January KAL: Seamless blanket>planning updates

Knit-Alongs
1

Hi! :waving:

I’m hosting the January KH Knitalong. On top of that, we’re getting our engines revved up to begin the new year with the 2009 Year of the Stash! Two separate threads in KAL section!

I’m writing a little now about the January KH Knitalong project so that[I] you will have a little time to think about your yarn for it.[/I]

The KAL is going to be called the [B]2009 Stashghan Knitalong. [/B]In other words, we are going to hopefully use up Stash (if we need to) for this stashgan/lapghan thing! Our KAL will open up on a FRESH NEW THREAD, and this one will be closed to further posts. We will be able to read this thread, but our further posts will be within the official KAL!

Your stashghan can be big or small. No particular color artistry to be planned. Just use up the similar weight yarns that you want to! Lapghans that are washable are incredible donations, too! Cripes…I’m feeling like I need a lapghan these days myself, but I’m still in denial about my age.

My goal is to eliminate seaming. Did I mention that I hate seaming afghan blocks?

There are two styles that are potentially seamless: knitting your squares using the intarsia method…or…using that fabulous Mason-Dixon Log Cabin pattern. The Mason-Dixon chicks say that they have a log cabin (in dk and another in worsted) going at all times. They just keep adding leftover yarns to it as they acquire it!

This is the book, and I know Amazon has it.
I have it, and let me tell you…it’s the BEST.

As for Intarsia, Amy has a video clip here at KH under ADVANCED TECHNIQUES. Just scroll down. Now don’t let the term ADVANCED freak you out. It is not complicated, I promise! And remember, I’m here to help you hammer out the details.

I have started rummaging around for odds and ends and orphan skeins of worsted weight yarn. I personally haven’t decided between the Intarsia blocks or that darn nice Log Cabin style! I’ve been lurking over at the Ravelry Log Cabin Group, but just haven’t jumped in! The Intarsia style is worked from end to end, bottom to top…the Log Cabin is worked from the center out.

Both can be set aside when and if you run out of yarn for it.
You don’t have to finish it in January…just begin it in January [I]with us![/I] You can, of course, buy (gasp) new yarn for it, too! You can put on your artist’s hat and dream up an actual color design! The Mason-Dixon chicks have several color patterns shown in their book.

I think the different stores like JoAnns and WallieWorld will have great sales on yarns this season. We might find great colors for our blankets in those sales, too…if we don’t have enough stash around.

But whatever you do…get ready for January!

2

with best wishes and thankyou for this idea, I want to knit with you, the book is in my stash and I`m happy looking forward to this KAL, greetings,
myosotis:hug:

3

What style are we leaning towards: the “Blocks” afghan/lapghan stashghan…or the “Log Cabin” style? I found a FREE log cabin pattern! The pattern is a free download. All you have to do is “join” the freepatterns.com. No USER NAME or password involved, just name and email address, etc. The pattern is a PDF download. Click HERE to get the free download page. And if you’re a Raveler, click HERE to view the pattern page. It’s in the Ravelry pattern search! Even though it is called a baby blanket, you can really make it as large as you like

Here are 2 photos of sofiecat’s log cabin (as seen on Ravelry):

And here is a photo of sallybarrett’s log cabin (as seen on Ravelry):

These two Log Cabin blankies obviously have a color plan, but I think they would be just a nice with random Stash Yarn! These two blankies were knit using double strands of DK yarn…but you could use one strand of worsted, too. And because it is knit from the middle-out…you can make it as small or large as you like.

The Log Cabin style is knit from the middle-out…and the Blocks style is knit from the bottom-up.

Either one is seamless! WhooHoo! :woot:

Either one can be worked on throughout the year, adding more and more to it as stash yarn or sale yarn comes our way!

I personally haven’t decided, however…I have always envied that Log Cabin style and would like to try it out! I may be talking myself into it! :teehee:

I have some Rowan Calmer yarn in yellows, leafy greens, lavenders, and purples. Sounds like a pansy, huh? I’ve been saving these colors for something like a Log Cabin.

Here is my bag of “Calmer” stash:

I also have 4.5 sk of ECRU which is in another bag with whites.
The ECRU could be used for the border I guess, or just randomly mixed in. The jury is still out on ECRU.

What have you been leaning towards? Log Cabin or Blocks??

4

sounds like fun, I’ll have to see how classes are going by then…

5

I’m not sure which style yet. I’m thinking since I don’t know how much I have of the various stash I will just do sort of a modern log cabin blanket…although I don’t know if I’ll do it like this where you pick up the stitches or if I’ll do a intarsia type thing.

I found the link on the Moderne Log Cabin Blanket link on Rav.
http://images.amazon.com/media/i3d/01/log_cabin.pdf

6

Oh I love it! Thanks for the input, Jan! :thumbsup: That is soooo cool that you found a FREE LINK! With images available to all!! The more we have to choose from, the better! I like the Log Cabin idea because we can take a year to keep adding to it! And the crazier the colors are the better! Or, a color scheme can be used! Either way.

I am now thinking I’ll use the Modern Log Cabin design for the yarns and colors I have to use.

7

I like the one Jan found with the blocks of color the best.

8

I’m in! I’ve got a hybernating sweater at the moment (it’s stranded) but I’m sure I’m not going to finish it, since it’s my first stranded thing and I don’t like how it looks. When I’ve frogged it, I’ll be left with about 15 balls of acrylic (in 8 different colors). I was thinking of combining it with black to make a blanket, but never got further than the idea, so I hope this KAL will give me the courage to frog the sweater and start the blanket.

