Copenhagen Cardigan - Progress Check

I have also been working on the body of my Copenhagen Cardigan.  I have about 4 inches more to knit before I work the ribbing and then I can work the sleeves.  I went back and double checked yardage requirements and compared that to what I have on hand and decided to go ahead and buy more yarn so I would have it when I need it and wouldn’t have to play yarn chicken.  The fabric is wonderfully soft and warm, and I love the marling effect with the lighter silk-mohair against the darker purple.

Pattern:  Copenhagen Cardigan by PetiteKnit

Yarn:  Ewe Ewe Yarns Fluffy Fingering and Magicland Yarn Marvelous Mohair

Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm) and US 4 (3.5 mm)

Lupine Saltwind - One Chart Repeat Done!

I have completed one repeat of the charts, and my gauge is looking great.  Granted, I haven’t blocked it, but I’m not one of those people that try to use blocking to change the shape of garments.  I block lace pretty strenuously, but not garments.  I have 20 more rounds to work before I start the armhole shaping.  I’ve made a few cabling mistakes that I had to fix by dropping stitches down, the worst was having to drop 14 stitches down 9 rows to fix a cable cross.

And here is the other side.

Pattern:  Saltwind by keiko kikuno 

Yarn:  Quince & Co. Osprey

Needle:  US 7 (4.5 mm)

Copenhagen Cardigan - Raglan Increases Done!

I finished up the raglan increases this morning and have set up for working the body.  When I finished the last row of the raglan portion I counted the stitches in each of my sections and was very pleased when there were all correct.  When I’m working so many rows of increases I always worry a little about forgetting one (or more) and ending up with the wrong stitch counts.  Last night I draped it around my shoulders just to see how it was fitting and it is so warm and soft.  It is going to be a very cozy cardigan.  I only have 4 balls of the purple yarn, and I’m already into my second ball, so I am a little worried about running out of yarn.  When I get to the end of this ball I’m going to work the sleeves, and then I can determine if I’m going to need another ball.  Given that I’m carrying the mohair along with the purple I’m not too concerned about possibly getting a different dye lot.  Marling can hid a multitude of sins.

Pattern:  Copenhagen Cardigan by PetiteKnit

Yarn:  Ewe Ewe Yarns Fluffy Fingering and Magicland Yarn Marvelous Mohair

Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 6 (4.0 mm)

Lupine Saltwind - Ribbing Done!

I finished up the ribbing last night and started working the cable design.  The gauge for the ribbing was given as 24 stitches and 23 rounds in four inches.  Now measuring in ribbing is always a bit problematic because of the stretchiness, but looking at it on the needles, I think I’m pretty good.  I am a little shy of four inches in height at 23 rounds of ribbing, but that may well block out, so I’m not worried.  I decided to stay on the US 7 needles for the body.  The set up round was a bit of a beast, as I didn’t find the designations for the cable stitches intuitive at all and had to consistently look at the instructions, but thanks to knitCompanion it was easy to keep track of where I was in the row.  When I got to the body it has you knit moss stitch, Chart A, Chart B, Chart A, moss stitch.  I flipped Chart A so that it would be a mirror image the second time I worked it, making the pattern symmetric, an easy thing to do in knitCompanion.

As I was knitting the ribbing I pondered the needle size given in the pattern.  It seemed to me that in order to get gauge with a US 9 you would have to be an incredibly tight knitter (I am not a loose knitter since I changed how I tension my yarn, nor am I a tight knitter).  But then I noted that the designer is Japanese, and I know that the Japanese size their needles differently than we do in the US, so I found a conversion chart online.  A Japanese size 9 needle is 4.8 mm, which falls right between a US 7 (4.5 mm) and a US 8 (5.0 mm).

Pattern:  Saltwind by Keiko Kikuno

Yarn:  Osprey by Quince & Co

Needle:  US 7 (4.5 mm)

Copenhagen Cardigan - Making Progress!

