Finished object: the Tetris Binkie
Jul. 4th, 2010 09:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caltastic posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
knittingI'm expecting my first child this fall, and even though I'm primarily a scarves-and-socks knitter, I knew I wanted to knit up a baby blanket. Since I handle the working yarn strangely (left-handed and taught myself from a book, so I have many odd knit-habits), I wanted a pattern that wouldn't have a lot of ribbing, that would be interesting to work, and wouldn't be completely hideous on the wrong side.
After a couple of weeks of research, I discovered Gracielouwho's Tetris blanket. Absolutely the perfect amount of Cute and Nerdy for my impending weester.
The problem: I had never done intarsia before. Or, in fact, any colorwork that wasn't blocks in a scarf. I'd also never done any lacework and "crochet edging" kind of gave me hives of abject terror.
But! I was not to be denied! This was a TETRIS BINKIE, and it simply had to be done.
So a few months of frantic twisting, fumbling, and cursing that I couldn't get quite the right Arcade Blue for the squares in the washcloth cotton, and it's all done -- two whole months before my due date. :D :D :D
It's about three feet square, cost about $9 in yarn and, since it's cotton, can get baby throwup on it with impunity and be none the worse for wear. Each block is 10x14, so it knitted up really quickly (weaving in all the ends -- omg so many ends -- took longer than the actual knitting) and intuitively, which is really what I was hoping for.
The border was the part that scared me most, and it actually ended up being the most fun -- the YOs and sideways bindoffs gives it the most adorable scalloped edge, though it was like 800 rows of four stitches over and over. XD
The back side isn't quite so pretty as one might hope, because since I knew this would be (often) machine washed I knotted all the ends after I wove them in. It's still a lot prettier than it would have been if I'd tried strand work or something, though, so I'm REALLY proud of it.
It's just a shame babies are completely ungrateful and unappreciative. :)
After a couple of weeks of research, I discovered Gracielouwho's Tetris blanket. Absolutely the perfect amount of Cute and Nerdy for my impending weester.
The problem: I had never done intarsia before. Or, in fact, any colorwork that wasn't blocks in a scarf. I'd also never done any lacework and "crochet edging" kind of gave me hives of abject terror.
But! I was not to be denied! This was a TETRIS BINKIE, and it simply had to be done.
So a few months of frantic twisting, fumbling, and cursing that I couldn't get quite the right Arcade Blue for the squares in the washcloth cotton, and it's all done -- two whole months before my due date. :D :D :D
It's about three feet square, cost about $9 in yarn and, since it's cotton, can get baby throwup on it with impunity and be none the worse for wear. Each block is 10x14, so it knitted up really quickly (weaving in all the ends -- omg so many ends -- took longer than the actual knitting) and intuitively, which is really what I was hoping for.
The border was the part that scared me most, and it actually ended up being the most fun -- the YOs and sideways bindoffs gives it the most adorable scalloped edge, though it was like 800 rows of four stitches over and over. XD
The back side isn't quite so pretty as one might hope, because since I knew this would be (often) machine washed I knotted all the ends after I wove them in. It's still a lot prettier than it would have been if I'd tried strand work or something, though, so I'm REALLY proud of it.
It's just a shame babies are completely ungrateful and unappreciative. :)
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Date: 2010-07-05 07:43 am (UTC)D'aww that's pretty cool
Date: 2010-07-05 08:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-07-05 09:28 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-07-05 11:32 am (UTC)Re: D'aww that's pretty cool
Date: 2010-07-05 02:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-07-05 02:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2010-07-05 07:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-02 04:53 am (UTC)