A vibrant, hand-knitted chevron fabric featuring a repeating zigzag pattern. The chevrons move upward in sharply angled rows, with each stripe blending smoothly into the next through a radiant rainbow spectrum. Starting from deep purples and blues at the bottom, the colors transition through magenta, hot pink, red, orange, yellow, and into teal and green near the top. The texture of the stitches is clearly visible, adding dimension and a tactile quality to the fabric. The yarn appears to be hand-dyed, creating rich gradients and tonal depth throughout the piece.

Mini Muse & Me

The Big Boy Blankie™ Mission: A SweetSpot of Love and Wool

While I was working on my Classic Wool SweetSpot blanket strips during a call with Amanda and Ace, the conversation took a delightful turn. Amanda mentioned that Ace needs a nap blanket for his new pre-school. He doesn’t have to sleep (good luck with that! lol), but he does need to lay down on his cot. Ace, of course, insisted on bringing his original Amma Blankie™ — but it’s much too big, and Amanda is understandably hesitant to risk something happening to it.

She’s been trying to convince him that a new blanket would be just fine, but Ace wasn’t having it. That’s when I jumped in: “I gotchu, Sweetie!”

During my time at Len’s Mill Store, I bought some bags of mill ends labeled as acrylic, but my Spidey senses said otherwise — and I trust my instincts. I was sure they were Classic Wool. Each bag was only $7.99 for 1lb/454g, and they’ve been waiting patiently in my stash. Two of the bags are a lovely teal variegate, and when I asked Ace if he thought they would make a good blanket, he agreed! It’s a growing-up-boy colour: no baby vibes, just sweet and playful.

A close-up of a hand holding a piece of Knit One Below (K1B) fabric in variegated yarn featuring shades of teal, turquoise, and creamy white. The stitch pattern creates a vertical ribbed texture with dramatic colour pooling, forming wave-like diagonal patterns. The swatch is still on the needles and rests on a plush grey background. A tattooed forearm holds the edge of the work.
This is Knit One Below, and it’s absolutely singing in this yarn. The planned pooling is creating soft, argyle diagonals that make my knitter’s heart very happy.

He needs the blanket in a month — Mission Accepted. With any luck, I’ll be heading out for a week during summer shutdown and can deliver it personally. I’ll even demonstrate the washing process to ensure the wool stays in perfect condition. Here’s to Ace’s Big Boy Blankie™ — and many cozy naps to come.

Sidebar Stitch Magic: A Quick Love Note to K1B

Planned pooling isn’t new to me, but every time it works, it feels like alchemy. The Knit One Below (K1B) stitch has become one of my favourite techniques for showing off the magic in variegated yarns. I finished the second strip for this small throw and I am enamoured of it.

A vibrant, hand-knit panel made with the Knit One Below (K1B) stitch lies flat on a white bedspread. The piece is divided into two vertical sections, each showcasing dramatic planned pooling in saturated, high-contrast variegated yarn. The left half features a blend of pink, purple, peach, and navy, forming diagonal bands. The right half displays fiery reds, greens, and oranges in more vertical, ladder-like pooling. In the background, a plush donut pillow rests on white pillows against a deep purple wall, with a bookshelf and textured abstract artwork completing the cozy, artistic setting.
One stitch. Infinite magic. ✨ This Knit One Below beauty shows how dramatically planned pooling can shift between skeins — same base, totally different vibes. The colourplay on this one makes my heart zing.

K1B has a visual softness that is similar to brioche, but it’s structurally simpler, and an effective way for letting the colour changes breathe. When you knit into the stitch below the one on your needle, you create vertical lines that add visual interest to the diagonal colour movement. It’s organic, meditative, and endlessly satisfying when those colours weave and tell their story.

Whether it ends up as a pillow cover, a wearable piece, or blanket to snuggle into, K1B is always a stitch worth celebrating.

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