Lest you think my Copenhagen Cardigan is being completely neglected, it hasn’t been, at least not completely.  I’ve been working through all the raglan increases, and I have a dozen more rows to go before I can split things and just work the body.  So, it is kind of slow going at this point as the rows are getting pretty long.  Once I get the ribbing done on the Lupine Saltwind and get in to the cabling, this project should see more love as it will be my TV knitting.

Pattern:  Copenhagen Cardigan by PetiteKnit

Yarn:  Ewe Ewe Yarns Fluffy Fingering & Magicland Yarn Marvelous Mohair

Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 6 (4.0 mm)

Lupine Saltwind - Cast On!

This yarn was a fairly recent acquisition (November 2025) and was purchased for a beautiful cabled vest that I saw in a Quince & Co. marketing email.  It was another of those “love at first sight I must make this” purchases.  The box of yarn has been sitting in my piano room (the home of new acquisitions) and after finishing the Sundrop Top I really wanted to cast it on, even though I still have the Copenhagen Cardigan on the needles.  So, I set the pattern up in knitCompanion, grabbed a skein and caked it up, grabbed some needles and cast on.

Looking at the pattern, it calls for US 9 (5.5 mm) needles, and provided 4 different gauges:  2x2 rib, 1x2 moss stitch, 1 repeat of chart A, and 1 repeat of chart B.  Looking at the yarn label it offers 2 needle sizes and 2 stitch gauges.  And no, I did not swatch.  The US 9 needles were the smaller of the 2 needles mentioned on the yarn label (US 11 - 8 mm was the other).  The only US 9 that I had in my boxes of Addi needles were 32 inch circulars, so I grabbed them and cast on for my selected size.  I didn’t read the instructions completely, however, so I actually only cast on half the required stitches.  Curiously enough, those 120 stitches fit nicely on those 32 inch cables.  Given that I knew the finished measurement was supposed to be 40 inches, I knew that I had screwed something up.  That was when I went back to the instructions and realized that I had only cast on half the required stitches.  Danger, Will Robinson!  Obviously the 2x2 ribbing gauge that I was getting on US 9 needles was going to be way off.  So, I went back to my needle stash and pulled out a US 7 (4.5 mm) needle.  The only one I had in my lace point Addi needle box was a 40 inch circular.  Perfect, I thought, so I cast on again, with the correct number of stitches and started working the 2x2 ribbing again.  I like the fabric, and I think the gauge is looking pretty good so far.  I’ll see how the row gauge works out as a get a few more rounds on the needles.  I will also have to decide what to do about needle size when I get done with the ribbing - do I stay with the US 7 (4.5 mm) or go up to a US 8 (5.0 mm).  Interestingly enough the pattern has you use the same needle size for the ribbing as for the body, which I find a bit odd.  Also, looking at the gauges given for the other stitch patterns, has me wondering what is really going on here.  One way or another I will sort this all out.

And here is the pretty yarn that I am working with.  Curiously enough, when I was watching the tracking information for the package, it said that it came from Lion Brand Yarns, which was very confusing as I had not ordered anything from them in many years.  I did notice on the invoice that it states that Quince & Co. is a division of Orchard Yarn & Thread Company, which is the parent company of Lion Brand Yarns, and also, apparently of Quince & Co.

Sundrop Top - Finished!

Wow, that was fast.  Well, not really as fast as that, although it did work up quickly.  I cast on March 27 and bound off the neck ribbing on March 31.  So a pretty quick knit.  Not quite a snack knit, but close.  The top looks better on me than on the dummy and I’m looking forward to wearing it.  It is very soft, the fabric is pretty thick, given the weight of the yarn, so the top has some heft to it, but it is very comfortable.  It dried faster than I thought it would, given the thickness of the fabric.  I had it on the blocking mats for a day and then transferred it to my sweater rack.

Pattern:  Seven Sisters Top by SloaneLacasse 

Yarn:  Blue Sky Fibers Printed Organic Cotton

Needles:  US 8 (5.0 mm) and US 10 (6.0 mm)

Sundrop Top - Cast On!

