enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

next project.

Knit
Knit2
Knit3

We are getting closer to Paul's return and I feel a little bit like I am running in slow motion towards the finish line. I expected the holidays to be difficult. But really, this part, the-almost-but-not-quite-part, is harder.

So I've started Operation Get Through It.

And the first mission is a big project that is inexpensive, time consuming and will hopefully turn out rad. I am hoping to knit a black and white checkered blanket. (This is my inspiration photo but because I am on a bit of a black and white kick, it's just two colors.) Right now I am just planning on knitting up rows of white and black boxes. Then I hope it's easy to attach all the rows together. That can be done, right?

ps / that blanket in the photos is from target.

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57 responses to “next project.”

  1. Johanna Avatar
    Johanna

    I see you’ve already decided on the needle size 😉 Looking good! Yes, attaching the rows can be done. I really like the “Techniques with Theresa” column on knitty.com, maybe it can be of some help to you, too: http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring04/mattress.html

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  2. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    You know how to knit too!?!?! So cool. Love the black and white. And what’s not to love about a project you can work on while cozied up on the couch? 🙂

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  3. susan Avatar
    susan

    yes it can be done ! but you’ll have stripes (tres cool) knock a checkerboard block pattern. rock on Elise !!

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  4. robyn Avatar
    robyn

    super simple to attach together! if you leave both ends long enough you can just use them to sew the squares together, or you can use one long strand after all the squares are done!

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  5. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    Is there anything you can’t do? 🙂 Did someone teach you how to knit or did you teach yourself?

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  6. heather Avatar
    heather

    That will be really cute!

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  7. Rose Avatar
    Rose

    I think you can definitely do it. When does he get back officially?

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  8. Rebekah Hanna-Lozano Avatar
    Rebekah Hanna-Lozano

    It’s one of my goals this year to learn to knit 🙂 Hooray for cozy couch hobbies! 🙂

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  9. April Avatar
    April

    I wondered when you’d pick up the knitting needles ;o)
    I’ve started knitting and although my first scarf is a sad piece, I love it and can’t wait to start a new project. Great blanket pattern, can’t wait to see the finished project.

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  10. Stephanie Howell Avatar
    Stephanie Howell

    the beginning and the end are the hardest. always. the beginning for obvious reasons, and the end b/c you allow yourself to let your guard down. you are right, staying busy is the best medicine as those excruciating moments tick by. the end is a complete roller coaster ride. proud of you for how you’ve handled this ride.

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  11. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    How long have you been knitting? I have been crocheting for years, but am just now teaching myself how to knit, and it is a pretty sad sight. Hopefully it will get better. That will be a wonderful project to pass the time and you guys can cuddle under it after he gets back. Which sounds perfect.

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  12. Sandy Mohon Avatar
    Sandy Mohon

    It’s going to be gorgeous. I can’t wait to see it and see how you get it all together. I miss knitting. If only I could figure out how to get started again.

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  13. All Of A Sudden Life Is Amazing Avatar
    All Of A Sudden Life Is Amazing

    I can’t wait to see the finish project! I knitted almost the exact blanket for my son before he was born. Tiny little squares were all over the place then I put them together like a puzzle. You’ve inspired me to pick my needles back up! Thank you!

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  14. royela Avatar
    royela

    Knitting! I think you should also try to tackle entrelac. I saw it on instagram and thought it was yours at first: http://instagr.am/p/f32uI/
    Also, if you want something new to watch on Netflix (but not as big of a time commitment as 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights (which was awesome)), try Season 1 of Downton Abbey! Season 2 just started and it’s on PBS! So if you have an antenna, you can watch the new episodes, too. (But also available online :D)

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  15. KWu Avatar
    KWu

    Yeah, like the others have said, it won’t be too bad to attach the different rows together, but if you look into the entrelac technique, you might be able to avoid the sewing all together! I did that technique in a simple project once, you sort of just twist around the different colors so that you can knit more than one color vertically. In your case you’d need a different ball of yarn for each column of blocks and you’d probably need to get a pretty large circular needle to fit the width of the blanket, but if this isn’t a project you want to be able to taken outside the house with you and you want to avoid the sewing, could be something to consider.

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  16. Lisa Fine Avatar
    Lisa Fine

    You are so cute!
    I love how you always have these fun projects going on, and I admire you for trying new things, and playing around.
    Always love to see your finished products, too. Thanks again for sharing, Elise.

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  17. Jessi Avatar
    Jessi

    Oh! The almost, but not quite there part is probably the hardest. Just wait for the last 2 weeks. They feel like an eternity! But you so have the right attitude.. stay busy. Can’t wait to see the final product. Have you knitted before or is this your first project? I’d love to learn but just haven’t set aside the time to do it.

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  18. Leah Buckley Avatar
    Leah Buckley

    I second royela’s downton abbey’s recommendation 🙂

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  19. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    If I alternate what color I start with, I should be able to get a checkerboard, right?

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  20. Frankie Avatar
    Frankie

    That’s awesome Elise! I recently got into knitting too. Are you on ravelry? They have some amazing patterns available for free.
    You can definitely attach squares together at the end, or if you are making stripes it’s easier to just knit the new color into the row before it. The attaching at the end can be quite tedious. If you are doing a checkerboard pattern have you considered adding random pops of an accent color? Black and white will be awesome but I can also picture a few mustard yellow boxes scattered in there. 🙂 I can’t wait to see the finished product!

