Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Merino blanket - The 10 year project

Since the weather has been getting warmer, we've been waking up way too hot under our down comforter and have since switched over to lighter blankets. During this transition, we oftentimes wake up freezing, so I use a merino throw on my side of the bed that I made a while ago. But it is still a work in progress.

I just realized that I started this blanket when we lived at our old house. I had finished it as a throw when I decided I wished I had made it wider. That was over 7 years ago. Instead of starting something new I concocted a plan to widen it by knitting side panels that I would then "sew" onto the main panel using yarn (see photo below for a close up shot). I finished one of the side panels a few years ago and have been slowly making my way in fits and starts on the second.

Right now (with the main and one side panel done) it covers my side of the bed and then some. When I'm done, it probably still won't be big enough to fit all the way across our queen bed but, then again, my husband would find it too warm anyway. I figure, at this rate, I'll finish it in about 10 years time. But, I don't mind. Like my daughter's hand sewn quilt, I'm glad I took the time to make it, because it will be something that I'll keep forever and torture future generations with.

I'm also glad I spent the money on the yarn I bought because I'd hate to spend all those hours on something not as heavenly. The yarn I'm using is Crystal Palace Merino Frappe. It's 80% extra fine merino wool with 20% nylon that is brushed so it's very light, extremely soft and very warm. Emma loves to curl up in it and so do I.

Do you have a project that you've been working on for years?

6 comments:

Chris K. said...

I have a cute cross-stitch sampler, to remind kids of the things they are supposed to do in the bathroom that has cute duckies and other animals on it. I started it when I was pregnant with my first child, who will be turning 12 this summer. I worked on it some during my last couple pregnancies as well, but just doing seem to have the time these days to sit and focus on cross-stitch! I figure I'll probably try to finish it in time for my first grandkid!

Brad K. said...

Crunchy,

For a bit of extra warmth - try adding a flat sheet over the blankets. Whether it acts as a barrier to air movement, or just adds a few more pockets of insulating air, one extra sheet (maybe what is left after the fitted flannel or jersey sheet set has gone the way of the rag bag) can make a surprising amount of difference.

Unknown said...

Ack! I have a Christmas tablecloth that is still waiting to be finished. It is a very busy cross stitch pattern and it has hung around for about 15 years. sigh.

Danica said...

After seven years, I finally finished the top of a denim quilt made of old jeans. It's just squares. Nothing too fancy or difficult. It's just a pain in the butt to lug all that denim out and wrangle it through the sewing machine. Now I have to figure out how to turn it into a real quilt instead of just a quilt top.

Bullwinkle said...

As a Knitter, I have a number of UFOs (unfinished objects) (some older than 10 years). I find it perfectly normal ;)

Finding wonderful yarn is key to project longevity.

Anonymous said...

I have been saving shrunken wool swearers to make a patch wool blanket... old jeans too for a jean blanket : )