Refuge Knitting thread (mainly blanket-based)

[tribpot]

Right, this is a continuation of the main Refuge blanket thread.

We have at least one blanket project, but also droitwich fancies a go at a bear.

The currently proposed blanket project is my 'Bossy Boots Blanket', i.e. I want the organisation finished as soon as poss because I don't have a lot of time for new projects this autumn. However, there can certainly be a less bossy project as well, in different yarn and colours as people desire.

So far, definitely signed up for the Bossy Boots Blanket are:

• me
  
• NeitherShreddedNorSmug
  
• HairyPotter
  
• stressedHEMum
  

and I think BarbaraWoodlouse.

Now, we're planning to do double-sized squares just because we can, which means we only need 6 for the smaller sized blanket. However, if more people want to do a BossyBoots Blanket they can do (but they need to say so soon, otherwise they are in the Less Bossy Blanket Project).

Bossy Boots Blanket will be in Paton's Smoothie DK in Lime (1010) and Cream (1019). Note Smoothie is a 100g ball so you won't need much - indeed you could get away with one ball I would think.

Each square will have 5 rows of garter stitch top and bottom, and 5 (ish) stitches in garter for the edges. The squares will be planned together so the blanket has an overall look (this is what I mean about the level of bossiness) and once I have confirmation on the numbers we can decide what we want to do. The preference is for simple, which is good, so garter stitch, perhaps the Team Heart, but nothing more complicated than that. I intend to sew this one up myself. I'm also happy to put in a general order for the yarn and then distribute it as each knitter isn't going to need that much.

Other knitters who have expressed a preference (some of whom I have PMed but not heard back from yet).

DutchOma has offered to sew up another blanket.
tinierclanger [I've PMed you twice, clanger, but not heard anything back]
droitwichmummy - doing a teddy

Please do not feel you have to join in with the BossyBoots Blanket. There will be enough knitters for a Less Bossy Blanket, and I'm happy to do a couple of 15cm squares for that myself. However, if you do want to do the BossyBoots Blanket please now say so, so that we can plan and anyone who wants to can get cracking, whilst noting that Shredded is waiting on her yarn arriving (and I have about 75 other projects on at the same time ).

Hope this helps - there's no need to keep copying and pasting the list of who is on Team Knit on this thread.

[HairyPotter]

Im halfway through mine. I tried the diamond one but kept messing up and ended up frogging it 6 times!

Then I tried the Turkish rib, but got fed up with all the k2tg's so chucked that after 30 or so rows.

This is my latest attempt here

It's not really diagonal though unless you squint

[tribpot]

Great texture though, Hairy. Well done!

[BarbaraWoodlouse]

Great square Hairy

Have taken you up on 2nd square, Trib. Lime diagonal seed stitch is on the needles. Will post picture when I'm not on the iPad.

[tribpot]

Good work Barbara! I'm liking the sound of diagonal seed stitch.

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

Nice one hairy!

[tribpot]

How are we doing this weekend?

[droitwichmummy]

Hi trib - being distracted by cute new kitten this weekend so not too much knitting (or anything else) being done here!

[stressedHEmum]

Trib, I do have a granite stitch one one the needles. Haven't done too much of it yet as I have had a rough couple of weeks. Hopefully will get it finished this week if things pick up a bit. I'm having problems with my hands and arms.

[tribpot]

Oh dear, stressed, that doesn't sound like much fun. Unlike droitwich who is obviously having a kittymoon (a term I have just made up like a babymoon).

I was going to say - no pressure to get this one done. We have ages and ages before Christmas yet! So take it easy. Do you knit in the , stressed? I find this a lot easier on my arms than the English style. But I also found it extremely difficult to learn after so many years of knitting Englishly. (Another word I have just made up).

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

I have made body parts for a bear, as well as a little frock so it is not a bare bear (droitwich, I will PM you). DH instructed me last night to get a grip, as I was showing him the bear frock for the seventeenth time (tis very pretty, purple and cream stripes, with a red border around the bottom) . I will post a picture later, as I know you will all appreciate it more that DH.

In other news, I ran a half marathon this morning

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

stressed - sorry to hear abut your hands and arms - sounds horrible.

[tribpot]

Bloody hell, Shredded - I thought you were in training? That was very quick! Did your training consist of bending down to tie up the laces of your trainers??

[droitwichmummy]

Well done on the half marathon shredded - the stuffing awaits!

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

I have been in training since last year trib. Today was the last of the 5 Borough races (they used all to be half marathons, but some are shorter now ). We did Manhattan (half) in January, Brooklyn (half) in May, Queens (10k) in July, Bronx (10 miles) last month and Staten Island (half) today. I've been doing it as a charity fundraiser but am now retiring from my running career

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

Thanks droitwich!

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

PS, trib, have not managed to get to the post office yet and tomorrow is a public holiday here. I'll let you know when they are on their way!

[stressedHEmum]

Well done, Shredded.

Trib, I knot in the English style. I learned to knit at school in the mid-70s and was taught by a seemingly ancient old lady with white hair and granny glasses on the end of her nose, so it was all very traditional. I've never been able to master the continental style at all, that's why I gave up fairisle - knitting with 2 hands was just too hard .

If we have till december, that's fine. it gives me a bit of time to try and fix my fingers. it's my own fault, really, I've been overdoing it and now I'm paying the price, even though, in actual fact, I haven't done that much.

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

I am going to do my best to get to the Post Office today

Trib - I wanted to ask whether you had seen the Patons Smoothie in the flesh so to speak - I am using up my excess cream and green in a granny stripe blanket, but am going to need some more yarn at some point. I've had a look on Deramores, and am not overly struck by the other colours, but wondered if they might be nicer in real life than in the pictures (and if so, if you could suggest one or two others that might go).

[tribpot]

Shredded - this is timely as I went down to Hobbycraft on Sunday and have a pic of at least one colour on my phone already here's one I prepared earlier. I wouldn't recommend the apricot next to the lime, but I have to go back down to Hobbycraft now that the baby for whom the apricot was being considered has been born (I wanted to do a blue or pink border on the heart blanket but said baby was inconveniently not born until Sunday evening!) so I will take a few more snaps, with the lime for comparison.

[HairyPotter]

Hello all. Shredded well done on your half marathon. I am in awe, I only got as far as week 5 on couch to 5k

My square is finally finished! It has been a disaster from start to finish. I lost count of the times I had to frog it and start again. In the end, I realised that the only way I was ever going to finish was if I did something very very easy.
It looks ok but not fab. I will make a better job of the lime one I promise.

Trib do you want me to post it now or wait until the other one is done?

[tribpot]

Up to you, Hairy - it sounds like you might be glad to get the bloody thing out of the house

[HairyPotter]

You may have a point it was never ending. This was my first attempt at anything other that a 6"square. I swear to God it shrank. I would measure, then knit endless rows, the measure again and IT WAS STILL THE SAME BLOODY SIZE! Argggghhhh

Still, I'm looking forward to starting the next one now I know there is no real rush.

Can you pm me your address? Muchos gracias

[tribpot]

Oh dear. I had hoped that super-sized squares would be proportionately easier than 4 smaller ones. You know - you're already on the row, you just carry on knitting ... less turning and going back the other way .. errr ... well, anyway. Less sewing up for me!

Perhaps next time we should offer a choice - we could always do, say, big squares in the middle and smaller ones around the outside like this? (Slide 3, if my link doesn't work).

[HairyPotter]

No, big squares are good. I am incompetent.

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

trib, you're a star! there will be cream stripes in between the colours if that helps. Thank you!