'Cause finally, I'm ready!
Without further ado, the baby blankie in all its glory!
Would you like to see the personalities of each of the four squares?
Here's a closeup of the edging:
I am so pleased with how this project turned out, I cannot tell you. I envisioned from the outset that it would look beautiful but words fail me to describe it once it was all put together, pressed again, and laid out on the floor to look at. Using different colours creates a "sampler quilt" feel to the blankie that compliments the way that stitch patterns are used in the squares. Using mattress stitch to sew up the half stitch selvedge also adds to this harmoniously.
Looking back now that the blankie is finished, I remember how elated I felt hearing the news that the best man from our wedding and his lovely wife were going to have a baby. I reflected on the utmost value that my husband has always placed on his friendship with "our best man" (they have been friends since they were only a couple of years older than our DS). I resolved to create a blankie to give as a gift from our little family to their fledgling one that would embody the lasting gift of love over time and distance, as only a handknit can. I agonised over colours; yardage and possible yarn subs midships; how to piece the squares together; how to edge it. There were many quandries I faced with this project. The stakes were high.
Before I get too sentimental (Too late you say? Never mind!) I should add that the kids had a great time taking off with the squares around the house; standing on them; playing with them; getting food on them - but let's face it - it's a good introduction for the blankie's future life, so I let them have at it.
Specs:
Pattern: Blanket (imaginative title *snark*), pattern #13 by Kim Hargreaves from Rowan magazine #33; modified to 4 x 4 squares for a baby blanket measuring 95cm x 95 cm (37 inches x 37 inches) including edging.
Yarn:
A third of a ball of All Seasons Cotton (1 beige square); ex Smooch, stashbuster
A third of a ball of Cotton Ease (2 squares in pale blue); ex Bob, stashbuster
4 balls purchased from the Knitting Loft in Mid blue (3 squares); hot pink (2 squares); bright red (none used in the end - will be dishcloths) and Sugarplum (3 squares - I stole some from this ball to make a Panta)
4 more balls in Sugarplum, kindly gifted to me by Sharnette. Sharnette sent me the yarn for nothing, a present, plus she also sent it airmail. I want to say a huge thank you to you, Sharnette and Bless You - this blanket would have ended up being about 9 and a half dishcloths otherwise! (I knitted 5 additional squares from Sharnette's sugarplum CE and all the edging.)
I have a good third of the balls in pink and mid blue left, and about 1 and a half balls of the sugarplum over; plus all of the red, montioned above. These will be face washers or dishcloths come Christmas time. I used a good half a ball for the edging. To do this project again in one colour, I would allow 7 balls of CE. If you want to change the colours, then I would allow more yarn for piecing your pattern.
Needles: 4.5 mm addi bamboo circular 80 cms. I was supposed to change down to a 4.00 mm needle for the edging, but stuck with the 4.5 mm.
A good steam iron, lots of steam and a thick cotton tea towel were also essential.
Notes: See previous 2 posts as well re finishing information. The squares were knit up as a diamond shape really from one stitch up to 44 or so, and then decreased back down to 3 for casting off.
I am no perfectionist, but this pattern has lots of room for the perfectionist that wants to take over my brain sometimes. You could fiddle for hours lining up the squares and blocking and reblocking them for a perfect fit. The way the squares start off in the centre of the leaf pattern means that the cast on is very loopy, and this makes it difficult to seam up neatly perfectly. Also the fact that it is not a lined blanket always presents some perfectionistic finishing issue for me.
This is a beautifully constructed pattern, if a bit fiddly. I love the "yrn" increases which give a lovely half stitch selvedge for seaming, although the decreases on the other side of the square were not as easy, and you had to stick to the half st seam, or have edges that were out a little.
I think there is a lot of scope with this project to weave a little ribbon through the eyelets in the main pattern, and through the edging eyelets if you were so inclined. Also, a button, or some kind of notion cover for the centre of the leaf patterns may hide a seam intersection which is difficult to get right.
This blankie satisfied my quest for knitted construction challenges which is an ongoing theme in the projects I choose to make.
A final big thanks to Sharnette who came to my rescue with lots more Cotton Ease in sugarplum, without whom this blankie would have not been possible in its present form.
