Haven’t done all that much knitting lately.  Some evenings I’ve been working on a cross stitch by way of a change.  But of course, I’ve needed to get on with something at Knit and Knatter, so I’ve been making squares for the Scandinavian Throw that is the second blanket in the Art of Knitting series.

Our Knit and Knatter meeting last week was a fun evening.  One of the regulars brought along a friend who has just started knitting for Rowan.  She’s now working on her third assignment for them, using a new yarn that’s not on sale yet (it doesn’t even have a ball band) and knitting a jumper for an upcoming magazine.  She has to finish it by the middle of July and send it back to them for them to use in a photo shoot.  So perhaps it’s for the Spring/Summer 2010 magazine.

All she has is a sketch of how the piece should look and the written instructions.  She seems a very experienced knitter so I doubt that will be a problem for her.  She had to supply Rowan with lots of samples for them to assess her tension and it sounds quite stringent.  I suppose they have to be though.

And it’s finally finished…

shaker-style throw from the Art of Knitting

I’m really pleased with it.

Not been doing much in the way of blogging recently because I’ve been acting as an Extra in a movie – Alice in Wonderland, directed by Tim Burton.  It was a brilliant experience and whilst waiting around between filming scenes I managed to do a bit of knitting.  Lots of people commented and asked me what I was doing.  The only negative comment I had was from an elderly gentleman who told me that I must be an old woman to be knitting!  I wasn’t impressed, especially coming from a person who was probably in their 70s themselves.  I thought an older person might have liked to see younger people doing such a hobby.

All of the blanket squares have finally been completed…  I especially like the white, red, pink and blue striped one.

2 row garter stitch stripes

Forgotten what this is called

Garter Stitch Stripes

I’ve sewn it all together now and have done one round of crochet edging.  Another round of edging to do (tonight in front of Strictly Come Dancing) and then it’s done!!! Whoopie!!

Here’s the final block of squares…

There’s a single row which runs along the bottom of the these blocks, and in fact I’ve only got 3 more squares to knit and then it’s done.. well the knitting bit is.  Sewing it together might take a little while! And weaving in all those ends will be tedious to say the least!

And yet more squares… (I’m omitting ones which are repeats of previous ones in different colours)

Square with diagonal eyelet panels

Cross stitch diamond square

Stocking stitch square with lace panel

Can’t remember what this one is, but it was from a stitch pattern book, rather than doing the magazine one.

Fair-isle pattern

I really like this one.

Moss Stitch Diamond Square

Nearly there…

Square with diagonal eyelet panels

Stocking Stitch diamond square

Reverse stocking stitch with star

Cross stitch diamond square

Stocking Stitch with Lace Panel

Can't remember which pattern this was!

The last square here was meant to be yet another stocking stitch and diamond square so I chose another stitch pattern, which I really like, but I can’t remember what it was called or how it went!

In blogging news… Just been taking a look at my stats and I noticed that I’ve gone some way over 20,000 visitors since I started at the beginning of last year. Thanks to everyone for stopping by and reading and commenting!

In knitting news… I’ve completed the back piece for the new top and am sewing up blanket squares this week. It would nice to catch up and complete the blanket “on time” as it were.

There just aren’t enough hours in the day though. I’m busy at work, need to do some maintenance on a couple of websites, have ideas swimming round my head for writing a book on building church websites, letters to write, have landlord type stuff to do, and a possible new venture which I can’t divulge just yet but is very exciting and I’ll certainly tell all if it comes to fruition.

I haven’t shown you any blanket squares for a while so here are a few more:

Honeycomb panel square

Honeycomb pattern

Textured square with rope cable

Stocking stitch square with intarsia heart

Eyelet striped square

Stocking stitch with textured blocks

The end of the blanket is in sight. It will be a shame actually as I’ve really enjoyed doing this one. I guess I’ll just have to do another one!

Vertical Threaded Square

This has eyelet holes every 2nd row to thread strips of yarn through.

Framed moss stitch square

Moss stitch framed by stocking stitch. Very nice I think.

Woven pattern square

A type of basketweave stitch pattern.

Lacy ladders square

Horizontal bands of garter stitch interrupted at intervals by single vertical stitches and openwork decreasings.

Stocking stitch with vertical cables square

I’ve got a whole load more squares to show you:

Basketweave Pattern

1st row: K2, P2
2nd row: P2, K2
3rd row: as 2nd
4th row: as 1st

Checked Pattern

The magazine just asked for a garter stitch square, but I decided to try this checked pattern which was in the Stitch Library pages.

Cable Block Square