Eskimo Blanket

Last year I found this picture somewhere online:

Those of you who know me also know that I have a soft spot for elefants. I really liked the colours on this one, so I decided to use them as an inspiration for a blanket for my bedroom.

I used the squares in this pattern but with a bulky yarn and thick needles.

I weighed the yarn while knitting, so that I started off knitting the inner colour in 25 grams, before I changed and added 25 grams of the outer colour. This way I minimized the waste of yarn.

Then I knitted one garter ridge in white, before I bound off and crocheted one round of double crochet, joining the squares as i crocheted.

Finally I crocheted three rounds of double crochet around the whole blanket for edging, the first and third in white, the middle round using all the little bits of colour I had left from the squares.

The result was a really warm blanket to keep me warm during the coldest winter nights!
Pattern: my own inspired by this Drops pattern
Yarn: Drops Eskimo
Needles: 8mm
Measurements: 130x190cm (51"x75")
Weight: 1445grams
I also wanted something to put on the wall over the bed, in matching colours, so I started making this quilt out of bits and pieces I had stashed through the years. I used all my whites and naturals, ranging from rough linen to fine lace, and combined them with a few splashes of colour here and there.

Some places I ironed the lace onto sturdier fabric, if the lace was too fine.

I'm quite happy with the result, and now I'm just waiting for the quilting mojo to return so I can finish it and get it up on the wall!

And when my painting mojo comes, I will paint the elephant onto a huge canvas and hang it on the wall too.
But for now I'm mostly knitting. Here's how far I've come on my cumulus. I had to order more yarn, so it has been put on hold for a few days.

And of course there are flowers to look at.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go bask in the sun!