FO: Zig Zag Baby Blanket

Posted on February 13, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Warning: this post may get a bit mushy!

It turned out a bit more square than rectangle, but then again so am! The Bernat Cottontots Solid is butter soft but yet washable! The pattern was easy to memorize but yet so complicated looking. I couldn’t put this project down!

I did a lot of thinking during this blanket. First off, this blanket is made for a fellow knitter and her firstborn. I kept thinking “She’s going to love this! Even better she’s going to truly understand how much energy and time went into each stitch” There is just something so inherently different in knitting for a knitter. Not that I’m saying knitting for the general public isn’t fun! It’s just that I pour so much of myself into my projects I almost hate to part with them. I’m a process knitter, I can look at a piece and know exactly what I was doing and thinking while I was knitting it. The process of making the FO is what’s important to me, the love that woven with each knit and purl. Only a knitter understands this obsession and it feels good to be understood and appreciated!

This blanket will forever be linked to my memory of my Grandma Leta. She passed while I was working on this project. I couldn’t help but hope the little baby girl who gets this will love her Grandma just as much. This blanket was good therapy as I worked through grief and sadness. Knitting goes a long way to heal any kind of wound. It doesn’t cover it up or erase it as much as it soothes and eases. (See I told you this was going to get sappy!)

Stitch after stitch, knitting goes on. Just like life. I miss Grandma but I also can’t wait to meet sweet baby Lazo. Sweet and sad at the same time. Knitting is such an integral part of life I’d feel lost without it. Now on to my other WIPs, I’ve got more love to share!!!

Happy Knitting

Progress Update

Posted on January 28, 2013 by atangledyarn84

No FOs yet, so I thought I’d share some progress on my current WIPs.

First up, Stashbusting project #2!

I’ve only managed to complete the border edge and three pattern repeats on my Waffle Blanket. I like this project but it’s not really holding my attention. Don’t get me wrong it’s a cool project, it’s just that I like my other projects better right now. I’m not a monogamous knitter so it doesn’t really bother me. I pick it up every now and then otherwise it’s safe and sound in a project bag.

Next up, Stashbastin’ #6!

I LOVE THIS PROJECT! It’s just so pretty and the cotton is so soft and yummy to feel under my fingers. I just started my third stripe on my Zig Zag Blanket. I plan on alternating the cream and brown back and forth until the end. I altered the pattern to make it a bit longer than the original design. I like my baby blankets to big enough to wrap around a kid and not just lay over them. The second row is a purl row and slows me down a bit, I really don’t mind purling but I’m slow at it. But the first row is so fast and easy. I have already committed it to memory. This project is my go-to couch knitting while the husband and I watch TV and movies.

Finally, Stashbustin’ #7!

I’m on my third stripe of my second Chevron Blanket. I decided to add grey into the color mix. I altered the pattern and added extra stitches (original by the Purl Bee) to be a bit wider. I liked the original, I just wanted it to be wider and more of lap blanket. However, in doing this it’s throwing the yarn yardage off more than I thought and attempted to calculate. After the first two stripes it was clear I was not going to have enough blue and gold to finish. I had enough gray in my stash to augment is blanket and get to the necessary length with the added width. And I think the grey is going to add a lot of color interest!

This blanket is all garter stitch with easy increases and decreases so it’s crazy fast with the bulky yarn. This project lives on my nightstand next to my bed. I work a few rows every night before I go to sleep. It’s a great way to unwind after a long day.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Stay tuned for more knitting progress and new projects this week!

Happy Kniting 🙂

Stashbustin’ #7

Posted on January 26, 2013 by atangledyarn84

MORE WITH THE DESTASHING!

I have a few skeins of royal blue and yellow Loops and Thread Charisma. These happen to be my high school colors and they have been burning a hole in my stash. I really liked the pattern of the Chevron Baby Blanket by the Purl Bee, just not the colors I chose the first go around or finished size. Time for another swing!