After finishing the Bunny Wishes Sweater I immediately cast on the Seven Sisters Top by SloaneLacasse for Blue Sky Fibers.  I saw this top in The Dizzy Knitter email and just fell in love with it, even though it is two things that I don’t usually go for:  Cotton yarn in Worsted weight, although coming in at 150 yards per 100 grams, I would consider it heavier than that, more of an Aran weight.  It is also knit on larger needles than I typically use - US 8 (5.0 mm) for the ribbing, and US 10 (6.0 mm) for the body.

The yarn is Printed Organic Cotton in the color Sundrop, and I also just fell in love with the color, and the variegated way it knits up.  I’m still not a huge fan of knitting with pure cotton, or with such large needles, but I am pretty happy with how this top is working up.

Pattern:  Seven Sisters Top by SloaneLacasse

Yarn:  Blue Sky Fibers Printed Organic Cotton

Needles:  US 8 (5.0 mm) and US 10 (6.0 mm)

Bunny Wishes Sweater - Finished!

I actually finished this up almost a week ago, back on March 26.  After working the body, the sleeves worked up quickly.  Overall, I am very pleased with how it came out.  It is only my second colorwork sweater.  The fit is good - roomy without being too oversized, so I can wear it over a t-shirt or turtleneck.  The sleeve length is good - I was a little nervous about that because they were definitely short before I blocked it. The overall length is good as well.  Blocking was straightforward - a good soak, roll it up in a towel and stand on it to get most of the water out, then lay it out on my blocking mats and smooth everything out.

After laying out on the blocking mats for a day, I transferred it to my sweater rack so that air could circulate around it and dry it quicker.

Pattern:  Bunny Wishes Sweater by Sarah L. Kelly

Yarn:  Fleece & Harmony Wildwinds

Needles:  US 2 (2.75 mm) and US 3 (3.25 mm)

 

Bunny Wishes Sweater - Body Done!

Yesterday I finished binding off the body.  I elected not to work the folded hem (Kitchener stitching all those stitches in dark wool?  No thank you!) and instead worked the ribbing pattern from the neck, after working two rounds of the blue to provide a break between the patterning and the ribbing.  I’ll work the same ribbing pattern on the sleeves.  And I’ve already started working one of the sleeves.  Some relatively mindless (just mind the decrease rows) knitting.  The fit, even unblocked, is pretty good.  I think the ease may be a bit on the larger side, but if I had gone down a size, I think it would have been a tad tight in the shoulders.  The announcement for the patterns for the second quarter Canadian Collaboration from Fleece and Harmony came out today - Seagulls.  I’m going to pass this time, and instead do a knit along with Carol Feller of Stolen Stitches.  The pattern is a really cool cardigan with an unusual construction.  I ordered the yarn kit from her and already have it.  It starts April 1.

Pattern:  Bunny Wishes Sweater by Sarah L. Kelly

Yarn:  Fleece & Harmony Wildwinds

Needles:  US 2 (2.75 mm) and US 3 (3.25 mm)

Copenhagen Cardigan - Cast On!

Truthfully, I cast this on back on January 13, but I put it away in a plastic box while I finished up the Seascair Blanket and Pillows, and the Hedgerow Shawl, and started working on the Bunny Wishes Sweater.  This project came about because Ewe Ewe Yarns was having a knit along.  The pattern was the Love Note pullover by Tin Can Knits, and the yarn was Ewe Ewe Yarns Fluffy Fingering and Magicland Yarns Marvelous Mohair, held together, and the colors…well, they were my favorite colors.  So I leaped without looking too closely, only to realize once I started really looking at the pattern that it was one of those where you knit at a loose gauge, and I am not a fan.  But I loved the yarn, so I went looking for a pattern that would match my gauge, and found the Copenhagen Cardigan by PetiteKnit.  It is a basic cardigan, knit top down, and I thought it would be really nice as a fuzzy purple/pink confection.  I quickly knit the collar, and then set it aside when I got to the short row shaping for the neck.  I did set the pattern up in my knitCompanion, so I was all ready to pick it back up again when the opportunity arose, and the opportunity arose when I got to the patterned hem on the Bunny Wishes Sweater.  I wanted something that would not require quite as much attention - more TV watching knitting, as opposed to TV listening knitting.  Yesterday morning I pulled it back out and made it through the short row shaping for the neck.

