SO HERE WE ARE, IN THE TENTH AND FINAL MONTH OF THIS YEAR’S MYSTERY BLANKET CLUB! And just before we set off on the last lot of news about the Club, here is a quick update on Seth, who last month found his legs, which means he is now EVERYWHERE and into everything – keeping mummy extra busy!!! Here he is at the park where he discovered the slide and the rocking horse at the weekend. He was very wary about them, but I am sure that after a few more trips to the park he will soon be whizzing around on all those wonderful things in the playground!

And so…. now on with this month’s news on the final instalment.The last set of patterns were emailed to you a few days ago, so hopefully many of you are getting on well with the final four squares and the edging. The printed patterns have been posted to all the members that opted for them, with the overseas patterns mailed ahead of the UK ones, so hopefully you will all receive them very soon. As well as the last four squares to knit up, there are step-by-step instructions in this mail-out about how to sew together your squares (or strips), and then how to knit the edgings to complete your blanket. In my monthly blogs I have written about how to sew up and pick up stitches several times during the last nine months, however I have decided to include this information again in this final blog as it is something that is always asked for – particularly at this point when the blanket is nearing completion. Hopefully my tips and advice will help you sail successfully through the finishing process so that you continue to enjoy making your project right through to the end!

THESE ARE THE SQUARES THAT YOU WILL KNIT IN THE FINAL MONTH:

Square 25, Option One: The Icing On The Cake! – intarsia motifs with beads, swiss-darning and chain stitch details

Square 25, Option Two: The Icing On The Cake! – striped pattern with beads and reverse stitches

Square 26: La Belle France 4  – lace pattern with beads and reverse stitch details

Square 27, Option One: Tarte – intarsia motif with beads, a bobble, swiss-darning and chain stitch details

Square 27, Option Two: Cake Mix –  striped basketweave pattern

Square 28: Wistful Again – striped pattern

AN ERROR HAS BEEN REPORTED IN SQUARE 25, THE ICING ON THE CAKE!, OPTION TWO – Rows 17-18 should read: using Greengage yarn, knit 1 row, purl 1 row. This will create two rows in stocking stitch. Huge apologies for this error, and I hope that it hasn’t inconvenienced any of the members.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS AN ERROR WITH THE TITLE OF SQUARE 27, OPTION TWO – it is called “Cake Mix”, however, on the Contents list (second page of the mail-out), it has been titled “Tarte.”

THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS OFFERED ON THE CENTRE SQUARE, NUMBER 25, and you can choose to knit either one – regardless of which option you have knitted for the rest of the squares – as both of them will work with all the other squares in the blanket. You just have to decide whether you want to take on a final intarsia challenge, or opt for the easier to knit stripe – it’s up to you!!!

THERE IS ONE PATTERN FOR THE EDGING THIS YEAR, however, on Rows 7 and 8 you can choose between using either Sugar or Lipstick. If you use Sugar then the edging will have a softer look to it, and if you go for Lipstick then it will look brighter and more vibrant. I like both options – that’s why I decided to give you the choice. You can see in the middle photograph on the “Working The Edging” page the two different options. The one of the left uses Sugar and the one on the right uses Lipstick.

IT IS ALWAYS A REAL TREAT FOR ME TO SEE THE MEMBER’S MYSTERY BLANKETS COMPLETED, so if you would like to send me a photo and a few words about your 2016 Mystery Blanket, then I will create a gallery page on my blog in December so that you can share your blanket with the other members. Send your pics directly to me at debbie@debbieabrahams.com and then don’t forget to come back here in December to the blog to see all of your wonderful creations!

NOW FOR SOME REVISION ON FINISHING TECHNIQUES, BEGINNING WITH MATTRESS STITCH FOR SEWING UP. You can use any method you like to join your squares and/or strips together. However, there are several reasons why I prefer to use Mattress stitch. It is a very precise technique which draws the knitted fabric together row by row, so you can match up patterns exactly. You work with the right-side of the work facing towards you, so at all times you can see how the seam is progressing. And if you do happen to go wrong, it is very easy to undo. So this is how it works. First of all you need to look very closely at your knitting and identify the edge stitch. In stocking stitch this is an open “V”. Then you need to find the bar between the edge stitch and the next stitch in – there is one for each row (stitch). It is these bars, between the edge stitch and the next stitch in, that you need to insert your needle under to sew up. These bars exist in every piece of knitting, even in textured knitting. So you need to get yourself familiar with them and where they are as they are essential if you want to use Mattress stitch. Once you have identified these bars, you can start sewing up as follows using a blunt-ended needle:

