Record of the endless blanket project
I will update when I've a new pattern to share.
These (Corona) times are inviting for crafts projects, so feel more free to share my own activities in this area. The project started when I saw multiple pictures of Japanes style knitted blanket, and so good to as an intermediate between other projects :) I really liked how two squares are knitted together, like a primary and secondary pattern. And the quirky selection of pattern, I like that too! Very much indeed. Hope I can come up to schratch.
Tech Notes: I used botanically dyed yarns form Shilasdair on Skye, multiple (older an new) colors, fingering weight; works great!!! No.3 DPN needles in a 23st&27rows gauge. A single patch is 39 stitches and 43 rows in order to turn out really squarish.
wishlist: cappuccino, elves, trees, 4x house, snowdrops, acorn&squirrel, ... And open for suggestions!
13) Spooky - the latest addition to the endless blanket project are these spooky characters. Each one just a little bit different, a nice troupe all together.
12) Gingermen - they are best 'en grouppe' rather than alone, especially when they are cookies. And the classic hourglass or windmill pattern is just the perfect addition here.
11) Smart Fox - so omnipresent in stories and designs. Best quote is from the third chapter of LORT1, when the hobbits are still in the shire: "A fox passing through the wood on business of his own stopped several minutes and sniffed.
'Hobbits!' he thought. 'Well, what next? I have heard of strange doings in this land, but I have seldom heard of a hobbit sleeping out of doors under a tree. Three of them! There's something mighty queer behind this.' He was quite right, but he never found out any more about it." I have seen lovely knits (cushion by Donna Wilson) and prints (curtains from a Cornwall inn) with foxes as well and not being able to obtain them as a pattern, I did try to recreate my own. Update December 2022: I would have liked a smaller animal and created a second fox pattern with the sleek, slinking foxes, really happy with this one as well!
10) Bikes are important. To get my daily exercise, but even more to move and travel freely in our town. I was so happy to be able to go on my own on a bike anywhere since the age of 7, .. 8.. Anywhere is relative, but the feeling is great anyhow! It's a pattern from Alterknit Stitch Dictionary by Andrea Rangel, please check her book for the pattern.
9) Curlews (NL: 'wulp') is based on this great Curlew hat pattern, designed by Linda Shearer for free through the RSPB to raise awareness about the decline in the number of curlews. At the moment there is a fair amount of curlews are in The Netherlands, but Godwits (NL: 'grutto') are in strong decline. We still do see them sometimes, only because they can reach 20 years, but no baby birds any more... That is why I did adapt the pattern slightly to resemble the spout of a gotwit a bit.
8) Little pink house, I made this one up, from one of my drawings. Still searching for the ultimate line.. The secondary pattern is the house's pumpkin patch, of course.
7) Love birds came from another corona quarantine knitting project by the anne&carlos couple. I really love the geometry of this one. As you see my squares turn out square but are in fact oblong, so there are slightly larger side bars compared to the original design. Please visit the original blog post for the pattern link. (PS: last picture from Skye from when I got this lovely Shilasdair yarn!!)
6) Fox and Chickens??? I saw this great pattern online and was completely taken by the design. Some people called it a dachsy, or even a doxy. Like all great art, it is open to multiple interpretations. Tried to trace it back, no luck. In anybody can help me out, please do!! For now I've can offer you the picture link and the pattern I made by studying that picture... I made me think of some smart dog wanting the sweeties in a candy shop. I've even made a sketch of the original secondary pattern, for the real die hard knitters amongst us.
5) Deer
Some feel good knitting: A wood and lake-scape, snow and snowflakes, combined with classic gingham, what else??!
4) Team Totoro makes everybody feel good. There is a great pattern available from here. I added some rain, but that's just how the weather changes. Take good care of the forest!
3) Hill walking, I found this great sock pattern. It looks great on socks indeed! I bought the pattern and only a slight adaptation was needed for this project. Please purchase the pattern to support the designer and make great hiking socks too!
2) Blackbirds also a classic and I do love the wings in checkerboard pattern.
1) Scandinavian horses a real classic :) I copied it from my original source of inspiration. Keep in mind though: contrast matters !!
More pattern ideas on my knitting pin board.