Thursday, 21 April 2011

8000 stitches down. 30,000 plus to go...

On Saturday I cast on for Op Art baby blanket by Melissa Dominguez available from Knitty, as a gift for some friends and their expected new arrival. The first two rows are quite fiddly - what with working in the round, increasing stitches, changing colours and all with only four stitches cast on. It soon gets much easier, and with 4 increases each row it is rapidly growing.
However I am now at the point where each row is 250+ stitches, so it is starting to take a little longer. I calculate that I have done over 8000 stitches.
To reach the small size I need another 30,000 stitches, and for the big size another 90,000 stitches! I can see why many of the reviews of the pattern on Ravelry suggest that you get sick of the blanket towards to end. I am using Sirdar Snuggly in Pixie and Baby bear colours as it is for a little boy. I started out using Pony double pointed 20cm bamboo needles, but have treated myself to Knit Pro interchangeables from the lovely Yarn Cake. The circulars are making life much easier and hopefully I will get the blanket finished before their baby is due!
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4 comments:

  1. mimilove forever26 April 2011 at 19:59

    *EEEK!* 30'000+ stitches?! I need nap just thinking about that! Good luck and look forward to seeing the end result...gorgeous colour combination too!

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  2. susie Q19 January 2013 at 20:49

    Hi! Ive been trying to figure this one out but I just can't figure out how to get STARTED! I've been getting very frustrated trying to teach myself how to use two circulars, but I see you used DPNs, which I am much more familiar with. Can you explain how to get started? I get the jist of the pattern, how the illusion works, but I can't for the life of me START! Any advice? Are there any photos/videos of this pattern online? THANKS! :)

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    1. Trekky21 January 2013 at 12:53

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    2. Trekky21 January 2013 at 12:55

      Hello! The start is the most tricky bit! I used dpns initially until it was getting a little too big for them, and then switched to a circular.

      Cast on 4 stitches, and split these over 2 needles (2 stitches on each needle). Use a 3rd dpn for the set up round.

      For the set up round, ensuring that you are going in the round (rather than just back along stitches). Purl in to the front & the back of each stitch (a purl increase, turning each stitch into two stitches), placing a marker in between each pfb. So you end up with 8 stitches in total, and after every 2 stitches a marker (so 4 marker in total). Each of these markers will be your corners throughout the pattern.

      This first bit is very frustrating, as you are going in the round with only a tiny number of stitches, plus all the purl increases make it very fiddly. For the next row, you switch colour and get in to the pattern.

      The first couple of rows do look a little strange, so persevere - it will all come together I promise! Once you weave in the ends it looks much neater. Good luck with the blanket, it is a really great knit - once you get started! :)

      I hope that make sense!!!

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