Come Together Blanket

This blanket is made of 16 squares pieced together in 4 squares wide by 4 squares tall. To alter the size of the blanket knit each square to size. For the 40" x 40" blanket each individual square is 10". Baby blanket 28" x 28", each individual square is 7". Afghan blanket 48" x 48", each individual square is 12". The squares are knit on the diagonal in two colors. The first half in main color begins at one corner, stitches are increased at the beginning of every row. When the desired width is acheived, the color is changed and stitches are then decreased at the beginning of every row until one stitch remains. The possibilities for the finished overall pattern are many as the pieces can be joined together in many different configurations. Ideas for joining are included in the pattern and on the Welcome Blanket website where you can also find tutorials. The sample blanket is made with a bulky yarn but any weight yarn can be used as long as each square is the size that you want. Since the squares are knit on the bias the stitch gauge isnt critical, you simply will continue to knit until the square is the desired width and then you decrease back to one stitch and fasten off. RAVELRY GROUP FOR THE WELCOME BLANKET http://www.ravelry.com/groups/welcome-blanket Come Together blanket was designed for the Welcome Blanket project. The information below is from the website welcomeblanket.org Please visit the website for more information! Here’s a question: The proposed border wall between the United States and Mexico is almost 2000 miles long. Imagine if the massive distance of this wall was re-conceptualized and re-contextualized not to divide, but to include. Instead of wall, a concrete line, to keep people out, what if lines of yarn became 3,500,640 yards of blankets to welcome people in? A welcome blanket is traditionally created to lovingly mark the arrival of a new person into the world. In the Welcome Blanket project, each handmade blanket is a physical manifestation of this celebration of new refugees and other immigrants: “Welcome to the United States and your new life here! We are so glad you have arrived.” We want you to join us! Make a blanket and share your story as a gift to a new immigrant to the United States. If a 40”x 40” throw blanket averages 1200 yards, Welcome Blanket requires about 3200 blankets to reach 2000 miles of length. The blankets you make, along with your enclosed notes, will be displayed together in an inaugural show at the SMART Museum at University of Chicago beginning in July 2017 and officially opening in September 2017. After the show's close, the blanket packages will be distributed to refugees and other immigrants through resettlement organizations.