Look for Happiness: A blanket knitting pattern inspired by happiness at home
Introducing my new blanket knitting pattern for worsted weight yarn: Look for Happiness.
This new blanket design is the lighter weight version of my popular Over the Rooftops blanket pattern for super bulky yarn. In the past few years, so many knitters have asked how to adapt the pattern for worsted weight yarn! Those requests led to this new blanket design. The appearance is the same… but all of the stitch counts are adapted to work with worsted, heavy worsted or Aran weight yarn. (See notes below to adapt for DK or bulky weight yarn.)
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Look for Happiness blanket knitting pattern by Fifty Four Ten Studio. Purchase the pattern here on this website or on Ravelry.
The Look for Happiness blanket design features an easy to knit 4-row repeat textured stitch pattern framed by a stockinette stitch inner border and a classic seed stitch outer border.
Look for Happiness blanket knitting pattern has instructions for six blanket sizes… from baby blanket up to XXL afghan.
As of April 2021, this pattern has a rating of 5 out of 5 stars on Ravelry for both clarity and overall results.
Click here to buy the pattern on this website. The pattern can also be purchased on Ravelry.
Look for Happiness blanket is designed for worsted, heavy worsted or Aran weight yarn.
INSPIRATION FOR THE PATTERN NAME:
Recently, I ran across this quote from Gretchen Rubin (author of The Happiness Project and Happier at Home) which inspired the name for this blanket knitting pattern:
“Look for happiness under your own roof.”
In a blog post from years ago, Gretchen writes about actively looking for happy moments on ordinary days… within our own homes.
This week, I’m finding happiness at home in these ordinary moments: a homemade spaghetti dinner, a phone call from a dear friend, finding some treasured family photos when cleaning out a closet, a beautiful warm sunny day in early February (quickly followed by a cold snowy day!), and knitting a few rows on a new project.
Look for Happiness blanket knitting pattern made with Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted in the ‘Mediterranean’ colorway.
For this blanket project, I used Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted in the beautiful ‘Mediterranean’ colorway. This yarn is soft and luxurious with outstanding stitch definition. (More about the yarn below!)
Using a solid color yarn allows the stitch pattern to be the ‘star of the show’!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SIX BLANKET SIZES:
This blanket pattern, like almost all of my blanket knitting patterns, offers lots of size choices so you can select the size that fits your project needs.
Approximate sizes using heavy worsted weight yarn, after blocking...
Baby Blanket: 29” wide x 35” long
Small Blanket: 32” wide x 38” long
Medium Blanket: 35” wide x 41” long
Large Throw: 42.5” wide x 48” long
XL Throw: 50” wide x 57” long
XXL Afghan: 56” wide x 60” long
Finished size may vary depending on yarn weight and gauge used.
Any of the sizes may be made longer by adding pattern repeats. Each pattern repeat adds about .66” to the length of the project.
Pattern includes estimates for additional yardage needed to make each size longer.
Look for Happiness blanket knitting pattern includes instructions for six blanket sizes. Buy the pattern here on my website.
YARN:
This pattern will work well with many worsted, heavy worsted or Aran yarns. See notes below for how to adapt the pattern for DK, light worsted or bulky weight yarn.
Baby: 730 - 750 yards
Small: 870 - 900 yards
Medium: 1000 - 1050 yards
Large: 1450 - 1500 yards
XL: 2000 - 2100 yards
XXL: 2450 - 2550 yards
For the blanket shown in the photos, I made the medium blanket (35” wide x 41” long) using seven (7) skeins of Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted in the ‘Mediterranean’ colorway. As the name implies, this yarn is made from 100% certified organic cotton. It’s a ‘heavy worsted’ yarn that is incredibly soft with outstanding stitch definition.
Shop for Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted: The Loopy Ewe in Fort Collins, Colorado | Jimmy Beans Wool | Local Yarn Shops
This pattern would also work well with Blue Sky Fiber’s Spud & Chloe Sweater worsted weight yarn. It’s a blend of organic cotton and superwash wool.
Look for Blue Sky Fibers yarn at local yarn shops. Here’s a link to see a directory of shops that stock Blue Sky Fibers yarn.
If you prefer super bulky yarn… please see my Over the Rooftops blanket knitting pattern.
The stitch pattern will show up best with a solid color yarn.
Be sure to buy additional yarn if you plan to add length to your project.
I loved knitting this blanket with Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted weight yarn in the ‘Mediterranean’ colorway. It’s beautiful!
GAUGE:
Stockinette stitch with US size 8 needles: approximately 16 stitches & 23 rows = 4”
Exact gauge is not essential. However, a significantly different gauge may require more (or less) yarn than indicated.
This stitch pattern will look best with fairly tight stitches.
ADJUSTING FOR DIFFERENT WEIGHT YARN:
The pattern instructions and finished sizes are based on using a ‘heavy worsted’ weight yarn. However, this pattern can be adapted for slightly lighter or heavier weight yarns.
