Ripple Blanket (FO)

This afternoon was notable for 2 reasons: Scotland won a remarkable rugby match against Ireland in the 6 nations, and I finished rippling this blanket for the bean.
It's been a loooooong time coming - I think I started it in May 2012, but the bean and I both agreed that it is now big enough.
There are a few ends to see to, but that shouldn't take more than one evening.... Apart from one ball of Rowan handknit cotton - it was made entirely from the stash, gobbling up almost 1kg of yarn in the process. The navy yarn is reclaimed from an old cricket sweater of mine which I made about 20 years ago(!) I held the yarn double to compensate for its age and diameter... It's not perfect by any means, but that won't affect its comfort and warmth giving properties. The bean seems to approve, and quickly tried it out for size.

Progress

As is usual at this time of year, my weekly routine is shaped largely by my teaching. I am teaching third year undergraduates, from a range of professional disciplines and the preparation and marking and organising and thinking about what we are going to do in our classes each week takes time: lots of time.

But I'm trying to make time to finish a few projects here and there too. When I'm out in town, at work, on the bus, or at midwife/GP appointments I take a small project with me. It's usually socks, but recently I've switched back into baby beanie mode. 

When I'm at home, I try and concentrate on one of the bigger projects in the WIP pile. At the moment my main focus is the crochet blanket I am making for the bean. 

He's been complaining - rightly - that it didn't take me long to make a blanket for his sister, but his blanket is taking ages. Trouble is, I've almost run out of one of the yarns. Such is my desperation, that I am in the process of weighing the ball before and after completing a stripe in order to work out just how many more stripes I might eke out of the remaining ball, and how much bigger I can make the blanket without having to change the design. It might just be enough... keep your fingers crossed.

FO: chevron blanket

Tis done, finally. Finished, washed and dried and ready for use. The second FO of 2012 - which is rather pathetic, but there we are. All I can say in my defence is: work.

As my first crocheted item, ever,  I'm really pleased. It took about 12 balls of cotton yarn, and has made a nice dent in the stash. There is no pink or purple left, only blue. So, I have started the blue blanket, cos that itch still needs to be scratched!