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  21. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    awesome – and if I have long strips? Like a scarf? Can I sew those together too?

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  22. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    🙂 plenty. My grandma taught me how to knit when I was about eight. But all I do is very simple knitting and scarves. I feel like a blanket can be made by just attaching scarves together, so well see how this goes…

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  23. Johanna Avatar
    Johanna

    Right.

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  24. oh shoot Avatar
    oh shoot

    I bet it will turn out beautiful!

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  25. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    Thank you! I think I am going to stick with just black and white for this one, but I agree – color pops would be fun. 🙂

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  26. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    I have knitted lots of scarves before, but this is the biggest project I have taken on. 🙂

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  27. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    I have been watching United States of Tara – super good. I want to watch DA but am going to wait for Paul because I think he might like it too. 🙂

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  28. Christine Newman Avatar
    Christine Newman

    You will love how it turns out! I made something similar, a crocheted blocked afghan, and used leftover yarn to sew the blocks together. You can see it here: http://www.listgirl.com/2010/10/gift-that-mo-could-appreciate.html

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  29. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    so perfect! 🙂 I have been knitting since I was little – my dads mom taught me.

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  30. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    thanks so much, love. oh man, I do feel like my guard is down. we have a decent ways to go, but stilllll. feels like the end.

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  31. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    I cant share official dates because they are so up in the air and also because it is a security thing. Before April though. 🙂

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  32. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    fun!! that looks like about the size I am going for .. how big is that?

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  33. Charmaine Avatar
    Charmaine

    That’s going to be stunning. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

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  34. krugthethinker Avatar
    krugthethinker

    Awesome! I am actually knitting my first blanket too. We just got a lovely new couch, and it looks kind of empty without a snuggly blanket! My mom made a blanket out of squares like yours years ago, and she still uses it every day! Hang in there, Elise–if anybody can do it, you can!

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  35. Michelle e Avatar
    Michelle e

    Yours is so nice Christine! What stitch did you use?

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  36. Michelle e Avatar
    Michelle e

    What a good idea! It will look so great!

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  37. Holly Avatar
    Holly

    Definitely! Can’t wait to see it all finished! 🙂

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  38. Sylvia Drown (Baxter's Mom) Avatar
    Sylvia Drown (Baxter’s Mom)

    How is it that I just found you! And, you’re from Sacramento, to boot. I live in Roseville! I love knitting, but hadn’t in years…until this Christmas when I knitted a scarf for my Granddaughter. She loved it, now I’m once again hooked…working on a scarf for me now…oh, and bought yarn for a dog sweater!

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  39. Jaime Evans Avatar
    Jaime Evans

    I think you have picked a perfect project for this time of your life. Knitting and Instant Netflix is my ultimate “Distract myself and get through it” activity.

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  40. KimS Avatar
    KimS

    See, this is why I like crochet – one little hook and you can do any size you like, not limited to how much you can fit on your needles!
    I think your blanket will look fabulous.

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  41. Alex Avatar
    Alex

    Hi… I love your blog and this is the first time I’m commenting. I knit a lot, and a little technique (I think I read it somewhere) that I use is to slip the last stitch of every row.
    So from the pictures, it looks like you are knitting every row and basically when I get to the end of the row I slip the stitch to the other needle without knitting it and then when I turn the work I knit it. I’ve found this helps to keep the edge very smooth with really clearly defined stitches to sew together. (otherwise the edges look like this weird twisted stitch)
    Anyway, your project will turn out great even if you don’t use that technique! Best of luck

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  42. Christine N Avatar
    Christine N

    It wasn’t very big… maybe 50″ by 42″? Just big enough to be a lap blanket on the couch! 🙂

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  43. Christine N Avatar
    Christine N

    The whole thing was done in blocks of half-double crochet stitch. Very easy and fast.

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  44. Skye Avatar
    Skye

    I’ve been knitting since 2004 but I can only do simple stuff like scarves. I hadn’t thought of making a blanket that way, but that’s a great idea! I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

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  45. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    you are right! I already started and did not think to slip a stitch. maybe for my next one? 😉 thank you for the tip.

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  46. royela Avatar
    royela

    More to look forward to, then! Patrick was not interested in at. all. for DA but can’t win ’em all 🙂

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  47. caro Avatar
    caro

    Love your poetry of making a checkered flag for the winning line!

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  48. Koko @ Koko Likes Avatar
    Koko @ Koko Likes

    I’ve been working on this one for a year now (whenever I’m between projects). Almost done! http://unwindknitting.net/?tag=ombre-blanket

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  49. france Avatar
    france

    I love this blanket. I’m doing a similar one that I found in the DottieAngel book, except I’m crocheting since that’s all I know how to do. I decided to do shades of purple and gray since I had so much left over from a failed project:) Old episodes of Felicity are keeping me company. Right now mine only covers half of my lap so I still have a loooong way to go.

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  50. sarah Avatar
    sarah

    Here’s a blanket also knit in strips, like you’re doing:
    http://therunningyarn.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/pretty-punk-blanket-free-pattern/
    (although this one has skulls, which of course, I think it awesome, but I’m not a huge pink fan)
    Every time I think to knit a blanket I remember that it’ll take forever, then my cats will snag their claws on it… 😉 Back to my hats and scarves!

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