Blankie Status: 3

Blanket: Unfinished

Katie: Still pregnant. Barely.  I’m pretty damned sure I’m going to be robbed of some expected knitting time. I’m pretty sure this thrills Kate. I am trying to be supportive.

Number of stitches on the needle: Approximately 500. I’m honestly afraid to count. I don’t know if I can take a really accurate countdown right now.

blankieedging 2015-06-29

Number of skeins so far: 7 and about a third. (So much for whatever wild dream I had about this blanket being smaller than the others. I’m not sure how it happened either – I really did try to make this one smaller. I swear it.)

Number of skeins remaining:  A not quite as comforting 2 2/3.  I feel a little sweaty, though my math tells me it should be just fine. That said, I’m trying to not to think about what my math skills are like in general, and when it comes to blankets in specific.  It gives me a horrible cramp.

Number of foul words I’m using right about now: I am running out.

Number of repeats of the edging I’ve knit: 24.5 of about 60.  I knit the first 10 in two days, then bashed out the second 10 yesterday in a massive sprint, and I’ve somehow managed 4.5 today. I’m trying hard not to give into the urge to cancelling commitments like meetings, work, training rides (although I did do a rather spectacularly hard 130km one on Friday, which is totally what’s best for the ride, and cost me a whole day of knitting time) and sleeping and eating.  This weekend I have to do my “back to backs” which is two rides, both over 100km, done on consecutive days.  I keep hoping there will be a small flood or tornado so I can knit instead, but realistically – I think I need this done by then. The whole thing is giving me the willies.

What I muttered to Joe yesterday when (while I was taking a short break) he said “Hey, get back at it, that blanket’s not going to knit itself.”: I won’t repeat it here. He’s adopted a more supportive posture.

Attitude of knitter: Slightly desperate.

Status of Bike Rally Prep: Rough. I’m not yet at my fundraising goal (public, or private) but I’m still working on it, and thank you, thank you, thank you for all your help so far. I’d be beyond sunk without you. You’re amazing, and I’m so grateful it makes me a little bit weepy.  The donations are still trickling in, and on Friday when I did that 130km ride, and there was wind and it was hot, and I was trying to ride with fast people (I remain about as fast as you’d expect a slightly dumpy 47 year old knitter to be) at one of the little breaks we took, instead of weeping in the bathroom,  I took some advice Pato gave me. He’s got his phone set up so that when he gets a donation from one of you, his phone dings. I’ve done the same now, and I’m here to tell you, that little “ding” as you’re trying to climb a hill and your legs are burning – that ding makes it all okay. It’s easy to forget what’s really happening, and that little sound puts the focus right back where it should be. I heard it, and remembered exactly what I was doing it for.   I’m so grateful.

Let’s do presents before I go knit again, okay?

Lauren Sarah has a very pretty pattern to give away, one copy each of her lovely Sea Dragons and Cockle Shells (a very nice one-skein project) that she’ll be sending off to Jane M, and Louise D.

dragonsandcockleshells 2015-06-29

Sarah House is a potter (and a knitter) and she’s donating the mug of Anne K’s choice to the greater good.  She does beautiful work.

Sarahmug 2015-06-29

Big thanks to Cedar Hill Farm Company, who’d releasing 2 hanks of of  Calliope, one in Pink Seahorse and one in French Lilac in to the wild.  Well, not really the wild, I hope Amanda L makes good use of it. (It’s silk noil.  Lovely stuff.)

lilacslik 2015-06-29 pinksilk 2015-06-29

Mindy Wilkes would like five helpers to have the pattern of their choice from her shop.  She has so many pretty things to choose from I know that Liz R, Janice M, Susan M, Amanda B and Nora H  will all find something they love.

mwdesigns 2015-06-29

Ruth is a lovely, lovely spinner and she’s parting with this beautiful skein of her very own handspun BFL.  It’s about 490 yards, she says (and over 5oz) and so  Laura G will be able to make something really great. Thanks Ruth!

ruthhandspun 2015-06-29

Melissa, from the Prairie Dye Studio, makes gorgeous snag-free stitch markers, and she’s written to say that four lucky knitters will choose their favourites from her shop.  The lucky helpers are Julie S, Emily W, Michelle C and Amy M.

priairemarkers 2015-06-29

Almost at the end (the blanket beckons) how about two little gifts for the spinners? Akerworks makes some very nifty things for spinners, including a bobbin for your wheel that packs flat – which now that I think of it, is darned handy.  I hope that  Kelly Y   agrees, because the bobbin of her choice will be on it’s way to her.

bobbinsflat 2015-06-29

They also make a drop spindle that’s pretty nifty.  It comes together in parts, and you can add more whorls to make it heavier, which is handy, to say the least, but also – the whorl can be removed – even while you’ve got yarn on there, which, as a travelling spinner, I have to say is also pretty wild.  I hope that  Lisa K chooses a beautiful one.

spindleflat 2015-06-29

Whew! That’s it for today – though I think I’m going to have to pick up the pace on these to get all the way through them before the Rally. (That’s just less than four weeks away. Not that I’m counting every minute.)  Thanks so much for everything. I’ve got to knit an edging now. That baby is in a hurry.

