Saga Blanket in Berroco Lanas Light - Downloadable PDF

Saga Blanket in Berroco Lanas Light – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Saga Blanket is a beautifully understated, large-scale knitted throw designed by Åsa Buchta and published by Berroco. Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a finished rectangle measuring approximately 40" × 56" (102 cm × 142 cm), not including the decorative fringe. The design draws its quiet sophistication from a two-color blocked and striped layout worked entirely in classic garter stitch, making it an ideal project for knitters who are comfortable with color changes and working with multiple yarn strands simultaneously.

What Is Being Made

The Saga Blanket is a generously sized rectangular throw, knitted from one short end to the other. Its visual interest comes from a carefully planned arrangement of color blocks and stripes using two coordinating shades of Berroco Lanas Light sport-weight yarn. The finished piece is completed with a knotted fringe along the edges, adding a tactile, artisanal finishing touch. The overall aesthetic is calm and Scandinavian-inspired, reflecting the sensibility of its designer, Åsa Buchta.

Construction Method

The blanket is worked flat on a 40" / 100 cm circular needle, knitting from one short end to the other in a single continuous rectangle. A key structural detail is that two strands of yarn are held together throughout the entire blanket, which gives the fabric extra body, warmth, and a pleasingly substantial drape despite the sport weight of the individual strands.

The two-color design is achieved using separate balls or yarn bobbins for each color section — yarn is never carried across the back of the work. This intarsia-style approach keeps the fabric clean and prevents puckering or distortion across the color boundaries. The pattern specifies the use of a removable stitch marker to assist with tracking sections during construction.

• Color 1 (C1) – Steel Cut Oats (#78102): 9 balls used; two strands of C1 are held together for each solid color block.
• Color 2 (C2) – Driftwood (#78130): 4 balls used; stripes are worked using either two strands of C2 or one strand each of C1 and C2 held together, creating a subtle tonal blending effect as described in the pattern diagram.

When changing colors, the pattern instructs knitters to hold yarn to the left and pick up the new color from underneath, a standard intarsia technique that prevents holes or gaps at color junctions. This detail is especially important for maintaining a tidy, professional finish across the blanket's color sections.

Techniques Used

• Intarsia color work – using separate yarn sources for each color section, with no yarn carried across
• Holding two strands together – throughout the entire project for added weight and warmth
• Color blending via strand mixing – one strand of C1 combined with one strand of C2 to create transitional stripe tones
• Blocking – the gauge and finished measurements are given after blocking, making this step essential for achieving the correct dimensions
• Fringe application – using a crochet hook to attach knotted fringe cut from C2

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch – the sole stitch pattern used throughout the entire blanket body; worked by knitting every row when working flat, garter stitch creates a squishy, reversible, ridged fabric that is ideal for blankets and throws
• Cast On – the blanket begins with a cast on of 28 stitches at the short end

Garter stitch is one of the most beginner-friendly stitch patterns in knitting, but when combined with two-color intarsia sections and the discipline of working with held double strands, it presents enough complexity to make this a genuinely satisfying intermediate-level project. The stitch pattern also has the practical advantage of lying flat naturally, reducing the need for aggressive blocking.

Materials

Yarn