566 Mitchella Blanket - Knitting Pattern for Home in Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky

566 Mitchella Blanket – Knitting Pattern Summary

The 566 Mitchella Blanket is a knitted home décor pattern designed by Kirsten Hipsky and published under the Valley Yarns brand. It reimagines a classic, traditional knitted lace counterpane square with a fresh, modern aesthetic, achieved through the use of a bold, contemporary colorway worked in chunky-weight yarn. The result is a cozy, textured throw blanket that blends heirloom craft technique with approachable, beginner-friendly construction.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a knitted lace blanket constructed from multiple individual counterpane squares that are blocked separately and then seamed together at the end. A simple double crochet border is applied around the finished blanket to keep the edges flat and even. The blanket is available in three finished sizes:

• 36" x 48" (smallest size, as shown in the pattern)
• 48" x 48"
• 48" x 60"

Each individual counterpane square, when blocked, measures 12" square, making the modular construction easy to manage and ideal for blocking each piece to its best shape before assembly.

Design and Construction Techniques

The counterpane square is a centuries-old knitting tradition in which individual motifs are worked from the center outward, typically in the round, and then joined to form a larger textile such as a bedspread or blanket. Kirsten Hipsky gives this heritage technique a modern update by using chunky-weight yarn and a vibrant colorway, resulting in a piece that feels both nostalgic and contemporary.

Key construction techniques used in this pattern include:

• Worked in the round: Each counterpane square begins with a cast-on of 8 stitches distributed evenly across four double pointed needles. The square grows outward from the center with every even-numbered round increasing 8 stitches total — 2 stitches on each needle. A helpful formula is provided: after any given even round, the stitch count per needle equals the round number plus one. For example, after Round 24, each needle holds 25 stitches. Knitters may switch to circular needles once stitches become too crowded on the double pointed needles.
• Lace knitting: The squares feature traditional lace patterning worked through a series of yarn overs, decreases, and knit stitches that create an open, decorative texture. Lace rounds alternate with plain rounds, building a rhythmic and meditative knitting experience well-suited to beginners exploring lace for the first time.
• Seamed construction: Completed and blocked squares are sewn together at the end. The pattern notes that a 3-needle bind off could be used as an alternative joining method for those who prefer to join as they go, though seaming after individual blocking is recommended for best results.
• Crochet border: A simple double crochet border is worked around the assembled blanket using a crochet hook, adding a neat, stable edge finish without requiring advanced crochet skills.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern draws on a focused set of knitting and crochet stitches. Knitters working this pattern will use:

• Knit (k) — the foundational stitch throughout the squares
• Yarn over (yo) — used extensively to create the lace eyelets and to increase stitch count
• K2tog (knit 2 together) — a right-leaning decrease used in the lace pattern
• SSK (slip, slip, knit) — a left-leaning decrease that pairs with k2tog to create balanced lace shaping
• Sl1-k2tog-psso — a centered double decrease: slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 2 together, then pass the slipped stitch over; used for more dramatic shaping within the lace motif
• Double crochet (dc) and chain (ch) — used for the finishing border

Stitch markers are listed as optional materials and may