Bergamot Blanket in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Bulky - 929 - Downloadable PDF

Bergamot Blanket – Knitting Pattern #929 by Julie Turjoman in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Bulky

The Bergamot Blanket, pattern #929 designed by Julie Turjoman, is a beautifully textured knitted blanket available in two sizes: a Baby Blanket measuring 29" x 30" and a larger Lap Throw measuring 48½" x 67½". The generous sizing options make this a versatile project — the smaller version is a cherished gift for a new arrival, while the larger version is described as a fantastic wedding or housewarming gift. Both sizes are crafted with the same highly textured cable pattern, giving the finished piece a truly heirloom quality.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a knitted blanket with a rich, dimensional surface texture created through an intricate cable design. The finished fabric is dense, structured, and visually striking — qualities that elevate it well beyond a simple beginner project. Because the yarn used is machine washable, the blanket is designed not only for display but for everyday practical use, making it especially suitable as a baby blanket that can withstand repeated laundering over many years.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The blanket is worked from the bottom edge upward, giving the knitter a clear sense of progress as the piece grows row by row.
• Worked flat: The blanket is knitted flat on circular needles, meaning stitches are worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round. Circular needles are used to accommodate the large number of stitches comfortably.
• Cables: The defining technique of this pattern, cables are created by temporarily placing stitches onto a cable needle and crossing them over one another before knitting. This produces the raised, twisted rope-like columns that give the Bergamot Blanket its highly textured, heirloom appearance. Working cables at a chunky yarn weight makes the crossings bold and visually impactful.
• Lace: Lace elements are incorporated alongside the cable work, adding an openwork, airy contrast to the dense cable sections. Lace knitting typically involves intentional yarn-overs paired with decreases to create decorative holes in the fabric, lending the blanket a delicate, elegant quality that balances the weight of the cables.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The overall fabric is built on a combination stitch pattern that blends cable crossings and lace elements. Gauge is measured in stitch pattern, blocked, at 15 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches, which underscores the importance of blocking the finished piece to open up the lace and set the cables. Stitch markers are recommended to help track pattern repeats across the wide blanket, particularly useful when managing both cable and lace sections simultaneously.

Materials

• Yarn: Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Bulky — a 100% Superwash Merino Wool yarn, sold in 100g / 109-yard skeins. The sample is shown in Color 16 Misty Lilac. The pattern calls for 8 skeins for the Baby Blanket size and 30 skeins for the Lap Throw size. The Superwash treatment means the finished blanket is machine washable — a critical practical feature for a baby blanket or a gift item.
• Needles: US size 10 (6.00 mm) 40-inch circular needles, or the size needed to achieve gauge. The long circular needle is necessary to hold the full width of stitches when working the blanket flat.
• Additional materials: Stitch markers, a cable needle, and a tapestry needle for finishing.

Difficulty and Ideal Knitter

This pattern is rated Intermediate in skill level. Knitters should be comfortable with reading multi-row cable charts or written cable instructions, working yarn-overs and lace decreases, and managing stitch markers across a wide flat project. The pattern is described as a project that "challenges any knitter to hone her skills," making it