I decided on the log cabin style. Seems easier to me.

9

I’m in, too. I still haven’t finished the afghan I promised my son a while ago.

10

The seamless BLOCK style is worked using the Intarsia technique. For example, if you decide on 4 blocks in width, you would carry the 4 skeins on the needles, dropping one color and picking up a new color at each transition, of course wrapping the strands around one another to prevent a hole. We have a video for it. It is easy.

The LOG CABIN style just looks more interesting to me! I’ve always wanted to try it! I just have to decide on my yarn. I’ve got those 6 colors of Calmer, but I am going to rummage around and see if I can use up some unused acrylics in a wild range of colors. Using up odds ‘n’ ends would be more useful to the destashing concept! :thumbsup:

11

I think that is a really cool-looking afghan! I have a question though - I went to the Ravelyr link, and there was a link to the pages on Amazon.com. At the end of the text, it says, “Using D, make border as instructed on P. 75”. So does anyone have page 75 to tell us what that is?? :??

Thanks!
CHJ

12

ooo could this be my first KAL … hmm baby blue, light grey, ecru & white… hmmmm

13

BORDER: This is a mitered border that looks like a picture frame. Using a circ needle and D, pick up one stitch in each bound-off stitch from the wrong side of one of the outer edges of the blanket. Knit 4 garter ridges. At the same time, inc one st at ea end of every RS row by knitting into the front and back of the first and last st. BO on the RS. Repeat on the remaining 3 edges. Join the border at the corners using the matt st.

I think it is ok to post this information since the Mason-Dixon gals made the Moderne Log Cabin blanket pattern public and refer to us the border they want us to use.

14

Here are the corrections for the Moderne Log Cabin ‘baby size’ blanket:

[U]Moderne Baby Blanket[/U] (page 79)
Second paragraph of Block 9 should read, “Turn work so that the edge containing Blocks 1, 3, 5, and 7 is at top, RS facing. Place marker 63 garter ridges from the edge. Using D, pick up 54 sts along row ends, starting at Block 7 and ending at the marker. Joining B, pick up 54 sts along row ends to end (108 sts). Keeping colors consistent, K 54 garter ridges. BO.

15

[I][B]If you’re a Raveler,[/B][/I] and if you’re going to knit the LOG CABIN style blanket…you should review all the other LOG CABIN projects shown on Ravelry.

If you’re going to make the baby-sized LOG CABIN…
there are 570 blankets to review. WOW!

If you’re going to make the adult-sized LOB CABIN…
there are 447 blankets to review. WOW!

Why review all these projects? There’s [U]a lot to be learned [/U]from those who have gone before us! It doesn’t take as long as you might think. I don’t open all the projects. I just open the ones that catch my eye, either because they are great, or not-so-great.

  1. pick up “tips” TO DO…
  2. and things NOT TO DO
  3. see how they worked their color placements:
    some are GREAT, some are not-so-great, but you can learn
    from this too and can avoid what you don’t care for
  4. see their modifications
  5. review their notes
  6. see how they worked their borders
16

[B]QUESTION:[/B]

When we actually start this seamless blanket on Jan 1…should we start a fresh new thread for it?

Right now we are organizing ourselves, and planning our project, so our notes and posts are all over the place. This thread is the pre-planning thread.

Or should we just continue on with this thread?

I need your opinion! :wink:

17

I think you could start a new one and let this one disappear. You could link to it if you want to or just take from this thread and put the info in the first post of the new one.

18

Thanks, Jan. I will do just that. :thumbsup: I’ll pull out some of the valuable links and info in these postings and put 'em all together in the fresh new thread.

Then I do believe I will lock this thread, or maybe just delete it.
I think “delete” to the testing forum is best, and less confusing.

Thanks again!

19

I think I’ll join in with you all… I’ve never done a KAL before, though found the threads interesting and wanted to try, but was busy with the mini-sock project for the troops and didn’t have time.

I’m still working on some Christmas knitting projects right now, but should be good to go come January to participate in this KAL… I think it will be fun and exciting to join you.

I like the modern log cabin pattern and will probably do that. I have a lot of stash that needs to be used up and can donate the finished blanket to the homeless veterans’ shelter I do knitting for or the Red Cross or someone… unless a friend or family member sees it first and wants it! It looks like a fairly simple pattern and pretty mindless knitting for the most part… right up my alley… especially after the busy holidays!

Count me in!

20

I’m using WORD and the ‘Insert Shapes’ feature to create a blank schematic for the Log Cabin, both the kid and adults schematic.

Here are some photos of them. I printed the blanks for myself…
I’ll use them to tinker around with color placement.

The “Insert Shapes” feature in WORD also allows you to fill in colors. So that is what I’ve done with the color schematic images.

I have about 6 colors plus ecru, and I wanted to use them all but the schematics seem to show that they won’t all work out. Just 4 colors. I dunno. :?? I’ll keep tinkering.

You could save the blank schematics to your 'puter and print them out if you don’t have WORD and Insert Shapes feature. Or, if you will PM me with your real email address, I’ll send them to you via email attachment.

This is the Adult Sized Log Cabin blank schematic:

With color (I modified the bottom 2 big squares for a trial):

This is the Baby Sized Log Cabin blank schematic:

With color:

Here is my bag of yarn. The ecru is not in there.

They remind me of PANSY colors! I love pansies!