Friday, September 10, 2010

FO: NLCA

And here it is: The Noro Log Cabin Afghan!

I started this back in March and fairly quickly worked up all the very addictive squares. But then it took a while to plow through all the assembling, which involved miles and miles of garter stitch and almost as much grafting.

In the end, it was totally worth the trouble. The afghan is warm and colorful and lovely to curl up with.

I used 20 balls of Noro Yuzen--which is a wool/silk blend, labeled DK weight, but really a worsted--in 10 different colorways. I made the blocks using this tutorial, which was really easy. Then I picked up and knitted along the edges of the blocks and kitchenered them together to create strips. Then I picked up and knitted along the edges of the the strips and kitchenered them together to create a rectangle. (I used a different yarn for this, which I pulled from the stash.)

I should have made my strips narrower, since a) they ended up wider than the "logs" and b) I ran out of yarn before I could make the border as wide as I wanted. But calculating exactly how wide they needed to be to use all my yarn without running out too soon would have required...well...math. And I try to minimize the need for math in knitting, because, as I have proved time and again, math lies. I know there are those of you who disagree that math is inherently dishonest, and maybe even those who would suggest that I--myself--might in some way bear some responsibility for the way math has repeatedly failed to conform to my knitting reality, but I reject those arguments and repeat: math lies.

So, after much consideration, I decided to use the "ah, screw it" approach to making a border and just started single crocheting around and around the edge of the afghan until I ran out of yarn. Which, naturally, happened two feet before the end of a round. At that point, I extended the "ah, screw it" approach to its natural corollary, "ah, f*&! it!", ripped back to the end of the side (not all the way back to the beginning of the round, which would have made the border the same width on all sides but also narrower on three sides), and tied it off. I figure, no one will ever notice that one side is one row narrower than the other three, and I used up all but a few feet of my yarn.

Being familiar with the ways of Noro, I soaked this baby overnight in some water with a good dose of fabric softener, and it's now drying out on the deck. Since I've also finished Morgaine (modeled pics coming soon!), I am now without project on the needles! I will be remedying that situation in short order, as soon as I decide what I feel like knitting next. I am getting ready to start a new job in a formal office environment (more about that later), so I am trying to come up with a sweater I could wear in that setting. It's the sort of place you have to wear a suit every day. I was thinking a fitted shell or sweater for under a suit, but I been able to find any patterns I think would work. I'm not averse to designing my own, but I don't really have a vision for it. Any suggestions?

15 comments:

LORI LAWSON said...

Absolutely stunning! I love the wine color you chose for assembling the squares. I am tempted to knit one but did the Lizard Ridge afghan and the assembly took a whole weekend. I'm not ready to go there again.

At Home Mommy Knits said...

Gorgeous! Looks perfect for cuddling up with on the sofa.

Kim K. said...

Yay! It's beautiful! Wait...you were up and blogging at 6 a.m.??? :)

Anonymous said...

It is gorgeous! But... Yuzen is actually worsted weight? Crap. I just bought some for a small project for which I really wanted fingering weight but settled for DK. Now you tell me it is worsted. I repeat, crap. Nevertheless, your afghan is truly gorgeous.

Lol said...

Just looking through some of the things I earmarked on Ravelry for work purposes how about: Soleil, Jenna, 10504 Sleeveless Top, Royale, Printed Silk Cardigan. I'm also planning on working out a fitted sleeveless sweater to go under a jacket - if I can get the armholes and neckline right I figure any pattern can be used.

BTW log cabin looks wonderful.

Renee said...

Love this!!!
Being a knitter and a quilter this blanket really speaks to my heart. Happy snuggling with it. :)

Walden said...

Looks great, the smaller border still works really well!

caknitter said...

Congrats on the new job!
You can't even tell on side has one less row. The blanket came out great!

Strickmuse said...

The 'ah, screw it' approach works great. No one will notice and the blanket is beautiful. Congrats on the job.

sophanne said...

I love that afghan- it's on the list in my head. A kind knitting friend prevented me from purchasing the yarn required until I finished some projects on the needles. (Did I say kind? What was I thinking?)

Also thanks for the Noro tip.

Haley said...

looks wonderful! i love watching your FO parade. so much inspiration!

Janette said...

The Noro log cabin is fabulous!

pdxknitterati/MicheleLB said...

I. Love. This! So gorgeous!

weezalana said...

Great job! I can't even tell one side is shorted than the others. Should make for a cozy winter blanket!

The Ninja Knitter said...

Completely lovely blanket! Perfect for weekend snuggling.