Blankets Are Happening! Next in Line KAL

Happy spring, dear knitters! I hope you’re seeing some crocuses and daffodils coming up and are enjoying warmer days. After a long winter, I’m ready for the change (even though the long winter meant lots of knitting time).

The 2023 Next in Line Blanket KAL is in full swing, with at least one baby blanket already finished! So it’s time for our first giveaway. If you are knitting a Next in Line blanket but haven’t posted a photo on Instagram yet, now’s the time. Be sure to use the hashtag #nextinlinekal. On Thursday, I’ll draw one name from the usernames of all KAL-ers. That knitter will receive all of these handmade (by me) items: an embroidered linen project bag, a lavender sachet made with vintage buttons, and a skein of 150 yards of handspun Cormo yarn (approximately sportweight). Plus, they can choose a free pattern - their choice of either my About Town Mitts or my Fee-bee Mitts (both use 150 yards or less of sportweight yarn).

If you want to join the KAL but aren’t on Instagram, no worries! You can post progress photos of your Next in Line blankets in the Ravelry Blue Peninsula group thread. I’m not on Ravelry as much as I used to be, but I do check that thread and comment on posts regularly.

The Next in Line KAL continues throughout 2023. I hope you’ll join us to create a beautiful throw or blanket for your home—or as a gift. After you cast on, post at least one photo on Instagram with the hashtag #nextinlinekal or in the Ravelry thread to be included when the next giveaway happens later this year.

The Next in Line Blanket pattern sale continues all year as well. Save 25% through December 31, 2023 at Ravelry, Etsy, and Payhip. The discount is automatic - no coupon code needed.

My Next in Line Blanket in progress - Log 10

LINKS
Next in Line - Ravelry
Next in Line - Payhip
Next in Line - Etsy
@bluepeninsula (Instagram)

New Pattern: Falling Water Shawl

Easy but elegant lace — not too much, just enough to keep things interesting — balanced by soothing garter stitch: doesn’t that sound like the ideal knitting project during this stressful time filled with all kinds of difficulties and uncertainty?

Falling Water Shawl by Bonnie Sennott

During the past month or so, the Falling Water Shawl has kept me (relatively) sane and (relatively) distracted from excessive worrying. It’s been exactly the right project for this unusual spring — fun and not at all stressful. Now that it’s finished, the pattern is available on Ravelry, where you can take 20% off with the coupon code SPRING.

Fun fact about this shawl: you can make it as long (or short) as you like, because the final section of knits and purls can be worked over any number of stitches. My sample is a generous 68 inches/173 cm along the top edge — the “wingspan.”

The Falling Water Shawl features the lace motif I used in my Falling Water Scarf, modified to fit nicely within the shape of an asymmetrical triangular shawl. I’ve also updated the scarf pattern with a new sample, new photos, spruced up instructions, a new chart, and additional sizes. You can use the SPRING coupon code to save 20% on the Falling Water scarf as well as the shawl. This introductory sale ends Sunday, May 3.

Or, purchase both patterns together in the Falling Water ebook set and save even more!

The Falling Water Shawl begins with a cast-on of just three stitches and gradually grows longer, with a column of lace flowing up the right side and garter stitch on the left. Yarn overs worked on the left side create the shawl’s triangular shape. The shawl is knit flat, but a circular needle is used to accommodate the large number of stitches. Stitch patterns are provided in charts and also are written out, line by line — so whichever you prefer, you’re covered.

For the sample, I used O-Wool O-Wash Fingering, an organic, 100% merino yarn. It was a splurge last fall at Rhinebeck — and I'm so glad I didn't hesitate to get it! It's been a pleasure to have on the needles and has a lovely drape that's really perfect for lace. Another fun fact: O-Wool will be a vendor this weekend at the virtual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. The “real” festival had to be canceled, but they’ve come up with a nifty online event to keep everyone connected.

One of my favorite (and local) annual fiber festivals, the Massachusetts Sheep and Woolcraft Fair — held every year at the end of May at the Cummington Fairgrounds — also isn’t happening, due to COVID-19. Lately I’ve even been wondering whether there will be a New York Sheep and Wool Festival this October — what a shame if it has to be canceled! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, right? We’ll just have to wait and see what the coming months bring and keep our fingers crossed that big gatherings like Rhinebeck can safely happen again.

In the meantime, keep on knitting, support healthcare workers and first responders, thank the staff at supermarkets and gas stations and pharmacies etc. etc. for being there for you — and above all, be well and be safe everyone.

LINKS
Falling Water Shawl
Falling Water Scarf
Falling Water Ebook Set
Bonnie Sennott: Ravelry Designer Page

Next in Line Afghan: Yardage

I'm getting very close to having the pattern for Next in Line ready for release — just a bit more photo editing and few other odds and ends. At this point, the pattern's back from the tech editor, so I can now share yardage with you.

The pattern provides instructions for two sizes of this four-color design — a throw measuring 43 inches/110 cm by 56 inches/143 cm and an afghan measuring 52 inches/133 cm by 60 inches/153 cm.

