Advent 2020, the past. We were in the middle of the pandemic. I wanted to give my students in the Online Brei Campus (my Online Knitting Campus, where knitting workshops can be found, and knitters can connect and ask all their knitting related questions - Dutch only for now) something extra for the Holidays. Because so many of us couldn’t spend these days with their loved ones. I decided to design a knitting pattern for a cowl as a gift. Since then, I designed every year a knitting pattern for Advent. Since 2022 these patterns came out in English, and I also published them on Ravelry.

Advent 2024, the present. 2024 is the year designing got to me. Not only for Advent: I published a few more patterns and discovered designing is something I really love. The process itself AND seeing lots of knitters enjoying my patterns! I wanted to make something extra special for this fifth year of launching an Advent Pattern.

2025 and beyond, the future. Besides teaching, designing will be one of my top priority’s! I want to expand my skills, let my creativity flow and see where it brings me. I hope you will keep joining me on this journey!
It’s not a coincidence A Christmas Carol is the most famous Christmas story of all times. By visiting his past and looking at the present with some distance, Scrooge can make up his mind about the future: does he want the future as shown to him? Or will he make some slight changes to get a better and happier life? It’s what we all do at the end of another year: looking back, thinking about the present and deciding if we want to make some New Year’s resolutions to create a better future.

When knitting your left over sock yarns (from the past) and your (Advent) mini’s (from the present) into this blanket, in the future you’ll have a nice and warm blanket that will always remind you of the fact that you can always look at the past, explore the present and make some changes when needed if you would like to change something for the future.

Whatever the future holds: just keep on knitting :-)

Notes:

• The pattern is written for a blanket size appr. 85 x 130 cm. You can easily make a bigger (or smaller) size by adding (or distracting) a multiple of 15 stitches. Please note you’ll need more (or less) yarn when making a different size.
• Pattern contains some helpful video links. Videos are in Dutch; use the English subtitles YouTube provides, when needed.
• add a stitch marker at the beginning of row 1 if you want to make sure when you are at the Right Side or the Wrong Side of your work.

Yarn:
Appr. 480 grams (1920 meters) of leftover (and/or mini skeins) fingering weight sock yarn. Please keep in mind that, for example, having a different gauge and/or adding or distracting stitches, will all have an effect on how much yarn is needed in the end.
If you want to have the option to wash your blanket in the washing machine, only use superwash sock yarn.

Needles:
2.75 mm (or size needed to obtain gauge), 100 (or 120) cm circular needle.

Notions:

• 1 stitch marker or progress keeper, if you find it easier to keep track of what is the Right Side and the Wrong Side of your blanket.
• tapestry needle for weaving in your ends
• wool wash for washing & blocking

Gauge:
33 sts & 38 rows (19 ridges) in pattern = 10 cm / 4” after blocking. Gauge isn’t too important, make sure you like the drape of the fabric. If gauge is off, you’ll need more/less yarn.

Size:
One size, customizable.