When I describe myself as a knitter, I always use the word “stashless”. This is true – I never, ever buy yarn unless I plan to cast-on with it right away, knowing exactly what I’m going to make. I have ZERO stash.
That doesn’t mean that I don’t have a “yarn closet” full of yarn. Oh, boy. I have little bits of leftover yarns from decades of projects. I’m able to use up some of these leftovers in the sample bits I knit up for demonstration in the videos, but I love it when I can sink my teeth into a great use of leftover yarns.
So here we have the Log Cabin Scrap Blanket. Log Cabin is a traditional quilting technique that has been adapted over the years into both knitting and crochet. This one is knit.
This pattern is a FREE RAVELRY DOWNLOAD, and includes links to a six-part video tutorial. The video is also at the bottom of this post.
Size: approx 47” by 63”
Needles: size 7 US (4.5mm), circulars or straights
Yarn: Use up your leftover worsted yarn bits! For best results, stick with one fiber type for the whole blanket. Either animal (wool, alpaca, angora, etc.); cellulose (cotton, linen, bamboo, etc.); or acrylic. You’ll also want to stick with one weight of yarn. If you choose to pick a border color as I did (in black), you’ll need an additional 1100 yards of yarn for the size I indicate above.
Additional Materials: tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming, and clippie markers are always helpful
Gauge: 5 stitches per inch in garter stitch
Frequently Asked Questions on this pattern can be found here.
Be sure to check out my other video tutorials.
My goodness but that is beautiful. I’ve made dozens of log cabin quilts but never imagined a knitted log cabin would be so successful. Good for you!
I remember asking you that question years ago – I couldn’t understand how you couldn’t have one semi-used skein of yarn around the house with all that knitting! Still you are a rare breed to be able to do that! And as always Staci, your knitting is incredible. You colour choices are perfect too. What a beautiful, beautiful piece! Thanks for inspiring us as always.
Hello Staci,
this is absolutely gorgeous! Ive been a knitter for over 40 years now and I’m still able to learn from other knitters all over the world.
In my living room I keep an ufo-patchwork-blanket which I startet in the 80’s. It’s a double-layerversion and nearing completion.
Immediatetely after downloading Your pattern I sent the link to Your page to my two young colleages who started knitting only one year ago. They both plan to knit blankets as they experienced the need for such a thing when we had our recent clubmeeting and the central heating didn`t work properly due to technical failure. They enjoyd the cosyness of my Xtralarge handknitted blanket and a lovely cup of tea.
Please go on with that work of Your’s FOREVER!
Renate from Germany
It’s so, so lovely! I’ll be hoarding my worsted scraps for some time to come!
I’m so happy circle to see this one! Thank you so much, Staci! I can’t wait to start this one.
I apologize for the mess up in my previous post. I am working and was talking on the phone and I typed what I was saying (circle). ROTFL
This is soooooo beautiful ! I have never seen such great work. Perfect color combo and perfection in art.
Wow . I wish you would be here inAtlanta so I could come to your classes and learn from the knitting super star.
Hi staci, lovly work as usual. I want to start my own blanket but just have one question. I have many oddments of yarn but all different types, DK, chunky and Aran. Would the principle of the blanket still work but just create more texture? I know it should all be the same type of yarn but I want to use up my oddment draw haha x
Jay – you can use different weights of yarn for this blanket, but likely your results will be very different from mine. Unless you check gauge for each weight and adjust your needle size, your gauge will be off, and your blocks won’t really be square.
My advice – use up the worsted leftovers you have now, and just take your time with this blanket. You’ll create more worsted leftovers as time goes by, and you can use those!
S t a c i
Staci, Beautiful work as usual..
What is the size of the individual squares?
I LOVE the idea of making this blanket over the years… using up scraps as you accumulate them. What a cool way to remember projects. And what generosity to offer the pattern AND videos…all for free! Thanks!!
What size are the finish blocks?
