Pattern for a Braille Knit Blanket

My mother-in-law is a fabulous knitter. World class, ribbon winning, old world knitter. I could spend a lot of time and a big thesaurus describing the goodness of her knitting.

Many years ago, MIL made an alphabet blanket for a newborn baby. The letters were sunken in and each letter had a different color of yarn. At the time, my mother was working with a main-streamed (public school) blind girl. I asked MIL if she thought she could do a  Braille version of the blanket for my mother's student. I think her answer was "Sure". I forgot about the project until a week later when my MIL came to me with different styles of knitted Braille dots. In that week, she had done research on Louis Braille, the Braille language and how Braille is used around the world. My MIL is a physicist and loves knowledge. A few weeks later, she had a Braille blanket.

Each strip was done in a different color, for the sighted, and a different textured yarn, for the blind.

The blanket in this picture is a later version made for my mother.

Jessica, my mother's student, loved it. She was just learning Braille and was thrilled that a non-blind person knew it too. Jessica's mom wouldn't let her use it and hung it on the wall. My mom had to convince her that it was made to be touched and used.

MIL went on to create blankets for my mom (above picture), my blind aunt and a few for the Lion's Club to be used in their auctions.

I don't knit so I don't understand the pattern. PDF version PDF

Carla’s ABC  Braille Blanket   2015 © Part 1 of 2

 

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        a               b               c               d               e               f               g               h

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....4....X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X....1.....4....X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X

X....+.....+....X....2.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....5....X....+.....5....X....2.....+....X....2.....5....X....2.....5....X

X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X

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        i               j               k               l               m               n               o               p

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....2.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....+....X....2.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....5....X....+.....5....X....2.....+....X

X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X

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        q               r               s               t               u               v               w               x

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X....+.....4....X....+.....4....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....+.....4....X....1.....4....X

X....2.....5....X....2.....5....X....2.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....+....X....2.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....+....X

X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....6....X....3.....6....X....+.....6....X....3.....6....X

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        y               z              #1                              #2                              #3

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X....+.....4.........1.....+....X....+.....4.........1.....+....X....+.....4.........1.....4....X

X....+.....5....X....+.....5....X....+.....5.........+.....+....X....+.....5.........2.....+....X....+.....5.........+.....+....X

X....3.....6....X....3.....6....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X

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       #4                              #5                              #6                             #7

YYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....4.........1.....4....X....+.....4.........1.....+....X....+.....4.........1.....4....X....+.....4.........1.....4....X

X....+.....5.........+.....5....X....+.....5.........+.....5....X....+.....5.........2.....+....X....+.....5.........2.....5....X

X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X

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       #8                              #9                              #0                               !               ?

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....4.........1.....+....X....+.....4.........+.....4....X....+.....4.........+.....4....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X

X....+.....5.........2.....5....X....+.....5.........2.....+....X....+.....5.........2.....5....X....2.....4....X....2.....+....X

X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....4....X

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        J                               e               s               s               i               c               a

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY..........,YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....+.........+.....4....X....1.....+....X....+.....4....x....+.....4....X....+.....4....X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X

X....+.....+.........2.....5....X....+.....5....X....2.....+....X....2.....+....X....2.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X

X....+.....6.........+.....+....X....+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X

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        C                               a               r               o               l               y               n YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....+.........1.....4....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1..........X....1.....+....X....1.....4....X....1.....4....X

X....+.....+.........+.....+....X....+.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....5....X....2.....+....X..........5....X....+.....5....X

X....+.....6.........+.....+....X....+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....6....X....3.....+....X

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        B                               r               a               i               l               l               e

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....+.........1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....+.....4....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X

X....+.....+.........2.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....+....X....2.....+....X....2.....+....X....2.....+....X....+.....5....X

X....+.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....+.....+....X

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        R                               e               a               d                               m               e

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....+.........1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....4....X..........+....X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X

X....+.....+.........2.....+....X..........5....X....+.....+....X..........5....X..........+....X..........+....X....+.....5....X

X....+.....6.........3.....+....X..........+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X..........+....X....3.....+....X....+.....+....X

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In Braille

 

        a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h

        i   j   k   l   m   n   o   p

        q   r   s   t   u   v   w   x

        y   z      #1      #2      #3

           #4      #5      #6      #7

           #8      #9      #0   !   ?

            J   e   s   s   i   c   a

            C   a   r   o   l   y   n

            B   r   a   i   l   l   e

            R   e   a   d       m   e

 

Bobbles are on the 8^th row.

 

I made each row of Braille a different color and a yarn with different feel.

Carla’s ABC  Braille Blanket   2015 © Part 2 of 2

In English

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+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+...XXX...+.........+.........+.........+...XX....+.........+.........+.XXX.....+.........+...XXX...+...XXXXXX+........XXXXXX.....+

+.XX..XX..+.........+.........+.........+...XX....+.........+.........+.XX......+.........+..XX.XX..+...XX...XX.......XX+...XX....+

+XX....XX.+.........+.........+.........+...XX....+.........+.........+XX.......+.........+.XX...XX.+...XX....XX.....XX.+.........+

+XX.......+..XXXXXXX+..XX....XX...XXXXX.+...XX...XX.......XX+...XX....+....XXXXX+.........+XX.....XX+...XX...XX......XX.+.........+

+XX.......+.XX...XX.+..XX.XXX.+..XX...XX+...XX....XX.....XX.+...XX.XXX+...XX....X.........+XXXXXXXXX+...XXXXXX+......XX.+.........+

