Dear Ann,
For your weekend viewing pleasure, some beautiful blankets that have been giving me the yen to cast on and wing it.
This one, Strips and Stripes, is the improvisation of Misa Erder, the designer behind Craftivore. I passed Misa at Rhinebeck last year and was too awed/shy to say hi. What really kills me here–well, a lot of things kill me here–is those bits of intarsia. The impulse to throw in a little intarsia when you’re knitting a lot of stripes–been there, sister! I love the surprise of it.
This one, also improvised, is by local pal Liz Kaplan.
Liz crochets and knits with equal vigor and rigor. She tried to teach me ripple crochet. She is undeterred by large projects.
Look! Mitered crosses! What I admire most here is the elegant merging of disparate elements. That’s hard. I’ve tried.
Of course, the queen of the improvised blanket–knit, crochet, or quilt–is Chawne. Chawne is busy right now doing cross stitch at 22 stitches TO THE INCH. Chawne on improvisation: “Eventually too much has happened to pretend that nothing is happening.” I’m going to have a beverage and meditate on that.
This weekend I’m delving into the deep stash to see if I have as many half-skeins of Manos and Lamb’s Pride Bulky as I think I do (leftovers from my Kiki Mariko rug). Strips & Stripes, here I come.
Love,
Kay
Yes, that top blanket is super stunning. I love the blah grey with the bang of the bright colours.
I am currently improvising a log cabin style blanket. I pick it up and put it down as the spirit moves me. My now almost 7 yr old, who was 5.5 when I started this, jumps up and down for joy when I pick it up. She thinks this is the blanket I’m knitting for her first baby, and that it will be done just in time for the birth. She’s probably spot on 🙂
I am currently improvising a log cabin style blanket. I pick it up and put it down as the spirit moves me. My now almost 7 yr old, who was 5.5 when I started this, jumps up and down for joy when I pick it up. She thinks this is the blanket I’m knitting for her first baby, and that it will be done just in time for the birth. She’s probably spot on 🙂
I am currently improvising a log cabin style blanket. I pick it up and put it down as the spirit moves me. My now almost 7 yr old, who was 5.5 when I started this, jumps up and down for joy when I pick it up. She thinks this is the blanket I’m knitting for her first baby, and that it will be done just in time for the birth. She’s probably spot on 🙂
Dang, I double posted. Hate that!
Oh Kelly, I love that thought. My niece’s LTKA took years, I was glad to beat her leaving for college! Kay, can’t wait to see your strips and stripes!
Aw, thanks! Send glasses, ASAP. Can’t wait to see your new blanket. Knit. Knit it NOW!
Misa is one of my knitting heroes! I got to meet her at Rhinebeck a couple of years ago and couldn’t stop ogling her colorwork. Oy.
That Strips and Stripes is wonderful. Need to go look at more
If you want a great improv project, check out All The Shades Of Truth, by Laura Ayler. Awesome and ripe for winging it!
Oh, that top blanket; oh that yellow wall! 😉 merci de partager!
Love these blankets. I’ve made a decision that I”m only knitting blankets from now on. I love do them (although I’m too slow at it) and don’t love fitting. I live where wool is out of the question and it’s my favorite fiber. So mostly cotton blankets from now on with the occasional wool for friends back “home” in DC. I recently “discovered” Chawne and love her work — all of it. And she’s so prolific which makes me terribly jealous. But she’s brilliant — just like you guys!
DID SOMEBODY SAY KIKI MARIKO?
STAY TUNED . . .
These blankets are so fantastic. I declare this Stashbuster Summer ’13–let it rip!
Okay—you win. I am digging out that garter stitch blanket I started knitting out of Bartlett Yarn about a million years ago and I am going to knit another square. Or two. The problem is that while I love the *idea* of a garter stitch blanket, I have found that when it comes to the actual garter stitch itself, I am a little “eh. . .” about the whole thing.