I’m still in love with the colors and the yarn.  I was never a fan of mohair before, but I like holding it with another non-fuzzy yarn.  I even learned how to set up linked counters in knitCompanion (not hard, just never had done it before) to remind me when to work the button holes.

Pattern:  Copenhagen Cardigan by PetiteKnits

Yarn:  Ewe Ewe Yarns Fluffy Fingering and Magicland Yarns Marvelous Mohair

Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 6 (4.0 mm) 

Bunny Wishes Sweater - Plain Body Done!

After finishing the yoke, I divided for the sleeves and started working the body.  It took me three tries to get the stitch gauge right.  The first try I did not go down a needle size from the colorwork section (a rookie mistake) and my stitch gauge was way off and the body was way too large.  Fortunately I realized before I got too far into things and I ripped back and went down a needle size (from the 3.25 mm to a 3.0 mm).  It was better, but the stitch gauge was still off and it was still coming out too large.  So I ripped back again and went down to a 2.75 mm needle (the smaller needle called for in the pattern).  Finally, things were looking good.  My row gauge is tighter than the pattern calls for, but that is easy to adjust.  I did notice that my row gauge on the colorwork section was also off (less rows per four inches than called for), but that worked out okay.  I have noticed that my stockinette gauge tends to be in the ratio of 3 to 4 (stitch gauge generally is 3/4 of the row gauge) but my colorwork gauge tends to be more square (stitch gauge and row gauge almost the same).

Once I finished up the plain stockinette section I tackled the set up for the colorwork hem.  There are four charts that I have to work from for the hem for my size (charts 2, 3, 4 & 5), and charts 2 and 5 are repeated once.  So the knitting order is:  2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5 (front), then 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5 (back).  I pulled out different colored stitch markers to help give me a visual cue for the chart switching, but found out that wasn’t quite enough to keep me on track, so I resorted to making some labels for each section attached to locking stitch markers.  That seems to be working.  Of course I am also using knitCompanion, which I absolutely love for working charts.

Pattern:  Bunny Wishes Sweater by Sarah L. Kelly

Yarn:  Fleece & Harmony Wildwinds

Needles:  US 3 (3.25 mm) and US 2 (2.75 mm)

Hedgerow Shawl MKAL - Finished!

Well, those three weeks (from cast on) sure went quickly.  I did take pictures after each clue, but just never got around to posting/blogging about them.  So, here is Clue 2.

And Clue 3.

It has been a little while since I did a mystery knit along, or anything with lace.  This project is the first lace shawl of the year, not that there is a ton of lace.  But it was a relaxing knit, and it used up some stash.  It is a shawl shape that I like, even if blocking can be a little bit of a challenge.

With the world being all browns, and white when it snowed, I was really craving some color.  The yarn is very soft, and it was nice to work with.  The shawl has nice drape.

Pattern:  Hedgerow Shawl MKAL by Helen Stewart

Yarn:  Round Table Yarns Camelot

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Bunny Wishes Sweater - Yoke Chart Done!

I finished up the yoke chart yesterday evening, after dark, so this picture was taken with artificial light.  I really enjoyed knitting the colorwork and watching the picture emerge.  Now I get to start the stockinette body and split out the sleeve stitches.

Which I have done, and got a picture in natural light this morning.  The stockinette will go quickly, and then I get to do the bottom section of colorwork.  I’m going to keep the mock cable ribbing for the hem and the sleeves because I like the look.  I might also keep them in the chestnut color, if I have enough, which I should.

Pattern:  Bunny Wishes Sweater by Sarah L. Kelly

Yarn:  Fleece & Harmony Wildwinds

Needles:  US 2 (2.75 mm) & US 3 (3.25 mm)

Hedgerow Shawl MKAL - Clue 1 Done!

