Tuck Baby Blanket

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(Click on photos to enlarge)

I’ve been wanting to use this tuck pattern for just ages and we have a new little member coming into our family soon so thought it’d be a good time to just do it.  And I got even more motivation from seeing several other versions on Ravelry lately.  

I made this on my KX350 midgauge with sport and DK weight yarns so it’s all manually manipulated tuck patterning.  The KX350 has 135 needles but I wanted it a bit wider than that would allow so I robbed a section from another machine and added it to the end which added an additional 43 needles.  This pattern can be done on any machine with any yarn and tension the machine likes but I already had the sport weight yarns on hand so I opted for the midgauge.  

Here’s the story:

Machine:  KX350 midgauge, extended bed by 1 section

Yarns:    Patons Astra, Peony Pink and Aqua, 2 skeins each

               Redheart Designer Sport, Blossom, 2 skeins

               Bernat Berella Sportspun, White, 5 skeins (including edging)

Tension 5

Approximate size:  45”L x 35”W

 

With background color, e-wrap CO 158 sts, or any number desired as long as the following needle selection is used. 

Carriage to N and knit 1 row to the left.  Hang weights evenly across.

Carriage to H to hold, change to a contrasting color and begin patterning:

Skip 6 stitches, pull 2 needles out to hold position.  Repeat this patterning across the bed.

               . . . . . . x x . . . . . . x x . . . . . .

RC000, knit 6 rows.  Take carriage off hold, change to background color and knit 2 rows.

NOTE:  Before you knit the first and second rows of background color after each set of tucks, visually check that the stitches beside the tucks have knit off properly.  6 rows of tucking might be a bit much for the machine, depending on the yarn used.  If they didn’t knit off properly, manually knit the errant stitches before proceeding with the next row.

For the next set of tucks, put the carriage back on hold, skip 2 needles and pull 2 needles out to hold position, skip 6 needles and pull 2 needles out to hold position.   Repeat this across the row.  With a contrasting color, knit 6 rows.  Take carriage off hold, change to background color and knit 2 rows.

               . . x x . . . . . . x x . . . . . . x x . .

Note that the two tucking needles will always be lined up with the center of the ‘bubble’ of the previous pattern set.   

Repeat this patterning sequence for 450 rows, or as desired, ending with 2 rows of background color and carriage on the left.

I did a backstitch bind off but use whichever bind off you prefer as long as it’s not tight.

I used a variation of Diana Sullivan's tuck scalloped foldover edging but you can use whatever border or edging you desire.  I liked this foldover edging because it encased the edge of yarn ends...that I neglected to weave in as I knit.  I will post my 'how I did that' too in another posting, soon.