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Welcome to the very first instalment of our wonderful Afternoon Tea Blanket Knit Along (KAL). The pattern used is a beautiful Woman’s Weekly knitting pattern, with an exclusive colourway by us here at The Knitting Network. We’re so happy to have you all!

For this KAL you will need Stylecraft Special DK yarn (100% acrylic). Get your handy colour pack for only £15.99.

Each week we will be here to help guide you through each one of the 5 pieces, starting off with the Polka-dot Motif. Using pretty dark pink and contrasting pale yellow shades, the design and colourway creates a delicious strawberry-like pattern.

This pattern introduces colourwork and the technique of stranding. Colourwork simply refers to a pattern that has a design that uses two or more colours and stranded knitting is the most common technique used. Stranded knitting requires you to carry along the strand of yarn not in use across the back of the work. If you are new to the technique of stranding, we've made a helpful step-by-step guide to make things easy. As a teaser, we’ll be introducing more colourwork next week.

For this week’s motif you will need 1 x ball of Pomegranate (1083) and 1 x ball of Lemon (1020), as well as 1 pair of 3¾mm (No. 9) knitting needles and a knitter’s needle for sewing up.

Download the PDF for Part 1 here>>

This week's Polka-dot Motif is a nice easy introduction to using more than one colour of yarn when knitting. To create the dotty effect, you simply need to change to a new strand of yellow yarn when knitting the row of yellow dots and then cutting the yarn at the end of the row. You will then end up with a length of yellow yarn at the beginning and end of each row of yellow dots, as illustrated in the image below of the back of the piece. Once you have finished knitting you can sew in all the ends using a knitter’s needle.

Just as importantly, this is the front of the finished piece! Delicious!

We have a lovely group on our Facebook page called ‘Knit Along with The Knitting Network’, which you can join to share your progress and help each other along with the KAL. You can also use hashtag #afternoonteablanketkal to share photos of your blanket, this will help us find your photos easily and at the end of each week we will be doing a weekly round-up of everyone’s progress!

We love Fair Isle Knits here at The Knitting Network! The beautiful mix of colours and intricate patterns that make up the designs are timeless and have certainly stood the test of time, as their origins date back hundreds of years!

As the name suggests these traditional knitwear designs originated from Fair Isle, a beautiful Scottish island in Shetland, in northern Scotland. Nobody is quite sure of the exact origins of the designs, but it is believed that the sea-faring men of Fair Isle brought back exotic patterned fabrics, which inspired the knitters of Fair Isle to come up with their own knitted designs. The most traditional Fair Isle designs include the ram’s horns, anchors, and repeating ‘X’ and ‘O’ motifs.

The intricate and skilled knits became an important cottage industry and the popularity of the knitwear grew when the Prince of Wales (later to be knows as Edward VIII) wore Fair Isle jumpers in public in 1921.

We’ve found some beautiful patterns, some featuring the traditional all-over designs and some with just a hint of Fair Isle. We’ve put together a lovely selection of patterns for babies, children, ladies and men, and even some for the home!

This gorgeous baby boy’s slip-over knitted in Sirdar Snuggly 100% Cotton yarn is so smart. It can also be knitted for ages up to 6-7 years.

We love the use of Fair Isle design on the yoke of this lovely jumper and shoulder warmer pattern. Why not be creative with colour and choose your own colour scheme from the wonderful selection of shades in the Peter Pan DK.

This sweet girl’s cardigan is knitted in a modern colour scheme of pretty pastel shades and uses the beautifully soft Sirdar Snuggly Cashmere Merino DK yarn.

Knitted in a traditional Fair Isle jacquard design, the addition of the picot-style edging adds a modern twist to this goes-with-everything ladies’ cardigan.

This traditional and smart men’s Fair Isle jumper is knitted using Sirdar Country Style DK. A popular classic DK yarn, that can be easily washed and tumble dried, so can be worn over and over again.

This vintage V-neck slip-over pattern in a classic Argyll design, comes complete with matching socks!

If you love Fair Isle, but don’t have the time to make a garment, then this is the project for you! Featuring just a hint of Fair Isle, with a pretty floral motif, this hot water bottle cover is pretty and practical.

For more makes inspired by our countryside, have a read of our blog post Knit Our Beautiful Countryside.

So, what is a knit along? It's where knitters from all over the world knit the same pattern at the same time, sharing their progress as they go or simply enjoying the mystery as the project unfolds before their eyes.

Pop the kettle on, it's time for our Afternoon Tea Blanket Knit Along (KAL) with a beautiful patchwork pattern by Woman's Weekly. We’re so glad you could join us!

Our Afternoon Tea Blanket KAL features a pattern created by Woman's Weekly that's ideal for Intermediate knitters who would like to try or are already comfortable with colour work and stranded knitting. We will take you through each piece step-by-step to make this project an enjoyable way to hone your skills or just to create something beautiful for your home. Stranded knitting simply means knitting a project in more than one colour and stranding the colours not in use along the back of the work.

Get your colour pack ready to start the knit along next week for only £15.99.