66 thoughts on “Blankie Status: 3

  1. That Pato, what a smart guy to set up a little reinforcement for those hard days. Wishing you all enough pings to sound like a pinball machine. Of course you might have to explain what that is to Pato given his age. Knit on.

  2. Does the edging have to have 60 rows? For proper proportions? How many repeats is that? You’re sure it needs all 60 rows? (Just trying to help.)

  3. That blanket is way more than lovely – it is awesome! And, so are you! Keep knitting and pedaling along! Also congratulations to the newest Karmic gifts – they are lovely gifts and lucky ladies.

  4. All right. I’m about to be banished from the “club.” But just how large is that gorgeous blanket now? To my eye, it looks remarkably complete without the thirty-some repeats you have in mind. The patterns fit together into a “complete” design. You say that you intended this blanket to be smaller than the others but won’t be. If you settled for fewer repeats, it probably would be. Granted, it wouldn’t quite be the blanket you have in your mind’s eye. But to the rest of the world, it would be downright magnificent! You and Kate could relax and admire.

    • From my understanding, the problem is that the edging is knit perpendicular to the rest of the blanket. What you’re seeing is completely done. But it’s only half the blanket. Half of it has no edging at all.

        • I thought she picked up stitches all around the blanket and was knitting it all around. Hence the circular needles.

          • She did knit a section in the round. This edging part is knit back & forth, away from the blanket and back towards the blanket, joining (and thus binding off) one blanket stitch every other row of the edging.

  5. If my husband tried Joe’s line (he knows better, because otherwise I’ll skip out on useful stuff, like feeding the three-year-old), I’d have told him to get swatching. If he figures out which needles he needs to use to match my tension he can take his own turn at knitting.

  6. Keep going !! Love the Ping idea. I am going to wait until this weekend to donate and then there will be at least one ping!!

  7. An umbrella is quite appropriate, given the amount of rain we’ve had over the last few days, and which you’ve no doubt ridden through. Keep up the pace. You’ve got this. Again, thanks to the many who have donated the Karmic Balancing Gifts, and congrats to the winners).

  8. We are behind you cheering you on as you bike up steep hills and descend knitting edges. You give us the inspiration to think we can do all you do.

  9. You have a private goal – are you are holding yourself to a higher standard than the pubic goal? If so, that’s just being cruel to yourself. For those of us also struggling to meet goals, you are a dear companion, and I hope the rest of the blankie knitting proceeds quickly, smoothly, and with more than enough yarn.

  10. IIRC, the baby doesn’t (usually) get here until the blanket is done. If I were Katie, I’d be there with a cup of coffee and a determined attitude… HURRY UP! 🙂

    With my 3 kids, I was only largely pregnant once thru the summer. It was enough.

  11. Joe of course was being supportive. I’m hearing in his words his wish that he could be a part of knitting it and cheering you on that you do.

    Meantime, that’s GORGEOUS, absolutely GORGEOUS.

  12. Wow, that edging looks so amazing….I have faith that you and bebe will be done at the same time! and I love Joe – can you clone him for us?? 😉 (I’m sure he thought he was being supportive!)

  13. Thank you, Stephanie and Melissa! Thanks to Steph for working so hard for other people, and to Melissa for her generosity. You both made made my day brighter, and I can’t wait to use the new stitch markers!

  14. Just lovely. And full of love! You know you can finish in time. And you know you can handle the race. You’ve done each of those things before. Onward!

  15. What a beautiful blanket! Good luck with the juggling of all your various responsibilities. May I suggest delegating some things such as cooking, laundry and dishes? I hope the foot is better. BTW I donated this month and I’ll follow-up in July.

  16. Take heart! My math skills are excellent. Given the info in the last two posts, you will have enough yarn to finish.
    (By any chance did you weigh the yarn before starting the edging? The prediction hinges on the accuracy of the estimate of yarn before starting the edging)

  17. The next full moon is 7-3-15…working in healthcare, I truly believe this is when things happen. Babies are born, people do crazy things to end up in the emergency room. You got this! And it’s a beautiful blanket, for what I am sure will be an equally beautiful baby. Happy knitting, and safe bike riding!!

