Blankie Friday
I think I'm coming in just over the wire on Blankie Friday, but at least I'm here. First, let's have a gratuitous kid pic. Yesterday we were at Target, and Julie wanted a new big ball. I agreed because they were only $2.50, and because it brought us up to one ball per child. Of course, they were still fighting over the new one, but it'll all be good once the new wears off.
Now it's down to business. As we all know, I didn't make much progress on the blankie this week because I was busy working on that hat. I did spend the last couple of evenings weaving in ends, and I thought I'd share with you the results of one session of end-weaving.
Someone asked a while back why I don't just weave in ends as I go. One of the many reasons is the tiny sense of satisfaction I get out of looking at the pretty pile of ends that develops as I trim them off.
I think I did get a couple squares knit up this week, but I'm too tired to count at the moment.
I did take a bit of time to rework the remaining-squares math once more. Remember, my original plan was to make the thing 1.5 times as long as it is wide. That's a freakin' big couch throw. I've been rethinking it a bit as it gets bigger and bigger. At its current size, it seems fairly cozy. Still, I was holding on to my original plan out of fear that I was just getting lazy and wanting to finish.
Then, I did a little counting and math again tonight. Do you realize that I've now knit 527 squares? Holy freaking miters! Uh, and do you realize that if I stick to my original plan, I still have something like 240 squares left to knit? That's a lot more than I thought. I'm not sure where I made my mistake the last time I did the math, but that'd be 80 more nights at three squares a night.
Well, that's not going to happen if I want to make it to the State Fair. This recalculation has changed my feelings on the end game plan a bit. I'm not sure exactly how far I want to go, but I'm open to your thoughts. Should I wrap it up now with an almost perfectly square blanket? Should I keep going and just see how far I get with enough time remaining to do the border, but end up with a less proportionally-appealing end product? Ack! I can't think any more. I'm going to bed.
Now it's down to business. As we all know, I didn't make much progress on the blankie this week because I was busy working on that hat. I did spend the last couple of evenings weaving in ends, and I thought I'd share with you the results of one session of end-weaving.
Someone asked a while back why I don't just weave in ends as I go. One of the many reasons is the tiny sense of satisfaction I get out of looking at the pretty pile of ends that develops as I trim them off.
I think I did get a couple squares knit up this week, but I'm too tired to count at the moment.
I did take a bit of time to rework the remaining-squares math once more. Remember, my original plan was to make the thing 1.5 times as long as it is wide. That's a freakin' big couch throw. I've been rethinking it a bit as it gets bigger and bigger. At its current size, it seems fairly cozy. Still, I was holding on to my original plan out of fear that I was just getting lazy and wanting to finish.
Then, I did a little counting and math again tonight. Do you realize that I've now knit 527 squares? Holy freaking miters! Uh, and do you realize that if I stick to my original plan, I still have something like 240 squares left to knit? That's a lot more than I thought. I'm not sure where I made my mistake the last time I did the math, but that'd be 80 more nights at three squares a night.
Well, that's not going to happen if I want to make it to the State Fair. This recalculation has changed my feelings on the end game plan a bit. I'm not sure exactly how far I want to go, but I'm open to your thoughts. Should I wrap it up now with an almost perfectly square blanket? Should I keep going and just see how far I get with enough time remaining to do the border, but end up with a less proportionally-appealing end product? Ack! I can't think any more. I'm going to bed.
Labels: Blankie
posted by Shelly Kang at 11:37 PM
15 Comments:
Your blankie is great. I've decided to copy yours using scrap yarn (I dont knit socks). I've made a few mistakes but it is coming along very slowly. Yours is nicer though.
I'm sure you've done this, but have you put it over the couch and taken a picture? We need to see it in perspective!
Candy in California
What about just a row or two longer than a perfect square?
Why do you need a border? I think the zig zag edge looks great, and you can add on until you run out of time :)
I'm going to have to start buying a lot more sock yarn and start making a lot of socks so I can have left overs to make a beautiful blankie too!
I'm all about proportions and what feels right, rather than what the math says. So I'm voting you stop when the blanket has reached the size that maximizes looks and utility. From the pictures, I think that would occur in 2 or so rows. And, like Ella, I'm rather fond of the edge so I would vote for no border or a border that highlights the wavey edge.
What about knitting on it right up until the State Fair deadline? Work on it as you can and when the deadline for State Fair entry arrives you are done!
Do you need more yarn? I'm a pretty slow sock knitter, but I just finished another pair (and I shocked at how much I have left over). It's a Regia wool/nylon and yours if you want it.
I like perfect squares myself...it's beautiful whatever you decide to do.
Somehow I think the perfect square is not such a bad idea! It looks to be just about that right now, as I run my eyes diagonally from the bottom corners up (in the photo of the whole thing). Although would that take the wind out of your sails to suddenly find yourself done?! By the way, it looks great!
Let me throw my perfect square vote into the hat as well. I think the blankie looks great, and may do one myself once I get enough sock yarn scraps.
Hey, Shelly -
Your blankie is looking great! Wanted to throw my vote into the mix. (I am the one who sent you pictures of the Koigu blankie.) I didn't want mine to be a perfect square, since I had that with the Log-Cabin Blankies. I like it to be a rectangle. I kept covering up with mine to see how the size was, and that is how I decided when to stop. I don't think you need an edge, either. I just did a decorative stitch around the triangle edges to give it a finished look, but it looks great without adding any extra edging. I also did the same thing as you are doing -- weaving my ends in every week or so. It made me too crazy to have all those threads hanging, and I think it really slows you down to weave them in while you are knitting.
Have a great weekend.
Joy
I think it looks like a great throw right now. I have been in love with your blankie for months now and finally decided to start one of me own. I was wondering if you would add me to your knit along? I have a picture of my current 19 square blankie on my blog. Thanks!
Laura
I think we need to see the blankie in use to figure out if it needs to be bigger or not. (can you say non-gratuitous kid pic?) Also, I like the edges where it's all smaller squares. so you could just do a "quick" crochet edging on it and be done....
I think an overall square shape echoes the square you made it with and it's looking really nice now. I do agree with those that said take a pic with it in use or on the couch just to be sure, but I like the square idea. Also, don't think it needs much in the way of edging, but then haven't seen what you're planning either. Leave the zigzaggy edge shape even if you add something though--that's part of the cool look. ~Jeannie
I'm confused - I thought the border was the i cord you'd been doing as you went along?
Love the I-cord border! It just seems to be the perfect finish for the zigzag edge. I don't know about square - does it cover enough of the fambly as an 'almost square' or do you need a bit more in the length department to snuggle? Kay
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