Last weekend I started a new Chevron Baby Blanket, only this time I wanted to make a larger (couch-lounging size) in Christmas colors that the kids can keep cozy under during this holiday season. What inspired this idea was the new batch of Cascade 220 Superwash colors that arrived, and a few of them seemed Christmas-ish and pretty together, so Rachael and I spent a bit of time picking out pinks and greens and reds, added the apricot and yellow and ended up with a combo that I think is festive and fun. 910a, 1921, 820, 287, 288, 289, and 850. The new colors in the batch are the ones in the 200s.
I'm using this pattern, instead casting on 225 stitches so that it's a much wider version. I added three pattern repeats plus two border stitches on each side, so it's a bit of a wider garter stitch edge. It's likely I'll write up a completed pattern on the blog after I'm finished. But basically, I'm just making a much wider version that I hope is around 50+ inches wide, once lightly blocked. I'm using a 40" circular needle, and the stitches a scrunched on there, so all I really know right now is that it's larger than 40", and if the seven colors I chose don't make it as long as I'd like, I'll add another color.
When I was finished with my first color, 287 Deep Sea Coral, I couldn't decide if I wanted to just knit big blocks of color, which was my original intention, or separate the colors by a thinner row of 910a Winter White. So I hunted through our craft cabinet, which is much like a junk drawer (Do you have one of those in your kitchen? Or is it a Midwest thing?), but instead houses coloring books, broken crayons, four boxes of colored pencils, a myriad of construction paper, dollar-store pompoms, stickers... bascially I had to hunt through every child-craft thing I've ever tried to ignore to find the right pencil colors so I could draw my idea. Yes, I was a bit obsessed. After I finished my drawing, I took the question to Instagram and it was unanimous. White stripes for the win.
I do believe I'll be ready to start the green later tonight. And since we are eating dinner out for the first time on Thanksgiving, it sounds like I'll have most of Thursday to knit knit knit instead of cook cook cook! Who knows where I'll be in this project by next week?! Halfway?!
I can't wait to share this as it progresses. So stay tuned to Instagram if you want to see how it goes, as that's usually the way I post little updates because it's so quick and easy.
Do you have big knitting plans over the holiday weekend? Since we are taking the next two days off here in the shop, it's unlikely you'll hear from me, but the storefront is open on Small Business Saturday for the first time in years and we are giving away totes with your purchase plus offering another 13% off our already nicely-priced sale section. Come by from 10-4 if you want to take advantage of that. And if you want to take join our Cyber Monday sale (online only) on Poste Yarn, Select Sock.... go here to learn more. The colors in this batch are AWESOME. Our Heather is a true artist. I'll likely post some pics of it on Instagram later today so you can plot and plan. But since a lot of it is still in the dyepots and on drying racks, you'll just see the colors pop up on Monday morning (any time after midnight).
It is beautiful
Posted by: Maureen | November 21, 2018 at 09:47 AM
Beautiful. I have a list of items to get organized today for the weekend. Slippers, mitts, hats, lots of stuff.
Plus, I need to get two packages out this weekend. One needs to go out today.
Posted by: Pamela | November 21, 2018 at 11:53 AM
Please share this pattern when you're finished. This is just perfect for knitting to movies!
Posted by: Bonney | November 21, 2018 at 12:21 PM
Hi Bonney, I just may do that. But in case I don't for quite awhile, it's just the same thing as my Baby Chevron Blanket, but I cast on 225 stitches and increased the border at the beginning and end of the row from 3 to 5 stitches. Here's the link to the pattern and it also tells you how to make it bigger- to whatever size you want. https://simplysockyarn.typepad.com/simply_socks_yarn_co/2015/05/chevron-baby-blanket.html
Posted by: Allison | November 23, 2018 at 02:48 PM
Yes, we have both a junk drawer and a craft cabinet. We had a junk drawer when I was a kid, too! I grew up in Michigan and live in Ohio.
Posted by: Jessica | November 25, 2018 at 03:05 PM