• Vertical (to sew together your strips): before you start sewing the strips together, it will really help you if you create a 49 x 49 square grid and write onto it the nunber of rows in each square. Then you will be able to work out where you need to ease in rows if one square has more rows in it than another. I found this a massive help when I sewed together my strips. This is how Mattress stitch works vertically: with right sides facing and with two strips sitting next to each other, take the needle from the back to the front of the work under two bars at a time, inserting the needle under the bar between the edge stitch and the next stitch in. To keep the edges level at the bottom, begin by taking the needle under the first bar of the first square (the one on the left), then take the needle under the first bar and the next one up (two bars) of the second square (the one on the right). After this take the needle under two bars on each side, zig-zagging back and forth between the two strips, and making sure that your needle always goes back into the same gap between the bars each time you take it under the bars.
• Horizontal (if you have not worked in strips and need to sew the squares together): with right sides facing, lay the squares flat with square one at the bottom and square two above square one (and so on throughout the strip). Beginning at the right-hand side of the work, take the needle from back to front of work through half a stitch of square one, inserting the needle just below the cast-off edge. Then take the needle under one whole stitch of square two, inserting the needle just above the cast-on edge. After this continue to take the needle under one whole stitch on each square. This means that on square one the needle is always coming up through the middle of stitches and on square two the needle is coming up between the stitches.

AND NOW FOR SOME TIPS ON PICKING UP STITCHES (for the edging)…a technique that many of you may be dreading, but in fact, it is very simple. As with sewing up, there are several ways that you can pick up stitches. However, I always prefer to pick up through the middle of stitches (rather than through the cast-on or cast-off edges) as this gives a cleaner look to the front-side of the work. Plus the picked up edge tends to retain it’s elasticity, thus helping the knitted border to lay nice and flat. This is how I pick up stitches:

• Along a vertical (side) edge: the basic rule to follow here is to pick up 3 out of 4 stitches. I have already told you in the pattern instructions how many stitches you need to pick up, so you must achieve this number. So, with the right-side of the work facing, take the needle through the first gap between the bars (in the same place between the stitches that you inserted your needle for Mattress stitch, ie, between the edge stitch and the next stitch in). Loop the yarn around the needle and pull the new stitch through. Repeat this for the second and third gaps between the bars, then skip over the fourth gap. Continue to pick up in this way, remembering to check the number of stitches as you go and adjust the picking up if necessary to get the correct amount picked up along the edge of each square.

Along a horizontal edge (cast-on/cast-off edge): the basic rule to follow here is to pick up every stitch. So, with the right-side of the work facing, take the needle through the middle of the stitch just below the cast-off edge/above the cast-on edge. Loop the yarn around the needle and pull the new stitch through. Repeat this all the way along the edge, making sure that you pick up the correct number of stitches along the edge of each squar

It is extremely difficult to describe a technique without any images or visuals. So if you are still puzzling over how these techniques work, you could look it up on YouTube where there are several very good demos that show you Mattress stitch and picking up stitches.

ANNE-SOFIE STENSTADVOLD FROM SANDVIKA IN NORWAY SENT ME THESE AMAZING PHOTOS WHICH I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU.  It’s the 2015 design, Perugian Perspectives, but as you’ve never seen it before… Anne-Sofie has re-created the whole blanket design in patchwork, which I thought was truly amazing!

This is what she had to say about it:

“The 2015 blanket inspired me to make a similar quilt for myself! Hope you don’t mind! I will keep that blanket with its “copy” for myself, the rest have gone to grandchildren, trying to match their personalities! A friend did the back piece, using all the scraps. She also quilted it on her longarm machine. I love it! Quite crazy and a bit!”

I had the pleasure of meeting Anne-Sofie on a knitting cruise to Norway a few years ago, and I realised then what a very talented lady she is. She has created a truly amazing piece of art inspired by my 2015 Mystery Blanket design, and I am sure it will be admired by everyone that sees it. Thanks for sharing your photos and story with us!

JOAN BRAY FROM LEICESTERSHIRE WAS THRILLED TO WIN A PRIZE FOR HER 2014 MYSTERY BLANKET, and here is a photo of her blanket and trophy to prove it!

Here is what Joan had to say about her winning Mystery Blanket:

“Just thought you might like to know that I have won the handicraft class at our village Horticultural Society show with the 2014 Back to the country blanket – thank you.  All I spoke to were very impressed and said it was beautiful!”

Well done Joan on making such a spendid job of the blanket. It is great news that all your efforts have been rewarded by a very much deserved prize. Let’s hope that you inspired many other people at the show to pick up their knitting needles and have a go!