A couple of weeks ago, I was poking around some of the yarn stash in my piano room (don’t ask) and came across three skeins that I had gotten in a club back in 2020.  The club was the Guigemar Yarn Club, and the yarn was Camelot (80% merino/10% cashmere/10% nylon), fingering weight (I have an insane amount of fingering weight yarn in my stash) from Round Table Yarns.  They were each in their own canvas bag, hanging on the door handle, and when I pulled them out and held them together I thought that they would make a nice shawl.

And wasn’t it convenient that Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade was doing a mystery knitalong of a three-color shawl.  I haven’t done a mystery knitalong in a while, although I will often buy the patterns and even a kit (usually from Miss Babs, because I have a hard time resisting those kits!), and then wait until all the clues come out and then maybe cast on at some undetermined point in the future.  Please don’t ask me how many kits I have in my stash.  Those are all project embryos waiting to be born.

Anyway, I felt like knitting something with some brighter colors, and as addictive as colorwork knitting can be, sometimes your brain just isn’t up for it but you still feel like knitting, so I cast on when the first clue came out and actually finished the first clue the day the second clue came out.  The pattern called for a US 6 (4.0 mm) needle, but looking back at the other shawls from her that I’ve knit I typically go down a needle size, so I used a US 5 (3.75 mm) needle.

Pattern:  Hedgerow Shawl MKAL

Yarn:  Round Table Yarns Camelot

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Bunny Wishes Sweater - Yoke Increases Done!

I have finished the yoke increases, although I still have about twenty rounds to go to finish the colorwork on the yoke.  I did end up ripping back to the neck band and starting over with a larger needle.  I had gone down a needle size from what the pattern recommended (3.00 mm vs 3.25 mm) because I was worried about it being too loose, but instead it was too tight.  So, now I’m using the recommended needles sizes (2.75 mm and 3.25 mm), and am very happy with the result.  My gauge looks to be spot on, which is always nice, but not always what happens.  I did do a colorwork gauge swatch, but not at first, because I was being lazy.  I did knit regular gauge swatches (not in the round) just to get a feel for the yarn, and based on those swatches I thought the 3.25 mm needle would be too loose.

The gauge swatch on the right was knit on 3.25 mm needles (US 3) and the one on the left was knit on 3.0 mm (US 2.5) needles, and I definitely like the fabric of the one on the left - for stockinette, knitted flat.  But neither swatch gave me gauge on both stitches and rows, and you really need to get gauge on both, if you want to get gauge.

But once I got knitting on the colorwork, I realized that it was definitely going to be too tight, so I knit a colorwork gauge swatch in the round.  I used the cuff pattern, and essentially I just knit a cuff, which I may turn into a lavender sachet.

I like the fabric, and more importantly, I got gauge.

Pattern:  Bunny Wishes Sweater by Sarah L. Kelly

Yarn:  Fleece & Harmony Wildwinds

Needles:  US 2 (2.75 mm) and US 3 (3.25 mm)

Bunny Wishes Sweater - Cast On!

Once I had finished my Seascair Cushions and Blanket I swatched for the Bunny Wishes Sweater, and cast on last Sunday.  This is one of the projects for the Fleece & Harmony Canadian Collaboration series.  There will be four this year.  The designer is Canadian, the yarn is Canadian, and if you get in on the kits, you get a Firefly Notions set of stitch markers in a matching tin, and she is also Canadian.

The designer is Sarah L. Kelly of Grey Owl Knits and I just love her color work patterns.  I have several in my library, but this is the first one that I have knit.  The yarn is Wildwinds and it is absolutely lovely to work with.

I really do enjoy color work knitting, there is something addictive about it, but it does require my attention - it is definitely not mindless television knitting.  Still, I’m making pretty good progress.

The pattern is extremely well written, with instructions for all the techniques used as well as links to videos, and color as well as black and white charts.  I’m using colors that are very close to the original design, so I’m using the color charts.  I have everything set up in my knitCompanion.  There is short row shaping at the back of the neck for a better fit.  The pattern calls for wrap and turn, but I used German short rows, my preferred method, and did an extra round after resolving all the double stitches before starting the color work.

I am almost done with the increases on the yoke.

