Who is up for a race?

I have at least 2 more baby blankets to finish in time to mail before Christmas. My brother's step-daughter is due with her little boy on Christmas Day. I really need to get that to her early. A) it's Christmas shipping time, so lots of non-baby gifts will be clogging the lines to delay her blanket and B) it's her first baby, so she should get the blanket BEFORE she has the baby...right?


At least that's what I'm thinking. It only seems right.


So, I've come up with a plan here. Technically it's Sunday am while I'm writing this. However, since I've not yet gone to bed, I'm still feeling like it's Saturday night. I'm in the mood for a race here. My "NMCRS Basketweave Baby Blanket, ver. 2" is listed on the left side of the page here. It's the pattern that I used a couple of years ago for a beginning knitting class when some ladies wanted to make something post first scarf. It proved to be a good pattern to teach 'texture' and switching the yarn back and forth for knits and purls without a lot of difficulty. It's also an easy pattern for experienced knitters who need something fast, or mindless to do (great for movie and TV time).


Here's the deal. I'm using TLC Wiggles yarn. Generally I use a worsted weight yarn for this pattern, but I'd bought this blue yarn for this blanket before I noticed it was listed as a 'sport' weight. I think it'll work fine. Probably similar to the cotton-ease in Red that I used earlier in the year for this pattern. I'm going to start with size 9 needles, as the pattern is written in and I've pulled 5 skeins of yarn to use. The 'math' said I'm only going to need 4 skeins, but I don't want to run short.


I promise that neither yarn or needles will meet each other for cast on until I've had a decent amount of sleep tonight. I won't cast on until at least 8ish am. Probably closer to 8:30 am. Anyone up for the challenge? Email me at bruinmom99 (at) yahoo (dot) com [remove the spaces and fill in the at and dot] with your pictures and I'll add them to the blog this week. I won't have my pictures up for tomorrow's segment until Monday, more than likely. This could be fun. I need something to push me along with this blanket...as I still have the U of M Feather and Fan Rainbow baby blanket to finish with a BSJ sweater to go with it, a navy Hail to the .... Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel with 2 dishcloths to go with it, 2 Flaunt your Colors scarves and a pair of slippers all due to be shipped before Christmas. AND I still need 2 more Feather and Fan Rainbow baby blankets for the middle daughter. Seeing as how those blankets were due back in August, I'm wagering a good guess I won't get it all done, but I'm willing to give it the old college try! Oh, and since this is a sport weight, I may have to rip it out to start over if I don't like the drape or the fabric I make, as happened with the Cotton-Ease. So, you guys definitely have the advantage here.

SO, who's with me? Who is going to finish before me? OK, even try this...how many of you already have the blanket started, but never got around to finishing it? HUH? There must be someone out there....fess up!


I'm off to bed...the needles will fly tomorrow...I want to make Christmas cookies next Saturday!