it's just something you've got to test or use any instructions, if given, on the yarn.
- Regular straight needles will not work with this throw because it's too big. You'll need circular needles with either a 40" or 60" cable (mine is 60"). The needles shown are Options Interchangeable Needles from Knit Picks and I pretty much knit everything with them now, they are so flexible and easy to knit with.
Throw Pattern Tips
- To make this throw even easier, use simple circular markers at each edge to help (mindlessly) remember where the seed stitch ends and the stockinet begins.
- Simply move the marker from one needle to the next and change the stitch whenever you do. You can also use markers in row 11 to help you get the basketweave pattern established, removing them when you don't need them anymore.
- The pattern used to create the basketweave effect is simply purling one block of stitches and then changing and knitting the next block. Once the pattern is established, like pictured, it's really easy to continue.
Here you can see the whole throw and what the full pattern looks like (update: my throws turn out roughly 40" x 45" though yours may be different depending on the yarn you use). As you can see I don't bother blocking these throws since they're, well, throws that are usually folded, bunched up, or warming a lap.
Quick Basketweave Knitted Throw
NOTE: Updated 12-11-13 to fix counting row mistake! Each block in the pattern should be 18 stitches wide by 24 rows tall. Sorry for the confusion!
Needle Size: US 13 long Circular Needles, 47" or 60" (I use Options Interchangeable Needles - which I love - in Harmony wood from Knit Picks on a 60" cable)
Yarn: 1100 to 1500 yds. of bulky weight wool or wool-blend yarn, depending on how long a throw you want (see ending note); I used a cone wool that I found at DNBY (my favorite place to find quality, discount yarns!!), but a yarn like Woolease Quick & Thick or any bulky yarn will work (or even a standard worsted wool yarn held with two strands together to create the weight of a bulky yarn).
Note: gauge is not really needed for throws, since precise sizing is not required (Yeah! Am I the only one who hates figuring out gauge?)
Pattern: seed stich edge with large basketweave center
Cast on 124 sts.
Knit a seed stitch pattern for 10 rows.
Row 1 of pattern: seed St. for 8 stitches (to create border), place marker (PM) and start basketweave pattern: knit 18, purl 18, knit 18, purl 18, knit 18, purl 18 (=6 blocks of 18 stitches each, PM between each block as needed to help set pattern); seed st. last 8 stitches.
Rows 2-24 of pattern: seed st. first and last 8 stitches and continue knitting blocks by knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches.
Row 25 (right side): seed stitch first and last 8 stitches and then reverse the block stitches to create the basketweave pattern - for this row, purl the knit stitches and knit the purls.
Rows 26-48: knit in the newly established pattern to create the next set of blocks, always keeping the seed st. edges.
Row 49 and remaining rows: reverse knit and purl again - purl the knits and knit the purls; knit for 24 more rows, switch again, always keeping the seed stitch borders until you have the amount of blocks you want (see end notes).
Last 10 rows: knit all in seed st. pattern to finish the edge of the throw and bind off loosely. Weave in your ends.
End Note:
-The throw pictured is 6 blocks long by 6 blocks wide. The throw can be as long as you want, though - simply make sure you have enough yarn and keep making rows of blocks until you reach the length you desire. I like to make the throws 7 or 8 blocks long x 6 blocks wide, but ran out of yarn for the throw pictured.
Don't forget to follow my Handmade Gifts Pinterest Board for a lot more ideas that I add to all the time!
Disclosure: I am not affiliated with any of the companies I linked to - they are simply what I use, love, and am happy to share!
Quick Basketweave Knitted Throw Pattern
Tools
- US 13 long Circular Needles, 47″ or 60″ (I use Options Interchangeable Needles – which I love – in Harmony wood from Knit Picks on a 60″ cable) Note: Regular straight needles will not work with this throw because it’s too big. You’ll need circular needles with either a 40″ or 60″ cable (mine is 60″). The needles shown are Options Interchangeable Needles from Knit Picks and I pretty much knit everything with them now, they are so flexible and easy to knit with.
- Pattern: seed stich edge with large basketweave center
Materials
- 1100-1500 yards Bulky weight wool or wool-blend yarn, depending on how long a throw you want (see ending note); I used a cone wool that I found at DNBY (my favorite place to find quality, discount yarns!!), but a yarn like Woolease Quick & Thick or any bulky yarn will work (or even a standard worsted wool yarn held with two strands together to create the weight of a bulky yarn). Any bulky yarn or worsted-weight yarn doubled up to create a bulkier yarn will work in the pattern.The wool I used was a bit scratchy, but it became nice and soft when washed and machine dried without felting too much which hid the weaved-in ends really well. Some wool doesn’t felt (i.e., shrink up) as much as others – it’s just something you’ve got to test or use any instructions, if given, on the yarn.
Instructions
- Cast on 124 sts.
- Knit a seed stitch pattern for 10 rows.
- Row 1 of pattern: seed St. for 8 stitches (to create border), place marker (PM) and start basketweave pattern: knit 18, purl 18, knit 18, purl 18, knit 18, purl 18 (=6 blocks of 18 stitches each, PM between each block as needed to help set pattern); seed st. last 8 stitches.
- Rows 2-24 of pattern: seed st. first and last 8 stitches and continue knitting blocks by knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches.
- Row 25 (right side): seed stitch first and last 8 stitches and then reverse the block stitches to create the basketweave pattern – for this row, purl the knit stitches and knit the purls.
- Rows 26-48: knit in the newly established pattern to create the next set of blocks, always keeping the seed st. edges.
- Row 49 and remaining rows: reverse knit and purl again – purl the knits and knit the purls; knit for 24 more rows, switch again, always keeping the seed stitch borders until you have the amount of blocks you want (see end notes).
- Last 10 rows: knit all in seed st. pattern to finish the edge of the throw and bind off loosely. Weave in your ends.
Notes
- To make this throw even easier, use simple circular markers at each edge to help (mindlessly) remember where the seed stitch ends and the stockinet begins.
- Simply move the marker from one needle to the next and change the stitch whenever you do. You can also use markers in row 11 to help you get the basketweave pattern established, removing them when you don’t need them anymore.
- The pattern used to create the basketweave effect is simply purling one block of stitches and then changing and knitting the next block. Once the pattern is established, like pictured, it’s really easy to continue.