Pattern:  Bunny Wishes Sweater by Sarah L. Kelly

Yarn:  Fleece & Harmony Wildwinds 

Needles:  US 2 (2.75 mm, for collar and cuffs), US 2.5 (3.0 mm)

Simplified Seascair Blanket - Finished!

I finished up the I-cord bind-off last night and wove in the last of my ends and it is all done!  I love how it came out and I used up most of the yarn that came in this club.

This is all that I have left.  I started this blanket back in May of 2021, and it is very nice to finally get it finished.  Now I can go set up the Bunny Wishes Sweater in knitCompanion and cast on!

Pattern:  Seascair Blanket by Carol Feller

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Simplified Seascair Blanket - Edging Done!

I finished up the edging this morning while watching the latest Fleece & Harmony Woolcast, and immediately started working the blue mitered square corners.  That was a little bit fiddly, what with the extra needles poking out from the edges, but it wasn’t too bad.

Jezebel immediately laid down on the blanket when I laid it out.  I am very happy with how this is all turning out.  Now I just need to work the I-cord bind-off and it will be done and I can cast on something new.

Pattern:  Seascair Blanket by Carol Feller

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Simplified Seascair Blanket Border - Two Edges Done!

When I was pondering how I wanted to work the border on the blanket my first thought was to mimic the border on the cushion covers, I did the math and figured out how many rows of the Marl I could work and how many rows of the Mustard I could work, but when I started picking up stitches around the edge I decided that I really didn’t want to work those long rounds on multiple needles.  So, I ripped out what I had picked up and decided to go with something simpler.  Based upon my yarn amounts I knew that I would have to use the Marl yarn for the shorter edges, and based upon my yarn usage it looked like I could get 14 rows on each edge.  Perfect!  It would match what I had done on the cushions at least in that respect.  My original plan for the Mustard was to pick up stitches along the edge of the Marl, but as I was working the Marl it occurred to me that I might have enough of the blue to work a mitered square in each corner.  I did some quick math and determined that I could do that, so that is the plan.  I’ll pick up along the long edges with the Mustard and work 14 rows on each edge.  I’m leaving all the stitches live because when I am all done working the edges and the mitered corner squares I will pick up stitches along the mitered corner square edges (using the yarn tails from the borders) and work an I-cord bind-off with the Mustard.

Jezebel is performing her inspection of the blanket, as is her right and duty.

Pattern:  Seascair Blanket (Simplified) by Carol Feller

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4 mm)

Seascair Cushions - Done!

I used up all of the gray yarn working the 14 rounds on each of the four squares that I had knit - but no real yarn chicken worries.  Working the I-cord, 3-needle bind-off on the second cushion didn’t take long at all.  Getting the zippers in was a bit fiddly.  I put the pillow forms in, and pinned the zippers into place, then I pulled the pillow forms out and basted the zippers into place by hand.  Then I back-stitched the zippers, also by hand.  I tried using the sewing machine but didn’t get very far at all (thankfully) before realizing that was not going to work.  Picking out what I had done was a pain, but I managed it without damaging anything.

Now that the cushions are done I can finish up the edging on the blanket.  I ended up with 16-inch pillows - the pattern called for a single 18-inch pillow.  I couldn’t find any instructions for the I-cord, 3-needle bind-off, so the way I ended up working it was:  cast on the 3 stitches using a long-tail cast on, work one round (because I was starting at a corner), then start working the bind-off:  knit two stitches of the I-cord, slip the third, knit two stitches together from the two pillow covers (the bind-off part), pass the slipped I-cord stitch over the new stitch.  When I got to the side that was going to have the zipper I did the standard I-cord bind-off on one cushion cover, joined the beginning and ending of the I-cord using the tail from the cast-on, and used the still attached yarn to work a normal bind-off of on the other the cushion cover.  They came out great - very cushy.

Pattern:  Seascair Cushion Cover by Carol Feller

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Seascair Cushion Covers - Four Squares Done!

All four squares are done and blocked.  Once all four squares were done, I grabbed my 40” circulars and picked up stitches around the Marled square.  It didn’t take me long to work the 14 rounds that I had determined would give me enough yarn for two pillows.  My yarn estimate was pretty good.  Next I worked the border around one of the Mustard squares, and then I started joining them with an I-Cord three-needle bind-off using leftover Marl yarn.  And now I have one cushion cover almost complete.

