Blankie – Finished and Boiled!

Finally….

After two months of finger hurting perseverance, the Blankie is finished!

The edging took an age but I found a way of making it a little easier.

The edging, worked on a big circular needle, one side at a time, calls for 3 rows of Knit, then 3 rows of stocking stitch (Knit, Purl, Knit) then 3 rows of purl – necessary to avoid an ugly colour break. (Another example of the attention to detail I found all through this pattern.)

I found the purl really slow. Maybe it’s obvious to all you clever knitters out there but I was chuffed with my decision to simply break the yarn, rejoin at the other end of the circular needle and do 3 more knit rows instead!

So. Edging done. Ends darned in. Time to put my baby into the washing machine!

Here is the “before washing” picture, modelled by the lovely, camera shy, 6’1″ Ben . Take note of the length for the “after” picture.

As regular readers will know – I’m rather twitchy about putting my knitting in the washing machine after some “experiences” with Felting and Colour runs.

I did some research before I started this Blankie and found several people had been unhappy with the amount of colour run into the cream. The consensus was that the cream turned pale blue and assumed an “aged” look but colour catchers helped. After my experience with Ben’s Brooklyn jacket, I had a pretty good idea what to expect and didn’t expect the cream to stay cream.

I had other anxieties too. Would the mattress stitch holding the squares together pucker when the blanket shrank? Had I darned the ends in well enough to cope with machine washing? Would the beads cope with being clattered around in my tumble dryer (You ARE supposed to tumble dry Rowan Denim after washing!) and would it shrink by the right amount?

I have no idea why I was worried about how much it would shrink. I’ve used Denim several times and shrinkage has always been spot on for me.

Worry, worry, worry….. 😕

I kissed goodbye to my lovely, bright, crisp, clean looking blankie and tucked it in the washing machine along with and entire pack of 25 colour catcher sheets! The box said use 3 sheets if colour run was bad – I really wanted to catch that colour! I also added a cup of bleach – several people had said Debbie Abrahams had suggested that in response to their mails.

Goodbye blankie and good luck!

I washed on a 90 degree, white cotton wash.

Can you imagine my nerves?

My nose was pressed against the window of the washer for at least the first 20 mins.

Ben kept trying to drag me away. He said I was like a hypnotised cat with my head going round and round watching the blankie.

The water was navy blue.

The rinsing water was navy blue.

Guess what colour the Colour Catchers were?…..all 25 of them….

And the cream? Hmmmm……

A bit different huh? I put the new ball on the blankie so you can see it’s not different lighting and camera trickery.

It is much, much bluer than I was expecting but not in an unpleasant way. You do have to ask how the pictures in the book are so clean and creamy though?

Want to see the “after” picture, modelled by Ben?

To save your scrolling finger, here’s the “before” pic again…

See how much shorter it is? Thankfully all my fears and worries about shrinkage were unfounded.

It shrank perfectly, The seams didn’t pucker, my ends didn’t get free. And the beads? Like new. They made a hell of a noise in the dryer but came through unscathed.

I took it to Starbucks to show the other Guilty Knitters this morning. There was much ohhhing and ahhhing (which I lapped up). We decided it was going to be my heirloom piece to leave to a beloved friend or relative when I finally “cast off” from this world!

(Applications for this position on a postcard please. Winner will be notified a LONG time in the future …hopefully!)

So am I pleased with it? I have to say “Yes”. I’m very glad I was prepared for the colour run because it could have been a nasty shock but that is my only negative. In all a real pleasure to make and something to treasure for a very long time to come.

Completed Knit Report  
Name: Denim Blankie
Pattern: Picnic from Blankets and Throws to Knit by Debbie Abrahams
Yarn: Rowan Denim
Pattern Problems: None – In fact just the opposite – well written and well thought out pattern – I think it’s clear that Debbie Abrahams knits herself!!
Pattern Modifications: On the edging, started at the “wrong” end of the circular needle for final three rows to make the Knit instead of Purl.Used Tennessee colour for the Picnic and Basket weave squares because I had it in stash.
Washing and Wearing: Very Blue as discussed at length here but perfect otherwise
Knit It Again???: Possibly but my hands are suffering from “cotton fatigue” so need a long rest.
Difficulty: Medium. (Perseverance and tenacity harder than the actual knitting)
Rating: 4/5
Other Postings Relating To This One: Sickie Girl KnittingDilemasBlankie and curtains

The end is in view

What type of Knitter am I?

ghaaa-ive-snapped

ive-been-banned

 

5 Responses

  1. Christine
    Christine November 11, 2007 at 5:59 pm | | Reply

    The blanket looks great. It inspires me to make it as I have plenty of Denim in my stash. I e-mailed Debbie about the bleeding when I first got the book. Apparently if you wash the throw a second time the cream denim will begin to bleach out and again she advised using a small amount of bleach.

  2. susan crowe
    susan crowe November 11, 2007 at 6:07 pm | | Reply

    Hi Christine

    Thanks for the comment.

    I should have put it in the post – that has had a second wash to get rid of the bleachy smell!

    I beginning to suspect my washing machine, which is a super efficient, low water usage jobbie, might be part of the problem…

    Go on, make it!!

    Susan

  3. Cheryl
    Cheryl November 11, 2007 at 10:54 pm | | Reply

    The blanket looks great,well done,i bet you are glad its finished:)

  4. McKnitty
    McKnitty November 15, 2007 at 8:45 pm | | Reply

    What an inspiration! That blanket is amazing. Well done on your perseverence. I love it!

  5. Gillian
    Gillian December 8, 2008 at 1:46 pm | | Reply

    How big is your washing machine? I’m just over halfway through this balnket but had assumed my domestic washer wouldn’t be big enough.

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