This was the first pattern I designed. It is nice sometimes to get lost in noticing small details, wandering the beach for hours just taking in the patterns made by nature and humans.
From a distance footprints in dry sand seem to create a repeating pattern, though closer up there is a bit more variation.
You can also see the desire lines in the direction of the footprints, mainly along the beach, but occasionally leading up the beach into the dune path.
I made the patterns in a spreadsheet before knitting up a test swatch. The bottom left photo in the collage above shows the trial patterns I went through before deciding which I liked.
General principles for square patterns:
Repeat pattern horizontally and vertically & simple to knit pattern.
36 stitches x 48 rows (ish, this one is 49!) for main pattern as these are very divisible numbers.
An 'x' means purl on a knit row, and knit on a purl row to create the texture.
This lower chart is the format I found to be most useful to me:
White = knit row (right side), grey = purl row (wrong side).
An 'x' = purl on a knit row, and knit on a purl row
The numbers are just a handy guide to the number of stitches in each knit or purl block.
Written pattern:
See blanket pattern for required needles & yarn.
(k = knit, p=purl)
Cast on 36 stitches
Row 1: k5, p8, k10, p8, k5
Row 2: p4, k2, p6, k2, p8, k2, p6, k2, p4
Row 3: k3, p2, k8, p2, k6, p2, k8, p2, k3
Row 4: k4, p10, k8, p10, k4
Row 5: p3, k12, p6, k12, p3
Row 6: k4, p10, k8, p10, k4
Row 7: k3, p2, k8, p2, k6, p2, k8, p2, k3
Row 8: p4, k2, p6, k2, p8, k2, p6, k2, p4
Row 9: k5, p8, k10, p8, k5
Row 10: p6, k6, p12, k6, p6
Repeat rows 1-10 three times more, then rows 1-9 once more
Cast off
I have made these patterns available for free but they are ©Blanketscapes, the patterns are not to be copied or resold. I'm happy for you to make and sell finished blankets using these patterns for charitable, non-commercial, purposes only. Please credit @blanketscapes on Instagram or Facebook for your final creations, I'd love to see what you make.