Hope is renewed

Fafner blanket for baby Muth

I went hunting Wednesday night through Elsebeth Lavold's Viking Patterns for Knitting and rediscovered a pattern for a cushion cover called Fafner. The completed cushion cover is only 15-16" square, but that's with a gauge of 20 sts/4" on 4mm needles. I, on the other hand, am using a heavier worsted weight from my wanna-make-something-with-it-and-get-it-the-heck-outta-here stash (Red Heart Comfort in a cream colour), on 5mm needles. Plus, I'm doubling the height and width of the centre section. With any luck, this will result in at least a 3-foot square blanket. And if not, I'll just add another layer of edging.

Work started last night - I cast on 100 stitches for the centre section and did a few rows of plain reverse stocking stitch.

The only drawback is that I might not have enough of the cream to do the whole blanket. So I'm thinking of doing all the cabling work in some turquoise (or maybe purple) heavy worsted to conserve the cream. We shall see - I have some time to figure this out since I don't get to the first of the cables until 40 rows into the centre section.

But notice the intelligent decision-making skills? How the knitter, already desperately pressed for time, chooses a project with big gauge to produce maximum results in minimum time? Look at me...I'm learning.

Cape Cod for MIL

Tiny perfect underarm gusset:

Notice those few purl stitches in the gusset? That is the beginning of the texture pattern in the gusset! I'm so excited!!! Plus, see that shell motif at the left? That is the fewer-than-two-rows-away-from-being-completed fourth pattern motif. Oh, happy day.

Secret Garden cardigan for niece

This is now dry. But I'm waiting until I have natural sunlight streaming into the house before I take pictures.