A supernova of Noro!

Noro Star Blanket
Yarn: Noro Cash Island, colorway 11
Pattern:  Free pattern from Bernat
Needles: Size US 8-10, graduated as the blanket got bigger
Ravelry Notebook Page

What a joy it was to knit… I loved every minute, and I plan to make another.  The yarn was obviously the biggest draw here – the Noro Cash Island was decadent to knit with the brilliant colors and the mix of cashmere, wool, and all of the other goodies.  I bought this yarn in the sale bin at Maryland Sheep and Wool a few years ago; initially, I was planning a garment, so I only got one bag.  Had I known that I would make an afghan, I would have picked up two bags (20 skeins).  That would have definitely made it bigger and more “afghan-like”, but it would have been quite the feat to find circular needles for it to fit on!  This was nearly 1000 stitches in the round with 10 skeins.  It was becoming quite heavy, but never became a chore to knit in anyway.

I came across this pattern when searching the free pattern library on Bernat’s website – there are some great patterns for both knitting and crochet – and when I saw this pattern, the wheels started to turn.  (You have to register on the site, and then all the patterns are free!) Noro has that amazing self-striping quality, and in a star-shape afghan, that could be quite eye-catching!  Luckily, my bet was right.  I am thrilled with the way it turned out!

I used a friend’s interchangeable needles from Knitpicks.  I have not taken the plunge to get my own set of interchangeables, but I must say, it is tempting.  I plan to make more circular afghans, and 40″ circs are not available in most stores in a range of needle sizes.  This Knitpicks kit was useful, but I was annoyed that the joints kept coming unscrewed.  I don’t know if this is something that happens often in other brands, but it’s a quick way to lose stitches, and that is not good…  Do you have an interchangeable kit that you recommend?

I didn’t know as I was making this the star points would create this wavey edge, but I really like it!  As I bound off the stitches and saw the natural curve, I was thrilled with the results.  Blocking only made it better.

Stashbusting is at an all-time high over here – and with all the hockey-viewing lately, my hands have been quite busy.  I have more projects to share very soon!

And when one more row is approximately 800 stitches, it take a little time

This was intended to be a knit that kept me going through the Stanley Cup playoffs… but *ahem* They haven’t even started yet… and I am nearly finished.  I guess you could say I got addicted to knitting this blanket.  Noro totally has that effect on me.  I just want to see how the next color will come out of the ball and how it will work with the exciting fabric. 

I started the NINTH ball last night – out of ten.  So, at this rate, I will be finished by the end of the week.  And even if it is nearly 90 degrees outside (seriously, wasn’t there still snow on the ground one month ago?), I am loving knitting this warm blanket. 

I did some knit math to estimate how big she’s gonna be – and while she won’t be a huge bedspread-type blanket, she will be a decently sized lap blanket.  I can’t wait to see how the star points come out once I bind off.

Soon…

Noro doesn’t sit around in my stash that long… I buy it, and then it calls to me, like a siren song.   I buy it with a sweater pattern in mind, and then I begin to realize and remember that I have been burned by Noro’s horizontal self-striping across my mid-section before*.  Fool me once, Noro… but this time I wisened up… can’t fool this knitter twice (oops!  wait… maybe you can!) . 

This Noro Cash Island is going to be a blanket where it can’t add pounds and bulk (or the illustion there of) to anyone’s mid-section!  Just lots ot warmth and comfy-ness as I sit and read, watch movies and  knit/crochet new projects! 

This is the Star Afghan pattern, a free pattern from Bernat (you have to register for the website, but there are dozens of free patterns – many very good ones!) You can also see it on the Ravelry project page.  Obviously my version is going to look very different in the Noro.  I was searching for one of these circular radial knits – they are fun to construct and definitely compliment the self-striping yarns like Noro.  This Cash Island was a stash yarn that I bought at Maryland Sheep and Wool awhile back.  It’s my (early)”kick-off” project for my Stanley Cup Stashbusting KAL (which will also include some crochet, so a CAL as well!)   Blankets seem like a great stashbuster

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Yeah, the need for stashbusting really hit me when I actually *added* to the stash over the weekend at the fabulous Homespun Yarn Party… which was literally in my own backyard.  I do realize how lucky I am to have MDSW and this so close to me – in my same county.  The Yarn Party was a mere 2 miles from my house… and it was great fun.  I met up with my fellow hockey-loving knitter pal, Amy, and we headed over to get some yarn… I just didn’t plan to get as much as I did…

9 mini-skeins of fingering hand-dyed from Ashton Studio Arts

2 bodaciously bulky beauties from CosySpins

Handspun alpaca tweed 3-ply / wool single ply from Mid Valley Fibers

A lovely room in a historic textile mill filled with friendly people and fiber – what a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, eh?  There were so many great local vendors.  I went to the party in 2008, but I missed last year’s because I was having my own fun party with my girl Jenna in Seattle, so I was quite excited to go this year.