I love that strips and stripes. I recently took up rigid heddle weaving because of wrist issues. I have a bunch of Manos, Lamb’s Pride, etc. to weave a bunch of stripey strips…
oh my you just had to post a get behind me devil
project break it down and a whole lot of scarves
are just waiting in line to be knitted
thank you kay
I love these blankets. The one done by your friend Liz is good for a bedspread. Does she have any instructions for making this up?
I love these blankets. The one done by your friend Liz is good for a bedspread. Does she have any instructions for making this up?
I love these blankets. The one done by your friend Liz is good for a bedspread. Does she have any instructions for making this up?
I love these blankets. The one done by your friend Liz is good for a bedspread. Does she have any instructions for making this up?
I really like the Strips and Stripes one too! The minute I saw it I wanted to start making one.
Gorgeous blankets! Enjoyed the links too. Thx!
What an honor, thank you! That blanket is the one that everyone fights over on the couch. And you were to shy to say hi at Rhinebeck?!! Pish, I’m the one who is star struck around you gals. We need to just get over ourselves and have a love in. Thank you so so much. xo
You, Chawne and Misa are all amongst my knitting heroes. The blanket, she is a form I haven’t conquered (yet).Unless you count bigass granny squares, I guess.
Anyhoo, did you see Misa’s newest, TickerTape ? I feel like it could be within my reach but I can’t decide what I’d choose for the quote. (aka the Margaret problem)
That first blanket makes gray sing like nothing else I have ever seen before.
How do you guys join the pieces when you knit garter stitch squares or strips for a blanket? I am using a log cabin-ish square I found on your blog to knit my blanket, and I’m thinking about knitting the squares together using a technique in Horst Schultz’s book for children. (I would almost rather eat a worm than *sew* them together.) As I stated in an earlier comment, I am using Bartlett Yarn, and my colors are three natural shades of sheep’s wool and two shades of an aqua/teal blue. I am thinking about using Heather, which is a pink-y purple to join them together and for the borders. (Man—that is ALLOT of garter stitch. And stitches to pick up.)
I’m joining the blanket party too. I don’t care for making clothes and I love simple garter stitch. I think enough for work, I don’t want to think to knit. I have a piece of stationary in bright colors that I will use to inspire a massive striped blanket affair. Thank you for the great inspiration.
I have socks and teddies and a sweater to knit. But this post has been digging through MY deep stash for Mission Falls wool to knit my own striped version of a cozy blanket. Thank you.
No, I absolutely cannot start another blanket. No, absolutely not. Must. Finish. Current. Blanket. First.
But,
No, I absolutely cannot start another blanket. No, absolutely not. Must. Finish. Current. Blanket. First.
But,
I love the Strips and Stripes! Like the Modern Daily projects, it makes you want to drop everything and just cast on.
Another fab dimension of S&S is as a group project. Five of us wanted to make a Keepsake blanket for a new baby but the novice knitters in the group felt a bit overwhelmed. So we took Strips and Stripes as our inspiration and each knitted a strip, then sewed them together. A border a la Courthouse Steps and we had a blankie! The mum-to-be was in Norway so we can’t guarantee there were tears but I’m pretty sure there had to have been.
Thanks for the inspiration – I’m feeling another blanket happening soon.
Cheers
Penny
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Kay, Kay, Kay, you’re killing me with these wonderful blankets! i am finally getting to my dream of making. the Fussy Cuts afghan, and am really (and Totally) loving the garter stitchiness of it, when you lay these new beauties on me! my mind has been in a whirl for the last fww days, dreaming of all the possibilities for future blankets, their colors, and all. i have also been contemplating the best way to–ahem– acquire. (uh, purchase) some serious “stash” (like how long would it have to be in my possession to be able to oficially call it stash?).
the strangest thing about tbis is thst i was in one LYS –Flying Fingers– on. saturday. the owner, Elise, and i were speaking animatedly about my simple garter stitch blanket, and her simple rib knit blanket. “it’s all about the colors, she would say to me, and i was i. agreement. when the shop opened on tuesday, i phoned and left a message for her to check out your post.
knit on!
lovediane
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Chawne has a wonderful strips of stripes blanket that struck me the minute I saw it. Bright and beautiful. I am so into garter stitch blankets I can’t even think about knitting anything else! And, btw, what does LTKA mean?
