Bouclé Afghan

Sometimes when walking through my local Jo-Ann, I admit I get easily distracted.

Or maybe all the time.

Well, one day when I was there taking advantage of a pattern sale, I saw some beautiful red yarn.

Then I looked closer. It was bouclé -- not my favorite. It was also acrylic*-- again, not my favorite. But the color was so pretty, and the yarn so soft! And on sale, too! Plus I had a coupon.

With that, I was hooked. I purchased 4 balls of Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Bouclé yarn for $20.

I decided the best thing to do was to make an afghan. I cast-on 200 stitches, and worked in garter stitch until I had gone through 2 balls of yarn, binding off just before I ran out.

This made a large and soft afghan which I can wrap myself up in, or snuggle under with someone I love. To get an idea of scale, the bed that the blanket is spread out on is king size.

The only trick now will be to keep the pups from stealing it like they have the others.

Project Details:
Pattern: None, but the formula is here.
Designer: Well, designer is a bit pretentious, but I made up the formula.
Yarn: Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Bouclé (88% acrylic/12% nylon) in the red colorway.
Needles: US 10 (6 mm) interchangeable needles with a 60" cable.

*NOTE: While acrylic is not my favorite fiber choice, I don't hate it. I believe quite firmly that there is a place for every type of fiber. Indeed, for color selection and saturation, easy care, and affordability, acrylic is fantastic.

When Life Attacks

Friday, DH was driving to work and hit some tread that had fallen off a semi tire and was lying in the middle of the road. It was either hit it, or one of the cars around him. I think he made the correct choice. The car sustained some damage, though, so we had to file a claim with our insurance. And getting everything set up and scheduled was how that day was spent.

Saturday was shaping up to be a better day. I went to visit my sister, and my truck's transmission decided to stop working properly. We ended up cutting our outing short, and I was able to make it back home. Barely. It appeared to give up the ghost when I pulled in my driveway.

Sunday, Jay spent the day with Miss L's family, and while DH and I were able to spend some time together, I was mostly running errands. I had to do it while I still had a vehicle available. Nice way to spend Easter, no?

Monday I spent the day getting the cars to the garage, picking up a rental, and trying to activate DH's new iPhone. (Turns out the Droid phone he'd gotten was a dud -- after 5 phone calls to customer service we decided to send it back and get a new phone.) Unfortunately, our service provider was having issues that prevented activation initially, but it took them 2 hours and 3 customer service representatives to communicate that to me. At least it's finally working.

Now, the truck isn't acting up, so the mechanics can't find and fix the problem. Typical.

At least my garden is doing well.  Strawberries are ripening,

cabbage is forming a lovely head,

and the rhubarb is thriving.

The trees are all doing well too.

I finished a secret project, started another, and am able to work on the others that are in progress. There's the Triangle Summer Shawl that I'm knitting out of handspun linen/silk,

the Bouclé afghan that I'm knitting out of Joann Sensations,

the socks I'm designing and knitting out of Knitting Fever Indulgence,

and the cashmere top I'm spinning.

And, of course, I get to see an abundance of this adorableness.

I guess things are looking up.

Knitting Nautically

 I picked up the Nautical Blanket kit from Knit Picks in May with the intention of finishing it for my in-laws for Christmas.  I figured that would be enough time to finish it, and it truly is the perfect thing for them.

The blanket consists of 30 squares, 26 of them look like the nautical flags of the International Code of Symbols (corresponding to each letter of the alphabet), and 4 squares that have two-colored stars on a white background.  Each square has a border that is knitted on, then they are sewn together.  At least, that's what the pattern calls for.

I knit the squares, off and on, until I finally finished the last one in November.  Instead of knitting on the borders, as the pattern says to, I decided to crochet a narrower border onto each square before sewing them together.  I used a simple whip stitch to sew them all together, and then thought it needed something more.

I had always planned on adding a border around the blanket, as I thought it looked uneven around the edges without one.  Since I was wanting a more finished look, the border was mandatory.  I settled on a simple cabled border that resembles a rope, tying it in with the nautical theme.

I finally got it finished, washed, blocked, wrapped, and ready to ship on the Tuesday before Christmas.  At this point I wasn't sure it would make it there in time, but I headed to FedEx to see what they could do for me.  They gave me an expected delivery date of Christmas Eve, but made no guarantees that it would actually make it.

Each day I anxiously went online, hoping to see that it had arrived.

And on December 24, it did.

They LOVED it!  They called early (for them - different time zone) on Christmas morning to let me know how perfect it was and how much they loved it.  They called it an heirloom, and have it prominently displayed on their front room couch. :D  It is wonderful to create things for people who enjoy them. 

Here are the details:
Neither the pattern or kit are available any longer.  The blanket is made out of Wool of the Andes worsted in the Winter Night (blue), Caution (yellow), Grass (green), Red, and White colorways, using a total of 45 balls of yarn.  Knit on size US 6 needles.  The finished dimensions are 5 feet wide by 6 feet long.  Due to the overall size of the project (could be overwhelming to a novice), and the use of both stranding and intarsia, I would say this project is better suited to advanced intermediate to advanced knitters.  Of course, if you're a fearless beginner, it's great for you too!

Gone To Pieces

It appears that everything I'm actively working on right now is knit in pieces, then seamed together.

A LOT of pieces.

Take, for example the Nautical Blanket (this is a Ravelry link, because KP is no longer selling the kit, so it's not on their website), knit with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes:

And that's not even all of the pieces!  It's 27 of the 30 the pattern calls for.

I still have another 3 of the star squares to make. 

Then there's the edging of each square, the seaming, the edging of the blanket, and possibly the addition of some backing material.  Did I mention I'm making this as a Christmas present?  I must maintain my diligence.

I'm also working on two baby blankets.  I VERY slightly modified one of the Nautical squares, and am knitting up each square the same but with complementary colors.  I've decided to call them the Moderne blankets.

I'm pleased with the way each square is coming out, and I think the finished product will be perfect.  They will be a little late, though, as the twins they are for are already about 3 months old.   I LOVE this yarn.  It's Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima, and it's a dream.  Soooo soft and lovely.  It's not like working with cotton at all. 

There is also another secret project that I've finished and will (hopefully) be able to share soon, and another that I'm busy working on.

Speaking of work, it looks like I need to get back to it.

Shaker Throw

Now that the catalog is out, I can share about it!

I've completed the Shaker Throw from Knitter's At Home.  It's a Knit Picks project from the May/June 2010 catalog.

 

This lovely little lap-ghan (it's 40" X 46" including the fringe) is worked in panels of honeycomb and cables, then grafted together.

Yes, that does mean plenty of sewing, and lots of ends to weave in,

  

but in the end, it's not that big of a deal. 

And you end up with a lovely lap blanket.  

The edging is also knitted separately and sewn on with the fringe being knitted into the edging.  It was a new technique for me, and one I really like.  

Knit with Simply Cotton Organic Sport Yarn in the Marshmallow colorway.

Do make sure to check for errata before you begin.