+XX.......+.XX...XX.+..XXX....+..XX...XX+...XX....+XX...XX..+...XXX..XX...XX....+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....XX.....XX.+.........+

+XX.......+.XX...XX.+..XX.....+..XX...XX+...XX....+.XX.XX...+...XX...XX....XXXXX+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....+XX....XX.+.........+

+XX....XX.+.XX...XX.+..XX.....+..XX...XX+...XX....+..XXX....+...XX...XX........XX.........+XX.....XX+...XX....+XX....XX.+.........+

+.XX..XX..+.XX...XX.+..XX.....+..XX...XX+...XX....+..XX.....+...XX...XX...X....XX.........+XX.....XX+...XX....XX......XX+...XX....+

+...XXX...+..XXXXXXXX..XXX....+...XXXXX.+..XXXX...+..XX.....+...XX...XXX...XXXXX+.........+XX.....XX+...XXXXXXX........XXXXXX.....+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+........XX.XX......+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........XXX.....,+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+......XX.+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+XX.......+.........+...XXX...+...XXXXXX+........XXXXXX.....+

+......XX.+.........+.........+.........+.XX......+.........+.........XX........+.........+..XX.XX..+...XX...XX.......XX+...XX....+

+......XX.+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+........XX.........+.........+.XX...XX.+...XX....XX.....XX.+.........+

+......XX.+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+.XX....XXXXX.....XXXXXXX.....+...XXXXX.+.........+XX.....XX+...XX...XX......XX.+.........+

+......XX.+.XX...XX.+.XX....X.+.XX....X.+.XX...XX.+..X...XX.+.XX......+..XX....X+.........+XXXXXXXXX+...XXXXXX+......XX.+.........+

+......XX...XX.+.XX...XX......+.XX......+.XX...XX.+......XX.+.XX......+..XX.....+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....XX.....XX.+.........+

+......XX.+.XXXXXXX.+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+.XX...XX.+......XX.+.XX......+...XXXXX.+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....+XX....XX.+.........+

+XX....XX.+.XX......+......XX.+......XX.+.XX...XX.+......XX.+.XX......+.......XX+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....+XX....XX.+.........+

+.XX..XX..+.XX....X.+.X....XX.+.X....XX.+.XX...XX.+..X...XX.+.XX......+..X....XX+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....XX......XX+...XX....+

+..XXXX...+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+.XX....XXXXX.....XXXXXXXX....+...XXXXX.+.........+XX.....XX+...XXXXXXX........XXXXXX.....+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+XXXXX....+.........+.........+........XX...XX....+.........+XXXXX....+.XX......+.........+.........+XX.......+.........+...XX....+

+XX..XX...+.........+.........+...XX...XX...XX....+.........+XX..XX...+.XX......+.........+.........+XX.......+.........+...XX....+

+XX...XX..+.........+.........+........XX...XX....+.........+XX...XX..+.XX......+.........+.........+XX....XX.+.........+.XXXXXX..+

+XX..XX...+.XX..XXX.+..XXXXXXX+...XX...XX...XX....XXXXX.....+XX..XX...+.XX....XXXXXXX....XX.XXXX....+XX...XX..+..XXXXX..+...XX....+

+XXXXX....+.XXXXX...+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XX...XX....+XXXXX....+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XXXX..XX...+XX..XX...+.XX...XX.+...XX....+

+XX...XX..+.XXX.....+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XX...XX....+XX...XX..+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XXX....XX..+XX.XX....+.XX...XX.+...XX....+

+XX....XX.+.XX......+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XXXXXXX....+XX....XX.+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XX.....XX..+XXXXX....+.XXXXXXX.+...XX....+

+XX....XX.+.XX......+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XX.........+XX....XX.+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XX.....XX..+XX..XX...+.XX......+...XX....+

+XX...XX..+.XX......+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XX....X....+XX...XX..+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XX.....XX..+XX...XX..+.XX....X.+...XX....+

+XXXXXX...+.XX......+..XXXXXXXX...XX...XX...XX....XXXXX.....+XXXXXX...+.XX....XXXXXXXX...XX.....XX..+XX....XX.+..XXXXX..+...XX....+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

Copyright 2015 - Carla G,Messina

 

Idea suggested by Vicki Scott,                   Size 5 needles

 

Cast on 153 stitches, The borders are 6 stitches in seed pattern (purl in the knit and knit in the purl),After the border is done then the row starts with 6 seed stitches and 6 knit,Change color and knit 129 stitches,Finish with 6 knit and 6 seed stitches in the second border color,The bobbles are placed on the 8^th rows.

  

Bobble stitch - On a jersey base (one row, purl the next) as follows: - k into front and back of same stitch until 5 stitches are on the one stitch, turn, work 4 rows in the five stitches, then slip the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th stitches over the 1^st stitch, With the bobble stitch, you loop the bobble stitch stem tightly by the yarn on the next purl row,

 

The bobble must not be able to be pulled through to the other side or the braille characters will be incorrect,There is a bobble on every eight row and 5 stitches between bobbles,Tack down bobbles.

 

The rows of all X’s are purl.  The columns of X’s are purls on the knit side.  The reverse rows are all purl. 

 

The only exception is the upper left hand corner with the Y’s.  Question, Which way is up?  The Y’s are tactile marks for the blind.  The X’s are for the sighted.  The +’S and .’s are knit stitches.

 

The revere side of a row in English is knit in the knit and purl in the purl.

 

The bold face characters are for the blind.  The normal font is for the sighted.