Thursday, November 5, 2009

Newest Video Project - Circular Swirl Baby Blanket

I have completed the videos for a new project.

I call this the Circular Swirl Baby Blanket. I've made it twice so far, once using a light-weight worsted yarn in a light denim blue, and the second time, using two shades of pink.

This can be made on any flatbed knitting machine. It's all main bed; no ribber required.

I needed a very "girlie" blanket for a co-worker's new baby daughter, and I went to the store looking for whatever color combination struck me. I loved this, but it didn't photograph as well as I hoped. On the videos, in particular, it bounces too much light. Go figure, I can get a glare from yarn that's worse than the glare issues off metal needles!

Anyway, the pink version took a little more than two balls (you'll need part of a third ball for the edging) of sport-weight Bernat Coordinates yarn. It's in 5-1/2 ounce skeins.

Here is a detail of the seaming between triangles. You do not have to sew ten triangles together! The pieces of the pie are put together with a sew-as-you-go technique.

I would characterize the project as a beginner difficulty project. The videos are detailed, as usual, and there are three videos. The first video shows how to do the first triangle; the second, how to do the second triangle, joining one edge as you go. The third through ninth triangles are knitted just like the second triangle. The tenth triangle joins the first and ninth triangles as you knit, so the whole circle is knitted. A "worm" edging going on after that. You will need an afternoon to get it all knitted and edged. Finishing entails gathering up the center, hiding all the ends, and a very light steaming.

This pinwheel closeup is the center of the blanket. When I do something that entails gathering up a circle of stitches, I like to go through them with the needle two or even three times, pulling the yarn up tightly. This center isn't going to open up easily.

The other thing about the blanket videos that you might get a kick out of is that I used a "worm" edging. This is a very easy and popular edging, and if you've never done it, you should try it.

The "worm" edging is on the third video, along with a little finishing information.

I will upload the videos this evening.







2 comments:

  1. Hi Diana, Big thanks for your videos. I'm new to machine knitting and they have been a life saver!A question about the swirl blanket-after completing the 1st triangle do you rehang stitches on needles L30 to R30 and then bring out L31 empty or do you hang the stitches on L29 to R30 and then bring out L30 as an empty needle? Sorry, just a bit confused!

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  2. I went L30 to R30. It doesn't matter, though, as long as you do the same thing on each triangle. One stitch isn't much.

    Hope you see this reply. You might have better luck contacting me at diana_knits at sbcglobal dot net.

    I had enough leftovers to make one more, if I just picked up a third color. I had leftover light pink and dark pink, picked up a white, and will do one that is 3 colors and only 9 sections.

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