Category Archives: blanket

Growing Zen

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I reached the next checkpoint in my Zen Yarn Garden Baby Blanket. I finished up the stripes and got into the solid red chunk that will be in the middle. I’m feeling pretty proud considering I had knit a partial blanket that was too small, ripped that back and started again, just to get back to the point I was at when I pulled it all back.

This bright pop of red is just SOOOO much and I love it. It really livens up the neutral quality of navy and black.

The semi-bad part is that I’m now solid on red section island. No stripe changes to keep my interest, its all just knitting until I run out of red yarn. We shall see how well this goes…..

Dusting Off The Memory Blanket

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After blocking my Progression Shawl I had enough scraps left of the various colors to knit a square into my memory blanket. And I just couldn’t resist doing it RIGHT away.

It’s kind of cut out of the photo but it’s the newest square towards the top right. This blanket is starting to cover a sizable amount of my king sized bead. And I still have a BUNCH of scraps to work through. I feel like cackling like an evil genius…..

Happy Knitting!!

Zen Yarn Garden Do Over

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I might need to have my accountant card revoked. I had a terrible math fail. I had started my Zen Yarn Garden blanket awhile back and I had knit through three stripes. I was reading my pattern (like I should have done at the outset) and realized I have DOUBLE the yarn than the pattern calls for.

Now if I had kept going I would have a crazy skinny and incredibly long blanket on my hands. Not really what I was going for so I did some research on Ravelry. I found a couple of other projects where other knitters had close to my yardage. So based on their project notes and some math using my gauge, I ripped back my blanket and started over.

This time I cast on nine pattern repeats for a total of 144 stitches. I’m MUCH more happy with this version. Now I’m working through my navy and grey stripes until I use half of those colors by weight.

This squishy blanket just makes my happy and has been my therapy project when I sit down to knit after the kids go to bed. Usually I would snuggle and play with Dex and he would sleep near me while I knit. The nights have been hard for me now that he not with me. I find myself reaching for my knitting for comfort.

What would we do without knitting!?

Cast On: Zen Yarn Garden Chevron Baby Blanket

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The 2019 Pigskin Party KAL hosted by the Down Cellar Studio podcast is in full swing now. I wasn’t able to do as much pre-planning this year as I have done for years past. I realized I had three major projects that were already on the needles that I don’t want to put into hibernation because WIPs don’t count for points. So I may not be as gung ho this year.

But at the very least I tried to get into the spirit of the competition by casting on a new WIP. I had been craving a big chunky blanket knit after I finished the Westport Blanket. So I went stash diving and found roughly 990 yards of Knit Picks Brava Bulky kicking around. The colors really do play well together with the true red, navy and grey.

I used the advanced search in Ravelry to look for bulky blanket patterns that used this yardage amount and that were completely garter. I wanted a nice BIG auto pilot project. I came up with the Zen Yarn Garden Chevron Baby Blanket by  Staci Perry of the VeryPink podcast and YouTube channel. I love listening to her every week so I went all in!

I cast on and quickly got to the second color. I think I will be true to the pattern and alternate the navy and grey with a solid chunk of red in the middle. This pairs nicely with the fact that I have three full skeins of the navy and grey and only one and a half skeins of the red.

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My hands do get tired working on this large of needle and yarn. So I will probably work this one in bits and pieces to avoid injury. But I’m really pleased with the pattern so far and how the yarn is knitting up! And it’s been awhile since I had to work a chevron. It’s been nice dusting that off!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Westport Blanket

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With a little concentrated effort and binge watching some Big Bang Theory re-runs…my Westport Blanket is done!

Pattern: Westport Blanket by Fifty Four Ten Studio

Yarn: Knit Picks Mighty Stitch (held double) in the Celestial colorway

Needles: US 13s

Mods: I added two extra body repeats before working the garter border.

The color is blowing way out in these photos. But this blanket is a deep royal blue and is PERFECT for my cousins little baby boy due in October. The finished size is slightly more rectangular than I would want but I used up just over five skeins of DEEP stash to make this blanket. This took 5.3 skeins or 1,111 yards of worsted weight yarn held double. It felt amazing to make such a beautiful project and put a dent in some yarn that had been collecting dust.

