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Favourite Thing On A Friday - Getting My Knit On

When I was a little girl I had what I affectionately called my "itchy blanket".  A noo-noo if you will.  I carried it most places with me, and sat with it against my cheek.  There was also a stage I went through, when I was about 3, of stuffing it down the legs of my pyjamas and prancing round, but the less said about that the better for all concerned, I think.

It's safe to say my woolly love has continued into adulthood.  I absolutely adore woolly blankets, knitted scarves, sloppy knitted sweaters.  I also can't walk away from an aran cardie.  Or drive through Wales without screeching to a halt outside traditional Welsh gift shops and harassing the woven woollen blankets on display.  

My home is a testament to this love of all things woolly.  I have woven woolly blanket throws on my furniture, across the end of my bed (you can find a recent woolly purchase that made me insanely happy HERE), even my cats have got knitted cat beds.  

And one of my absolute favourite things to do is knit.

By most people's standards, I'm totally pants at it.

I can only knit things that have straight edges.  Scarves, envelope style cushion covers, gloves for people with square hands (that look uncannily like woolly flannels). And socks for people with square feet (these look pretty much like the gloves, only with the added bonus that you can't squeeze them into your shoes).  And I can't follow a pattern.  I am fortunate that I am able to finish a piece of knitting and still have the same number of stitches at the end as when I started.  Although, frankly, it did take some time and some fairly fresh language to achieve this.

But I love it so much.  The colours of the wool.  The softness of the wool.  The repetitive nature of making the stitches.  It was a happy day for me when I decided to put my ability to knit squares to good use.  By starting a granny blanket.

Several months ago I found a ball of vintage double knitting wool in the most beautiful plum colour, in a charity  shop.  Then another time, I found one in a pale lilac.  I decided to knit them into squares, and to make a blanket knitted totally in odd balls of vintage wool found in charity shops.  No new wool allowed. No acrylic yarns allowed.  Only beautiful woolly wool in whatever colours came along.  So, it has become a real adventure, finding wool for my blanket.  What colour will I find?  Will it be the right thickness?  Will I find only one ball or will there be another kicking round the basket?  Can I really include a square knitted from vomit coloured wool?  No.  Throw it back in the basket. I have got standards.

Over the past few months, whenever the mood has grabbed me, I've taken out my blanket knitting bag and knitted a square.  This week, my Favourite Thing On A Friday is my soon to be knitted blanket. Although when I say soon, I mean as soon as I have knitted another 40 squares. We're not talking any time really soon here, you understand...

Ta dah...


   









I'm on the lookout for some different colours.  What colours do you think would work well?

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21 comments

  1. purple - just because it's my favourite :)

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  2. Ooh pretty! I try to knit too, but I haven't gotten past the very basic scarf. Patterns make no sense to me.

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  3. What stunning colours...oh how I wish I could knit. Happy weekend to you.

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  4. Your blanket is going to be gorgeous! All those excuses and then we see a pile of beautifully neatly knitted squares! I bet you're secretly a master knitter but you're just hiding your light under a bushel! I have blogged about my favourite thing today - loving joining in with this!
    x

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  5. The blanket looks like it will be lovely. We used to have a crochet one that we called the holey blanket. It was just warm enough to keep you toasty in the autumn but cool enough to cover you in the summer.
    I vote for more blues in the blanket; blue is my favourite colour and it looks like most other colours are pretty well represented.

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  6. Hello, Just discovered your blog.

    They are great finds - love the colours chosen. I need to do a bit more charity shop shopping myself to see if I am as lucky to spot a bargain.

    Have a lovely weekend!

    Leah x

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  7. The blanket will be so beautiful when it is finished - the colours you've chosen are divine! I can imagine it being very snuggly :-)

    Joining in with Favourite Thing on a Friday this week!

    Jem xXx

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  8. What a wonderful color palette. This is going to be beautiful. Hmmm, I may have to copy your idea. I love it. I am half way through a blanket as well that I haven't touched in over a year.

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  9. Are you secretly nicking wool from my favourite jumper, you know, the one with the developing holes in it? I thought it was just wearing out mmmm....

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  10. If my knitting was a fraction as good as yours I'd be a happy bunny! I love those soft pinks and greys together, so restful and calming.
    Have a fabulous weekend, Em x

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  11. Your knitting is beautiful. I love the colours. Is it therapeutic? I find sewing very relaxing. x

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  12. I like your new 'itchy blanket'- very cute colors. Good luck on the last 40 squares. I am sure it will go by faster than you think :)

    Have a great weekend.

    e

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  13. So Pretty, i wish i could knit :o( Looking forward to seeing your finished blanket. Scarlett x

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  14. Beautiful colors. I just started crocheting squares for a blanket. Well, I started, almost finished on square then had to pull it out because the gauge was wrong!

    Maybe a deeper chocolate brown or a blue might work with your colors.

    Happy weekend!

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  15. I had a right ole giggle at this post and I can't wait to see the finished blankie - the colours are just so beautiful!! Thanks for your comment - love the "under-crackers" hehe! Following - so glad to have "met" you! xo

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  16. thankyou for your very lovely comment, it cheered my day- as do you!

    Have a great weekend, and I shall think of your knitted squares while I'm trying VERY hard to concentrate on the slanting edges of my waistcoat...they may be the undoing of me yet!

    xx

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  17. heehee...so loving the image of everything you knit with a square theme going on..I have a friend that no matter what she makes ends up looking like a turd!! True!!:) So even though a slight "disabilty" I think you clearly have the advantage!
    The "cake" photo on your sidebar with rose (kath kidston stylee) background looks like it has similar colouring to your lovely woolly squares...what about adding the green and blues to match it completely?
    Enjoy your weekend xx

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  18. The first thing I ever knitted, when I was 14, were squares to make a baby blanket for my sister who was expecting. The only other thing I've knitted was a stripey scarf. I totally empathise with your straight knitting but it is so therapeutic. I love your sqaures so far...lovely colours - maybe look out for pale greens or blues?

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  19. Happy happy knitting Em, I love your color combinations! xxxx

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  20. We've just come back from a week on the Isle of Skye. I'm sure you would love this place

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  21. Love this idea, your thrifted blanket is sure to be a gorgeous reminder of some great bargain hunting.

    lily

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