Tír Chonaillbmc

tír chonaillbmc

KATE DAVIES

This richly coloured wrap or blanket was inspired by medieval tapestries. Tír Chonaill was the name of the last independent Gaelic sovereignty in Ireland: a kingdom which, until the Flight of the Earls in 1607, covered most of what later became County Donegal. ©Kate Davies • katedaviesdesigns.com 1 tír chonaill

GAUGE STRANDED COLOURWORK On 5mm needles, 17 sts and 20 rounds to 4” over Strand the yarn not in use loosely across the back of the stockinette in-the-round. work. This is a pattern in which the non-working yarn is never carried over a long distance, making it easy for you to maintain an even tension. SIZE

When blocked, approximately 34” x 36” (86 x STEEKS 92cm) This blanket uses a steek (a small bridges of stitches worked additionally to the main pattern) to enable you to MATERIALS complete your colourwork in the round. If new to steeks, you may wish to read my tutorials on this topic. Go to Donegal Yarns “Soft Donegal” (100g / 207 yards) http://katedaviesdesigns.com/tutorials and follow the in following shades: 5207 (MC) (400 yards) 5202 links to the steek tutorials. (CC1) (350 yards); 5231 (CC2) (110 yards); 5238 (CC3) (207 yards). 2 x 5mm (UK 7/US 7) circular needles, 60cm PROVISIONAL CAST-ON (20”) long. 2 x 5mm (UK 7/US 7) circular needles, 100cm (40”) long. Strong sock yarn for Use your preferred method to cast on provisionally with working crocheted reinforcement. 3mm (UK 11/ waste yarn. I like the crocheted method, demonstrated US C/2-D/3) crochet hook. 5.5mm (UK 5/US here by Lucy Neatby: http://www.youtube.com/watch? 9) needle for i-cord b/o. Tapestry needle. v=R3J-sUx_whE

ABBREVIATIONS I-CORD BIND OFF

k = knit c/o 3 stitches using cable cast- on. *Knit 2, k2tog tbl. Slip p = purl 3 stitches from rh needle to lh needle. Pull the working c/o = cast on yarn across the back * Repeat from * to *. At final 3 sts, finish by k1, k2tog tbl, slip 2 sts to left hand needle, b/o = bind off k2tog, pull yarn through. lh = left hand rh = right hand puk = pick up and knit pu = pick up (without knitting) pma (b) = place marker a (b) sma (b) = slip marker a (b) sts = stitches ssk = slip, slip, knit (slip two stitches knitwise one at a time, knit two slipped stitches together through back of loop) k2tog = knit two stitches together k2togtbl = knit two stitches together through the back loops m1 = make one (increase by lifting the strand between stitches from front to back and knit through the back of this loop) rs = right side ws= wrong side

INSTRUCTIONS tír chonaill

1.Cast on, set up steek and chart. 7. Pick up sts for ws of steek sandwich. Using your preferred provisional cast-on method, with Turn the work to the ws. 5mm needles (60cm/20” long) and waste yarn, Take a look at the reverse of the steek. provisionally c/o 149 sts, pm, and join for working in You will see the back ‘loops’ of the CC1 stitches you the round. picked up from the rs running up behind the steek. Join in MC, k5 sts pm, k to end of round (the first 5 When picking up sts from the steek edges, you will simply sts of each round are the steek). lift these CC1 loops and place them onto your needle. At beginning of next round, join in CC1, and reading When picking up sts from the top and bottom edges, you from right to left, work first 5 sts from row 1 of chart, will carefully lift the MC purl bumps from the back edge slm, repeat marked section from row 1 of chart 6 times of the work and place them onto your needle. in total. Now, taking another set of 5mm circular needles (100cm/ Position of steek (first 5 sts) and chart are now set up. 40” long), pu (without knitting) 144 sts along blanket 2. Knit blanket body. bottom pm; pu 126 sts up right blanket edge pm, pu 144 Continue as set, working from chart until 7 full repeats sts across blanket top, pm, pu 126 sts down left blanket of chart are complete (168 rows in chart pattern). edge, pm (for start of round). 540 sts. Work 1 round with MC. 6. Work ws of sandwich. 3. Prepare steek. K one full round with CC1. With MC, b/o 5 steek sts. Leave remaining 144 sts on A: On next round, sm, k1, m1, *k to last st before next circular needle. marker, m1, k1, sm, k1, m1* repeat from * to * twice more. K to last st before start-of-round marker, m1, k1. Return to your provisional cast-on, removing waste yarn and placing 149 sts on spare 5mm circular needle. B: K 1 round without increases. With MC, b/o 5 steek sts. 144 sts remain on circular Repeat steps A and B once. 556 sts. needle. 7. Make sandwich. 4. Reinforce and cut steek. You now have two sets of 556 sts running parallel to one Using the crocheted method, reinforce your steek on another. “Front” needle holds the rs sts, “back” needle either side of the centre MC stitch. holds the ws sts. Carefully cut steek. Working from the rs, with CC1, knit together 1 st from front and 1 st from back needle. Give the reverse side of the blanket a quick steam with iron on wool setting, to allow the stitches to relax. Do the same for all remaining sts. You have now made your sandwich and have one set of 5. Pick up sts for rs of steek sandwich. 556 sts remaining. Working from the rs, with 5mm circular needle (100cm/40” long) and CC1, picking up sts in the first 8. Finish sandwich. MC st of steek, puk 126 sts up left blanket edge, pm, k B/o all sts using 5.5mm needle and i-cord bind-off. Neatly 144 sts across blanket top, pm, puk 126 sts down right join end of bind-off to beginning of round, fastening off blanket edge, pm, k144 sts across blanket bottom, pm end to inside of sandwich. (for start of round). 540 sts 9. Finishing. 6. Work rs of sandwich. Weave in all ends to the back of the work. Soak blanket in A: On next round, sm, k1, m1, *k to last st before next cool water and wool-wash for 20 minutes to allow the sts marker, m1, k1, sm, k1, m1* repeat from * to * twice. K to relax and bloom. Remove excess water by spinning to last st before start-of-round marker, m1, k1. blanket in machine on light-spin setting. Pin out blanket B: K 1 round without increases. to correct dimensions, paying particular attention to corners, ensuring steek edge lies flat within sandwich. Repeat steps A and B once. 556 sts. Allow to dry fully before unpinning. Keep these rs sts live on needles.

Designed by and ©Kate Davies Test knitting by Melanie Ireland Tech editing by Jen Arnall-Culliford Photography by Tom Barr

© Copyright agreement: This pattern is the property of Kate Davies Designs. It is copyrighted, and is for personal non-commercial use only. You may not sell, reproduce or©Kate otherwise Davies distribute • katedaviesdesigns.com these instructions or charts. Nor may you sell any items made from 4 this pattern. If you find an error, please email [email protected]. Thankyou, and enjoy your tír chonaill