I really enjoyed the pattern as it was very well written. I noticed that Fifty Four Ten Studio has several other baby blankets that might be a good match for some future baby knits. Blankets in general take a ton of time but bulky knits like this really make it fly off the needles. And now this blanket is washed in baby safe soap and tucked in the cedar chest awaiting a baby shower!

Happy knitting!!

Westport Decision Point

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I have reached the end of the pattern instructions for my Westport Blanket. I have completed the pattern recommended number of repeats. But I still have a yarn left and I really want this blanket to consume as much as possible. I’m at a decision point.

I know, roughly, how much yarn each of the stockinette block and garter rows repeat consumes. And I have one full and one partial skein left that I can hold together. I *Think* I have enough yarn for two or three more repeats and then the garter border and bindoff.

My only concern that is if I add too much more length that the blanket will become more of weirdly shaped rectangle and less of a usable blanket. This fabric texture and gauge has some good stretch to be able to shape it. But the high acrylic content tells me that it might not hold a blocking very well. I need some time to muddle on this one…but I REALLY want this off my needles soon!

Happy Knitting!!

Westport Halfway!

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A very dear and lovely cousin informed us that the baby she and her husband are expecting will be boy arriving in October. And my knitter brain went DING! The Westport Blanket I started earlier this year will make the perfect baby boy gift. A knitter has got to love when you already have a project started and you find the most perfect home for it. So I picked this project back up and have started really working through it. I’m six pattern repeats in and I just started my second skeins.

I am holding Knit Picks Mighty Stitch held double to achieve bulky yarn gauge. I have used two skeins already, attached two more with a third pair waiting in the wings. The last pair aren’t two equal full skeins. I broke into one skein to knit a swatch I have lost to the ether somewhere. So I know I’ll have enough yarn to finish the blanket but I really want to use all the yarn up. So I may have to do a little pattern modification and re-calculation when I get to the end of the instructions and I still have yarn left. We shall see!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: PB’s Birthday Blanket

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I had a TON of yarn leftover from PB’s birthday monster. Like almost 1.8 full skeins. I drastically overbought for her monster toy. But as to not waste any soft baby friendly yarn I decided Baldwin needed a coordinating blanket. PB has an affinity for soft things so I’m hoping she will cuddle under a soft blanket.

I chained 100 stitches and then started working my version of a half double crochet back across. I managed one full row back before PB woke up the first time last night. I have ZERO illusions this will be done by her actual birthday on Friday. But she’s 1….what’s she going to know if I take another month to finish this one??

Happy Crafting!!

Easter Appropriations

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I have stated before but my mother is a very talented seamstress. And for the last 5-6 years she has been collecting jeans to make scrap projects and bags. For Easter she handmade two bucket style bags for PB and Jellybean. The exteriors are jean leftovers and the inside is quilting cotton. Jellybean got superhero fabric and PB got some really cool pink and grey circles. And of course Grandma filled the buckets with treats.

Unfolded they really turned out pretty tall! And the pocket on the outside is completely function-able. The jean makes a nice bag that stands up on its own. But my heart was really taken by the cute pop of contrast the quilting cotton provides.

Being as that PB is 11 months and pretty much has no use for bags…I kind of appropriated her bucket. My Westport Blanket really needed a project bag. And this size is perfect for the six skeins of yarn this blanket is going to use! It stands up nicely on its own and is great to knit from.

Now I just need to find time and energy to keep this blanket chugging along! Spring has finally sprung here in Kansas and everyone is begging to be outside in this house. We need to enjoy the nice weather before the bugs and heat set in!

Happy Knitting!!

Back On Track

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After all my blunders on my Westport Blanket, I’m finally back on track!

I have worked the initial garter border section for 3.5 inches (ish). And I have just now started the first pattern repeat. I managed to make it through halfway through the first pattern repeat before PB woke up and demanded my attention. I’m super in love with the pattern that is emerging.

The stockinette panels are really showing up well in this yarn. This is Knit Picks Mighty Stitch held double. I’m using the Celestial colorway.  This is the perfect halfway project between mindless knitting and just enough interest to keep me working. A few rows of patterning followed by a swath of garter.

I have no deadline for this project and I find myself picking this project up as a palette cleanser on my “bad brain days” or in between other projects. It’s kind of nice to have a peaceful project tucked away waiting for me. Do you have a peaceful project?

Happy Knitting!!