This project has no specific person or event in mind. Just wanted to turn this soft yarn into a comfy blanket. I cast on 156 stitches to extend the pattern. These colors have soothing psychological effect on me after growing up surrounded by them (my dad has coached in the school district for 30+ years and our house is full of blue and gold!) Makes for peaceful knitting…

Follow my Ravelry progress here.

Happy Knitting!

Stashbustin’ #6

Posted on January 25, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Since the completion of my Chevron Baby Blanket I started a new blanket. My friends Ernest and Catherine are due in June and I want something special for them. They don’t know what they are having yet, but will find out in a few weeks. I couldn’t wait to start so I picked unisex colors.

I selected the Zig Zag Baby Blanket by knitculture.com. I had some skeins of Bernat Cottontots Solids in Sweet Cream and Chocolate. I cast on a few more stitches than the pattern called just to make sure I got a respectable sized blanket.

Two pattern repeat that creates a zig zag pattern. I can’t wait to see how this one turns out. Follow my Ravelry progress here.

Happy Knitting!

FO: Chevron Baby Blanket

Posted on January 23, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Destashing #4complete!!

Chevron Baby Blanket is finished thanks to some windshield time this past weekend. I used several skeins of Knit Picks Biggo and Premier Serenity Chunky Heathers out of my stash. The end result is baby butt soft and very kooky.

The pattern was an easy two row repeat that was easily memorized. The Purl Bee writes a great pattern! Great TV knitting and the bulky yarn flew off the needles. I’m not 100% sold on the color combo. I was shooting for kooky unisex, but I’m just not sure. The end product also ended up more like a beach towel shape than blanket (to me at least). I didn’t swatch for gauge so that might be my bad.

I started with blue then transitioned to grey, then pink, grey again, and finally green. The chevron shape showed up really nicely with the garter stitch.

I will definitely make this pattern again. I’m just not sure this FO is something I will give away. It’s funky and might be a little too funky for my average friend. I’m going to call this one a win as I used yarn from my burgeoning stash and it was fun to make. It might just be destined for my “secret” some day I’ll have a baby FO stash….

Time to cast on something new! I have lots of yarn to destash!!

Happy Knitting

Rest and Relaxation

Posted on January 19, 2013 by atangledyarn84

It’s finally Friday and I’m free for a three day weekend! It’s been a busy week so I’m ready to let my hair down…

Destashing update!

I just started my third stripe on my Chevron Baby Blanket! Only two more to go. This is proving to be a very relaxing project with a memorable pattern. Great for TV knitting.

So I’ve put my feet up for the night with a great glass of red moscato and some Castle on DVD. Knitting, wine, and Nathan Fillian…..I love my life!

Happy Knitting!!

Special Requests

Posted on January 15, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I met the most amazing friend named Amy in college when we both played on the same volleyball team. She was fun and energetic AND we shared the exact same birthday right down to the year. She married an amazing man who is an Air Force pilot. They move A LOT. She and her husband are expecting their second child in April and being stationed in Australia in February!

I called her up to congratulate her and asked what could I make for the new baby. I told her to pick something she really wanted and not just something she needed. She had to think about it but finally a few days later she came up with it…….diaper changing pads that were cloth and washable. She disliked the plastic ones she had with her first child. She is big into cloth diapers and being green.

So I set out to design one. Her diaper bag is made out of an old green flight suit that belonged to her husband from his first deployment. So I wanted to stick with a green color scheme. Here are the materials:
– hand sized terry cloth towel in dark green
– 1/2 yard flannel in green and brown polka dots
– 16 inches of ribbon
Combine these and a few zips of my machine and I had a diaper pad!

I pre washed all my fabrics to shrink them. Then I laid the towel over the flannel and cut a peice to size and pinned them right sides together.

I then pinned two pieces of ribbon in between the right sides so they would be on the outside when I was turned it. The ribbon will serve as closure for the pad when rolled up.

I zipped around the outside of the square leaving a 1/4 allowance and leaving a 3” in hole to turn it right side out. After turning the work right side I went around the edge again to secure the layers and see up the hole.