Afternoon Tea is a lovely British tradition dating back to the early 1840’s. Traditionally served in the late afternoon, it was introduced to fill the hungry gap before the evening meal and includes delightful treats such as finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, sweet pastries and cakes, along with plenty of tea. Your finished blanket will encompass all these delightful things!

The first instalment of the Afternoon Tea Blanket KAL will be shared on the blog on Wednesday 17th July and we'll be revealing the pattern each week as we go along - who doesn't love a good mystery? The knit along will run for 5 weeks, finishing on Wednesday 14th August. At the end of the 5 weeks we will have shown you everything you need to know to complete your wonderful Afternoon Tea Blanket! If you can't live with this much mystery, we'll give you a few hints about what to expect....

Knitted in the beautifully soft Stylecraft Special DK yarn, the blanket feature a palette of vintage tones. Each piece is a snippet of all thing’s afternoon tea. The blue window-pane check, reminiscent of vintage check tea towels; the green gingham, reminding us of old-fashioned tablecloths; the pink, yellow and cream stripe, a delicious slice of Angel cake; the dark pink and yellow polka dot, mouth-watering fresh strawberries and last, but by no means least, the pink, green and cream roses, taking us to beautiful English country gardens.

As well as being delicious, enjoying afternoon tea is also a good excuse to slow down, sit back and take some time out in the middle of our often-hectic days. The idea of taking time to slow down is so important and we hope our Afternoon Tea Blanket KAL will be a relaxing antidote to the busy world around us.

In the first week we’ll show you how to make the gorgeous strawberry motif. The boldest pieces on the blanket, this pretty polka-dot motif is the perfect start to the project, and a great way to perfect your stranded knitting skills.

You can get ready for the KAL now and buy your Afternoon Tea Blanket Colour Pack here. You will also need a pair of 3 3⁄4mm (No. 9) and 4mm (No. 8) knitting needles, which are not included in the pack. A size 3.00 crochet hook is required for the blanket edging. We'll be using the hashtag #afternoonteakal throughout this project. If you include it with your posts on social media, we'll be able to find them and see how you're getting on! Plus, don't forget to join our brand new Facebook group, Knit Along with The Knitting Network, to share your progress and ask for any help along the way!

Although tea and cake are not included in our blanket pack, we think they go quite well with a bit of knitting! So, when our Afternoon Tea KAL starts and the afternoon comes, settle down with your knitting, a refreshing cup of tea, a little slice of something you fancy and relax.

Wimbledon, as it is commonly known, is one of those signs that let’s us know that summer is here. The prestigious tennis tournament traditionally takes place over the course of two weeks in late June and early July. Usually beginning on the last Monday in June, it culminates with the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Singles Finals. Wimbledon 2019 starts on July 1 and goes through to July 14, so there's plenty of time still to plan your project.

Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon in London, since 1877. We all know that strawberries and cream are traditionally eaten at the tournament, but did you know that in 2017, fans consumed 34,000 kg of English strawberries and 10,000 litres of cream!

With all the wonderful Wimbledon vibes in mind, we’ve gathered together some of our favourite patterns.

It’s a known fact that you can’t watch Wimbledon without a cup of tea and some delicious strawberries and cream! Put on a delicious spread coupled with this pretty table runner, for a summer feast fit for Wimbledon

Add an extra splash of summer frill to the occasion with this pretty bunting crochet pattern. Hang up around the garden or dining room, to help you celebrate in style

We love this versatile crochet dress pattern from the 60’s. It can be made to whatever length you like. Stop short to make a pretty summer top; add a few more rounds to create a pretty, yet practical dress ready for the court; or keep on going to make an elegant and cool summer dress.

This timeless ladies sport top, with its contrast stripes and collar, is feminine and sporty. Pair with shorts for a practical summer outfit, or why not wear with some cooling culottes for a day on the tennis court.

Dating from the 60’s, this retro men’s sports top is both smart and functional. Knitted in cooling King Cole Cottonsoft DK, with a brilliant range of shades to choose from, it is perfect for the summer and oozies with sporty style.

Another great sporty garment to add to the wardrobe, this simple slipover pattern can be adapted to any colourway. Using Sirdar No.1 yarn, it can be washed easily at 40 degrees. Also included in the pattern is a smart waistcoat, knitted in Sirdar Harrap Tweed, giving this effortless textured effect.

We are all too familiar with the interruption of rain here in Britain! After all, Wimbledon had its retractable roof fitted over the centre court, especially for our traditional British summer. So, when the sun decides to hide away, these lovely vintage children’s jackets are just the ticket. Not only are they sweet, but they are super smart and can be paired with a summer outfit to add some classic style.

Don’t let rain stop play! This beautiful dress and matching cardigan are perfect for our English summers, when you’re never quite sure what weather the day will bring. We love the contrast colours, choose your own colourway from the lovely choice of shades in Peter Pan Merino Baby DK.

Summer and Wimbledon go together like strawberries and cream! This lovely summer dress pattern comes complete with a pretty beret, keeping your little ones protected from the summer sun.

more ‘Wimbledon’ can you get! An irresistible knit for the little loves in your life.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Wimbledon makes. If you enjoyed this, why not have a read of our Camping and Festival Projects to Knit and Crochet, so you’ll be all set for the summer.