For my sample, I used three colors of Cascade 220 (Silver Grey, Straw, and Doeskin Heather) and one color of Valley Yarns Northampton (Lake Heather). If you want to use exactly these yarns and colors, you'll need:

• Color 1: Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/201m per 100 gr skein], #8401 Silver Grey, 5 skeins (throw), 7 skeins (afghan)

• Color 2: Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/201m per 100 gr skein], #4010 Straw, 2 skeins (throw), 3 skeins (afghan)

• Color 3: Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/201m per 100 gr skein], #8012 Doeskin Heather, 2 skeins (throw), 3 skeins (afghan)

• Color 4: Valley Yarns Northampton [100% wool; 247yd/226m per 100 gr skein], #42 Lake Heather, 2 skeins (throw), 3 skeins (afghan)

If you'd like to substitute other yarns, here are the approximate amounts of worsted weight wool you'll need:

• Color 1: 1,000yd/915m (throw), 1,450yd/1,325m (afghan)

• Color 2: 440yd/400m (throw), 660yd/600m (afghan)

• Color 3: 440yd/400m (throw), 660yd/600m (afghan)

• Color 4: 490yd/445m (throw), 675 yd/615m (afghan)

If you decide to use a hand-dyed yarn with limited dye lots, or a closeout yarn that you won't be able to get more of, you may want to buy a little extra of each color as insurance against running out. For my sample, I was able to get more of each color as the afghan grew, because they were all readily available.

If you want to start swatching, the pattern gauge is 18 stitches and 36 rows = 4”/10 cm after blocking. The needle size is US #7/4.5mm (or, as always, the size needed to obtain gauge). We all knit at different stitch and row gauges, so even though this design is "just garter stitch," I do recommend knitting a substantial swatch to determine the right needle size for you (at least 8 inches wide — and be sure to block it the same way you will block the finished project). For a large project like this, you want to be certain you're close to gauge and happy with the fabric before you cast on. 

I'll get back to work editing photos now — look for the pattern soon!

LINKS
Next in Line Instagram posts (hashtag: #nextinlineblanket)
My Ravelry project page
Next in Line blog posts 

Next in Line Afghan: Heat Wave Blocking Party

Cast on January 1, bound off July 4: my Next in Line Afghan is now complete!

It took me awhile to carefully bind off the 263 stitches of the 19th and final log. I sat directly in front of a big fan the whole time. It was the only way I could possibly stand to knit, because we've been having quite the heat and humidity fest this week.

As soon as I finished binding off and wove in the ends, I did something really crazy, considering how hot the evening was. I just had to run to the couch and drape it over me, to be absolutely sure of the size. Was it big enough? Cozy enough?

Yes, and yes! Absolutely perfect for chilly winter evenings. 

The finished measurements (before blocking) were 52 inches x 60 inches. There's no way I was going to attempt wet blocking something so big, so I chose to steam block it lightly — just enough to even out the stitches and allow the wool relax a bit.

Early in the morning (the only minimally comfortable time of day when it's in the 90s and humid), I hung the afghan over the shower rod in my bathroom and steamed the right side, then flipped it over and repeated the process on the wrong side. Then I laid it out on a sheet to dry (it was only slightly damp), carefully smoothing the fabric with my hands, working from the center outward toward the edges.

I haven't yet measured it again, but I expect that blocking might have increased its size just a little — we'll see. I know many of you are eagerly awaiting the pattern, and I'm excited that we are now so much closer to that moment. But there's still lots to do: calculate yardage requirements for each color, take photos and edit them, write the pattern, have it tech edited, finalize layout, etc.

I will share the yardage requirements when the pattern is released or shortly before, so hang tight. It won't be long now!

LINKS
Next in Line Instagram posts (hashtag: #nextinlineblanket)
My Ravelry project page
Next in Line blog posts 

Next in Line Afghan: Almost There!

I'm on the next-to-last log of my Next in Line log cabin blanket — it's exciting to be so close to finishing! Today I thought I'd talk a bit about the colors I've used and offer ideas for choosing your own. 

There are 19 logs in all and currently I'm knitting Log No. 18. The main color of this log is Doeskin Heather and the contrast color is Silver Grey. 

These two colors are very close in value, which means there's not a lot of contrast between them. So this particular log has a soft, quiet feel. 

The four colors I've used are: Cascade 220 Silver Grey, Doeskin Heather, and Straw; and Valley Yarns Northampton Lake Heather. 

If you're planning to knit this afghan and want to start thinking about colors, I'd suggest taking photos of potential color combinations, then editing the photos to make them black and white, so you can see the values (their lightness/darkness).

Here are my four colors in black and white, arranged from lightest (Silver Grey) to the darkest (Lake Heather):

My afghan's overall "look" is quiet and subtle. That's due in part to the values of my colors. As you can see from the black-and-white photo, there's actually not a big contrast between the lightest color (Silver Grey) and the darkest color (Lake Heather). In fact, none of these colors are extremely dark.

