Back in the summer, the good folks at YarnCanada.ca asked me if I'd like to review their new Bernat Baby Blanket Stripes Yarn.
The yarn comes in eight different colourways, including some lovely gender neutral options. They included a free pattern that looked very doable for a slow-ass knitter like myself.
I had just discovered that my friend Kajo was with child and since she is also a knitter, I thought that I would like to knit something for her new bairn, since I totally missed out on knitting for the first one.
Free yarn? Easy pattern? Baby to knit for?
SIGN ME UP.
I chose the "Sunshine" colourway, because I knew knitting this thing would take me into the winter and the kid would probably be depressed by all the rain by then. Yarn Canada mailed me three delicious cakes of soft, cuddly yarn and I was good to go.
The Kiddie Korners Knit Blankie pattern was perfectly set up to use all three cakes of squooshy yarn. But here's the thing. I have a paucity of needles and the pattern called for 8mm needles.
The yarn is very bulky and I'm a tight knitter (or a TOIGHT knitter, as Jake Peralta would say), so I figured it would be okay to use my 10mm needles instead. And it WAS okay, except for that I went through the yarn more quickly because that's how bigger needles work, so I ran out of yarn before I finished the blanket and had to buy a fourth cake. Of course, I ordered it from Yarn Canada whom, in case you haven't noticed, I heartily endorse.
After I finished the blanket, it turned out...pretty big. I put a penny on it, for scale.
See if you can spot it.
You could probably get more than one baby in this thing, if you wanted, just sayin'. Or a plus size lesbian.
I really enjoyed this knit that took me a long time in the heat of summer. The colours were fun and the joy of self-striping yarn is that, when you are getting bored with an easy pattern, you have a new colour to look forward too.
This is really the perfect time of year to enjoy this fuzzy, snuggly yarn. I probably wouldn't have bought it for myself but having knit with it, I would certainly get it again for a fun, chunky knit that is also machine washable and dryable, in case your baby spits up or you spill guacamole on it.
Kajo - I know we haven't talked since April but congratulations on your new baby! I knit him this blanket! Let's get together before he goes to college.
