Beginning the Big Bad Baby Blanket

[cdngreenie]

if you're impatient... you could always do what I'm doing with it...

knit a same-size blanket with much larger yarn and needles.  I've got 84 stitches instead of the pattern suggested 130-something, and it's about the same dimensions... thus far.

the only challenge I've had so far is making sure the math works out, and you'd think that'd be easy... it IS simple math, after all... but noooo... someone can't do simple addition! 

[cdngreenie]

hey,

so I'm having the weirdest of problems with this blanket.  My seed st border is coming out great, and each half of the pattern is fine, but where the patterns are joining (switching from K to P), I have the loosest stitches ever.  And I don't know why.  I'm actually consciously pulling it tight before and after the stitch switchover to compensate for this and nothing's changing, it's super loose.  I know it'll sort itself out (or, I'm HOPING it will) but if anyone has suggestions, please let me know!  This has never happened to me before.

[KrisCreates]

I also found those stitches were quite loose while i was knitting (Despite sometimes the yarn being nearly too tight to knit, I'm a tight knitter...)  but when I got the blanket finished you couldn't notice it at all.

[Nymeria]

but where the patterns are joining (switching from K to P), I have the loosest stitches ever.  And I don't know why.  I'm actually consciously pulling it tight before and after the stitch switchover to compensate for this and nothing's changing, it's super loose. 

It'll sort itself out in the end, trust me. I have the same problem while I'm knitting, but as you get further along (I'm at about 8" now), look at the first pattern rows (after the border) and you'll notice they look fine. Once it's done you'll not be able to tell at all, I promise. 

[cdngreenie]

hey thanks you two.

It's definitely still loose, but I can see what you mean about the whole thing straightening itself out.

... slowly but surely.  if only the baby wasn't due this week, and I had more time to knit!  thankfully showers don't usually happen until a little while afterwards!   

[dalilah]

I've knit this one before and I own two of these blankets that were knit for my girls by my sister.

A few things to add to the whole BBBB discussion from my end...

Guage really doesn't matter as much. My sis knit the first one for my daughter and it was a little more rectangular rather than square. No biggie. Daughter still loves it.

Also, if you have the option, go with a nice cotton yarn. It washes well (after so much spit-up, I was glad it wasn't wool!). I'd love to have an heirloom wool blanket in hand-dyed veggie colors, but really ...it's a baby blanket, so it meant more to me that I could wash it in the delicate cycle in the washer and toss it in the dryer for a bit and it was clean. Held up great too, btw. A tribute to my sister's super-knitting-girl skills!

Just thought I'd add. Hope it helps.

[Nymeria]

Also, if you have the option, go with a nice cotton yarn. It washes well (after so much spit-up, I was glad it wasn't wool!). I'd love to have an heirloom wool blanket in hand-dyed veggie colors, but really ...it's a baby blanket, so it meant more to me that I could wash it in the delicate cycle in the washer and toss it in the dryer for a bit and it was clean.

QFT. I made one using LionBrand Cotton Ease (part cotton, part acrylic) and it washed beautifully. A friend of mine made one in wool and she never uses it because she'd be unable to wash it. I'm of the "If I can't use it, I don't want it" frame of mind, especially when it comes to babies! 

[cdngreenie]

it's been done for a while now... even washed and blocked... but I haven't posted a picture until now... so here you go:


those knit stitches at the edge, moving into purl (ONLY in that direction, I don't get it) are still a little big, but it's not something I'm THAT annoyed with... I'm just going to have to improve on it...

[Meggs]

Your blankets are all beautiful.  I am starting on one right now in a nice soft yellow.  My DH caught me snuggling with it instead of knitting it last night LOL.  I'll post a pic when it is finished.

[jewelaroni]

Just a little something to add about the question of knitting with two strands (which I don't think was mentioned, but I could have missed it.
To avoid using two balls at the same time, I ball them up together, so it's on ball with two strands. Mind you, this is a lot more manageable if you've got a ball winder.

(p.s. the knit picks one isn't that great, as the center thing that holds the ball while you're winding it keeps popping out.)