knitting pattern "Sleeping Strolchi" cute little doubleface blanket

Highland Cattle. Just the sight of these good-natured animals makes me forget all the stress of everyday life. Their gentle and calm nature is pure balm for the soul. But you don't always have the time or opportunity for a relaxing visit to the pasture. So how do you bring these cozy, cuddly little creatures into your home? Wait, a cow in the living room? A funny idea, but probably a bit impractical. Something smaller is needed.
That's where the hand-knitted "Sleeping Strolchi" blanket comes in. Measuring approximately 76 x 97 cm/29,9 x 38 inch (depending on the yarn used), it's the cute image of a cuddly friend. And twice as much. I opted for the double-face knitting technique for this blanket. This involves knitting two contrasting yarn colors simultaneously, so that each side reflects the negative image of the other. Whether as a cuddly blanket for little ones or as leg warmers for grown-ups curled up on the couch in the evening after a busy day, this blanket will win everyone's heart.

Required knowledge:

• Basic knitting skills (casting on and casting off stitches, knitting from knit to purl, edge stitches)
  Note: To achieve a clean, color-separated border, I used the Italian cast-on and Italian cast-off. The edge stitches are held in the slip edge. Mastering these techniques is beneficial for a more beautiful result.
• Double-face knitting technique
  IMPORTANT: This guide does not contain any technical instructions. A mastery of the basic techniques or the willingness to learn them (e.g., using one of the many well-explained YouTube videos) is required to complete this project.

What you get:
You will receive a 24-page instruction manual (font: Calibri, font size: 12, DIN A4) in which each knitting row is already counted row by row.

Difficulty level:
Advanced – due to the time commitment and the stamina required. The two-color Italian cast-on is particularly challenging! Ambitious beginners should definitely practice on smaller projects before attempting this mammoth project.

Sizing may vary depending on the yarn used. Using a 3mm circular needle (80cm), I used a yarn that yields a gauge of 28 stitches x 36 rows for a 10 x 10 cm/3,9 x 3,9 inch blanket. This resulted in a blanket that measured approximately 76 cm/29,2 inch wide and 97 cm/38 inch long.

• Yarn (These measurements may vary depending on how tight your yarn tension is and the yarn and knitting needle size you plan to use. For a yardage of 175 m per 50 g, I needed 7 balls of pure merino wool per color, 14 balls in total for one blanket.)
• Circular knitting needle (at least 80 cm band length)
• Securing needle
• Darning needle (for casting off)
• Scissors