Log cabin Blanket

So - I started on it. I decided not to use the Rowan Tweed as I think I sold most of it. But I did realise I have a substantial stash of Cascade 220 bought for a Dr. Who scarf which I know I will never make and for Harry Potter hats/scarves.I cast on and followed the instructions and made my first square.

I love the pattern, love the colours, love the yarn... but hate the picking up. I am just rubbish at it and can't seem to get it neat. The perfectionist is telling me to rip it all back and start again but I think I will leave it and hopefully by the end of the squares I will see an improvement in my tension and my techniques.My problem seems to be using the correct part of the stitch to use when picking up - and no amount of googling is helping me to find the correct bit to use. Feeling frustrated.

In the meantime these are the colours I have to hand - but I have a few more on the way from a few kind Ravellers who are letting me buy up their Cascade 220 stashes - hee.

Log Cabin Blankets

For a long time I have drooled over the knitted log cabin blankets that I see in the Mason Dixon books and on their blog. I have a load of Rowan tweed that is yelling to be used for some big project and I think a blanket may well be the thing. So - today I was catching up on their blog and find the details for making Clif's Squares Blanket and thought this should be the one for me. Each square is worked individually and then you fit them all together at the end like a patchwork blanket. I am very excited by this and want to collect all my bits together and use this as my holiday project as it looks easily portable - and not socks. (Which I have to admit to being very, very slow at.)

The pattern looks easy enough for me to do. Knit a garter square, add on two rows of a contrasting colour, add a border block. Turn. Pick up stitches and do another contrasting colour ridge and then a border block. Repeat the turn twice more and you get a yummy square.



Photo from http://www.masondixonknitting.com

Finishing things

Lots of things been finished off today - so thought I'd blog about them too. First up - here is my first Baby Surprise Jacket



I absolutely loved knitting this. It's not perfect - I lost track of some of the increases and decreases but it was fun and I think it looks great. I used Debbie Bliss' Cashmerino Aran - which was a dream to knit with. I love the contrasting stripes - makes it look super smart. The buttons are originally from my Grandmother's button tin.


Next up is another Baby Surprise jacket knitted in Kraft Koala's Aran:


I'm not as happy with this one - think I prefer BSJ's in single colours - rather than variegated yarn. Sewed the buttons on today - after emptying my button tin trying to find something that looked good. Think the brown ones are perfect - love how the yarn used to sew them on changes colour from button to button.





Next is the lovely pinwheel blanket.


I made this back in July on the way back from France. I used Peaches and Creme 100% cotton - which is quite thick to knit with. I love the pattern on this but stopped too soon - I was eager to finish it. I should have kept going. I may give this to Orla to use as a toy blanket. I still need to block it as the edges curl.

I love the detail on the centre though - the pinwheel itself - will definitely be knitting more of this - with wool next time I think.




Finally I have my Christmas Stocking.



This has been made for a swap I am involved in. I am making for a lovely American lady so I thought I would go overboard on the 'Scottish' theme. I used just two colours - a lot of the patterns I looked at were full of bright colours and made me feel quite ill. I like the simplicity and the contrast of just two. I put saltires around the top and the just used simple patterns down the leg and foot with plain heel and toe. I put i-cord around the top and used that to add a loop. It is not as neat as I hoped - but I still need to block it which I am hoping will squash the heel and toe into shape a little more. It was a fun knit and if I get time before Christmas I may make another.


That's all for now folks...