Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Sittin' and Knittin'

I've been finding time lately to make like a little ol' granny plying my needles and yarn working on the afghan I'm knitting.

There was a time (I think about 40-some . . . no, closer to 45 or 50 . . . years ago) when I was on a real afghan kick and knit quite a few of them which I inflicted on various people as gifts.  I didn't keep track of how many I made, but I'll bet I'd be surprised if somehow I could see them all lined up together now.

But back to this current one.

I picked up a knitting magazine this summer showing this particular pattern and it really appealed to me.  (Gawd-awful choice of colors in the magazine, but I knew I could change that.)


It's made in five strips which are sewn (or woven) together.  This is the first strip I've finished.  The afghan is done in five different colors and with my daughter's input one day, I chose an off-white, a black, a lovely gray,  a forest green and a soft cocoa brown.  Each strip is made up of four rectangles, each supposedly 10" x 15".  I'm close to the 15" in the length of each rectangle but I'm going to have to do some blocking to get the consistent 10" width.


I started with the off-white yarn and this pattern.  There are five different patterns for the five different colored blocks.


Here's the black but, of course, you can't really see the pattern in it.  (I couldn't see it while I was knitting it either!)


I'm not particularly fond of the color gray, but really like this shade and how it looks with my other chosen colors.  (This picture doesn't show the color as it is in reality.)


This pattern in the green was the most complicated to knit in that I did have to keep track of the 18 row pattern.


Brown is the fifth color and the first block of the second row of strips.

The afghan should measure approximately 50" x 60" when finished.

I'm really enjoying the process (it's good to be doing some knitting again) and now that I've learned all five patterns, it should go a little faster.  I just have to find the time to sit . . . and knit!    

24 comments:

Sparkless said...

That's going to look lovely when it's done. I love the different patterns and colors. I straight knit a blanket for my husband and he still uses is to watch tv.

Lisa B said...

Çool looking patterns...love the gray and green ones. Winter is coming so you can nest up and knit! I'm still plugging away on my Christmas scarf. I decided to make it super long. Extra warmth you know!

beth said...

Knitting is on my bucket list of things to learn...someday! I love what you're doing there.

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - Yep. Fancy or simple. If it's comfortable and cozy, it becomes a favorite!

Mama Pea said...

Lisa - Nuthin' worse than a skimpy scarf! (Love the thought of nesting up and knitting.)

Mama Pea said...

Beth - You're so good at all things crafty, I know you'll have no trouble with knitting!

Erin said...

Those colors are beautiful together! Funny you mention gray, it's my absolute favorite color LOL! The kids say that I don't even like any other colors at all, and when you look at my house I guess they are right, it's like 15 different shades from dark gray to a gray icy blue :) Can't wait to see the blanket done, come to think of it I realized why I like it, I made a hat for hubs in white, gray and green the first year I knitted!

Anonymous said...

Oooo... beautiful, and I am envious of your patience and skill. Knitting and quilting, things that require patience, which I am way to short of. Also, your photo of the bread is mouthwatering and I love the picture of you with the pot on your head. Are you a pothead? LOL

Tombstone Livestock said...

I would have enough trouble with just one of those patterns let alone 5 different ones.

Anonymous said...

That is so pretty Mama Pea :) I have been busy crocheting too, getting some lapghans done for a craft fair.

Kelly said...

Your knitting is beautiful! I can't knit at all, I screw up just casting on!!! I really like the colors and patterns, that will be a cozy afghan!

odiie said...

Those patterns are lovely. They look a little intimadating for me, though. I'll stick with mittens and socks.

judy said...

Ummm,is there anything you can't do--jk ,I got my computer back,do you think I can find the usb thingy to pick up wi=fi? NO , just think of me as that cartoon were this little old lady is holding 2 bottles of pills ,the caption reads"Did I take this one or the other one"That about sums it up

Mama Pea said...

Erin - Well, gray is a great color to accessorize, so it no doubt is a good color for inside or outside a house!

Next time I show the afghan progress, I'll have to try to get a truer representation of the colors. Always so hard on a computer!!

Mama Pea said...

Ruth - I'm not so sure of my patience and skill . . . a lot of knitting is just repetition. (I've always thought I would have been an excellent factory worker 'cause I can do the same thing over and over and over!)

Okay, define "pothead?" (Hee-hee.)

Mama Pea said...

Tombstone Livestock - Because the afghan is made up of 4 of each color and pattern block, it lends a little variety. You can't do all 4 of one pattern at once because 4 different colors/patterns are knit as one long piece for each strip. So it's actually kinda fun. (Doesn't take a lot to entertain me.)

Mama Pea said...

Stephanie - Well, how 'bout posting pics of those lapghans??? We wanna see 'em!

Mama Pea said...

Kelly - The yarn is really soft (and washable!) so I'm thinking it will be nice to cuddle up with. In. On. Under?

Mama Pea said...

odiie - If you can make mittens and socks, m'dear, you would have no trouble with these patterns!

Mama Pea said...

judy - Is there anything I can't do? Oh, ya! Like understanding anything about the computer . . . much to my daughter's consternation. Anymore, she just shakes her head and is more and more convinced I'm on the slippery slope to senility. :o}

Susan said...

Now that is an afghan pattern even I might be able to make! Seeing as I am focus-challenged, the combination of smaller pieces/parts and different patterns might work. I like the earthy tones you picked out. Cannot wait to see it finished! And I am SO glad you are sittin and knittin.

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Each day I promise myself I'm going to sit and knit for one hour . . . pfffft! What happens is that if daughter or someone stops in for a few minutes, I sit and knit while I chat. Some one of these days I'm gonna get up in the morning and knit aaaaallllll day. Yes, I am!

Unknown said...

I bet the different blocks keeps it from getting boring. I cant wait to see it finished.

Mama Pea said...

Carrie Duvall - Welcome and thanks for commenting! You're so right . . . just about the time I'm thinking, "This is about enough of this pattern!" I have the 15" knit and can change to another one!