It was all the more pleasure to see old and new(ish) friends – and to finally meet some “old” contacts for the first time.  Cosy and I have followed each other’s Flickr streams and blogs over the years, so it was great to meet her in person there — and to procure some of her lovely handspun. 

New items to the stash… and now I am gonna focus on stashbusting (BIG TIME!) until MDSW… we’ll see what I can knock out before then! 

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Resurrection day
Hexagon panopoly
Blankie for baby

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Komb Hexagon Blanket
Pattern: Komb, Berroco book #249 (Keltic)
Yarn: Jojoland Rhythm in M01 and M20
Needles: size US 7

Okay, maybe it was never *dead* enough to warrant a “resurrection”, but it was definitely forgotten and put away out of sight… and all it needed was a resurfacing and a little attention before it had a whole new life and new purpose. 

Started in December 2007, it was intended as a wedding gift for a friend.  Luckily, I anticipated how long this might take to complete, so we got her and her new husband a regular wedding gift as well…  It became clear early on that this was not going to be an enjoyable knit… I tried to practice all of my mindfulness and happy thoughts, but at the end of the day, it just wasn’t pleasant.  Perhaps it was the picking up stitches or the weaving in ends… the yarn was fun because it was a complete mixed bag – I never knew what I was going to get. 

I pulled it out last fall and winter and did a few more hexagons and then remembered why I had stuck it in the closet in the first place… and it went back in, about 1/3 of the way finished.  The blanket calls for 60 hexagons of a larger gauge, and I have 30 here, but I was planning to make 90 for a full afghan. 

The it occured to me that my knitting life would be much happier if I were to just “call it” with the hexagons and repurpose the blanket for a certain new baby in my life – my niece due next month! 

Hexagon blanket will now go to Baby V!  The fun bright colors seem perfect for a baby, and I thought the shape of it would be great for a stroller or car seat blanket. 

The yarn amazed me with each new ball – it is a nice light worsted weight wool – with so much variation.  I only used 2 colorways of the yarn!  Would you have guessed that?  The borders are a blue/taupe/tan mixture, while the hexagons themselves are pink, purple, green, and yellows.  Because I was planning a much bigger project, I have a decent amount left for some other fun things; it seems like a great yarn for winter accessories.  Mitts and a hat, perhaps?

I feel much happier knowing that this knit is no longer hanging over my head, and that it will keep my new niece all cozy.

I could go faster.  But I do enjoy the thrill of pulling this afghan out every few months and adding new hexagons, changing the dimensions and the color sequencing every so slightly. 

The lovely Komb afghan always gets pushed to the bottom of the knitting pile.  Yet, when I pull it out, it always makes me smile.  I should work on it more often… especially because it is a gift.  A very belated gift.  The Jojoland Rhythm yarn is a constant surprise.  Until I seam it up, I am never quite sure how it will look.  I completed hexagon #20 last night.  That means I have about 40 more to go.  Since each hexagon can take the better part of an hour (sometimes 2 if I am paying attention to something else) there is already quite a bit of time invested in this afghan.   

An afghan that will need a very serious blocking in the end.  It is narrower than I expected it to be, so, after I finish the requisite number of hexagons, I will probably add some width with any leftover yarn.  I am thinking way ahead though…

I am taking things slow these days, in general.  I have been spending a lot of time in the garden and in the kitchen, truly enjoying the fruits (and veggies) of the season.  In fact, spending so much time outside seems to have caused a little problem… but, I am feeling okay.  I just take a lot of naps.  And in between those naps, I have been working a few rows of knitting and weaving.  The only things that seem to go fast around here?  the rate of reading (and listening to) books, and the fresh melons in the refrigerator.