Since I posted last, all of the squares have been blocked and seamed together, the left and right borders have been lightly blocked (they folded down the middle), and seamed onto the main blanket, and I picked up and knit along the bottom and knitted the first of six rows of seed stitch on the bottom.
Knitting the right border was pretty good, and once I remembered the pattern, went pretty quickly. I had to repeat it 25 times to make it long enough. The left border was a little different, as it was the opposite of the right one, although it took me less time to remember the pattern. However, instead of k2tog for the lacy part, it used ssk so that the lacy pattern would slant in the opposite direction. That was new for me, but once I saw a YouTube video of it, I was fine. I did have to tink a row or two while knitting the left side though, because if I let my attention slip I might lapse back into the right side pattern. I did notice about 28 rows too late that I'd mixed up my seed stitch on one row somehow, although the lacy part of that row was fine. It's not really noticeable on the right side though, so I don't mind... not enough to have tinked those 28 rows!
Picking up and knitting was also a new concept for me. I watched some videos, and searched around the 'net, but I really couldn't find anything about picking up and knitting from either rib patterns like the shaker rib, or things knit on the bias... which is what I was picking up from. 189 stitches total, picked up along about 45" of blanket onto a 29" circular needle... hmm. That wasn't very fun, nor is knitting on that! But 29" is what they suggested, and that's the only one I have. So while I knit on it, it's very squished up, and the blanket makes a circle on the needle, pushed as close together as possible so I can have some room to work. The picking up and knit row and the first pattern row took me about 1.5 hours. We'll see how long the rest takes me, and then casting off in pattern, another new thing for me. Maybe I can have it all finished up today!
And a little update on one of my old dishcloths. I blocked it when my board and pins were freed up, using the same method I'd used for the squares of my afghan. It worked out wonderfully and is now square rather than diamond shaped! Take a look.
Things I learned:
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| My afghan all sewed up! |
Knitting the right border was pretty good, and once I remembered the pattern, went pretty quickly. I had to repeat it 25 times to make it long enough. The left border was a little different, as it was the opposite of the right one, although it took me less time to remember the pattern. However, instead of k2tog for the lacy part, it used ssk so that the lacy pattern would slant in the opposite direction. That was new for me, but once I saw a YouTube video of it, I was fine. I did have to tink a row or two while knitting the left side though, because if I let my attention slip I might lapse back into the right side pattern. I did notice about 28 rows too late that I'd mixed up my seed stitch on one row somehow, although the lacy part of that row was fine. It's not really noticeable on the right side though, so I don't mind... not enough to have tinked those 28 rows!
Picking up and knitting was also a new concept for me. I watched some videos, and searched around the 'net, but I really couldn't find anything about picking up and knitting from either rib patterns like the shaker rib, or things knit on the bias... which is what I was picking up from. 189 stitches total, picked up along about 45" of blanket onto a 29" circular needle... hmm. That wasn't very fun, nor is knitting on that! But 29" is what they suggested, and that's the only one I have. So while I knit on it, it's very squished up, and the blanket makes a circle on the needle, pushed as close together as possible so I can have some room to work. The picking up and knit row and the first pattern row took me about 1.5 hours. We'll see how long the rest takes me, and then casting off in pattern, another new thing for me. Maybe I can have it all finished up today!
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| Blocked dishcloth |
Things I learned:
- how to ssk (slip slip knit)
- how to pick up and knit
- how to knit a large project on circular needles
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