What's On the Needles Wednesday

Following Lime 'n Violet's lead, here is my edition of "What's on the Needles Wednesday" for today.

Right now, I'm desperately trying to finish the "Baby Princess Blanket" for my next door neighbors to give to their yet-to-be-born first granddaughter. I worked on it a little bit until I got back from vacation a month ago, only to realize she is supposed to be born mid-September. YIKES! I'm in the home stretch, half-way through side 3 of the outside border.

The pattern is one I received last summer in Copenhagen. The one thing I wanted to do while we spent the day in Copenhagen was visit Somerfulgen, a delightful yarn shop that specializes in Hanne Falkenberg designs. I'd been craving a kit of her "Ballerina" jacket for months, and that was my "treat" on Vacation 2006. While there, I asked if the shop ever had requests for the charming shetland blanket I'd seen in a photo of Danish Crown Princess Mary and her newborn son. Sure enough, they had the pattern, but in Danish--it had been published in a women's magazine.

Knitters are a very kind community. I popped into the forums on Knitter's Review, left messages in the lace and shawl forums, and a Danish knitter offered to translate. Hours later, there were my blanket directions in English.

It's a fairly simple pattern- garter stitch center, feather-n-fan middle and attached outer edging. This is my first attempt at added-on lace edging, and it was easy to catch on after a few false starts. Many thanks to the expert directions in "Victorian Lace Today" for turning the corners.

Oh, and it's knit in Lisa Souza's washable merino sport weight "gingerpeachy" - because the prospective grandaddy is a Georgia Tech alum and wants his first granddaughter to be clad in gold and white.

Here's Ballerina, halfway finished.


And I'm using the 2nd edition of 2007 "Socks That Rock's Rockin' Sock Club" for Brenda Patipa's Twist and Lace Scarf. I really love this pattern, and the Silkie yarn is soooo nice to work with.

Lots of projects just waiting until "the baby blanket from hell" and Ballerina are finished. I'm disciplining myself- or attempting to- by not allowing myself to cast on until those are finished.

Hopefully, good news will arrive next Wednesday!