Noro Log Cabin Afghan

Noro Log Cabin Afghan by Pam Grushkin

Project Overview

The Noro Log Cabin Afghan is a beginner-friendly knitted blanket and throw designed by Pam Grushkin. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished piece measuring 38 inches wide by 50 inches tall (96.5cm x 127cm), making it an ideal size for draping over furniture or snuggling under while relaxing.

What Is Being Made

This project produces a classic log cabin-style afghan constructed from individual knitted squares that are assembled together and finished with a coordinating border. The log cabin technique is a traditional patchwork method adapted for knitting, where squares are built by knitting sections that spiral outward from a center point, creating the characteristic geometric pattern associated with log cabin designs. The finished afghan combines twelve squares into a cohesive throw blanket.

Construction Technique and Method

The afghan is constructed using a modular square approach, where each of the twelve squares is knitted individually before being joined together. This method offers several advantages for knitters: it allows for portable, manageable projects since each square can be worked on separately, and it accommodates the unique color variations inherent in the yarn choices. The log cabin construction technique involves knitting sections that build outward in a spiral pattern, creating depth and visual interest within each square. After all twelve squares are completed, they are assembled and a border is added around the entire piece to frame and finish the design.

Stitches Used

The pattern primarily utilizes fundamental knitting stitches appropriate for beginner-level crafters. The border is worked in garter stitch, which is one of the most basic and fundamental knitting stitches, created by knitting every row. Garter stitch produces a reversible, textured fabric with horizontal ridges and is an excellent choice for borders because it lies flat and provides a clean, finished edge. The specific stitch patterns used within the log cabin squares themselves follow the modular construction method inherent to this classic design.

Materials: Yarn

The afghan requires eleven skeins of yarn for the squares, with options for using Noro Silk Garden or Noro Kureyon in aran weight, or a combination of both yarns. Each skein produces one complete square with leftover yardage that contributes to square number twelve, minimizing waste. Noro Silk Garden is a luxurious blend of 45% silk, 45% mohair, and 10% wool, with each skein containing 109 yards. Noro Kureyon is a 100% wool aran weight yarn, also providing 109 yards per skein. Both yarns are hand-dyed, meaning colors and dyelots vary between skeins, ensuring that no two skeins are identical—a characteristic that enhances the visual appeal of the finished log cabin afghan by creating organic color variation throughout the piece.

The specific colors used in the pattern include Silk Garden shades 301, 355, 326, and 333, along with Kureyon shades 188, 8, 263, 84, 327, 391, and 279. The border requires approximately 956 yards of heavy worsted or aran weight 100% wool yarn, shown in black in the pattern photographs, which provides a grounding frame for the colorful squares.

Materials: Needles and Notions

The pattern calls for circular needles in multiple sizes to accommodate the growing width of the project as the border is added. Specifically, crafters will need US size 8 (5mm) needles in a 24-inch (60cm) length for working the initial squares, US size 9 (5.5mm) needles in a 32-inch (80cm) length, and US size 9 (5.5mm) needles in a 40-inch (100cm) length for the border sections. Circular needles are recommended to accommodate the large number of stitches as the project grows. Additional notions include point protectors to secure stitches when not actively working, locking stitch markers for tracking pattern sections, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and assembling the squares.

Gauge and Sizing

Proper gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions. The pattern specifies that Section #1 of a square, when worked with the smaller needles and Silk Garden or Kureyon yarn, should measure 3.5 inches wide by 4 inches tall. This first section serves as the gauge swatch, allowing knitters to verify their tension before committing to the entire project. For the border worked with the larger needles and border yarn in garter stitch, the gauge is 15 stitches and 14 rows per 4 inches in width. Knitters are advised to adjust needle sizes as needed to achieve these specified gauges, ensuring the finished afghan meets the intended 38" x 50" dimensions.