January 2018
Decided that house move necessitates major evaluation of clothes. All hand knitted jumpers scrutinised. Any of unsuitable colour, fit or style set to one side despite the time invested in knitting them.
In fit of frugality, decided to unpick all seams, unravel jumpers and reuse wool to make new jumpers. Got carried away and also unravelled small knitted blanket, made with wool unravelled from crocheted blanket and consequently slightly too small to be of use.
March 2018
Moved large quantity of unravelled wool to new home. No frugal knitting undertaken.
April 2018
Decided to tackle unravelled wool. Realised that wastage when dismantling jumpers meant insufficient wool to make new ones. Briefly considered making sleeveless pullovers to overcome wool shortage. Swiftly remembered that I do not need sleeveless pullovers.
Missing knitted blanket so resolved to make replacement with unravelled wool and half used balls of wool from various knitting projects and previous foray into natural dyeing. Assessed wool and determined that colours and quantities unlikely to produce aesthetically pleasing pattern. Concluded that random patterning more feasible.
Determined that this blanket will not be too small so cast on 600 stitches. After knitting for two evenings with no discernible length achieved wondered if 600 stitches was too ambitious.
Enthusiasm waning.
May 2018
Knitting abandoned for the summer. Length of blanket 4 centimetres. Approximately 96 cms short of target.
September 2018
Found bag containing very short knitted blanket while looking for yarn to knit jumper for grandson’s teddy bear. Knitted jumper for bear and a few rows of blanket. Wondered if it could be scarf instead. More rows completed at very steady pace.
October 2018
Attacking blanket/scarf with enthusiasm. Easy to get into rhythm as very simple but progress slow.
Have decided to make this very long-term project and concentrate on warmth of blanket and eco friendly reuse of yarn rather than colour co-ordination. Also realise that have sometimes turned needles at end of row resulting in sections of back to front knitting but have convinced myself this adds interest to patterning as no chance of undoing any knitting to make correction. Hoping that increase in length will result in warm knees while knitting. Any thoughts of wrapping blanket around whole body are very distant.
Current length 27cms. Approximately 73cms short of target.
Instructions for Knitted Blanket with Knotted Fringe
- Using circular knitting needle, cast on stitches required for project. I’m using 4mm needle with (mainly) DK wool to make a dense blanket, similar to a weave.
- Row 1 – Knit 1, Yarn Forward Slip 1. Repeat across row. Cut off yarn.
- Row 2 – Do not turn needles but take new strand of yarn and continue knitting as if in the round. Yarn Forward Slip 1, Knit 1. Repeat across row. Cut off yarn.
- Repeat
- Every six rows or so, depending on how you want the rug to look, knot the loose yarn at the end of the row to make a fringe.
- Cast off when your blanket reaches the required length. Trim loose ends to even length.
