Scrap Blanket

From what I've heard, finding something the do with the ends of balls of yarn is a struggle for most knitters. I'm no exception. I've got tons of bits of yarn that seem like they ought to be enough for something, but anytime I try using them, it turns out they aren't enough. Recently I realized I could make something out of them: I could make a scrap blanket. Now, I'm not saying it's going to be the most beautiful thing in the world. Not even close. I imagine it's actually going to look pretty gross. But, I could be wrong, and worst case I've got another blanket which is never anything to be sorry about.

I've decided to go with 200 stitches on US 11 (8mm) circular needles. I finally made up the pattern for this blanket because I couldn't find anything that would be pretty easy and also look nice as the blanket changes through a million colors. It's worked on ten stitches and is
row :1 knit 3 purl 4 knit 3* repeat to the end of the row
row 2: purl 3 knit 4 purl 3* repeat to the end of the row
Based on the gauge I've figured, it should be 5 to 5 1/2 feet wide. I guess I could have made it a little narrower, but I just love huge blankets, so that's what I'm going to make. The eventual goal is to have it be about 6 feet long, but I'm only a few rows and one leftover ball of yarn in.

I'm using circular needles for this blanket for a couple of reasons: 1) It has 200 stitches, 2) for practice with circular needles, and 3) my largest circular needles are bigger than my largest straight needles. It's okay so far. I got all of my knitting needles from my grandmother once her arthritis got to where it was difficult for her to knit (she kept a few needles just in case, though), which was awesome, but some of the circular needles haven't ever been used in the three years or so they've been in my possession, and I don't know the last time she used any of them either, so they're pretty convinced that they want to stay all wrapped up and make my life difficult. I imagine once the blanket gets bigger and has more weight to it, that weight will hold the cord down so it stops trying to flip around, but it's going to be a while before it's at that point, I'm afraid.

The needles want to sit like this.

The first "ball" of yarn made it farther than I expected: almost nine rows, but there just wasn't enough for the last 20 or 30 stitches which is a little aggravating because it's so close. Still, I think the pattern's looking good and hopefully it won't be a completely ridiculous blanket.

Didn't quite make it to the end of the row.

Happy knitting!

Mom's Finished Scarf

Fall is finally here, so it is time again for me to pick up the knitting which I have been so shamelessly ignoring for the past few months. The first project I picked up was my mom's scarf because it is mostly garter stitch (every row is knitted) and I figured it would be an easy warm up to get back into knitting.

And it was! I finished the scarf in about a week which was super gratifying, but not without first having to remember how to purl (I did have to watch the video to make sure I wasn't going to make a mess of my box stitch when I was so close to being finished) and having to learn how to make tassels (or fringe).

Remembering how to purl was simple enough and once I watched the knit witch do a couple of purl stitches my fingers remembered how, and I was off. The tassels were a little but different as far as learning. I had an idea in my head of how adding tassels to a piece would work, and I was pleased to see that I wasn't far off when I watched a tutorial. Knowledge firmly in place, I was sure that I could make the tassels and have my mother's scarf finished in no time. However, what I didn't count on was how annoying long it would take to measure and cut the yarn for each tassel, cut the pieces again to make the tassels actually look like tassels, and then attach them to the scarf evenly. I think it was at least an hour later, but I finally had the tassels finished

and a finished scarf which I will be able to give to my mother, and it will mostly match her hat!

Happy knitting!