Jack's Blanket

US10
Bernat Soft Boucle: 1 skein soft taupe, westport shades, moss shades, and misty shades


Hold two strands together, beginning with light brown and green

1. CO 6 circular (figure 8 or crochet method)
2. Increase round - *k in front and back* 2 times, k1, repeat. (10 )
3. Mark either side of 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 10th stitches.
4. Knit around, making one before and after each marker (increase 8, 18 stitches total)
5. Knit around plain.
6. Knit around, making one before and after each marker (increase 8, 26 stitches total)
7. Knit around plain.
8. Knit around, making one only on one side of each corner - after the first corner, before the second corner, after the third corner, and before the fourth corner. (increase 4, 30 stitches total)
9. Knit around plain.
10. Continue in this pattern - increasing every other row (knitting plain otherwise). Increase on both sides of corners two times, then on one side of corners, the long side, the third increase round.

NOTE:
increases should continue in this method.
increase 8 is referred to as a square increase, increase 4 is referred to as a rectangular increase

PATTERN CONTINUES:
continue knitting around plain between increase rows
square increase - 38 stitches total
square increase - 46 stitches total
rectangular increase - 50 stitches total

square - 58 sts
square - 66 sts
rectangle - 70 sts

S - 78
S - 86
R - 90

cut green yarn, join blue. continue with light brown and blue.

s-98
s-106
r-110

s-118
s-126
r-130

s-138
s-146
r-150

cut blue, join dark brown. continue with light brown and dark brown.

s-158
s-166
r-170

continue knitting around, working in seed stitch along each side.

s-178
s-186
r-190

s-198
As the light brown ran out, I joined a second strand of dark brown and began the bind off, working appropriate increase during bind off.

Count should be (if I counted right), 38 stitches along the short sides, and 58 stitches along the long sides.

Still alive and knitting

As my house guests left on Tuesday I came down with an awful bug - at first it wasn't too bad and I kept working and knitting, but then my throat decided that it wanted to burn. Burn, and rip itself apart. Ummm, yeah. So, the past day or two I've spent sitting and reading, and eating fruit (since that doesn't hurt like drinking water does).

I did manage to finish a baby blanket before my throat went on strike - pictures soon (I don't think I even mentioned it here, I just listed it on ravelry as one of my WIP - but I will make sure all the details get listed both places). It was a rectangular blanket worked from the middle out, and I actually kept track of the pattern as I made it up - so that those directions will be listed with the pics.

We are actually getting tomatoes from the garden (seeds that I planted inside in April) along with the lettuce and a couple beans and peas. Squash and cucumbers and eggplant and soy beans and peppers and many other things are currently flowering. The Phlox and Monkshood are both flowering and are very pretty too.

I have also been reading a whole bunch of books by Jasper Fforde while I've been ill - rather strange, but very interesting. Oh, and I also read (finished) Harry Potter 7, the Saturday it came out, thanks to my husband distracting the kids while I read.

All of this to distract you from the lack of pictures (and a lack of a MS3 update....) - did it work?

Swap and Filler

I love my Swap Pal. I really do. I was all set to post today about my garden and my frantic attempt to finish spinning (so I can start knitting that and spin other fibery goodness). ...and then the mail came today - and I love my pal.


Yes, that is Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran, some blue sky cotton, and... some yarn pirate :) I love the colors she does, and this one is great!

In fact, one of my LYS just recently asked for suggestions and I tossed that brand out as a 'good idea'... The funny part is, I haven't actually knit with any yet, I just love the colors! So I look forward to knitting with it - I might even have to ball it up before heading to the Yarn Harlot event tonight...

All the yarns are so soft and squishy. :) She included a little note thanking me for my patience and giving me encouragement for my projects. The encouragement was so nice to read - it's nice to hear that others like reading about my projects... and if this is what a little patience brings, you can take all the time you need for the final reveal ;). Thank you so much!!


After that, I feel like what I had planned is filler, but I will keep going, since I already took the pictures. My front and side yards are pretty, but I already missed the prettiest part... My back yard refuses to grow grass, but I did plant a square foot garden:

It has tomatoes, bell pepper, mini-pepper, carrots and radishes, eggplant, brussel sprouts, the four in the middle are lettuces, spinach and chard, and then there are three squares with edamame.

And I have my two herb gardens that break up the patio from the pretend grass (weeds and dirt right now):



I can identify any plants if you're interested, but I just think it's really pretty right now. My sweet husband just tilled the old garden area (square foot is new this year, so there's only one - probably more next year) where we're going to be the squash and cucumbers and peas and beans (and any other plants that didn't fit in the squares).

I washed the sock yarn for my sweet husband:


it is now hanging to dry, so I can ball it up and start. I didn't do this earlier because I wanted to finish spinning it all up before I start knitting. I am this close:



I can finish it up maybe tonight... or tomorrow. and then ply it. and skein and wash it... but I am close enough for my comfort - I just didn't want to have to stop knitting to spin more up.

I also finally started the bunny that will be felted. Two feet are done and I've started the back. (I did work on the lace scarf for a couple of days first, but I couldn't have that be my only knit project for too long... of course, now I'll be starting multiple pairs of socks also within the next day or so, but I will keep working on the bunny too)