Kennel Cozies

I don't have a pet, but I often knit for people who do.  A knitting group that I belong to had a request for snuggles to donate to animal shelters. This is my interpretation, a thick blanket to line a kennel.

I used rug yarn, doubled, and knit a garter stitch rectangle. Then I picked up stitches along all sides and knit in the round, increasing 2 stitches at each corner.  After a couple of inches, I stopped increasing and knit a few more rows before binding off.  You can see where I used up a lot of different colors.  I don't think the animals will mind.

Another Knit I Probably Won't Wear

But I love the pattern!  This shawl  pattern, called "Simply Soft", a free pattern on Ravelry, has everything I like.  It is knit on big needles, looks the same on both sides, is large enough to tie or drape. The pattern is easy enough to follow so  it makes good TV knitting. I used 2 balls of machine washable Patons Lace Sequin with some left over.  I plan to make this again in a different yarn.

I'm Not the Only One...

...who knits something, then hates it and rips it out.

I spent quite a bit of time knitting this cowl - only to realize that I would never wear it.  The pattern is from Knitters Magazine called Sandy Circle.    Although I was using the yarn called for, it was in a different colorway.  The color and the pattern conflicted.  So I ripped it out and knit this:

A double loop cowl.   Pattern is called Downtown Cowl, yarn is Unforgettable by Red Heart in Echo colorway.  This is something I will wear.

What to do with Novelty Yarn?

Knit a blanket!  I have knit enough blankets, afghans and lap robes to put  several in every room in my house and the houses of friends and family.   I have given away  lots to charity.  But it is still the project I turn to most, especially for TV knitting.  I had several skeins of Sirday Kool Kidz chunky that I got from the knitting guild donation bin that I paired with  Rainbow Classic Black from JoAnns  to make this blanket. It turned out soft and warm, but it is not my style.  It  looks like confetti to me.

Starting the New Year...

...by posting a cowl knit last year.    I really like the way the yarn and the pattern came together.  It is a simple 4 x 4 rib pattern done in the round. The stitch count is a  multiple of 8 minus 1 to make the spiral rib.  I cast on using the crochet cast-on, (which is my new favorite), and purled two rows before starting the rib.  I ended the same way and bound off in purl.  The yarn is Ella Rae Latte.  Yes, I gave it away, to a very knitworthy person. I do think I'll make one for myself, though.

I'm Still Here

Holiday Knits

 Lately, I've knit lots of hats.  They are to give away to friends and family. I usually put them out so everyone can try them on and choose the one they like.  Patterns, all found on Ravelry, are clockwise  from top left, Say It With Color, Man Hat, Urban Legend, Wurm and Lady Lorrraine.  Unclaimed hats will go to charity.

I also knit a couple of cowls for gifts. I already know who will get these.  Both knit using the same pattern, called Daughter Approved by Susan Ashcroft.  The darker blue one is wool, and the other one is acrylic. I like this pattern because it is long enough to wrap twice and both sides look the same. 

Vacation Knitting

On a recent road trip, I had to decide what projects to take.  Every knitter knows  that the most important part of packing for a trip is the knitting.  I chose my own   Easy Stripes  bag pattern with the hopes that I could refine the instructions.  I took two balls of Lily Sugar'n  Cream Stripes in the Country Stripes colorway and one skein of Cascade Souk, a silk wool blend with long color changes.
Both projects didn't take a lot of space and were cool enough to work on  in the summer heat.   But the only changes I made were to slip the edge stitches of the strap and make it longer.

I had enough of the cotton yarn left over to make a Bear Sweater that was given to a  Pacific Northwest bear.

More Blankets

Two more blankets. The yellow one was knit just to use up some stash yarn.  I combined a bulky white mohair with a nylon yarn that really couldn't be used by itself because it would easily snag. When knit with another yarn it became soft and squishy.

The blue one was knit with a double strand of acrylic in a diamond pattern that looks good on both sides.  After I finished it, I put it in the washer and dryer to block.  It came out beautifully.   It was given as a wedding present, but I haven't heard if it was well received yet.  Do newlyweds still send thank you notes?

Blanket

I love knitting blankets.  They make great TV knitting, especially because I watch a lot of subtitled programs. I was very happy with the way this latest one turned out. The yarn did all the work. 

 Not really a pattern - more like a recipe
 Size  about 40" x 45"
Yarn: Rainbow Boucle by Purl Essence - Blue Multi 1 skein (621 yards)
          Sincerely By Purl Essence - Navy Blue - 2 skeins (322 yards each)
          available at JoAnns
usually, when I combine a multi colored  with a solid colored yarn, I like to match the darkest color. 

Needles: US  #13
 I cast on 91, (but if I make it again, I would cast on 87 or 89) with 1 strand Boucle and 1 strand Sincerely
Seed stitch for 10 rows
Seed stitch for 7 stitches, stockinette for the center, and seed for the last 7 stitches.
Knit until you have enough yarn to do a top border of 10  seed stitch rows and bind off.
A little measuring and math is required!

This blanket was donated to Patriots and Paws.

A Knitting Challenge

I thought I would challenge myself, so I signed up for a shawl knitalong.  The yarn was a lovely cashmere lace weight, a special price for those who signed up and the pattern was free.  Several weeks were allowed for the project.  Did I mention that size 3mm needles were involved?  And short rows? And lace charts?  Perhaps I overextended myself.  After a lot of dropped stitches and ripping back, I finished by the deadline.  As I started to block it, I noticed a major mistake. I don't know how I missed it. Right in the middle of the back -  lace holes in the wrong place.  Can I live with it?
I am thinking about it.
But, this challenge did teach me a few things. Black was probably not the best color choice.   Lighting is very important.  A good manicure might have prevented snags and dropped stitches.  Watching  subtitled TV programs should have been  left for another time.
I am still thinking.