The pattern has you work two rounds of unattached I-cord at the corner before working the corner stitch, but I split that up around the corner stitch, working one unattached round before and one after.  I think it works better.  When I got to the fourth side I only did the I-cord bind off on one square, and did a regular bind off on the other square and I’m going to put in a zipper so I can take the covers off the pillows if I need to.  I’ve ordered the pillow forms and invisible zippers and will get them on Monday.  I’ve already started working the border on the second Mustard square.

Pattern:  Seascair Cushion Cover by Carol Feller

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Seascair Cushion Covers - Three Squares Done!

I’ve finished up three squares, both of the yellow squares, and the blue square, and will be casting on the marled square today.  I estimated my yarn usage for each of the larger squares (by color) based upon my yarn usage for the smaller squares used in the blanket and my estimates have been pretty good.  I also have done an estimate for the border of each square, and it looks like I can do 14 rounds of the gray around each square instead of the 26 rounds that the pattern called for.  If I were only making a single pillow, which is what the club pattern calls for, I would have had enough yarn to do all 26 rounds, even with all of my skeins being short of the weight on the yarn label.  The pattern does not indicate how big the squares should block out to but I’ve blocked them to 13” by 13” just based upon the size unblocked, mostly going by the diagonal.  With the gray border the squares will probably come out to about 14” square.

Pattern:  Seascair Cushion Cover by Carol Feller

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Seascair Cushion Cover - Cast On!

Sunday night we watched football, so I cast on one of the Seascair cushions.  I can knit this without looking at it (too much) unlike the joining, which absolutely required my focused attention.  I have four skeins left, well not quite four skeins, as they were all underweight, and I had to use some of the blue skein to finish joining all of the squares.

I will knit one square from each of the skeins, and use the leftovers to finish the cushions - starting with the gray leftovers from the blanket.

Pattern:  Seascair Cushion Cover by Carol Feller

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Simplified Seascair Blanket - Blocks Done and Assembled!

This past Saturday I finished the last two blocks and blocked them.  I laid out the remaining blocks Saturday evening and started the assembly.  First you join the blocks into the columns, and then you join the columns, all of the joins are three needle bind-off, so pick up stitches and then bind them off.  For the columns you pick up along the edge of one block and then continue to pick up along the edge of the next, using the same needle and yarn.  I used a 32” circular needle for that, and had to pull a loop out where the two blocks met, but it worked great.  For joining the columns I had to use to two 40” circular needles, picking up the stitches of each column to join on one of the needles.  When joining the columns I did columns 1 and 2, and then 3 and 4, and then did the middle seam so that I always had the same amount of fabric on each needle.  The joining took 39 grams of yarn.  So far the blanket has taken 789 grams.  One thing I noted was that none of my skeins were the full 100 grams.  They were all underweight.

I have also sewn in most of my ends.  I left all the ends on the edges of the blanket because I am planning on working a border with whatever yarn I have left after working two cushions.  There is a matching cushion pattern that was part of the club, and I will be using that pattern.

Pattern:  Seascair Blanket by Carol Feller (mitered squares only)

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Simplified Seascair Blanket - Eighteen Blocks Done!

I have been working pretty consistently on my mitered squares and have completed eighteen.  I also started blocking them this past week.  I’ve been blocking four a day, until today, because I only had two completed that had not been blocked.  I’m working the last two blocks for the blanket.

I have been weighing everything to determine how much yarn I will have left over after completing the blanket - less whatever I use to join all the squares together.  The pattern has you pick up stitches and join blocks using three-needle bind-off.  I have a spreadsheet with stitch count and yarn usage so I can figure out how big I can make the pillows to use up the rest of the yarn.

I have my bag of leftovers from the blocks that I’ve already knit.  And the four full skeins all caked up.

Pattern:  Seascair Blanket by Carol Feller (mitered squares only)

Yarn:  Blasta

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)