Knitty Pilgrim: A Pilgrim's Progress: Piggyback Throw

With many thanks to the Ninny for her kind inquiry, I begin.

The Piggyback Throw is quite simple indeed. All one needs to know is Garter Stitch and how to cast on, and pick up to create new stitches. Dear Friend Elizabeth tells me that some people call this concept Domino. I will try to elucidate as best I can. The general instructions are these:

For my blanket, I chose an absolutely delicious fiber: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted hand-dyed 100% superwash wool (#64 Gold Hill); US #8 Turbo circulars. The entire blanket is worked in Garter Stitch.

To form the first block, or domino, cast-on 32 stitches, placing a stitch marker right in the middle (e.g., after the 16th stitch).

*Work in Garter for 2 rows straight.

Row 3 (Wrong Side) and every WS row, decrease by knitting 2 together on EACH side of the center stitch marker.

Row 4 & every RS row, knit straight to end.

When you have only 1 stitch left on the needle, turn and pick up an additional 15 stitches along the Right Side of your now-existing square (so you now have a total of 16), place marker and cast on another 16 stitches, proceed as above, from *. (Note: Decreases are ONLY done from Wrong Side; Pick-ups are ONLY done from Right Side - that makes it so easy for the Pilgrim to keep track!)

Continue in this method, until you have enough squares or tiles or dominoes or whatever you wish to call these darlings, to make a row of your blanket. Cut yarn, leaving enough length to weave in later, and pull tail through the last stitch. Go back to the beginning square and.....

Cast on 16 new stitches, place marker, and pick up (RIGHT SIDE) 16 stitches along the edge of the very first square you knitted. Continue from * above. When you reach the end of this square, you don't cast on anymore, but merely pick up stitches along the current square AND the corresponding square from the previous row of squares (16 along the current square, place marker; 16 along the corresponding square), and continue as from * above -- 2 rows straight, then begin your decreases on Row 3 (WS).

And really, that's it. You do this over and over and over and over and over until you have the fabulous blanket or throw your heart desires. Mine, Gentle Reader, is still a work in progress.....

This image, above, demonstrates (hopefully) how one starts each row of squares back at square one, so to speak.

And this one, below, shows how, if one is careful in picking up consistently from the Right Side each time, the right side squares will look:

This photo, below, shows the Wrong Side, which really isn't so terribly bad either, n'est-ce pas?

One other thought: once you've reached your desired overall size and shape, Dear Friend Elizabeth suggests a crochet edging all around for that perfect final finish.