Progress on the Scrap Blanket

I've had some ends of yarn sitting around for a while now just waiting to be put into the scrap blanket, and Saturday night I finally started on it. I put the white in today which was the last of the bits I had, so it's going to be a while before I have anything else to add.

Despite all odds, I really do think the blanket it looking good. As you may remember, I had started the blanket with a stripe pattern and no edging, but I didn't really like that so I ripped it all out. I restarted the blanket with 180 stitches. The bottom is (and the top will be) 6 rows of garter stitch, and there are 5 stitches of garter stitch on each side. Now instead of stripes of knit and purl, I've switched to squares; what I think is called the basket weave pattern.

A row of finished squares and another row of partially finished squares.

I still can't get over how completely not horrible the blanket looks. I'm surprised to find myself loving it, which is a great relief. When I started it, I figured having another blanket around wouldn't hurt, but I wasn't expecting to really want to drag it out for company unless it was really needed. I thought I'd use it myself when I was sitting around the house in pajamas all day, but that was about it. So here I am excited to work on it and have more of it finished, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Happy knitting!

Changes to the Scrap Blanket

I finally pulled apart my blanket so I could use the green for boyfriend's last Irish project: socks. Then I couldn't decide if I maybe ought to try to find something else for the purple yarn before I put it in there, so I just started with the leftover black from my slippers.

I only cast on 180 stitches this time because it seemed excessively long when I pulled it off  the needles. This time I also decided to do a garter stitch boarder so it wouldn't roll. After the black I put in the rest of the self-striping since I haven't finished the hat I'm making with it yet, but I do have all the yarn I need for them. That got me up to four rows or the garter stitch boarder.

I was originally going to have 4 rows at the top and 3 stitches on each side, but then I thought that maybe I'll do five on each side and instead of doing ribs, I'll do boxes. I think that could be nice, However, I don't have anymore yarn to add to the blanket just yet, so I can wait on that decision until later.

Happy knitting!

New Colors in the Scrap Blanket

I've been excitedly working on my scrap blanket as projects have come off my needles leaving me with not quite enough yarn to really make anything else. I have since finished boyfriend's green and white Irish mitten and the black from the slippers, and so I've put those two colors into the blanket.

However, as I started boyfriend's orange and white Irish mitten, I realized that I'm going to have more orange left than I anticipated; way more than I can conscionably put in the scrap blanket. This has left me with a choice: either find something else for the orange or rip apart the whole blanket for the green and make one last Irish themed project. I think I have enough yarn for socks, but up to this point I've been avoiding socks because I'm scared of them. I guess now is as good a time as any to start on some.

And I guess if I rip apart the blanket, I can do a different pattern. I am less than pleased with how this one is turning out. I didn't think about it, and now my edges are curling in. There are also a couple of places where I messed up, and I would like to go back and fix them. Then again, they're places in the green, so I guess it won't be an issue with the green gone.

But then pulling the green out leaves me wondering if maybe I put the purple into this scrap blanket before it was really finished. I'm not sure what I could make with it, but I could probably make something. Should I pull that apart and set it aside, too?

I've got some decisions to make about this blanket, and I'm leaning towards pulling it apart and using the remaining green, orange, and white to make socks, but we'll see if I can bring myself to do it.

Happy knitting!

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!