skein

In the country - mystery blanket unveiled!

This is the final month of Debbie Abraham's Mystery Blanket knitalong.  I've thoroughly enjoyed it, getting a little parcel each month, with 5 squares to knit.  I think that's why I've lingered over the last few squares!

There are 2 choices for border - one is a stocking stitch central area with bobbles, the other is garter stitch.  I've chosen garter stitch, the thought of more ends to darn in leaves me cold.  I also think that the garter stitch looks nicer with the squares.

I decided to knit the side borders first, whilst the blanket is in two bits, less bulk, and here they are:

(they're looking a bit wobbly here, not so noticeable in real life)

This morning I darned the last few ends and it's finished!

Now I have 3 photos here, I think Chris was attempting to peek over the top...

 

 

 

 

Here's a selection of squares (not very blocked, I hasten to add!)

Intarsia, my lease favourite.

I preferred knitting the pig and cow, but I like the cow and sheep best.

 

A selection of texture - I liked most of these, except one version of the bottom left, kept making mistakes!

 

and a selection of colour.  The two on the left were my favourites.

 

Overall, a brilliant way to knit a blanket!  I can't wait for next years, which should be even more fun as I'll have finished the Picnic blanket, and will be just working on one.

Mystery Blanket

July, August and September squares are done.  We have four more squares and the border due in our next package.  I've also attached the two strips to the other strips, and sewn in all ends except on the live edges (I find it easier to join if I don't sew these side ends in until after I've seamed).

I've managed to swap around the strips though, so this isn't the actual layout of the strips!

I think I may have knitted one of the flowers the wrong way around, I knew that we'd had an email about a flower chart been incorrect, but I wasn't sure if it was the enclosed photo or the chart which was wrong.  I don't mind anyway, it's still pretty.

Now that I've seen it spread out, I'm considering using the odd balls to knit two extra strips, so it's not a 7x7 square blanket, but a 9x7 rectangular blanket.  It means knitting an extra 14 squares, and I don't know what the border will be like, yet.  So this is just a thought, rather than a plan.  It might mean that I don't finish the blanket next month, though, and I'm ready to get this and Picnic off the needles.  I am definitely signing up for next year's mystery blanket, but a two month break would be grand.

I've cast on the second orange Twisted Flower sock, working my way down the leg, slowly, with the help of BT Vision Dr Who Season 2 repeats!   I've decided not to knit a second pair of socks this month, as the joining of two strips ate into knitting time.  I'd rather get a move on with Picnic.

May's Mystery Blanket squares

I've finished the last two of five squares for May's squares.

Old stone wall

Farmhouse

All five squares

And that's all the knitting I've done this week!

The sudden hot weather has made me go all Spring Cleany. 
I've turfed my woollies out of the wardrobe

The camera doesn't quite catch the huge pile of garments!  Some of these haven't been worn at all this winter, some only a few times.  So I've spent today doing a HUGE woollens wash.  In the bath, which is quite back breaking.  I've spread them all outside on our two airers, and we've also improvised by putting 4 planks of wood across from the window ledge to the wall. 

Then I spring cleaned the living room.  As I don't do housework, this is a real chore. Instead of just vacuuming around the furniture, it's all been pulled out, the shelves and any ornaments have been washed, woodwork washed down, windows cleaned and the living room nets washed. I've even sorted out all of my knitting tools and needles.   Phew!  I am exhausted!   I've started sorting out my winter clothes to store, and the summer clothes are out ready to iron.  I think I'll do that next week, now it's time to cook supper and relax with my knitting. 

I'm going to work on the Norwegian Woods next week.  I haven't picked it up since starting it, and I don't want it to become a UFO. 

Mystery Blanket May Squares

No, they're not finished yet, but will be in a few days time.  Last week I didn't have a WIP of the week - I decided I needed a break.  This week it's the Mystery Blanket.  I haven't had as much knitting time as I thought I would, but still, I've managed three of the five squares. 

All repeats, or variations, this month.

Furrows

Another sheep (with a black face and white eyes this time)

Harvest Cable

I haven't 'sorted' the bobbles out, so they're looking pretty messy.
I've two more to do, one is a basketweave variation with 3 colours; the other is another intarsia with beads.  By Friday these will be done, leaving me with a weekend for other knitting.  I might pick up the shawl (Norwegian Woods) which is sadly languishing.  Or my newest project, a plain top down scoop neck t-shirt.   

Please tell me I'm not alone in wanting to cast on a million summer projects as soon as the weather warms up!  I've not shown the slightest interest in starting what I call Summer Knitting (cottons, short sleeved tops, the latest summer season magazines) until last weekend, when we had warmer weather.  I very nearly didn't just cast on the scoop neck t-shirt - I actually had a bag of the latest acquired yarns and thought I might cast on six new projects last Sunday!  Common sense prevailed, and the bag's gone into the wardrobe, out of sight. 

Must concentrate on:
Plain socks
Top down scoop t-shirt (lots of stocking stitch)
Norwegian Woods
Buying buttons for Autumn Kauni Cardigan (so it can be put away with the winter knits)
Buying buttons for Neutral Tailoring Cardigan
8 Picnic squares (which will mean I'm joining the 4th out of 9 strips).

There's many more garments I want to start, but will wait a month, then post up a list!

WIP of the week - Mystery Blanket

As predicted, my WIP of the week is completed early this week.

