#1343 Delta Chaste Blues - Placemats Knitting Pattern for Home in Valley Yarns Hawley

Delta Chaste Blues Placemats Knitting Pattern

Project Overview

The Delta Chaste Blues is a knitting pattern designed by Susan Baron for creating a set of two decorative placemats. This beginner-friendly home accessory project brings vibrant color and texture to your table setting. The finished placemats measure 16 inches wide by 14½ inches high, making them a practical yet stylish addition to any dining experience.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates two coordinating placemats suitable for everyday use or special occasions. The placemats are worked as flat pieces using mosaic colorwork techniques, which create visually striking patterns through strategic color placement and slipped stitches. The combination of two complementary colors—Sapphire and Sandstone—produces an attractive striped and mosaic design that enhances the natural texture of the yarn.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Mosaic Colorwork: A technique that uses slipped stitches to create intricate color patterns without managing multiple yarn colors simultaneously on every row, making it accessible for advanced beginners
• Slipped-Stitch Pattern: The primary stitch technique that builds the mosaic design while creating visual depth and interest
• Garter Stitch: Used in portions of the pattern, providing a textured, reversible fabric
• Stripes: Color changes are incorporated through stripe work, creating horizontal or directional pattern elements
• Flat Construction: Pieces are worked flat on circular needles rather than in the round, allowing for easier stitch management and color changes
• Yarn Carrying: The pattern employs the technique of carrying unused yarn colors up the sides of the work rather than cutting and rejoining, which maintains continuity and reduces finishing work

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern utilizes two primary stitch gauges. The slipped-stitch pattern, which forms the mosaic colorwork, achieves a gauge of 22 stitches and 36 rows over 4 inches when blocked. Garter stitch sections are worked at a gauge of 20 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches when blocked. These different gauges reflect the varying densities created by different stitch techniques within the same project.

Yarn and Materials

Yarn Fiber Content and Weight: The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Hawley, a DK-weight yarn composed of 50% cotton, 30% silk, and 20% nylon. This blend creates a slubbed texture that showcases mosaic colorwork beautifully while providing durability and a luxurious hand feel suitable for table linens.

Yarn Quantities: For both placemats, you will need 3 balls of Valley Yarns Hawley in Color A (Sapphire) and 2 balls in Color B (Sandstone). Each ball contains 50 grams and yields 135 yards, providing ample yardage for the complete two-placemat set.

Needles and Notions: The pattern requires US size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles in a 24-inch length, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. Additional materials include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and any finishing work.

Skill Level and Difficulty

Rated as Advanced Beginner, this pattern is suitable for knitters who have mastered basic knitting techniques and are ready to explore mosaic colorwork. The slipped-stitch technique simplifies color work by eliminating the need to manage multiple colors on every row, making it an excellent introduction to patterned knitting for those progressing beyond simple stockinette or garter stitch projects.