Awful Cheap DK Acrylic Nastiness Blanket

It is a very strange thing for me to have absolutely nothing on the needles. I would love to be one of those focused, dedicated people who can work on one thing at a time, but I'm not. Usually I have 2 or 3 things on the go at any one time at least. Today, I am project free.

Last night I had a rush of blood to the head and finished a baby blanket I've been working on for more time than I care to mention. I started knitting it about a year ago - then lost interest in the nasty acrylic yarn, the colour, the pattern, and left it. My cousin in law had a baby (my godson) so I wanted to make him something special. Godson is now approaching his first birthday, and I can't help but feel a blanket which would only really fit round a newborn might be a bit redundant.... Anyway, last night, I finished it, and did a lap of honour of the living room to celebrate. Here it is, modelled by the lovely Cow.

It's a basic corner to corner blanket, knit in awful cheap DK acrylic nastiness, but it was a useful exercise to practice, was started well before I bothered actually learning anything about different yarns, and I did learn that I never want to knit a blanket again in anything other than gorgeous chunky cashmere that knits at at the very most 2 stitches to the inch. I put a great big purple stripe down the middle to stop myself from getting snow blindness. Pattern is from the free pattern website, Knitting Pattern Central, which is possibly the coolest website in the world and can be found in Google.

Here is some detail. If I'm absolutely honest, it was as dull to knit as it is to look at - but at least it's done.

So I'm going to celebrate with a new project. I have a sock hanging about which needs a friend - it's in Regia self striping yarn which is slightly exciting, and I was really pleased with how the first sock turned out. Or I might just shelve that for a bit longer and make a hat (I like cabled hats. They're quick and cabling rocks). I am desperate to knit the mohair cardi in The Art of Knitting magazine, but even buying the yarn on e-bay will set me back more than I can afford. So it must wait until after payday (which luckily is next Friday. Unless I cave in before hand and make P go without any lunch for the next week).

The Bag (which I really need to think of a name for) is still slightly soggy, so I don't want to carry out the final adjustments until it's all dry and done. The strap is way too long, so I'm going to fold and sew it (which should also make it a bit stronger). I also knitted up some little roses to go on the front. After it's completed, I intend to parade proudly up and down the street in front of my house, wearing it and waving at pedestrians.