Finished size and amount of yarn needed may vary depending on yarn choice and gauge… so buy extra yarn just in case!
DK / LIGHT WORSTED YARN: If you are using a DK or light worsted yarn and your gauge has 17 - 20 stitches per 4”… follow the directions for one or two sizes larger than you would like the blanket to turn out.
Do some test knitting in stockinette stitch and select the needle size that gives the best appearance for your yarn and knitting tension.
BULKY / CHUNKY #5 YARN: If you are using bulky or chunky #5 weight yarn… with a gauge of about 12 stitches per 4”… follow the directions for two sizes smaller than you would like the blanket to turn out.
For example, using bulky yarn and the directions for the small size blanket… a blanket would turn out approximately 43” wide which is the width of the large size blanket.
See my blanket patterns for bulky weight yarn to get a rough idea of how much yarn would be needed.
SUPER BULKY / SUPER CHUNKY #6 YARN: If you prefer super bulky yarn… please see my Over the Rooftops blanket knitting pattern. The directions are specifically written for super bulky yarn.
KNITTING NEEDLES:
I used US size 8 knitting needles Knitter’s Pride Nova Platina circular knitting needles.
Select the needle size that gives the best appearance for your yarn and knitting tension. This design will look best with fairly tight stitches.
The blanket is knit flat in one piece, back and forth on long circular knitting needles in order to accommodate the number of stitches. Click here to read more about this topic on my blog post.
The blanket is knit in one piece, back and forth on long circular needles.
KNITTING SKILLS REQUIRED:
This pattern is easy to knit for a confident knitter.
This is not my easiest knitting pattern… but it is easy to knit for a knitter who is confident in following a written row-by-row pattern with only knit and purl stitches.
You will need to know how to cast on stitches, knit and purl confidently (changing back and forth from knit to purl stitches), read a row by row knitting pattern, bind off stitches and weave in ends.
A LOOK AT THE BACK OF THE BLANKET:
I don’t consider this blanket pattern reversible. Here’s a look at the back of this blanket project:
A look at the back of the blanket. This pattern is not considered reversible.
BLOCKING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
For best appearance, blocking of finished knitting is highly recommended. Click here to see my blog post with tips on blocking.
BEFORE BLOCKING: Before blocking the seed stitch border was wavy and and the stockinette stitch inner border was lumpy and would not stay flat.
Before blocking: The stockinette stitch inner border was lumpy and would not stay flat. The top and bottom of the seed stitch border was wavy and also would not stay flat.
AFTER BLOCKING (below): This blanket was completely transformed by blocking!
Before blocking the blanket measured 31” wide x 40.5” long. After blocking the blanket measures 35” wide x 41” long. The width increased by 4 inches!
AFTER BLOCKING: The stockinette stitch inner border is flat and smooth. The edges are neat and attractive.
And, blocking greatly improved the appearance of the inner stockinette stitch border! All of the lumpy, puckered areas are smooth and flat after blocking.
APRIL 2021 UPDATE - CUSTOMER PROJECTS:
As of April 2021, this pattern has a rating of 5 out of 5 stars on Ravelry for clarity and overall results.
In April 2021, Emily in the U.K. sent me photos of the five blankets she made over the course of the last year. Most were made to send as gifts to friends and family who she has not been able to see in person due to the pandemic. She made this Look for Happiness blanket using Stylecraft Special Chunky in the 'Storm Blue' colorway. (See notes above about adapting the pattern for bulky weight yarn.) Her blanket looks lovely!
Emily made this blanket using Stylecraft Special Chunky yarn in the ‘Storm Blue’ colorway. (photo shared with permission)
Cecelia made this baby blanket (below) using Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted in the Azul colorway. Simply gorgeous!
Cecelia’s baby blanket project looks classic and beautiful in the ‘Azul’ colorway of Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted.
Jennifer made this gray blanket (below) as a birthday gift for her daughter-in-law. After knitting samples with several yarns, and taking into consideration an active household, she decided to use Red Heart Super Saver in the ‘Light Grey’ colorway. This blanket turned out fabulous!
Jennifer used Red Heart Super Saver in the ‘Light Grey’ colorway to make this blanket for her daughter-in-law. (Photo shared with permission.)
Corinne made this lovely gray blanket (below) using Drops Merino Extra Fine DK weight yarn in the ‘Light Grey Mix’ colorway. It looks fabulous! See all of her project photos on Instagram. (Photos below shared with permission.)
See notes above about adapting the pattern for DK weight yarn.
PURCHASE THE PATTERN:
ON THIS WEBSITE: Click here to buy the pattern.
RAVELRY: Click here to purchase on Ravelry.
ETSY: Click here to shop on Etsy.
Thank you so much for your interest in my knitting patterns!
May you find peace and happiness in your knitting.
Take care,
