Helen's Blanket

I just realised that I never got around to posting about this FO that I made a couple of months ago.

This is my version of the Cuddly Cotton Baby Blanket by Whitney Van Nes from the Purl Soho blog.

My friend Louise wanted a blanket for her Sister Helen who was expecting a baby. Well, the baby girl arrived safely and Louise gave her the blanket, but I hadn't posted because Louise hadn't given Helen the blanket yet and her sisters have been known to read this blog occasionally!

Anyway, knitted in butter-soft Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, this was a quick knit, which would have worked for a boy or girl.

The only modoification I made was to pick up and knit the yellow edging. The pattern had called for knitting one very long snaky piece of fabric that would have to be attached, which I thought unnecessary, and I'm sure it worked out much quicker for me in the end.

Like the Lanesplitter skirt which I had made immediately before this blanket, this was knitted on the diagonal, adding one stitch each row until the half-way point, then decreasing one stitch each row until you finished. It's a lovely way of knitting, and the fabric grows quickly.

I was particularly pleased with the softness of the yarn, which I have used before in other projects; it's perfect for a baby and yet is still washable.

Colour Me Happy

DH dragged me to Purl Soho at their new premises (it wasn't exactly hard to get me there, but it was nice to know that he wanted to go too).

Would you look at the wall of wool? Please can I have one at home?!

It was huge, perfect, my home from home. Fabrics were at the back, and though I flirted with the idea of getting some, I managed to concentrate on yarn alone.

The staff were great, very helpful and it was all over a truly inspiring experience.

MY HAUL

Of course I broke my yarn-buying ban, but as Toad has already pointed out, it doesn't count when you're abroad. I'll take that.

Here's 7 skeins of Manos Wool Clasica in Tomato, destined for the Hourglass Sweater in what else, Last Minute Hand-knitted Gifts (Purl Soho's owner's book).

I couldn't resist a ball of Knit Collage in Cherry Blossom. I've seen photos of and read about this, and just had to give in to the urge. I may make a small cushion and back it in a floral fabric.

Can you see the little crocheted and fabric flowers that are attached, and little strands of silver. It's very girly and pretty, hand-spun of course.

I also picked up two little kits, the Japanese one for me and the penguin for my Mum. They should be fun to do (apologies again for the rotating photos).

Last of all, some little heart stitch-markers: aren't they sweet?

In Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, I spotted my first ever knit grafitti:

And at the Frick in New York, this beautiful La Greuze painting, "The Wool Winder".