Join our MKAL!

ERRATA for K Block
stitch count should be 48 for rows 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19

Our Ravelry enVision annual MKAL for 2021 is a little different this year – and it spans over six months! One square block a month over the next five months in a design adapted from a Herbert Niebling doily pattern, you can knit it just once for a cowl or scarf, multiple times for a stole, five times for square shawl, blanket, or afghan – all depending on the yarn weight you choose. And on the sixth month, we will work on sewing them together.

Please tag your project: nieblingblocks

Schedule (pacific time zone)
1 August 2021 – First block (QD block is not a mystery. This is also the largest block of all so you may want to drop a needle size for the rest of the blocks).
1 September – Second block
1 October – Third block
1 November – Fourth block
1 December – Fifth block
1 January 2022 – Sewing all the blocks together

Starting with the Quadratische Decke / QD Block in August – and it’s not a mystery – it will also be your swatch in determining which yarn weight, what size needle, etc. you want for your project! Using lace or fingering weight on larger needles will yield a lacy end product while using DK or worsted weight will yield a denser blanket, and aran weight will make a great afghan. Do keep in mind that Niebling patterns tend to have lots of drastic increases/decreases so you may have to go up or down a needle size depending on the block design. I will share what I use for mine. Moreover, you may choose to knit each of the five designs in five different colors – I will provide schematic on how to best put them together for a 4x5 or 5x5 project – a stole, shawl, blanket, or afghan!

Skill Level
Intermediate. Charts only. Pattern does not include row-by-row written instruction.

Yarns
Afghan – I am using aran weight (about 200y/180m per 100g) and use between 90 to 120y / 82 to 110m on US6/4mm and US7/4.5mm needles with the finished size approximately 10”x10” /25x25cm square. You may elect to do 5x5 (knitting each of the five designs five times) or 5x4 (knitting each of the five designs four times) squares – see schematics on page 3 of pattern. (Your gauge may vary.)

My aran-weight, 5x5 afghan uses 600y / 550m of Color A and 500y / 450m of Colors B, C, D, and E.

Blanket – DK/worsted weight – you may elect to stay with the same size needles as aran weight and have a more open and lighter blanket or drop down a needle size or two for a smaller but denser one. Trang test knitted in DK weight and dropped a needle size and her blocks are 9.25”x9.25 / 23.5x23.5cm. You may elect to do 5x5 or 5x4 squares – see schematic below. (Your gauge may vary.)

Square Shawl – lace/fingering weight – using US4/3.5mm needles at 24-st swatch will yield an 8”x8” / 20x20cm square (potentially larger if you block aggressively on silk-blend yarn). Knitting each of the blocks five times will give you a square shawl that, while folded in half, is 56”/142cm wide and 28”/71cm deep. (Your gauge may vary.)

Scarf or Cowl – Fingering/DK weight – using US5/3.75mm needles at 22-st swatch will yield a 9”x9”/23x23cm square (potentially larger if you block aggressively on silk-blend yarn). Knitting each of the blocks once will give you a scarf or cowl that’s 9”/23cm wide and 45”/114cm long. You may elect to knit fewer or more blocks for shorter/longer scarf/cowl.

A 5-square (knitting each block once) cowl in DK weight uses approximately 500 y / 450 m.

Stole – weight of your choice – you may elect to knit four blocks five times and one block four times for a 3x8 stole.

There are so many variations!

Colors
You may elect to knit all the squares in one color – for a stole, shawl, scarf, or cowl) or if you are knitting a blanket or afghan, you may elect to knit each design in a different color for a palette of five coordinated colors! My recommendation is to have a palette of four neutral colors with one pop accent!

Gauge
My 4”x 4” / 10x10cm stockinette swatch gauge is 19 sts and 26 rows using US7/4.5mm needles and went down a needle size to US6/4mm on mine aran weight to account for the extreme increases/decreases of Niebling designs.

Tools
DPN and/or circular needles in size US6/4mm for worsted and aran weight, go down a needle size or two if using lighter weight, stitch markers, blunt tapestry needle, T-pins, and blocking wire(s), measuring tape, and mat (optional).