It's been to long!

It's been a long time since I've last posted.  I guess part of the reasoning is being lazy/forgetful the other half is just being busy. However, I'm trying a New Year Resolution and while I'm late by months I am planning on writing an update at least once a month. 

With that being said! On-wards with the blogging.

I've taken on one of the largest projects that I've ever done.  It's a crochet blanket for Bob and myself. The blanket is 280 by 280.  Plus a border all around that's 4 by 4.   So in total once done it will be about 78424 stitches. 

Temperature Blanket Stitching key!

The blanket was going to be the temperature blanket that everyone was/is talking about. I loved the idea but then thought to myself that I don't want a blanket that would be the same as everyone.  I like marching to my own drum. 

So while shopping a Joann's with my brave husband Bob *who was very patient with me. While I looked at all the yarn* 

My problem was solved when I saw the multi-colored skins. (At the time I'm not releasing the name of the yarn I've used until an situation has been solved.) 

I'm sure that you can guess that since we live in the south I was believing that the majority of the blanket was either going to be the red or the orange. Not really my favorite colors. So the multi-colored yarn was a perfect problem solver.

A project this size has taken about 3 almost 4 months to complete. The project started about January 1st or 2nd. It was the week that Joann's was having a pretty descent sale on yarn. 

                                                   The very beginnings of the blanket.

The picture to the left you can see that the border was an after thought. But with the picture to the right you can see the black border added.  I love the multi-colored skins. It so gives you the since of accomplishment vs. just the same color over and over again. 

About mid-January this picture shows what I've done so far. Did I mention I have a cat? If you can imagine and you will see in further down our furry baby loved to help/ (Or more so what she believed was helping.) Do you know how hard it is to do any project with a cat around? Never mind add string/yarn to a project. Let's just say Toffee (our Siamese cat) really got her scent into this blanket. (AKA cat drool.) This is about 20 rows of 280 stitches.  So 5600 stitches in that amount of space. 

Toffee keeps laying on the blanket.  I worked around her so I didn't wake the sleeping baby.   I told Bob that Toffee was trying to tell us something and that we I had to make a blanket for her.

INTERMISSION!!! 

Toffee's blanket

                               

       My thought process was that Toffee would leave our blanket alone if I made one for her. Plus I needed a sign of accomplishment.  With Toffee being a cat it wasn't going to take long to make her blanket. Sadly I have to say that her yarn is from a skin that looked really pretty online but once we received it, it wasn't as pretty.   Well that's not 100% of the truth.  I really like the colors it's just that it wasn't going to go with the rest of the blanket that I was making for us.  So Toffee lucked out.  Her blanket took 2 skins of (Yarn Name) *Please see above to why I haven't added a name*  I still have to add a border to hers.  But as you can see she doesn't mind she loves her new blankie. The picture on the left if you look closely you can see a bump. Yep! That's her already under her blankie and taking I think cat nap 100.  The one on the left is the finished blanket minus the border.  The one on the right is with just one skin.  Clearly not enough for Toffee to be covered. 

Intermission over

      

                         

Since Toffee's blanket only took a day to do, I went back to our blanket.  By the time of this picture it's been about 2  months into the making of the blanket. At this point it was about 2/4th of the way done. I'm really loving how all the colors sort of blend in with one another.  I should mention that the blanket in the picture is doubled over. 

HALFWAY DONE!

First off I have to apologies for the white blob. I was folding laundry while taking a picture of the blanket and well I really didn't want to show that.  With that being said with the title above the blanket is now half way finished.  :) I believe Bob at this time was amazed at the work that has been done this far. At this time it's about 39200 stitches down, about 41440 more to go.

As of March 2nd the blanket is finished. I still have to take a picture of it.  But I can honestly say that I'm proud of myself being able to accomplish something this size without much knowledge of crocheting. It's been eon's since I've crochet anything so to say that I'm thrilled about being finished is an understatement.  I'm already looking to starting another project.  I'm seeing maybe something steampunk coming. Or maybe another crochet project.

Finished Blanket Picture Coming soon. Along with the yarn used. 

(Bob: She really did look at ALL THE YARN. Dear lord. I'm so happy she brought a toy (Kindle) for me to play with)