It seems like just yesterday when I was lugging this blanket around and knitting rows and rows and rows of garter stitch. But it’s been finished for over two years now. Today I adore it but I couldn’t believe it when I saw this little error the other day. OMG – I must have inadvertently purled when I was sleep-knitting through this project. And let me just say that it took all the self control I could muster not to frog it and knit the whole thing over. I think that’s why we knit. If we wanted perfection, we can easily buy it.

When I finally overcame my block about the edge for the log cabin blanket, it actually went very fast. I’m very pleased. Instead of working in the round, I knit each edge separately and sewed them at the corners. Easy peasy! Why did I think it would be so difficult?

I threw it around Max on a recent excursion to Stinson Beach.

Now it keeps me warm on these chilly November nights.

Everyone’s flown home and flown the nest and once again I find it’s just the three of us…me, myself and I. *sigh* Ah well I can’t complain. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast at Karen and Jeff’s house as you can see. The crowd seems to grow bigger every year.

I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving too!

My friend, Kimberly, and I are starting a new knitting group on Wednesday nights and you’re all invited to join. The group will start up this coming Wednesday, 11/4/2009, at 6pm. The location is Peet’s Coffee & Tea in beautiful Pinole Valley. Come on down and join us.

I seriously need a gathering like this to jump start my knitting which has been lagging. But on a positive note, I am almost finished with the edging to my log cabin blanket. Yes, I went ahead and did it and I only have on edge left to do. It wasn’t so bad after all.

I actually sort of finished this blanket, a variation of the Log Cabin blanket, about a week ago but I didn’t make a grand announcement because I’ve been stuck at the edging. The directions according to Mason-Dixon Knitting say to pick up stitches all the around and knit four rows of garter stitch. That seems easy enough but the problem is the circumference of this bad boy is at least 240 inches – each edge is about 5 feet – and my circular needle is less than 46 inches from tip to tip (the cable itself is only 36 inches). I can’t even picture myself wrestling with this blanket and it’s 240 edge stitches in my lap. Has anyone ever attempted such a feat?

Here are a couple of solutions that I’m considering:

1. Crochet edging seems like a nice mindless solution especially on a day like today when I’m stuck inside during a heavy downpour with only half power (a line came down and won’t be repaired until tomorrow) watching political pundits on TV. meh.

2. I-cord edging which I’ve never actually done but seems like it might be a nice time to try given today’s weather (see above). I love the look of i-cord but I think it will take a lot longer than a crocheted edging.

I’m open to any and all solutions at this point. The blanket was started way back on Academy Award night, over six months ago and I’m ready to be finished. It’s so cozy and warm that I’m already using it – maybe I’ll leave the edging off altogether. What do you think?

(BTW: It was just about one year ago when I met the gracious authors of Mason-Dixon Knitting, Ann Shayne and Kay Gardner, at a book signing for their newest book at Powell’s bookstore. My how time flies!)

It appears that the illustrious Yarn Harlot and I are on the same wavelength. We are both making the same blanket, albeit in different colors. I had my niece, Juliana, and nephew, Jake, model the blanket in progress yesterday at the Father’s Day German Rouladen Fest here at Oma and Opa’s house.

Juli is *such* a poser.

Check her out last Fall modeling the Asymetrical Hat.

Astute readers may notice that this is not my first log cabin blanket. Yes yes it’s true. I’m still working on the first one, or not working on it as it were. I did try it on the bed to see if it was big enough yet. It’s looking pretty good don’t you agree. Second Obama pillow is also a work in progress and yes, his likeness sleeps alongside me at night. Tee hee.

Well I finished one – a couple of weeks ago – but I’ve been dragging my feet on the second. And these are supposed to be May’s pair. One pair per month is my objective. Oh well. I got behind last year but caught up during the summer which resulted in a flurry of sock knitting and was an intense and productive period for me.

You may (or may not) remember that these are the Dead Simple Lace Socks from Wendy Johnson’s new book Socks from the Toe up and the yarn is Red Heart “Heart & Sole” (color=tequila sunrise). I use those green stitch markers to keep track of milestones in the sock such as turning the heel, and row counts so I can match it to the second sock. Fear not for I will complete the pair. I nearly always do.

And yes, I’m still working on that blanket too. It’s getting a little too hot around here to knit on blankets. Summer feels like a good time to switch to socks. I leave you with a shot of the sole.

