Thinking, Planning, Designing Orange Fall

Felt like throwing squares and rectangles on the floor to get those creative juices going. I remembered I had a fair number of orange-ish squares in my mish mosh bags. Drug those out and added some recent rectangles with that same fall orange flare to them. Lots of sizes here as you can see. Some pieces are knitted, some are crocheted, some are sampler type squares/rectangles and others granny style made in the round. Several of these large knitted squares are from my Darling Daughter, some have been donated through Bridge and Beyond by Alexis, RoseMarie, and some are left overs from previous defunct groups. Some I've had a while; but a squares doesn't get old you know. It's like wine, I use no square before it's time. lol
It's time. I like to photograph what I think the lay out should be, to get idea how much I need to change the squares/rectangles to make them fit. Once I pick them up and start that work, I often have to look at the picture. I really can't remember how I put them together size wise. Sometimes though the give and go of squares with different yarns and stitches changes and they do get moved from the original template.

However, this is step 1 for me. Next is step 2, what color to edge and join with. Debating with myself now between black and brown. I'll have to check the amount I have of each in my stash and go from there. It's a work in progress and will be donated to Faith Mission, the latest beneficiary I've added to our The Mission of Bridge and Beyond.

I also like to take pictures from the both the length and width views, as it helps with sizing issues.

Troubled Blanket on it's way, FINALLY

Gees, what started out as an easy project really took a turn to taking too much time and I had to solve a problem. The pink yarn was given to me and and I thought it was such a soft pink would make a nice small blanket. I started was to be a plain pink blanket, and when I was at what I thought was the 1/4 th point by counting the stitches on the needle I weighted the yarn I had left and thought I was good to go. No clue how I was sooooooo off. I don't know if I didn't weigh the yarn correctly, forgot what I came up with, or changed the count I was going for on the blanket. But, clearly I was way off. The pink yarn was old, wasn't a brand I'd ever heard of before and so I knew it wasn't possible to try and match. Two choice, rip out back to the half way point and do a 2 tone blanket or keep going until I ran out and then switch. I hate, hate, hate to rip out and had so many projects going and deadline looming that I choice to keep going and add a new color when the time came. My thought was then to make a hoody type blanket so whatever color I added for the 2nd color on one corner would be matched with a hood of the same color on the opposite corner.
The 2nd color ended up being about 1/3rd of the blanket which measures 32 x 32 inches. Susie snuggled up in the traditional wrap method showing the hood which has a small ruffle. I didn't want it to lay totally flat against the blanket feeling it might be too tight.

This is on it's way to Angela for her Blankets for All Babies request on Crochetville. She's been busy making baby items for her local pregnancy center where your mothers with low income are much in need. Give a baby a head-start and make something warm. I have a couple of hats and green pair of booties going with this donation as well, but forgot to take pictures.

The blanket is knitted in straight garter stitch on size 6 needles (yarn was lighter weight so smaller needles were necessary which made the process slower than I like, even without the added problem of running out of pink), using the traditionally dishcloth pattern. The hood is made the same. I just knitted what looked like a new start until the corner seemed large enough, edge it, as I had the blanket; and crocheted the two together.

Angela's charity is in NE, Ohio.

Ticker Tape for Women

Moda Dea Ticker Tape, 100% nylon a fun yarn to work with. Very soft and light weight and is like working with ribbon. I think this might make a nice chemo cap due to the feel. It's also quite stretchy. I'm using 2 different sized needles 13 and 17. Have gotten so for quick projects, I really like the different texture using 2 sizes of needles gives when just knitting straight (garter stitch). When you use this method is called Condo Stitch. It's amazing how different it looks based on the sizes you choose to use. How close the needles sizes are or aren't makes a big difference. This is a little open and airy. Think if I were to do this again I would go for a bigger difference in needle sizes to open it up a bit more. This will be sent to NC and is, I think a nice weight for year round wear in that southern state. It's intended more as a decorative scarf and could be used to ward off cool air conditioning on the neck in the warmer months and then again for warmth later as it cools down.

The colorway is called Monet and while I'm not one to use lots of pastels it's really quite pretty. I''ve had these 2 skeins in my stash for quite a while and had forgotten I had it. It's classified as a bulky weight yarn and suggests size 13 as the optimal needle size. Generally when I'm using 2 different sized needles I use the suggested size as the smallest of the two, or go one smaller. There's only 67 yards in a skein, so will probably use about half the 2nd skein to complete this project. Since it's more of a decorative scarf I don't want it to be doubled up and will go for about 5.5 to 6 ft in length. As I was looking up the information this morning about the yarn I was surprised to see on RAV, that's it's since been discontinued. That's a shame. I saw hats, scarves, walker totes, ponchos, sweaters, and summer tops all made beautifully from this yarn. Not sure when it got discontinued; but if it wasn't too long ago you might get some really good buys from the stores that still have it in stock. Always nice to look for a bargain.

When finished (and by the time you read this it should be, as this is a scheduled post), it's heading to Jackie someone I meant on The Hive as a give away for Mother's and More Raleigh Durham Chapter 331 convention. This is a non-profit 20 year charity focused on promoting women and their needs.