Hi staci,
What an amazing piece of work. Very new to knitting and l just finished my first scarf, so pleased with myself. My goodness me your work is just out of this world. The colour combination is so beautiful. I so want to try and have a go to knit this cabin blanket hopefully with your step by step tutorial l will get it !!! We need a few Staci’s here in the uk…..)))
Thank you for sharing your beautiful talent to many and it’s all for free!
Mel
The finished blocks are 13″ square. That is before the borders are knit. If you include the borders, they vary a bit in size based on where they’re placed in the finished blanket.
Where are the pink strips?!
(Oops! My comment posted before I was finished)
I love the concept of this blanket and I’m sure that I have enough remnants of worsted weight wool (I never throw any of it away) to get a serious start on this someday. I already downloaded the pattern. Thanks for another great pattern
You’re so generous with your patterns and videos – thanks, Staci.
No stash? Incredible! Thanks for the pattern to this heirloom of a blanket.
What a beautiful blanket. I just wanted to let you know that you are the best knitting teacher ever. Thank you so much for all the knitting wisdom you provide to your students on the web.
Love this, Staci! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this free of charge. I know exactly which bin to start my plan of attack for this project. And I plan to make this for my adult son and his fiance – Yeah!!
Warm regards from Denver!
Thank you so much Staci for such a lovely pattern. It is a perfect project for me to take into hospital whilst recovering from my next operation x
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing the pattern.
I’m not sure I have enough worsted for a whole blanket, but
I’m gonna make a pillow for sure.
I want to make one!!!
We have a lot of waste yarn.
I watched this tutorial with my 9 year old daughter. We’re working on teaching her to knit. She sat next to me, enthralled with you, and went so far as to draw a picture of you doing your tutorial video, complete with the coffee cup (that is identical to some we have), and the quote “Weaving ends is fun”. Anne makes an appearance in her rendering as well.
I am impressed with this project, and was thinking that I could potentially do this with the all same variegated yarn for a blanket project I’ve had in mind for someone for a while now. I’ve been toying with ideas but have to finish this other big blanket project I started last year before I start another.
Thanks again for another inspiring tutorial.
thank you so much…!!may God bless you
Staci,
I came across this on Ravelry the other day, and just had to start a block right away. I do lots of charity knitting, and have bags (and bags) of leftover yarn just taking up space in my yarn closet. The quilt blocks will be perfect to knit individually to donate as cage mats for my local animal shelter. The quilt blocks are a lot more interesting than just knitting up a plain square or rectangle, which is what I was planning to do. Thanks so much for posting the pattern and inspiring me. Even as an intermediate knitter, I love watching your videos to learn something new.
Staci – I love your tutorials. I especially love how inclusive and accessible you make knitting seem; as the one and only knitter in my circle, youtube has been invaluable in teaching me skills, and your tutorials, which are so clear and well explained have helped me progress in my skills.
This is a brilliant project I can’t wait to start – my only question is, as I am Australian and I haven’t seen this term (we use ply number instead I think), what is the general definition of worsted wool? I have found many differing definitions and am slightly confused as to the meaning.
Again, pure novice so please excuse the noob question. Thanks.
do you have a pattern that is all in one . I don’t really want to sew them together. I have seen some but they are to modern. lol lol.
Hi Joan – you can just make one huge log cabin block by continuing past the 8 strips I demonstrate. That would be the only way to get a similar effect without seaming.
Hope that helps!
I’m making a log cabin dish towel using cotton scraps left over from making the dishcloths in your other tutorial. It’s coming out so cute, I’m going to continue making more! With Sugar N Cream left overs on size 7 needles, I started out with a 10 stitches by 10 ridges square and followed the same pattern. Adorable! I’m going to either finish around the raw edges with single chain crochet or maybe knit an icord border. Anyone have any other ideas?
Staci! I love you’r patterns. I live in Brazil, now is very hot in here…we are in summer. But I love knits and I knit in summer too! Kisses for you. I like, I love you’r site. Bye!!!
How did u make to colors ‘cooperate’ in the blanket? I’m afraid my blanket isn’t going to come out so pretty . Is there a way to make it where to colors don’t clash so much?