  18. It must be the heat-or was he body snatched? Dementia-he forgot who he lived with? Really Joe!!
    Did he back away slowly and not make eye contact after those words flew out of his mouth?
    So glad he’s back to being adequately supportive.
    You’re amazing! Biking hundreds of miles to save lives, knitting epic heirloom baby blankets, keeping your blog active, educational and funny, and , all those other hundred things you do every day.
    I want to be just like you when I grow up.

  19. SQUEE!! Karmic Balancing Gift for me (I feel so undeserving, believe me) and it’s a SPINDLE!
    Great idea on the “ding” while you’re riding. I hope they keep coming.

  20. Beautiful blankie! May I suggest that the next time you start one, you cast on 1/2 the number of stitches you think you will need. With all the borders and edgings, it grows –a lot. Smaller blankies are very useful for strollers and car seats… Just sayin’, for next time… They don’t all have to be bed sized.
    Julie in San Diego

  21. Thousands and thousands of people waiting eagerly to see which will be finished sooner — a baby or her/his blanket? The muggles would never believe it!
    And that the blanket is being knitted by someone who’s also raising thousands of dollars for the benefit of people she doesn’t know by means of training for and participating in and helping to run a grueling bike ride? The muggles would be gobsmacked! As are we merely human knitters and crocheters.
    Best wishes for all you do, Stephanie!

  22. Well as I was defeated by the baby I’m knitting for a month ago and I’m still on the second sleeve I shall declare that I have taken all the heat and therefore Katie’s baby will wait! Hopefully!!

  23. I know this comment is totally random, but today I knit and tinked a section of lace only 34 stitches in the middle of my row for over half an hour. Then randomly it was fine. After the stitch marker I did the next 34 stitches, same thing. I told my husband I was about to cry. He looked me right in the eye and said totally dead pan “cast on with the yarn held double . . .”.

    So thank you. Because now my husband has a better thing to say to me and it’s not only appropriate it makes me laugh.

    I’ll get the next repeat tomorrow after I’ve (hopefully) slept.

  24. The blanket is beautiful.

    I’ve never seen you in person, but anyone who can ride a bike those distances is not even “slightly dumpy.” No matter what you say.

    You’ve got this! This is the pressure you say you thrive on. Knit. Bike. Repeat!

  25. Hi Steph…. I made a small donation to the bike rally remembering the good visit we had while you were basking in the warmth of a desert January. I admire your grit and your energy.

  26. We know you are busy but you must post before each and every ride or at least tell us your up coming schedule. I have yet to donate and I plan on doing so but love the idea of giving you a boost on your ride! Knit and ride like the wind!!

  27. The pain of… should I exercise or should I knit?… it’s so real, and so horrible!!! Can’t I do both?? I suppose the knitted garment awash in my sweat is reason enough not to try, but impaling myself on needles as I work through my P90X dvds is really the biggest reason I don’t!

    Keep going, you’ve got this!

  28. The fact that your husband is still moving about freely after that comment means you aren’t completely gone over to the dark side yet. I would have gone crazy!

    You’re doing awesome and man is that a lucky baby! Beautiful blanket. I’m sure you’re knitting every bit of endurance and get up and go into that blanket that you’re using to get through training and the rally. That’s something special for a newborn to be surrounded by.

  29. You will make it Steph! I will drink a beer and a wine WHEN you make it. I have faith in you and the speed with which you knit. All WILL be well…YES!!
    Knit on dear!!!

  30. You have cheerleaders galore! Hopefully you can celebrate Canada Day with a full day of knitting and perhaps an adult beverage or two.
    Good luck with the riding. I hope that every now and then you can see how far you’ve come since your first year riding! You may not be the fastest rider, but it sure sounds like you are a strong rider. Well done.

  31. My first thought when I woke up to day was “Wow, it’s Canada day! I have to send good wishes to Stephanie!” You are an amazing ambassador for so many things. Good luck — will be following your rally progress. And best wishes to dear Katie, Carlos and Luis as their family grows.

  32. That blanket is beyond gorgeous!
    The Ewes will donate a skein of hand dyed something once I get to the shop and get a photo for you.
    Cycle on! Knit as fast as you pedal! (yeah, right!)
    And Happy Canada Day.

  33. Your darling Joe is lucky that you are such a temperate knitter. That could have been a fatal comment!

    I will wait to make a donation until Sunday in mid-afternoon, so that you’ll get a ping when you need it.

  34. The blanket is stunning and Pato is brilliant. Hoping your weekend is full of pings. (Perhaps “pingful” should be a real word.)

  35. Happy Canada Day! The blanket looks gorgeous as does all your work. I hope you publish the pattern. What yarn did you use?-it looks yummy!

  36. Thank you, Steph and Sarah!! Happy Canada Day! I can’t wait to have my morning coffee out of my gorgeous mug.

  37. Please tell Darlene that her scarf is an amazing work of art! And I cannot think of a more deserving recipient than a hospice volunteer.

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