If you want a blanket with a similar feel, choose colors that are similar to these in value. If you'd rather make a blanket with a lot more "pop" or contrast, you'll probably want to choose four colors that vary more widely in value — maybe one very light color, one slightly darker, one medium, and one very dark.

Knitters on Instagram have been asking me for yardage, but I'm not ready to announce it yet. I want to wait until the whole blanket is done and I'm sure of how much Silver Grey I've used. There are five different log "schemes" in the afghan, and for two of them Silver Grey is the main color. So I've used twice as much Silver Grey as any of the other colors. 

The knitting has been going slowly lately, because I've been working on other designs that are due soon. But Next in Line gets some attention most days. It won't be too long now!

LINKS
Next in Line Instagram posts (hashtag: #nextinlineblanket)
My Ravelry project page
Next in Line blog posts 

Update: Next in Line Afghan

While I'm not at the finish line yet on my Next in Line afghan, I'm inching closer and closer. Quite a few knitters have let me know they are eager for the release of this pattern, and I'm doing my best to keep knitting away on it (while also juggling other projects and work). I'm not a sadist and don't want to make anyone wait forever — really, truly I don't! So while you're waiting, how about a quick progress report?

The temperatures climbed into the upper 80s yesterday, so I combined my desire to get outdoors and walk with the need for some new photos. When I began this blanket a few months ago for the Fringe and Friends Logalong, it was really pleasant to have it on my lap as I knit on chilly winter evenings. Now, now so much!

The blanket is going to consist of 19 "logs" in all. I'm currently knitting Log. No. 15 and expect to finish it in the next day or two. That leaves just four more!  When I finished Log No. 14, the piece measured 39 x 45 inches. The projected measurements of the full afghan are 52 x 60 inches.

I'm using worsted weight yarns — three colors of Cascade 220 (Silver Grey, Straw, and Doeskin Heather) and one color of Valley Yarns Northampton (Lake Heather). It's called Next in Line because each log contains a few rows or "lines" of the main color of the next log. There are five different color/line combinations that appear throughout. For some, the contrast rows are in the center of the log, and for others they come at the end. The depth of each log varies as well, leading (I hope) to an overall design that's both lively and a little unpredictable.

It's too soon to give final yardage — the last four logs will eat up more and more yarn, as they get longer and longer. But at this point I can share that I've used all or part of ten skeins (or 2,200 yards, more or less). I've used more of the silver grey than any other color, because it's the main color in two of the five color sequences.

If you want to keep abreast of this project, the best place to see frequent updates is my Instagram account — follow the hashtag #nextinlineblanket. (I've posted a few technique videos there, along with lots of still photos.) I also add photos or notes now and then to my Ravelry project page. Or, follow the project from its beginnings by reading all of my blog posts about it.

I guess I should log off now and get back to knitting. Garter stitch, here I come!

Next in Line Afghan Update

My Next in Line afghan project for the Fringe and Friends Log Cabin Make-along grows and grows. Right now, it measures about 32 x 36 inches. If all goes according to plan, the finished afghan should measure about 52 x 60 inches. Nice and big — perfect for cozy winter evenings on the sofa, right?

Knitters have been asking for yardage estimates so they can get their yarn before the pattern is released. But it's really too soon for that. I'm currently knitting Log No. 12, and if I stick to my current plans, there will be 19 logs in all. So hang in there; the end — while not exactly near — is in sight!

While you wait, you can check out the videos I've posted on Instagram about this project. One shows my method for weaving in ends; the other shows how I pick up stitches along the bound-off edges. I'm @bluepeninsula on Instagram, if you'd like to see them.

Here's a closeup of the wrong side. It's different from the right side, but just as nice:

The weekend's almost here, and after a week of not one but two Nor'easters, I'm ready to curl up with this project and enjoy lots and lots of non-stressful garter stitch. Hope your weekend brings lots of satisfying knitting time, too!

Logalong Progress

Confession: When I cast on for the Fringe and Friends Log Cabin Make-along, I wasn't sure how far I'd get with it. For one thing, there was the worry about garter stitch being boring (turns out it's not boring at all, but soothing, meditative knitting). I also wondered if this project would steal too much time from other design work, causing me to put it "on the back burner." That concern also has disappeared — my Next in Line throw is actually moving along at a respectable pace, and so far it's left me sufficient time for other projects.

The design process is enormously satisfying. I'm enjoying choosing the next color for each log, deciding how wide it should be, and where the contrast color stripes should be placed. The more I knit, the more I love these colors! Knitters have contacted me to ask about them, so here they are: Cascade 220 in Silver Grey, Straw, and Doeskin Heather, and Valley Yarns Northampton in Lake Heather.

I might be a little too smitten with it — Snickers has had to remind me to take breaks and remember that "all knitting and no play" makes me a very dull girl.

Yesterday, I finished Log No. 8 and began No. 9. The piece now measures about 22 x 24 inches, so I've got a ways to go — I'm aiming for about 48 x 60 inches. I don't want it to be as small as a baby blanket, but it's not meant to be a bedspread, either.

What do you think? What's your preferred size for an afghan or throw?