Serenity

Jan. 6: My friend Kristin has a new baby girl named Kaylee. What better gift than a baby blanket with the name Serenity? I learned a new cast on - Emily Ocker’s Circular Cast On - but I’m not sure it was 100% successful because although it did turn out (on the second try), I wasn’t able to pull the hole closed like the instructions for the cast on said it could be. But the hole is fairly small and if it bothers me too much, I’ll just close it up when I weave in the end there.

Jan. 14: At first this blanket seemed to be knitting up rather quickly, but now I think that was because each round was still pretty small. I’ve just finished round 51 and it’s taking me about 20-25 minutes per round now. Eek! But I’m happy with how it’s turning out so far.

March 18: Back to work a little more on this one (I need to get an updated picture). I’m liking the pattern but hating the yarn, mostly because each skein has 1-3 knots in it. At only 80 yards per skein, that’s rather ridiculous, and it leaves me with a ton of ends to weave in.

April 17: I’ve worked on this a bit more the past couple of days. Another 10 or so rounds finihsed. It’s taking me about an hour and a half to do two rounds now, so I’m trying to work on it a little here and there. Slow and steady progress is better than none at all!

June 10: So I really haven’t worked on this at all since the last update. But I did knit 2 rounds today, which took over an hour. I do like how it looks, but I’m just not enjoying this project, which is why it’s hard to feel motivated to work on it.

June 14: Knit 4 rounds today.

June 19: Knit 4 rounds today.

June 20: I’m really determined to finish this project. Knit 4 more rounds today and 3/4 of a fifth.

June 21: Knit 5-1/4 rounds today.

June 23: Knit 6 rounds today. I’m fast approaching 500 stitches per round!

June 25: I can’t believe it. The knitting is done!! I used a size 10 needle to bind off and that seems to have worked. The edge is just the right tension. Now I just have to weave in a gazillion ends (and I’m not exaggerating that much) and block it.

June 26: Added pictures of blanket blocking.

Pattern: Serenity
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cotton Rich