Mitred Crosses Blanket

Sometimes fun projects land right in your lap. That was the case with the Knitted Quilt I finished up over the weekend.

In March I saw Kay Gardiner's post about the pattern she had developed to sell to raise funds for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Like many of the other Mason-Dixon patterns, this is a simple and beautiful interpretation of a practical household item--and for a good cause to boot.
Before I knew it, I was hooked. The technique keeps you interested and the color changes in the yarn lure you in to see what's around the next corner of the block. I also like that it's a portable project. In fact, I'm going to start another one to keep in a basket as a take-along project for this summer.

There is one change I will make in the next one. Rather than join the squares by using a three-needle technique, I think I'll take the time to sew the squares together by hand. If I do it as I go along, I don't think it will be too overwhelming, and I think the end result will be worth it. I'm very happy with the first one.

My next project is coming out of a book of patterns that were suggested to me by a friend. (Thanks, Deb.) That book is A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd.

Usually, I won't buy a book unless there are at least a couple of patterns that I know I will use---although that rule has been broken on more than one occasion for a must-knit item. This book should keep me going for a couple of years of fun cable knitting. Honestly, I couldn't decide which pattern to knit first! So far, I've narrowed it down to three or four.

I've got a box of yarn on order and will be waiting for the UPS man to deliver the goods.

In the meantime, I'm hoping that spring weather will finally come to MN and that I'll be kept busy in the garden. Last week I went from sitting at a Twins game in a snowstorm to a warm beautiful day of cleaning out my flower bed and back to snowflakes again. I guess we shouldn't complain about a little chilly weather with the terrible storms down south. I'm anxious to get digging!