The Noughts + Crosses Blanket is a wonderfully textured blanket with a unique construction and quirky design detail. It is an eye-catching gift knit for that special baby.

It is designed with the knitter in mind, with great attention to small details and simple and tidy finishing.

Four separate wedges, beginning with the outer contrasting edging, are worked backwards and forwards in rows. The sides of the wedges are joined using mattress stitch, then the centre is completed over six rounds.
The edging of ‘noughts’ is a modified feather and fan stitch pattern with stitches cast off and cast on to create large holes. The textured pattern of simple crosses is worked into the shaping sequence and is easily memorised. The fashioned decreasing worked along the sides creates an easy sewing edge, perfect for mattress stitch.

The blanket can be worked in two or five colours: with the contrast edging in a single colour or each side edging in a different colour.

Noughts + Crosses requires intermediate knitting skills.

Yarn
8 ply/DK weight wool or alpaca

Five-colour blanket
approx 750 metres/818 yards of main colour (M)
approx 100 metres/109 yards each of four contrasting colours (C1, C2, C3 and C4)
Two-colour blanket
approx 750 metres/818 yards of main colour (M)
approx 400 metres/436 yards of contrasting colour (C)

Featured yarns
Australian Organic Wool WOOLganic 8 ply/DK
100% Australian merino (certified organic)
50g (104 metres/114 yards)

Bellissimo 8
100% extra-fine merino
50g (125 metres/137 yards)

Alpaca Yarns Indiecita DK
100% baby alpaca
50g (112 metres/123 yards)

Needles and notions

• 4mm/US 6 circular needle, 80-100cm/32-40in long
• 15 stitch markers
• set of five 4mm/US 6 double-pointed needles
• yarn needle