FO: Hemlock Ring Blanket

This one's for Isobel, and, as you can see, she's pretty happy with it.


A pose with the new knit.


'Bel as monster.


In all it's glory.

This was a super-quick knit. I started on the 1st and finished on the 4th - gotta love worsted yarn and a US10 needle after working on Dad's vest on US4s. I used Misti Pima Silk in this glorious cornflower blue color and switched to an Addi Turbo needle for sanity. And I started off with Susan Reishus's circular beginning on a crochet hook. It ended up being 36", so more of a cuddle blanket than a real one. I'll do a proper post later with links and everything, but we've got a date at the park with Isobel and her tricycle before the weather turns beastly tomorrow.

Isobel at Knit Night

There has been a lot of separation anxiety around here the last couple of months. Isobel is very keen to have me with her every second of every day. During the semester Nick had an evening seminar on Tuesdays, so we found a very nice baby sitter (named Kathleen) who came on Tuesday nights so I could go to Knit Night at Yarntopia. All went swimmingly, leaving was no big deal, until we came back from our visit to the Chicago area, and suddenly Isobel was weeping whenever I left. Then it got to the point where she would talk much of the day on Tuesdays about how much she was going to miss me. Needless to say there were more tears and she was always awake when I got home (after nine).

Now that the semester is over, Nick and Isobel can have a little quality time together on Tuesday evenings, and I can have some quality time with knitting grownups. It really is lovely to spend a couple of hours with people who understand when you suddenly go quiet and finger your stitches intently (counting) or who have a pair of scissors handy or who have an opinion on the editors of Interweave Knits. To help Isobel with her separation anxiety, yesterday we decided I would have an escort to Knit Night, so she could see just where I would be (a place without significant allure for a 3.5 year old). Things went very well, though she was still awake when I got home. Progress, if not perfection.

This morning Isobel crawled into bed and informed us that last night "I was feeling a little shy." Which was met with hoots of laughter, as she is not a shy person. But that's what she thought, and I'm intrigued by this articulation of feelings. My little girl is growing up. Pretty soon she'll want to come to Knit Night with her own projects.

I did make some progress on the Hemlock Ring, having acquired an Addi Turbo. The yarn just dragged maddeningly on my Bryspun. While it is 30% silk and 70% silky cotton, I think the inelasticity of both fibers makes it slow to move on plastic. So, if I could just count correctly on the "action" rows, I'd be sailing. At least there are four plain knit rounds between the lace rows in the feather and fan border. Still have to decide which border to do when it's big enough.