Hubby was heading to Toronto on Thursday. The sun was shining, I had just put the last button on so we ran outside for some photos in the sunshine. I managed to adjust all the setting except the white-balance. As a result the photos are an unmistakable blue.
I work very hard at choosing the right buttons. Buttons can make or break a garment. I think most commercially made clothes do not have enough buttons. As a result the front gapes. In this case, the buttons also had to be large enough for a large man's fingers. There are nine buttons on this sweater. Another detail I do is to put a smaller button on the inside band to support the outer button. The button reduces the stress on the knitted band and adds a layer of couture finishing.
It was also a relief to finally finish the afghan. I have been working on it since September. This is the first afghan I have ever knit. I always said it was too much a commitment for me. It took over 16 balls/skeins of yarn. This is equivalent to knitting two large sweaters.
With Hubby gone to Toronto and me still on vacation, I spent all day Friday with the afghan draped over me sewing the last 5 squares together and then to the previous 15. I picked up a gazillion stitches around the edges. It took 5 circular needles of varying lengths. I then started the I-cord edge and knit and knit and knit until I was ready to scream that I was never doing another I-cord edge and then it was done but not quite. There was still lots of ends to weave in. I had woven in ends as I went but there was still lots along the outer edge and the ones for the blocks just sewn on. Now it is done.
My friend C and I made a day trip to London on Wednesday. I had some things to do and she joined me for the drive. It was really a thrill for me to have company on the trip. We talked non-stop the whole way. We had a lovely lunch out and then went on a yarn crawl taking in Mary Maxim, Lens Mill Store and on the St. Thomas to the Little Red Mitten.
Now I don't need yarn. I set out on a quest for patterns. I had been searching Ravelry but still not finding what I wanted. I came home with a book on Christmas stockings and one for preemie babies. I am bored with the pattern I have been knitting for the baby hat and booties and wanted to change it up a bit.
I did break down in the Mary Maxim store and bought a ball of yarn. This one in Peach. I have been agonizing over what baby blanket to knit; what size and what colour to the point where I simply could not make a decision at all. I saw the sample in the store window and felt complete relief. I bought the giant ball, collected the free pattern and felt like letting go happy tears. I cast on Friday morning. Just like with knitting socks from pre-patterned yarn, I am endless amused as I knit. I forced myself to put it down and knit on something else. The baby blanket will be perfect hockey game knitting.
The green shawl is bigger. I also cast on for a wash cloth and it is half done. I promise a photo that is not blue next post.
This week I put away the left over yarn bits from completed projects and started gathering up the yarn, needles and patterns for the next set of projects. I want to cast them all on at once. Why I think I can knit on all of them at the exact same time I cannot explain. While I can multi-task like a professional, they have to be completely different tasks. I washed the floor and while it was drying so I could add the shine keeper product, I knit. At the same time I was doing the laundry. You can do other things between the loads. The shine keeper needs 1/2 hour to dry between coats and the floors needs two coats. I knit while it dryed. However you can only knit on one thing at a time.
LOL! I'm happy I didn't wear you out with my chit chat! It was a fun trip. Your baby blanket is looking very very nice.
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