Bertie’s Blankets 2013

Knit Bloopers: Blanket Squares

Nicky10 Comments

I visit alot of blogs where the F.O.s, even the W.I.Ps, are photographed beautifully.   There’s no talk of the agitation with some of these projects, you just get the awesome result.  Since this blog is really my electronic version of “Dear Diary” I’m going to start posting about every blooper associated with projects, be it yarny or not, simple or intricate.  Hopefully, they’ll accurately reflect the entirety of my crafty journey and maybe encourage newbie crafters to keep trying no matter what.

So … first up … my third blanket square for this project.  I kinda had an idea in my head of what it was supposed to look like.  In my head, it was beautiful!  I think it still can be.  I finished it last night and behold:

Tightening

First I missed part of a row (Downton Abbey I blame you!!!  😛 ), but I also realised after I was done that the fabric produced became less stretchy the larger the square became.  I’m still in love with the texture but from the pic above the square moved from 10 inches across to 8 inches.  Although I tried to stretch it out, tried to kill the acrylic through blocking,  it was not happening.  Whomp, whomp!

That said, I love the texture so much,

Texture

I’m going to recalculate the number of stitches I need and from this stitch with either moss stitch or garter stitch.   That means, I have to become … dun, dun, dun … a swatcher!  😛  In the meantime, I’m going to work on something else. 😛

7/52: Blessings

Nicky6 Comments

After a realllllllllllllllllly long, hard work week, I’m getting a cold.  I have to say, after working at the job for a little over 9 years,  Friday was the first time I’ve ever felt that a co-worker can cause me real physical harm.  To the extent that I’ve already informed management that I will not meet with him alone at any follow-up meetings I need to have with him.  I don’t have work tomorrow and had all kinds of grand plans for the weekend but Friday’s events in addition to this awfully painful scratchy flu throat has left me listless and unmotivated.  Despite all that, I still have things to be thankful for and I am.

This week, I’m grateful for:

  • Good mental health.  I have issues just like everyone else, but I’m glad that I can take responsibility, make changes and not live in a world where everything difficult in my life is everyone’s fault.
  • That my co-worker  (D) was gracious enough to drive me to Ikea so I could get my RED CHAIR (and footstool)!!!!  WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!  Despite feeling crappy, I just had to put it up and I love it!  I see many happy hours of reading and crafting in this chair.  😀

New Red Chair I

  • Knitting’s restorative quality.  Despite the work week, I was able to finish 2 squares this week for this project and start a third.  All three are from my pattern library so if I don’t get to finish my spring project before February’s up, I’m going to cheat and call them F.O.s for my craft book challenge.  What?!!!  I could do that … right?!!!  LOLOL! 😛

Blocks 2

Block 3

  • Lesson through a plant.  I rescued this plant that was almost dead from one of my co-workers.   I tried everything I could but it seemed that the slips would die.  So imagine my excitement when after 4 weeks of nothing, I came out one day this week to meet signs of life and growth.  That plant reminded me that we could still grow despite difficult, sometimes seriously debilitating circumstances.    

IMG_2018

Hope you each had a wonderful week!!!  😀