Hi Lucas – I’m not sure what to tell you here! I just used the leftovers that I had, and I was careful to keep from putting super-clashy colors next to each other (no reds next to oranges, etc.). My first thought is that you might be thinking it’s worse than it is. Take a look here on Ravelry at some of the projects that are coming together for this pattern. No one is “matching”, but they’re all looking really cool!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/learn-to-knit-a-log-cabin-blanket/people
S t a c i
Staci, when you are knitting the log cabin blanket, is it alright to weave in ends as you go?
Staci,
Thank you so very much for sharing your love and knowledge of knitting. I discovered your Log Cabin Scrap Blanket and Entrelac videos yesterday and I have to say I’M HOOKED! I am online now looking for the Noro Silk Garden yarn recommended for the scarf and I promise to no longer have a yarn stash. Thanks again and I will be shopping your website in the future.
Mae
I love the Log Cabin Quilt. I sell yarn by mail order so have a good supply to choose from. I find your videos the best by far. So easy to follow and understand. Thank you so much.
I watched your video and was fascinated. I love to try various knitting techniques. I have a huge stash of leftovers of all colours. I’ve just started a Log Cabin Quilt in acrylic DK yarn. Although wool and wool mixtures are popular now I like good quality acrylics, especially for things that have to be laundered frequently. This first Log Cabin Quilt will probably be a small one and a blanket for one of my pets, hence the frequent laundering. Next time I’ll be more ambitious.
Found this through a friend on a thread. My teen daughter is having a blast working on this, and learning some new techniques as she goes. I’m teaching her how do pick up the stitches, and she’ll be a pro by time she hits her second block! What a fun summer project! Thanks so much for putting this up! =)
Staci, your tutorials are THE BEST ever!!!!! I’m going to start the Log Cabin, and instead of making blocks, think I will just keep turning and knitting and see how it does. It won’t be as beautiful as yours with the black borders making a kind of stained glass look, but hope my colors will make it pretty in a different way!
Thank you soooooooo much! You are an exceptional teacher.
Hugs,
Sara
I love your tutorials!!!
I love, love, love your tutorials
?ahane bir model, te?ekkürler ve sevgiler.
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful afghan.
I love this quilt . I have just learn to knit just a few months ago. I just to quilt with fabric . Now I can put both together. Thank you for showing us this quilt . thank you for the step by step instructions. I have learn alot from this . You have answer lot of question for me.
I am enjoying knitting this lovely quilt.thank you so much for giving and sharing. I feel privileged to have found you!
Thank you, marylin x x x
Hi Staci, I really love this knitted quilt . I am a fairly new knitter about 2 yrs. I just finished my first block I am so proud I coul d almost wear it ha! I did have some trouble picking up stitches but finally after watching you a million times my stitches look professional! My only problem is weaving and seaming, but I will refer back to your video. One question , do I block my squares every time after I have finished them? Thanks a bunch . You are a wonderful teacher.
Debbie Miller
Good job, Debbie! You will find answers to many questions about this blanket (including your blocking question) on my Log Blanket FAQ page here: https://verypink.com/2012/06/10/log-cabin-blanket-faq/
HOLA STACY GRACIAS POR COMPARTIR ESTE MARAVILLOSO VIDEO DE LA COBIJA. TU PAGINA ES MI FAVORITA, ESTOY POR TERMINARLA Y ME ENCANTA. SORRY IM NO SPEAK ENGLISH.
Thank you so much for this tutorial. Not only is this an awesome pattern but I have always had a problem with picking up stitches and this is THE BEST tutorial explaining how to accomplish it. Thank you again.
Hi Staci!
I am knitting my very first block of this pattern, I am using worsted wool leftovers or skeins I never made use of. I just notice that one of them is a wool/acrylic blend. The weight seems the same, but do you think the blend will have an adverse affect? Maybe with washing? I would hate to yank it all out now.
Thanks for any input.
Donna