It's the Mystery Blanket, by Debbie Abrahams.  Five squares per month.   Four squares were repeats, with a new one, FLower 2. 

My favourite one to knit this month is the Country Cable 1, which is this one on the left. 

But my favourite one to look at is the Cow.  Love it.

We've knitted 20 out of 49 squares, and I just love this five-squares-a-month knitalong. I'm finding it easy to keep up, and it gives everyone an opportunity to catch up before the next month's squares are posted. 

These photos were taken indoors - the weather has been just awful today, with hail showers and cold winds.  I went to Stash today, and I don't think that I'm exaggerating when I say that we were nearly struck by lightening!  The people at the bus stop outside looked terrified! 

Mystery Blanket March squares

Another March knitting goal done!

Furrows

Country stripe (a new one)

Harvest Cable

Farmhouse (a new one)

Old stone wall (a new one)

All five squares

Best for knitting: Country Cables (bottom right)
Best for looking at: Old Stone Wall (top right) though I'm taken with the Country Stripe (bottom left).
I'm going to do some stranding on the Farmhouse, when it next appears. I did total intarsia, and it's fiddly for for door, windows and chimney.  A bit of a mess, but the beading was fun!

Debbie Abrahams' Mystery Blanket

I've finished this month's squares.

My favourite to look at is the Pig.

My least favourite to knit is the Wheatfields (so boring and the one which was tinked back more than any other square; even its mirror image Wheatfields was easier).

(it even looks manky here, doesn't it?)

My favourite to knit is the Country Cables 1

I've left a few ends and not blocked or steamed the last few squares, but  I'm considering these done. Damn, just noticed the missing butterfly's antennae!

Halfway through February already.  I've  still five knitting things to do. I'm keeping up with dad's waistcoat - about 40 - 45% done now, nearly finished the back.

On course for a February FO.  This is lunchtime knitting for the moment, so it's slow going.

I'm keeping up with Picnic squares to. No photos. Hey, I'll surprise you at the end of the month with the same old pics.  I've finished the bottom 3 tiers, and am now working the first strip.

That leaves 3 more February goals
1) start something new - definitely do-able, it only needs an evening  and then it's officialy started.
2) socks - yarn is chosen, pattern is chosen, though it seems a bit complicated at the moment. I'm hoping it's because I'm only on the second row and can't see the pattern emerging.
3) finish that Autumn cardigan sleeve! The armhole steek is cut, now I need to knit!

Just in case I run out of yarn, I've bought some great cheap wool, which my knitting pal Jill told me about.  It's here and the cost is a mere £1 per ball of dk weight and £1.80 for aran weight.  I've got me some already (one day delivery too!):

Aran weight wool, colour Bramble.  This is in the top five for my New February Something!                                                                                           

Debbie Abrahams' Mystery Blanket

For those of you who are knitting this and don't want to see what the January squares are, please don't read any further as there's photos!

Five squares per month, these are the January squares.
We're getting enough yarn to knit five squares per month, plus any extras.  And we're to keep the remnants for further squares.
This month we received 7 balls of wool cotton,  1 ball of kid silk aura, 5 beads (though I used just 2 - please tell me I haven't missed any other bead placements!), a shade card, colour photos of the squares and square instructions.

The squares are all knitted (that's one of my seven January goals finished. Just six more to go in just over two weeks!)

The ends are all sewn in, and I've roughly steamed the squares just so that I can take a snapshot. I hope to pin them out at some stage to the correct dimensions, once I've found the sprayer for the spray bottle (lost in move to stash flat; you'd be surprised what we have packed and can't find!)
ETA: ignore the colours here!  I need to get out into the daylight more...

Isola and Secret of the Stole

I'm still ignoring the weekly wip, Autumn Leaves cardigan, and working on Isola. I think it would be great to add this to the list of projects in 2007.

As you can see, I've only a sleeve to go, and the button loops!

Such a quick knit. I've been thinking that this is an aran weight yarn, but it's chunky, which is why it's going so swiftly. 13 sts /10cm. This design has 3/4 sleeves which flare out as shown.

I tried to take some more photos of the Secret of the Stole this morning (without Chris to help), just by laying it out on the grass.   These still don't show up the lovely loden colour of the yarn (it's looking rather washed out in the sunlight) nor the beads. But I want to wear this now, as a scarf, and I've been holding out trying to get some decent photos. Consider this photographed now!  Another of my December goals out of the way. The only one left to do (which won't be) is to finish off Autumn Leaves. Oh well.

 

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Secret of the Stole, hint 8

Last hint!  Not only that,  it's blocking!  This is amazing. I'm always shattered when I arrive home from work, but I found the energy to block it (mainly because we need the floor space today for lots of extra laundry) and it's drying now.

The cashmere was coned and oiled, so it's had a very hot, soapy wash and has bloomed dramatically.

Meanwhile, I've cast on another quick project.  It's Portia from Louisa Harding's Una Volta book, one of the Venezia books.  I've a horrible feeling that this Kimono Angora Pure is a yarn which I can't work with!  My eyes feel all scratchy, as does my nose, I think it's the tiny bits of fluff.  NOT good news, as I have a stack of this in that wonderful inky purple colour for a jumper. 

We won't mention the Bee Fields Shawl, or the Autumn Leaves cardigan. Later.