Thick and Warm

Completed another 4 strand baby blanket within the last few days.  Have to admit, I think this has become a favorite design for me.  It comes together so quickly and I don't have to decide on just one color of yarn.  I usually pick 3 or 4 different colors that go well together.  This time I choose:  Pearls, Delft, Pesto, and Rococo (see photo to the right)!  Something I noticed with this batch, Joanne's Craft has their own Home Spun Sleeve now, so no exchanging a color from one store at another store.  Drats!!!!!!!!!!

Something I did differently this time, toward then end, was to actually measure how differently each skein of yarn was.  I have knit thee blankets prior, with four strands, and each had at least one color way shorter than the others.  Assuming that the first skein to run out was exactly 185 yards, like the sleeve said, here are the lengths of the remaining 3 colors:

1. dark brown - 130 inches
2. blue - 199 inches
3. light brown - 958 inches

That is quite a discrepancy as each is suppose to be 185 yards.  I keep meaning to send Lion Brand a question asking why such a difference.  A difference of just over 26 yards between shortest and longest.

Anyway, back to the blanket, I used the same basket pattern as previous ones I made for a set of twins.  Six rows were knit.  I began a pattern of knitting three, purling 30, knitting three more.  The next row I knit all the way across.  I kept this pattern until I was close to 33 inches and knit 6 more rows and bound off.  Again, I had to use the extra yarn form one color and attach to another.  I ended up running out of the green and dark brown by the end.  Believe I tied the blue to the green and light brown to the dark brown to be able to finish and not buy more yarn.

So, with out further fan fair, here are some photo's of the blanket I made!

These always turn out thick and warm!  Know little "J" will like this ~ at least I hope he does!

Four Strand Blanket

Earlier this summer I knit blankets for a set of twin girls.  My original plan was taking WAY.TO.LONG.  Switched gears to size 50 needles and 4 strands of Homespun by Lion Brand.  This style of blanket comes together real quick ~ each blanket took about 6 to 8 hours and I was able to get both done in 7 days (woo hoo instead of months).

For the blanket, I knit 36 stitches across and continued knitting each row until I had 3 inches.  Then, I a knit 3 stitches, purled 30, and knit the last 3.  On the next row, I knit straight across.  Repeated the knit/purl row followed by a knit row until whole piece measured 33 inches.  Knit until 36 inches and bound off.

As usual, it seems like some skeins of Homespun are WAY under the 185 yards and some way over.  I've had to join the end of another skein to one that just ran out.  I've always had enough, among the four skeins to finish the project.  Just be aware this happens.  Think it has been in the "Parfait" color, think bank to the various baby blankets I've made like this.

 Here, you can see the boarder ~ kind of!

 Picture of the whole blanket ~ almost!!

Braid off the final corner.  Made one blanket more pink

and the other more brown.  This just in case Mom and Dad

want to be able to tell the difference between the blankets.

Hope you enjoyed reading about this blanket.  Really easy, once you get past the HUGE needles.  I love how quick it comes together.  I'll still make blankets with smaller needles, just when I have more time to get them done.  When I need to get a project done quickly, it has got to be big needles.

I have a new camera on order and hope to begin taking better photo's soon!  Maybe the next project will look better on here!

Happy knitting until then.