Is Never Better Than Late? By way of introduction

I think it's rather sad that it takes a nasty cold (usually I call that an F'n cold) to get me started with this whole thing. It's all about time really. Oh sure, I'd like to do a eye catching page with groovy graphics but I frequently complain that there are not enough hours in the day or days in the week as it is. And I already spend (in my boyfriend's opinion) too much time on the computer. EVERY body spends too much time on the computer. And when I'm lulled into YouTube submission it is because I cannot believe how much stuff is out there. Whoa. When I first got interested in folk music and music of different places, the options were pretty limited. Now? Endless. Endless I tell you. Well. It always has been endless, it's just that now we are so much more aware of the endlessness of it all. The depth of our ignorance increases. And knitting? How many knitting blogs and KALs are there out there? Why count? It would take time. And I'd rather spend the time knitting. My dear boyfriend has also suggested that I spend too much time knitting, which can't be, because I still have too much yarn. It seems that every time I enter into a Stash Reducing Project, I have to buy more yarn. Let's not go there now.

Here I enter my first photo. Something that I finished recently. I think it was the last thing I finished actually. In the photo it is not quite finished, it's being blocked.

It is made from darn near 5 skeins of single ply loosely spun yarn that my friend Haig bought from the Union Square Farmer's market in New York City. I was staying with another friend in the same apartment building in the Lower East Side. It was just before American Thanksgiving and Haig was going to the market frequently so I tagged along with him. I should have brought my camera because it is one beautiful farmer's market! I think the wool people are there on Mondays. (I have a sheet with all their information on it but I had to do a quick "cleanup" for guests and I can't find it yet.) They have one and two-ply yarns which they dye using natural pigments. I really like the shades. Many are quite muted. We bought some two-ply dyed with indigo because I promised Haig I'd make him a hat. Which I did. I forgot to photograph it, so if I can get him to send me a photo of him wearing it, I'll post that one day. Back to the blanket.

Our friend, Polly in Santa Fe, is about to become a grandmother for the second time. For her first grandchild, Haig bought her a sheepskin from the same farmers. We thought it would be fun to do something together this time. (Haig, Polly and I play music together with some other friends from New York, Boston & California). I bought a little sample pack of some of their one-ply to play with and get ideas. Then went back to Toronto. I figured 5 skeins should make a decent sized baby blanket and so Haig went back to the market and got them & mailed them to me. Three indigo blue & two white.

I was going to start from the center and work out, using a very simple plan, alternating garter stitch stripes, but after much swatching and frogging I did the core in blocks (or triangles) of garter and the edge in bands of stockinette and garter. It is a little hard to see in the photo.

I hate seams so there are no seams. Each piece is picked up and knit from (and sometimes to) the piece next to it. Sort of hard to see from the pictures. Finished size is 92 cm square - a yard. 6mm needles. As soon as the cold gets better I'm going to post it to Polly. Her new grandchild is due any day now.

Snow day here in Toronto. I'm playing with mitered squares.