Well, I survived my week back at work after a lovely vacation. The first day back was a little dicey, since the jet lag was still kicking my butt, but getting back in the routine of work and home helped. I’m pretty sure that staying busy and having something to do helps, rather than just sitting in my jammies thinking about how tired I am. I think that’s why I didn’t have much trouble when we got to the UK; our friends in Manchester had planned a very busy two days for us while we were with them, and our brains got on local time pretty quickly. More on that later. Let’s get the fiber stuff out of the way first, shall we?
First, what were those September goals?
Finish the baby thing.
Finish those red socks.
Read books.
Enjoy the vacation.
And how did I do? I didn’t finish the red socks, but came close. Here they are as of today.
I just realized that it probably would have been helpful to take that photo on a different color background. Oh well.
Since I’ve been knitting these freaking socks for months, I’ll forgive you if you’ve forgotten the details. This is Lisa Souza Sock! yarn, in the color Little Devil. I’m having a devil of a time convincing my husband that these are really for me. For some reason, the man that likes every color, as long as it’s blue, loves these. We’ll see. I do love him, after all, so I might at least share them.
How about those non-knitting goals? Enjoy the vacation?? Check. Read books? Check. I decided to re-read Pride & Prejudice after we visited the estate where this version was filmed, and as usual enjoyed reading it very much. The other book I’m reading is the second in George R.R. Martin’s Ice & Fire series. It’s over a thousand pages, and I’m somewhere in the 800 page region at the moment. I also read several guide books while away, and part of a book of Scotland history.
Now, about that baby blanket. It is finished. Here it is:
Project Details:
Yarn: Cotton Ease, the vintage colors, in Electric Eye Searing Baby Blue, edging in white.
Pattern: Tweed Baby Blanket, by Jared Flood. This is the third of these I’ve made. Of course the original was in tasteful lovely wool, I used eye searing acrylic cotton, which has the distinct advantage of being machine washable.
For: The latest addition to my extended family, a grandnephew named Jace. Here’s his photo:
Yes, he is adorable. He deserves a baby blanket, don’t you think? I’m thinking he’s still young enough to use it, even if he was born in June.
Needles: 5mm circulars.
Started: Oh good grief. Too long ago. Sometime back in May, according to Ravelry.
Finished: about 10 days ago, in Scotland.
Modifications: I used eye searing cotton acrylic instead of heirloom quality wool. I also made it bigger, by one full repeat of the feather and fan edging.
What I Learned: I am sick to death of garter stitch. This pattern starts out swimmingly, with just a few stitches on the needles. You knit that big center square as a diamond, and for about twenty rows it looks like you are making terrific progress, then it just gets bigger, and bigger, and more bigger. Then, Hooray! You start decreasing, but it’s still all garter stitch till you get to the edging part. I have no plans to knit another one of these anytime in the near future.
I did learn something of a knitting nature. The final edge is an I-cord bind off, and it calls for a double point needle one size larger than the main needle you use. Of course, I didn’t have one with me, and do you think I could find a yarn shop to buy a needle? I just charged ahead and finished it with the 5mm size. The edge would scallop much more nicely if done with the larger needle, but this just needed to get done, and I’m not doing it over. It’s fine as is.
OK, October goals:
Finish the red socks.
Finish at least one sleeve of the True Blood Faery Sweater. See photo below.
I’m spinning up some lovely merino/tencel stuff. I have it about half done and want to finish it.
Read more, blog more.
Post photos of Scotland.
Here’s where I am on the first sleeve of that sweater:
Again, red knitting, red background. You’d think I’d learn.
And here’s that pretty fiber, again.
And here’s one more of the baby blanket, just because it’s my blog and I can.
OK, this post has gotten large enough. I’ll post the first installment of the Scotland journey tomorrow!
That is one cute baby band well deserving of an eye searing baby blanket.
Those goals can be little devils, sometimes, but it is such a thrill when they are met. Especially a big one – like the baby blanket. It is really, eye-searingly beautiful.
The baby blanket is adorable. I am almost tempted to attempt one, but there are no babies coming in our extended family that I feel that committed to! Small sweaters, yes. I’m doing some garter stitch sweaters, but at least the pieces are small, so you feel like you’re making progress. I am so jealous that you visited the site of my favorite P&P movie. I recently got adventurous and got P&P and Zombies, but can’t quite get the courage to start it!
The Song of Ice and Fire! I have been promoting that series to everyone I know for 5 or 6 years. I just started listening to audiobook version from the beginning of Book 1 because I got the audio of Book 5 but needed to refresh my memory of all that had gone before. This will be the 3rd time I have listened to Books 1 – 4. I got #1 Son, the med student, interested in it; he got an ebook version that he put on his iPod Touch. He would read snatches of it whenever he had a free moment, like waiting for the elevator or waiting for a patient’s lab result. When I told him recently that book 5 was out he said that yes, he knew, and he had gotten an autographed copy when he saw/heard the author speak somewhere. (I now officially hate my son.)
I’ve made those garter stitch diamond-style blankets before and, like you, I get bored to death! I mean, I already go to sleep while knitting and then I have to knit all garter stitch? Mercy!
As to photos of red on red, maybe the red isn’t the best background but then again, it keeps our eyes from being fried out of their sockets! Your socks are a bright, bright red on my computer and the red background tones them down a bit. Your sweater pieces aren’t quite as bright as the socks, but close, so here again you had mercy on my eyesight. Thanks. (And don’t kick yourself for not learning. You were actually caring for your readers. Yup. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)
What a sweet looking baby!
You seem to have achieved a lot in September in spite of travelling and jet lag.
What are you going to use the merino-tencel for?
I’m impressed how well you did on meeting your goals!
That is an adorable baby, and I think the blanket is a perfect gift. I think babies always need blankets, no matter how old they are.
The baby blanket is just adorable as is the sweet baby!
LOVE your socks! I’ve been on a red theme right now and am busting to knit some red socks for myself – that may mean purchasing some new sock yarn. That is pure punishment, isn’t it — not!
The blanket is lovely and I’m sure that cute little guy will love it. 🙂
Gorgeous blanket – and of course it’s not too late. Liam still sleeps with his baby blanket, and he’s 3 now. (3? Already?)
Aren’t socks made for sharing in general? If you wanted to be super cute, you could each wear one, and be kind of matching…
I am stunned at your industry. Plus, that is one adorable baby. Love the red socks. My goal for this month is to post our travel pictures and some of the baby stuff I am DETERMINED to finish. You are an inspiration to us all.
The blue may have been interminable, but it was worth it. GORGEOUS.