Tuesday 31 August 2010

You Make 16 Squares and Waddya Get?

Another (few) days older and closer to done.....( about 80% of the Great Canadian British American Afghan complete to be exact-ish).  (Hmmm....that doesn't quite fit the tune.)

I think I've mentioned before that one of the benefits of blogging is seeing evidence of progress on your projects during those dark middle days where the sunny excitement of a 'new project' is long gone, and the light at the end of the tunnel hasn't yet appeared.



That's certainly the case here.  When I sat down to blog today I was feeling that I hadn't really accomplished much in the last week - but when I compared the photos to last weeks -- well it seems I'm zooming along!



As a few people have commented - this pattern has become a firm favourite in the knitting world.  And I can see why.

First and foremost - the finished afghans that I've seen have all been pretty special.  It's one of those projects that you really can see being used for years and years.

Second - the sampler nature of the afghan means you get to try lots of different stitch combinations and techniques. There are cables and seed stitch and moss stitch and popcorn and bobbles and twisted stitches and seed stitch and..... I've doen lots of cable and texture work over the years - but I've definitely picked up a few tips and tricks already. 

Finally, just as a pattern starts to get a little dull - it's time to cast off and start a new very different block!  Most are knit pretty much as you'd expect (ie cast on 60 ish stitches, knit 70ish rows in pattern) - but some are knit in the round (outside edge in) some are knit in strips and others are knit with a centre square and then have an outer border knit separately.  (And one very special square has its own little sweater to wear -- but I'm saving that for the end!!) 

3 comments:

fleegle said...

Spectacular! And you certainly are moving along quickly, as usual :)

I have the pattern booklet, but every time I think about starting it, I remember how heavy those afghans are. My mother-in-law made a cabled coverlet I can't even lift. I can only push it around the floor of the closet when I need to get behind it.

LittleBerry said...

certainly looks like it's coming along nicely now you've decided you want it finished ;o) am looking forward to finished result - for me I would much rather crochet a blanket but I love looking at yours :o)

janiannie said...

Thanks for the comment you left on my disaster of a blog..for all my good intentions I can't seem to manage more than a couple of posts a year!

As always your knitting is such an inspiration for me, I love the afghan squares and have trawled through Ravelry pulling off patterns for similar squares with the thought of perhaps one day having a go at my own. At the moment I'm coming towards the end of Stockport, the lovely cabled top by Sarah Hatton from Rowan magazine 46, I love the cables and it's a nice easy knit.

Look forward to seeing your finished afghan...I'm sure you'll have it all sewn up in a blink!