Blankie for CF

CF is Kelly's in-utero baby who will be here any minute. I started a different blanket for him (her) but I wasn't thrilled with it so I started this new one which I love. The stitch is a "mock cable" - achieved with a Left Twist.

Throw is a go!

The new yarn matched - and the throw is finally done! I really like it - and it's a good fit on Suz's sofa. And there is quite a bit of yarn left over, so I'm going to try and make a matching pillow.

Baby afghan #1 - DONE!

Okay, once again, I still have to weave in the ends, of which there are many - only a few done so far. I am extremely happy with the finished product/pattern. I was way too over eager to finish the blanket this weekend - now I have nothing to take to the knitalong - brilliant!

The photo is from when I had about 6 zig-zags to go.

Oh, and the yarn order came - finished Suz' throw - love it. Now I need to devise a pattern for a matching pillow with the yarn I have remaining.

Throws and woes

Yet again I have fallen victim to NOT purchasing a "buffer" skein of yarn. I'm 1 row and casting off short on the Suede throw and a little disgusted with myself - It's Murphy's knitting law I guess - but you'd think I would have learned by now. So my choices are to "fudge" the one side of the throw or to buy another skein and (again) hope that the colors match up - this case being a little more dire in that they will be knit into each other. Oh bother.

In the wake of this I've finished one of the scarves for my co-worker's daughters - I'm toying with the idea of giving that one and one from my "to be gifted collection" - if I wait much longer, winter will be over.

And I've started baby blanket #1 - it's the pattern from the Creative Knitting magazine - it's supposed to be rippled but it's turning out to be a pretty sharp chevron - Of course I'm using a smaller gauge and needles than the original pattern calls for - but I like it all the same. I started it on Saturday, and made a mistake on the 2nd row (didn't figure it out until row 5, of course) - so I tore it all out; I picked it up again on Sunday evening - I'm now on row 14 and everything is going well. I'm using size 6 needles (132 stitches across) - so it's taking a while to see real "results" - but, as I said above, I like it so far.

New "throw" project and updates

I've begun the Lion Suede Throw project - Coffee colored throw for Suzanne's new decor. I think I cast on too many stitches for the amount of yarn I have - and I should have cast on with larger needles because this yarn has little "stretch" - but I just ordered more yarn (to double what I have) - hopefully the dye lots won't be a problem. If they are I'll improvise, and maybe start over.

The bib project is underway- the first 3 have been gifted to (reported) rave reviews. Suzanne bought a pile of adorable buttons. I think I'll work on making a few more soon - they just go so quickly!

I've "tried" the Lion Fun Fur Stripe - it's great - very much like the German eyelash.

A co-worker has asked if I will knit scarves for her daughters - put 'em on the list - I'm lucky that ground hog saw 6 more weeks of winter!

I should probably start the dream scarf first - that poor yarn has been sitting for a while.

L'afghan c'est fini!

Okay - I still have to weave in the ends - and decide if I'm going to put on a fringe - but the knitting is complete - I finished it after the Super Bowl - I got a little distracted during the game.

It's huge - it's big enough to be a bedspread.

now I have to decide what to work on next - I got MORE yarn over the weekend. I found some nice baby yarn for one blanket - now I just need a pattern.

I got a huge (1lb) spool of cotton - blues and white - It'll be great for the bib projects and tailgating items. I'm very pleased. We shopped at a Joann Fabric Super Store - it really was super - it was like a Michaels and a Joanns got married and had a really big baby - they had all of the crafty stuff and ALL of the sewing items - most notable were the designer and home furnishing fabrics - they had an amazing selection.

Afghan nears completion

I have not been working on the afghan as rabidly as I had before - I'm very close to being finished - but not quite - I think it's making me anxious to be finished. I have, approximately, 64 rows to go (out of 352) - and I want to add a fringe. So maybe 6-8 hours of knitting?

of course it's the fringe that will take the longest (and the weaving in!!)!

I may put it (the afghan) "down" for a night or two and do some smaller projects - I started (yes, I feel guilty) the Lion Fun Fur Stripe - It's gonna be pretty cool.

We'll see.

Afghan update

So I'm halfway done with the afghan. As I said below I've been using odd balls - so the color combinations are a little crazy - but I think it still works.

Afghan madness

As reported below, I'm in the planning stages for a bunch of baby blankets - I started one for a friend and I soon decided that I'd rather keep that one and make another for her - fickle, I know.

It's a really basic shell chevron - the pattern is only 11 stitches across and 4 rows - I'm using up a bunch of "odd balls" to basically match a green/pink decor. My color inspiration comes from a checkerboard rug. I need to get some rose yarn (one color I don't have).

Because I'm using different yarns, some weightier than others, the effect of the pattern is kinda lacey - I'm pleased - with the maroon and greens it was looking pretty christmasy in the beginning - I toyed with the idea of gathering it at the top to make a christmas tree skirt - but I think I'll go forward with the blanket.

So I'm still shuffling through ideas for the blankets - I'm leaning toward a fan and feather for the one -

I'm going yarn shopping this weekend!!! whoo hoo!

Let's get it started!

Here is a blanket I did for my friend (well, for her baby, really). She had said, while expecting, that she wanted bright contrasting colors for the baby because such is supposed to stimulate brain activity.

So, I found the craziest pattern I could - I found it on the internet and I've seen it called by different names.

I did this one all in cotton = with contrasting solid and multi-colored yarns. Each striped block is made by decreasing in the middle so that the striped fold toward the center. It's an awesome result. The blocks are then sewn together into groups of four - it ends up looking like the log cabin quilting pattern - and the blocks of four are pieced together to make the blanket. For the baby blanket I pieced 3 blocks of four by 4 blocks of four.

I was so pleased with this project and my friend really appreciated it. Her daughter is now 1 year old and says that it's her (mom's and baby's) favorite blanket - just the right weight and because it's cotton - it washes up wonderfully. She says that she catches her daughter just studying the blanket and knows that her daughter is going to be smart because of it.

That's pretty high praise, but I'll take it! Unfortunately - it would seem that she (the baby) is growing so quickly that she's going to need a bigger blanket soon - maybe I should have them send it to me and I'll just add a couple rows.

ANYWAY - here's a picture... btw - in the pix they have it folded over so you see a bit of the "wrong side"...