Log Cabin

A bit ago, my friend Joan had done this post.  Since I have so much yarn that my mom left me, and there isn't much of any one color, I decided this would be an awesome project.

It is, and it is so addicting.  I think the combination of the simplicity of the pattern and and the fun of watching how each round and each color changes its looks is what makes it so addicting.

It's a really simple pattern:  Cast on 20 stitches of knitting worsted, knit in garter stitch until you have 24 garter ridges, or 48 rows.  Bind off all but the last stitch, rotate your work and start picking up stitches on the LEFT side of the piece.  A hint-you'll probably end up with as many stitches as garter ridges, not as many as you have rows.  Now knit 18 rows or 9 garter ridges, bind off all but one, then rotate and pick up stitches on the next left side of your work.  See a pattern here?  Go until you get sick of it, you run out of yarn, or it's as big as you want it.  But I warn you-you won't want to put it down, and you'll be rummaging through your stash for more yarn for the next one.  Finishing is easy-just bury the threads on the back.  Oh, and I used a #9 straight needle.  I may switch to a circular when the blanket gets bigger, we'll see.  (I hate circulars!)  One thing I might change is that I might knit a square for the center, then the afghan would be a perfect square.

A word about my knitting basket-isn't it neat?  Last summer, there was a lady from Ghana at the Manhattan Potato Festival who had these baskets for sale.  I told her I would be back-she had $80 marked on them-not bad for a hand-woven basket-but when I came back near the end of the day, she had marked them down to $40.  She was such a nice lady I would have paid the $80.  It's really roomy and I specifically bought it for my knitting projects, but Millie thought, since it's green and red that it would be nice filled with Christmas greens and ornaments.  I'm afraid it'll never be empty of yarn, though so I might have to buy another one.  Hopefully I will see the lady at one of the many local fairs this summer.  The basket looks nice on my pew, doesn't it?  Can't wait til it warms up a bit more so I can sit out there and knit and people watch.