Anne, a wonderful and spirited knitter that I met at knitting night, lost her husband, Michael, less than a year ago to pancreatic cancer. We all know what a swift killer PC is. Michael was only 57. Recently she asked me to photograph and also knit some squares for an afghan she is creating to offset costs incurred placing an ad in the Oregonian last November for Pancreatic Awareness Month. You can learn more about the project here. I will keep you apprised of the progress on the afghan, which will be comprised entirely  of purple squares, and where and when you can buy raffle tickets.

I have to confess that the heart motif comes from Wendy Johnson’s new book Socks from the Toe Up. It took me three tries to get the placement in the center of the square just right. In the center square, I missed a yarn over on the right top of the heart so being the anal knitter that I am, I had to knit a third square to be perfect (or as close to perfect as I can get). It was like knitting three swatches so good practice for this knitter who is a reluctant swatcher.

Anne, who goes by BubblesAnne on Ravelry (and if you met her, you would know why) will be staffing the Afghans for Afghans booth at TKCA (The Knit and Crochet Show) on Sunday from 1-3 so if you happen to see her there, be sure and say hello. Even better, say “sock artist” and we’ll know that you heard it here first (or you could say “alicethelma sent me”). I might make a special guest appearance myself.

I leave you with a shot of Layla who chewed happily as I photographed squares.

If  you’re a computer user and I’m assuming that you are if you are currently reading this blog, you know that colors are not always true to their offline or “real life” counterparts. Case in point: I had quite a few comments about the colors in my log cabin blanket when the blanket was finally viewed in person. Liz even thought I was using blue (!)  – that’s how the light gray translated on her monitor.

We all know that colors vary according to circumstances such as lighting, time of day and even time of the year – among other things. Colors change according to the monitor and the viewers perceptions and environment. There are a million factors.

I’m not going to make myself crazy trying to get these colors “right” every time I post a progress shot but just to set the record straight, here are the colors of Paton’s Classic Wool Merino that I’m using in the blanket.

Dark Grey Mix
Grey Mix
Natural Mix
Cognac Heather
Woodrose Heather
Plum Heather

I had a bit of a scare when I ran out of plum heather and could not find it at three Micheal’s in the area and was told over the phone that even Jo-Ann’s was out. Well I had a hunch and marched over to Jo-Ann’s to see for myself and sure enough they had five skeins which I promptly snatched up (at four bucks each).

I’m so in love with this color that I might even make a sweater – ez’s seamless hybrid – out of it. That or the cognac heather is also very nice. Walking out I also noticed that the wheat heather was quite lovely. It seems that I’m having a love affair with the heathers.

The blanket is now about 4o inches square. Not bad considering I started it about a month ago on Oscar night. I think this one is one to keep for myself. I’m not sure I’ll be able to part with it when it’s finished.

I’ll have more FOs to share with you soon. Just as soon as Alice feels better and can find the time to model.

Miles and miles of garter stitch. Is there anything better? This is my take on “Joseph’s Blankie of Many Colors” from Mason Dixon knitting, using six colors of Paton’s classic wool merino, three in the dark shade and three in a light shade, and increasing the number of rows in each round gradually. In the beginning the panels each had nine garter stitch ridges and now I am up to thirteen. So the panels will grow increasing bigger. I hope it will look ok. So far the blanket is about 33 inches square.

I have even knit on this blanket in my car while stopped at a red light – that’s how addictive it is. It’s my constant companion these days, keeping me warm on these dreary, rainy days of March. Next time I’ll photograph the blankie from the “wrong” side which looks almost as lovely as the “right” side.

Except for Alice’s eggs every morning I very rarely cook anymore. It takes away from my knitting time quite frankly. But occasionally I’ll try a new recipe, especially if it involves polenta like this one.

It turned out quite good even if I didn’t have enough spinach. Highly recommended. Try it. I think you’ll like it.

Aside from some experimental cooking, I’ve had a case of acute startitis recently. I whipped out Meema’s Marsupial Felted Tote Bag in a mere two days although I haven’t felted it yet. I can’t decide whether to include the attached coin pouch or not. In any case, this easy project takes care of my recent felting jones. Luckily Patricia had the wool on hand.

Also started a Log Cabin Blanket on a whim. Here is the barest beginning of that one…

I wanted an easy, mindless garter stitch project and this blanket fits the bill nicely.

Now back to the Academy Awards…ho…hum