Blue Blocks Placemat

Square

1. Casting On
   
   Make a slip knot: Loop the yarn as shown and slip needle under the lower strand of the loop. Reach through the loop you just made and pull up a loop of yarn. Pull the yarn end attached to the ball of yarn to tighten the slip knot leaving the other end approx 4 ins [10 cm] long.
   
   Transfer needle to left hand. Insert the right-hand needle through slip knot and wind yarn over right-hand needle. Pull loop through slip knot. Place new loop on left-hand needle. (You now have 2 stitches (sts) on your left-hand needle). Insert right-hand needle between last 2 stitches (sts) on left-hand needle and wind yarn over right-hand needle. Pull loop through. Place this new loop on left-hand needle beside last stitch (st). (You now have 1 more stitch on left-hand needle). Repeat (rep) steps 5 and 6 until required number of stitches (sts) have been cast on left-hand needle.

2. 1st row: (Wrong side). Knit.
   2nd row: (Right side). Knit.

3. The Knit Stitch
   
   Hold the needle with cast on stitches (sts) in your left hand, and the loose yarn attached to the ball at the back of work. Insert right-hand needle from left to right through the front of the first stitch (st) on the lefthand needle. Wind the yarn from left to right over the point of the right-hand needle. Draw the yarn through this original stitch (st) which forms a new stitch (st) on right-hand needle. Slip the original stitch (st) off the left-hand needle, keeping the new stitch (st) on the right-hand needle.
   
   To knit a row, repeat steps 1 to 4 until all stitches (sts) have been transferred from left-hand needle to right-hand needle. Turn the work by transferring the needle with stitches (sts) into your left hand to knit the next row.
   
   Repeat these 2 rows for garter stitch pattern. Continue in pattern as established until work from beginning measures 8 inches [20.5 centimeters], ending with a Right side (2nd) row.
   
   Cast off knitwise (Wrong side).

4. Casting Off
   
   Knit the first 2 stitches (sts). *Using left-hand needle, lift first stitch (st) over second stitch (st) and drop it off between points of the 2 needles. Knit the next stitch (st); repeat (rep) from * until all stitches (sts) from left-hand needle have been worked and only 1 stitch (st) remains on the right-hand needle. Cut yarn (leaving enough to sew in end) and thread cut end through stitch (st) on needle. Draw yarn up firmly to fasten off last stitch (st).
   
   Weave in ends.

5. Weaving in Ends
   
   What do you do with those dangling ends at the sides of your work? Never cut without darning them in first because they will not be secure and your knitting could easily unravel. Thread each end onto a blunt ended large eye needle and make small alternating stitches into the side of your work taking care not to pull too tightly.
   
   After you’ve worked up in one direction about 2 inches [5 cm] turn and work backwards alternating over the spaces you just worked. Now you can safely cut the end.

6. Finishing
   Sew Squares together usi
   ng a flat seam as shown in Diagram.