MY MYSTERY BLANKET KNITTING HOLIDAY TO HELL BAY IN THE SCILLY ISLES NEXT MARCH SOLD OUT IN JUST UNDER SEVEN HOURS, so unfortunately there are no more places available on it. However, I have started a waiting list for the holiday in case of cancellations. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please email Sue at sue@debbieabrahams.com to let her know. And if a place does become available we will work our way through the list. Thank you everyone that booked onto it, we’ll have a fabulous time and I look forward very much to seeing you next March!

IF YOU MISSED OUT ON THE HELL BAY HOLIDAY… then you might be interested to know that I will be running a special Mystery Blanket workshop retreat, plus some one-day workshops at various locations around the UK. I am in the process of organising the dates and venues at the moment, but as soon as all the details are in place we will send you an email to let you know that they are launched and ready for you to book onto. These workshops will be in addition to the events that I will be running again next year with my good friend Jane Crowfoot. We will let you know as soon as our Inspired Minds workshop retreats are available as well, and then hopefully I will get to meet many of you at them next year!

YARN IN BEESTON, NOTTINGHAM ARE HOLDING THEIR FINAL MYSTERY BLANKET CLUB MEETING THIS MONTH, but it’s a later date than the usual first Wednesday of the month. The date has been set for Wednesday 26th October from 4 – 6pm. It would be lovely to see some of you there – with or without your completed blankets!!! – and I will be there to help you with any last queries you might have about the project. Mystery Cushion members are also very welcome to join us. Yarn is at 55 Chilwell Road, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1EN, tel: 0115 9253606, email: info@yarn-in-notts.co.uk.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2017 MYSTERY BLANKET ARE STILL OPEN, so if you have not yet signed up, you have limited time to get your application sorted as memberships are still selling every day. And if you sign up to the 2017 Mystery Blanket Club you will receive a discount on the the price of the 2017 Mystery Cushion Club. It’s easy to purchase your membership in the online shop on my website. And you can tailor your own package to suit you with various options for UK, Europe and World members. So if you have enjoyed being a member this year and want to continue with the fun next year, why not sign up today to secure your place. It would be great to have you back on board for another Mystery adventure!

I HAVE ONE LAST BIT OF EXCITING NEWS BEFORE ANNOUNCING THE FINAL MYSTERY BLANKET CLUB PRIZE DRAW WINNER… Soon to be available to all Mystery Blanket Club members – past and present! – is a fabulous limited edition commemorative calendar for 2017, which celebrates ten years of the Mystery Blanket Club with beautiful photos of all the past nine blanket designs. Printed in full colour across 28 pages, a photo for each month and room to make a few notes on the calendar grid below the photo, it makes the perfect gift to treat yourself to next year. It will be available to purchase in the online shop on my website in November, but I am taking pre-orders for it now. The cost of the calendar including postage and packing is £10.00 for UK customers, £13.50 for European members and £15.50 for Europe and the World. If you are interested in placing a pre-order for the calendar please contact Sue at sue@debbieabrahams.com. Calendars will be posted out as soon as they are ready to go in November!

AND FINALLY FOR THIS POSTING, THE TENTH AND FINAL 2016 MYSTERY BLANKET CLUB PRIZE DRAW!!! Each month a member is picked at random to win a Debbie Abrahams prize.
PRIZE DRAW TEN (OCTOBER): this month’s winner is member 475, Barbara Mathews from Nevada, USA. Well done Barbara! Please choose a prize from the following selection:
• a Debbie Abrahams book: Blankets and Throws to Knit/More Blankets and Throws To Knit/25 Cushions to Knit/25 Beaded Knits/ Kaleidoscope
• a Debbie Abrahams dvd: More Blankets/A Professional Finish
• 4 packs of Debbie Abrahams Beads from the selection on http://www.debbieabrahamsbeads.co.uk
• a £15 voucher towards a Debbie Abrahams Mystery Club (Cushion or Blanket)
I will contact Barbara directly to discuss her choice.

It might be worth checking previous blogs to see if you were a winner as some of the prizes have not yet been claimed. There is no time limit, so if you were a winner, drop me an email and I can sort out your prize for you so that you don’t miss out.

So here we are at the end of another Mystery Blanket Club. And as the Autumn nights begin to draw in, I can think of nothing better than settling down with some cosy knitting in preparation for the cold months ahead.  But it won’t be long before the excitement begins again in the new year, and I hope that many of you do decide to join me again. I am very excited about next year’s Club as there are so many extra things planned to celebrate my tenth anniversary, including the Hell Bay holiday, more weekend breaks and workshops, and some additional quizzes and games each month in my blog to keep you motivated with your knitting. I want to thank you for all your support and friendship this year, and I sincerely hope that you enjoy completing your 2016 Mystery Blanket! Debbie x