Knit, Shear Bliss!

Alphabet Blanket

I finally decided on a baby blanket to knit. It is one I have been admiring for a few years and not really had the "excuse" to knit it. It is Debbie Bliss "Alphabet Blanket" the pattern is featured in her book ~ The Baby Knits Book . For the yarn I used some Jaeger 100% Cotton yarn that I had in my stash, I have 9 balls and I am keeping my fingers crossed I can finish it with the yarn I have, plan B is to buy another white cotton yarn and knit a simplified border with that? I'll see how I go...

I started knitting it last Thursday and have pretty much knit a little every day and this is the product of 5 days of knitting. I have enjoyed the pattern so far, it is instinctive and I can knit and watch TV or sit at soccer practice and still keep my concentration on two things at once. It keeps my interest with the different blocks of letters, YO's and knit and lace patterns.

I was however, very disappointed with my knitting. Cotton yarn has no give. I realized that my knitting was uneven in the tension and I learned that there was a term for this “Rowing out” where the knit row on stocking stitch is knit tighter knit than the purl row.

Gosh after knitting all these years I  had no idea that  there was a term for such knitting. After a little research on the web and in "The Knitters Handbook" by Montse Stanley I learned that there are techniques in overcoming this rowing out. One is to knit the "purl" rows with a small needle , another is to reverse knit the row for the purl rows and the last is to just try and adjust your tension and correct the purl rows with some extra care and less speed. You learn something new every day!

I am a fairly quick knitter and I couldn't stand the thought of slowing down my purl rows, however I am irritated that my knitting is uneven and I do like to do things properly so I decided to compromise by using a smaller needle on the purl rows. I think the texture of the knitting has improved since this adjustment. Its still not perfect but better. I hope it will be good enough?

Maybe I am trying to be all too perfect and forget that this is a hand made craft with in-perfections and thats what makes it so wonderful, that it isn't knitted by a machine and not absolutely PERFECT. I am torn myself, with this "perfection".

In this last photo you can see a close up of the first row of letters "Y and X" with the rowing out. The top of this photo you can see the newer knitted rows with a smaller needle for the purls rows. It makes a little difference :-)

Baby Blanket

The little baby cardigan is almost finished. I am now thinking about my next project. I tend to panic before finishing a book or any knit project as to what to read or knit next.

I am thinking about a baby blanket? Something simple and fairly quick and easy.

Here are a few blankets that caught my eye.

Molly's Blanket, from Mac and Me.  I like the  simplicity of  "Lion Brands" Baby's first blankie. and the Organic Cotton Baby Blanket  from "Mac and Me." I'll  keep searching see if there is anything else out there?

Baby Cardigan

I love knitting baby clothing. So when I heard that one of my daughters teachers is going to have a baby in late Summer, well that was it. I began to dig out all those baby knitting patterns and my favorite Debbie Bliss knitting books and I made my short list of what I thought the teacher would like for her first born. I dug out my yarn stash of cotton blend yarns and not needing that much yarn, pulled out a few favorites to use.

My final choice was to use Debbie Bliss's book Baby Knits for beginners. There is a lovely classic style cardigan with raglan sleeves, which looks so adorable on little people. I chose to make the smallest size, as it's always s nice not to have to wait for the baby to grow into the cardigan but to put the cardi on the baby right away.

I chose a sweet camel, neutral soft cotton acrylic blend, perfect for everyday wear and for throwing in the wash and dryer.

So this is the work so far. The pieces are so tiny. I "had" knit the back and two sides already and yesterday I started the sleeves, but I couldn't find the back piece. I think I may have lost it someplace on my travels from soccer practice to home. If it doesnt show up I will have to knit another piece, but that's ok :-)