NaCroMo 2013: Week Four

Happy last March Monday! 

I need to start out by explaining the changes I had to make on the week three project--I posted so quickly last time that I forgot to tell you. As I was ready to work up that last motif square for the Willow Blanket, I saw that I would not have enough orange for it. At first I thought of (reluctantly) buying another skein of the orange and then went on to take care of other matters. As I was busy with those other tasks, it came to me! No need to buy more yarn--listen to the yarn and adapt.

Since a blanket works better when it's taller than it is wide (because most people are constructed this way), I needed to make the blanket four motifs wide and six high. Problem solved!

Moving on...

This week I am working on finishing up two crochet projects already on the hooks. The first is to make this little framed flower motif piece that I worked up a couple of years ago into a giant pillow cover. As you can see, I am making a big granny square of the same yarns and colors to serve as the pillow back. I found more of the bits and bobs in my yarn stash reorg a couple of months ago and I think I have enough. The motif piece just never was big enough to be more than decorative and I want it to be more functional. I hope this works!

Hey, have you noticed that my yarn weights have gotten progressively heavier throughout the month?

I usually prefer to work with lighter weights, but then I am reminded of one reason to use bulky: It's fast!

In this next project, I am combining knitting and crochet with a super bulky yarn, and it's going like lightening. I am getting two stitches to the inch on size 17 needles and my Denise interchangeable knitting and crochet tips are coming in very handy for this project. As I move from the center granny square and then alternate ten rounds of knitting and two rounds of crochet (one double and one single), I can add more length to the cord as the blanket gets bigger. Not only is this project advancing rapidly, it's going to yield a very squishy, comfy blanket.

I think I can finish both these by Friday. 

The race is on!