Lovely post! I can’t wait to cast on and may just copy the colors in Strips & Stripes — that’s how much I love it . . .
Love those pictures! I’m right there with you on the garter stitch blankets. I just finished a diagonal-stripe garter stitch baby blanket and loved that I could just pick it up anytime and not have to figure anything out. Nice, easy knitting. I bought yarn for a strips and stripes right after I saw it on the comments here a while back!! So excited to see yours.
Garter stitch is so divine! That top image is beautiful. Great article 🙂
Garter stitch is so divine! That top image is beautiful. Great article 🙂
Funny you should mention the Kiki Mariko today. I’ve been thinking about the two of you a lot lately. My Lu is heading to college this fall (hooray! waaaah! hooray!)at Vanderbilt! And she’s a bona fide blanket knitting fool of the extreme variety. These are beautiful examples. Hope you have a ton of leftovers 🙂
I love these blankets too, but I guess I’ll stick with gigantic lace shawls while it’s so hot and sticky.
So, where is everybody? At Monteagle, or other summer pilgimage?
I love these blankets too, but I guess I’ll stick with gigantic lace shawls instead while it’s so hot and sticky.
So, where is everybody? At Monteagle, or some other summer pilgimage?
A new posting coming anytime soon?
OK we’re done praising garter stitch blankets : )
These blankets are lush! I have a huge to knit list but think a garter stitch blanket is going on!
Well I guess Ann and Kay don’t think we are done yet singing the praises of the garter stitch blanket. Sing louder, everyone!
I hope that the radio silence is due to the fact that they are both enjoying summertime. Isn’t a break from routine the whole point of the season?
Ann????
Kay????
Ann????
Kay????
Ann????
Kay????
sorry sorry sorry
I’ve had a sinking feeling that something is terribly wrong with one …or both…of you. Please let us know how you are…many people care and miss you immensely!
agreed, i am also quite concerned. Ladies, a brief wave just to let us all know you are both ok?
thanks.
Hello,all:
I was also very worried and missing the blog so! I wrote to Kay on her e-mail and she responded immediately saying that they had both been traveling, she just returned from her trip and they’d be back to blogging soon.
Rest easy!
phew good thanks!
well good I thought they might lost in whovil
I miss you guys. Maybe next time before an extended absence you can give us a heads up so we won’t bite our nails off?
Thanks Rosemary! I thought that might be the case, but one worries anyway.
LoveDiane
Maybe for future occasions we could fill in as guest bloggers!? 🙂
I have yet to see either kay or ann on earthcam
when kay shows up in ny going into the met mu
and waves at us then we can all rest-I have not
found ann as yet not in Tibet for sure
Yay for a new post!
Only commenting here because, although I’m always glad when you guys do a new post, its been really great to admire that beautiful garter stripe blanket each time I check into the blog to see what’s up. Nice to hear you have had a wonderful two week adventure tracing ancestry; I for one have had a wonderful 2 week bliss-out with this gorgeous blanket. So, welcome back, and thanks for the eye candy!
I saw the title of this post and thought: “Let Us Now Praise (type of) Stitch Blankets” could be an alternate title for this blog. So full of knitted blankety love. I honestly do not believe that I would ever have knitted so many blankets if not for the inspiration provided by Modern Daily blanketing.
I saw the title of this post and thought: “Let Us Now Praise (type of) Stitch Blankets” could be an alternate title for this blog. So full of knitted blankety love. I honestly do not believe that I would ever have knitted so many blankets if not for the inspiration provided by Modern Daily blanketing.