WIP Weds: More Granny Squares and More Mario

This might be the post that proves I'm mad! Having just finished making 252 granny squares for the mario blanket, I've started more granny squares for another blanket. Luckily I only need 84 this time and I've done the main section of them all (4 rounds in one colour). I'm planning to add a final round of white to each one and then join them using single crochet. It's been a bit of a stash-busting project, using up lots of leftovers and basically tidying up my yarn stash.

What's that on top of those granny squares? Well that's a granny stripe blanket in progress! The plan for these two blankets is that there will be one for each of the kids for Christmas.

On top of those two blankets I'm waiting on some yarn and fabric for some charity blankets I've offered to make. They'll be fairly quick I hope because they don't need to be very big. More on that next week perhaps.

Onto the next Christmas present...

My husband really liked the mario blanket and mentioned he'd quite like a Mario coaster for work. So I used the pattern to do a cross-stitch mario (basically I did a block of 4 stitches for each 'granny square' on the pattern). It's still in progress because I had no flesh colour thread so will be buying some tomorrow to finish it off and then needs to turn it into a coaster but here it is so far:

For more WIP projects check out Tami's blog

Granny Stripe Blanket

It's finished! Yay!

Yesterday I managed to finish the double bed sized granny stripe blanket. I started this on September 18th so it's taken me 32 days. Not bad considering I've got a toddler at home, a 4 year old at school and have had a 3 hour exam to revise for and sit. It's been a fantastic pattern for just picking up and doing a couple of stripes while my little one naps. I was getting low on yarn towards the end though and decided to slightly alter Lucy's border as I didn't think I had enough yarn for the two rounds of UK trebles so I switched the outer one for an extra round of UK doubles. The final round of edging was sooooo slow and I didn't think I was going to get it done before the school run but I finished it just in time. It was definitely worth it though as I adore it.

It's a terrible picture because there's not enough space to get in a good position to take pictures in our bedroom and the light isn't good either. Here's a close up of the blanket folded on the sofa for a better view of that gorgeous edging.

Like Lucy I did random stripes. I was planning on doing 80 but then realised the blanket was going to be far too wide(guesswork for the starting chain) so I did 60 and put it on the bed with the stripes running vertically. It was a good job too because I'd have needed to buy more yarn too. It's the Stylecraft Special DK that Lucy used (various places seem to be selling a Attic24 pack) and I couldn't resist the bright colours. It was lovely to work with too, which was a lovely surprise given it's price; even with postage it worked out about £1.50 per 100g.

Christmas is Coming

I've already started the Christmas shopping. I always start it in October in the hope I won't have to trawl round the shops when they're packed in December. Of course, the reality is I get all shopping sorted, wrapped, labelled and then the relatives start phoning me "Can you get this thing for you kids cos I can't get it near me?". So I actually do my shopping in October so I can do everyone else's in December, LOL.

I'm always tempted to make all the gifts I send by hand but invariably I end up finding myself without the time to do so. This year though I have already made my aunty a scarf (well I need to weave the ends in but it's pretty much finished). I have enough yarn left to make another so I might do that, it was a fast knit once I got used to handling the loopy King Cole Krystal yarn.

I've also bought the yarn for my next blanket. I'm really enjoying making the Granny Stripe blanket and am planning to make a single bed sized Ripple blanket next. I've loved using the bright colours but decided not to use them again for the Ripple because I didn't want my enthusiasm to wain. So here is my selection of Jarol Heritage DK

Having done the Granny Stripe randomly I might decide to plan the colours out more with this one and repeat them. Still pondering though.