Last month, rather than tackle any of the numerous projects lurking around the house that need to be completed–a post for another day–I began the Hemlock Ring Blanket (chart on the Rainey Sisters blog). I’ve been attracted to this lovely blanket since I first saw Jared Flood’s version back in 2007, but not being a big blanket knitter, I needed a suitable excuse to make it. When my brother and his partner of many years got married last September, it came to mind as the perfect wedding gift.
Though I’m not doing anything original here–just following the pattern, using the specified Cascade Eco Wool–I am finding the process of making the blanket very satisfying. It was fun to zoom through the central motif, watching the leaves take shape. Once you get through that part of the pattern, you just alternate four rows of knitting round and round and round with one row with clusters of decreases and bunches of yarnovers. Easy peasy, and the result is beautiful. I’m only managing a row or so a day, but given how little I’ve been able to knit this past year, any progress is welcome.
The only trouble I have run into is with the needles. I was using Denise interchangeables, since I happen to have a 52-inch cord for those, but I was really loathing having to keep scootching the stitches around the cable several times per row in order to get them onto the needle to knit. Not only do I dislike the act of pausing to scootch and the scootching itself, but if I don’t scootch carefully, sometimes the needle detaches from the cable, dropping a whole bunch of stitches and making me batty. I decided to abandon the Denise needles and buy some longer cables for my KnitPicks Harmony needles, which have a much skinnier cable and don’t generally require scootching. I made the switch last night. Here’s hoping that the amount of scootching I have to do is dramatically reduced.
Ruth, that blanket is beautiful!! Both your version and brooklyn tweed’s, which I hadn’t seen before. And now I am sorely tempted to make one for myself!
I, too, loved knitting that blanket. It was very relaxing, even though each round was longer and longer. I had two skeins of eco wool, and even though I stopped at a small blanket, as per the instructions, I could have made it bigger.
Am with you on the scootching
K
It’s such a great pattern! I knit mine just as directed and I think it turned out really nicely.
Gorgeous. I just love this pattern, and one day it will make it to the top of my queue. I like the color you’ve chosen because it shows the design so well.
I was working on a baby blanket for a friend recently, and I hear ya on the scootching. Since I’m not near any LYS by a long shot, I had to make do. I’ve never invested in Denises, though tempting, but I don’t mind gradually building up my collection of circs, either. Somehow it seems less painful to spend more money in small bits than to buy a set for more $$ all at once!
Hi Ruth,
I recently met Sheldon. I would really like to make larger versions of the Little Guy. Is there is a way to increase the pattern? Or, did you make a larger version?
Thanks
Chelan
Wow, Ruth. Thank you much for the pattern!!
You should send back your Denise cord or needles that come apart – they work hard to tweak the joins and needles so that doesn’t happpen … just fyi