And tah dah you are done! Simply, easy, and super cute. The cloth rolls up and secures with the ribbon so it fits nicely in a diaper bag. The towel is plush enough to provide a nice surface for baby and the whole thing is machine wash and dry!

I made two small and one large one for Amy and I will stick in the mail tomorrow to make sure she gets them before they leave the US. I can’t wait till she opens the package. I will miss her being in the same time zone but she is about to take the most amazing adventure. And I have to give her props for flying halfway round the world at 7 months pregnant with a preschooler.

These pads make great shower presents and anyone with a sewing machine can do this! Easy materials list and no technical measuring, just sew and go! My kind of project (just don’t tell my mom cuz she hates when I don’t measure, lol).

FO: Waves and Ripples Blanket

Posted on January 14, 2013 by atangledyarn84

First destashing project complete!!

Waves and Ripples Blanket is complete! This blanket is destined for my cousins Josh and Amy (saying this because I’m very confident they don’t follow this blog) who are due in April. They aren’t finding out the babies sex so I went with unisex colors of cream and white.

Josh is my cousin and I absolutely adore his wife. She and I are very much alike and have been known to let our hair down together at more than one family wedding. They got married only a few months after my husband and I five years ago. We had a pact for a long time to hold out with having kids (much to our respective parents chagrin). Now she has left me high and dry. With the birth of their child my parents will be the only ones without grand kids…and I haven’t heard the end of it yet.

Such is life! Despite her betrayal (kidding) I really wanted to make her something special!

I used five skeins of Brava Bulky and an improvised design of my own.

I used left and right leaning decreases and increases to create chevron stripes. See my Rav notes for the details. I simply worked one skein clear to end and then changed colors. Easy peasy! I did run out of yarn as reported in a previous blog post. Luckily I was able to source enough in the right dye lots online.

This project was hard to put down and took no time at all (even with waiting for yarn). Loved the texture of the yarn and I felt very connected to the project of my own design. This blanket will be washing machine and dryer friendly and super duper soft for baby.

I cannot wait to give it to Josh and Amy and oh ya meet the newest addition! Now on to other projects…

Happy Knitting and may Monday be kind to you!

Stashbustin’ #4

Posted on January 9, 2013 by atangledyarn84

After hitting the proverbial wall and running out of yarn on my Waves and Ripples Blanket I had to develop a plan b so I could keep my fingers busy. I’ve had my eye on the Chevron Blanket by the Purl Bee for awhile.

I dug through my stash and came up with four skeins (three Knit Picks Biggo yarn and one Premier Serenity Chunky Heathers) of chunky and soft colors I found pleasing together.

I won’t be following the pattern exactly. I plan to follow the stitch pattern and then knit each color into one large stripe (until I run out of yarn) and then change to next. I’m planing the following sequence:
– blue
– grey
– pink
– grey
– green

I’ll try to keep to keep good track of my alterations/notes and update my Ravelry project page. Follow it here!

Chloe is less than impressed with the amount of time I have been knitting lately.

Stashbustin’ Post #2

Posted on January 3, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I have WIP-itis……and it’s bad.

I cast on another WIP just because I felt like it. I have at least five baby showers to knit for (that at least partially substantiates my WIP-itis right?)

I have a LOT of Caron Simply Soft Solidsbin my stash. I picked up most of it from a destashing friend years ago when first learning to knit. It’s soft and washable and I used to love it. But my admiration has flagged a bit and its been relegated to mostly baby knits.

I found the Waffle Blanket (free pattern) through a Pinterest pin linked to a Ravelry pattern. I was smitten immediately and cast on! Not sure who this blanket is destined for yet but I have a few months left to decide. I’m very optimistic and can’t wait to see the finished product.

I knocked out the border and one repeat of the pattern while watching a TV DVR-ed episode. It’s very pretty and I’m sure after a couple repeats very memorizable.

I must have baby blanket fever!! (Or baby fever if you ask my mother.) Stay tuned for updates on this and my Waves and Ripples Blanket!