31.01.2014 - Just ordered yarn for this blanket, creating project so it’s ready to go. I also need to do a test steek so that I can be sure I’ll get that right. Also need to play around with charts, as I’m thinking of replacing the flower chart with something else.

Using Soot Sprites from the sanpo pattern, and have also modified the acorns from the acorn mitts, and added mushrooms. Found a pair of mittens with a bicycle, trying to incorporate that now. I was going to use the Totoro from sanpo, but when I knitted him up he looked like a rabbit, so have recharted with the Totoro from Norwegian Mitts instead. He’s bigger, this is a blanket, and can afford the size, and bigger means it’s easier to make him the right shape.

01.02.2014 - So I had ordered red, orange, light green, dark green and white yarn. But then I ended up with 5 patterns, so have ordered brown in addition, so that I can have:

Brown acorns
Red bicycles
Orange soot sprites
Light Green Totoros
Dark Green centre pattern

I’ve charted this all up in a spreadsheet both the right way up and upside down, ready for yarn arrival, and with the edges worked out for 191 pattern stitches, with 3 in MC on either side. I also am going to test knit a bit of it with some stash yarn, I need to try steeking.

02.02.2014 - Chart done, casting on a sample test knit with 91 stitches. Stranding the MC on top when I get to colours.

10.02.2014 - Finished sample last night, have re-charted Totoro based on the Norwegian mitts, as the sanpo one is too small to get the details. I made up a sort of umbrella chart to go in between Totoros. I hope it works! I will have to knit up another sample just of Totoro, but in the meantime it’s time to steek and block this sample. Some of the knitting is quite uneven (due to colourwork and sometimes my floats are too short), so I’ll have to watch that when I get to the blanket. I think a large factor in this one was magic loop, when I do the blanket I should have a circ the right size.

11.02.2014 - sample steek reinforced with sewing machine, soaking now ready to block. I’ll use fabric from stash to back it so I can learn that technique also. Steeking is easier than I expected! It’s amazing how much planning has gone into this blanket, hopefully it will work out well because of that! Recipient sent ultrasound picture today, only 6-ish months to go - eek!

10.04.2014 - after supply issues, Rosemary (The Constant Knitter) switched from Lang to Schoppel-Wolle for plain sock yarn. My first few balls of this arrived today. Casting on 204 (197 for pattern incl 3 stitches in cream on either side, plus 7 for the steek (p1, k5, p1).). MC in right hand.

23.06.2014 - last week I cancelled the red from The Constant Knitter as Schoppell haven’t sent her that colour in yet. I got the last colour from her (olive) and I ordered some red Red Heart sports sock yarn from the UK (which arrived today) as I need to get on with this! Less than 2 months until the baby is due so I’ll have to get started on this later today. The Red Heart isn’t as soft as the other yarn but it’ll have to suffice.

24.06.2014 - started the soot sprites. The bicycles are back to front because I was looking at the chart upside down (chart for the other side). Must remember to do the other side upside down also.

25.06.2014 - finished the soot sprites yesterday, Totoro himself is next. Exciting stuff! Will weave in lots of ends today also, as they are building up fast.

27.06.2014 - Totoros are started but I’m going to have to frog them as some of the floats are really long and I’ve left them too short. I don’t want the blanket all bunched up so will take the time to frog back to the start of this section and begin again.

03.08.2014 - Totoros finished and the centre section finished. The blanket will be very long if I do the 1.5 repeats of the centre section so I’ve just one one repeat. Onto the home strait!

07/08/2014 - 2nd lot of Totoros almost finished. Had to start 2nd ball of mc in the 30th row. Blanket starting to get pretty long!

26.08.2014 - Steeked! In the wash now, ready to block and get it backed with fabric.

31.08.2014 - Well this has been a marathon project. I went into my local fabric shop (The Crafty Fox in Drogheda) and bought fabric and thread on Wednesday, had several goes at putting it together, and finally got it right this morning, so hooray it’s all done!