On the Knitting Needles: New Project and Helpful Ideas from an Expert

January means the start of new projects. This winter, I've decided to tackle Knitting an afghan for us. While I've made two baby blankets (given away) and one graduation blanket that went off to college with L, I've never made a "big project" just for me to keep.
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With perfect timing, my favorite Knitting Shops is having their annual sale of 20% off everything. Too good of a deal to pass up. In fact, I think I might go back next week to stock up my "stash" of yarn for some other projects I've got stirring in my head.

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The pattern I'm using I found on a free knitting pattern website and uses just the purl and knit stitches. It's called the Reversible Square in a Square pattern and is very similar to the basket weave pattern I've used for scarfs.

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As a bonus, my salesperson at the Yarn Shop gave me some excellent ideas to make the project easier and the finishing more precise.

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1. Use Circular Needles instead of Straight. With 134 stitches cast on and the size 40 X 50 finished , my shoulders will get a lot less stress with circular needles as I won't be moving my whole arm to knit. I'll be making shorter moves with just my wrist. Hello Circular Needles.

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2. When I go to change skeins of yarn, do it right before the ribbing. The pattern calls for K4 on both sides so if I switch right before I knit four the "bump" will not be noticeable. No ends trying to stick out on the edge, it will be perfect.

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3. Write my pattern out on index cards, one row at a time. Because the pattern is a 40 row pattern that repeats don't try to look at a big sheet of paper to find the exact row you are knitting; flip through a set of index cards bound together. That way, I just open to row 4 and know exactly what to do. With my row counter on the end, I should be able to take this project anywhere and know exactly what row I'm on and what I need to "do"

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4. Use one size smaller needles to start the project and then to finish the project. My pattern called for size 9 to start with size 10 for the remainder of the project. It did not, however, tell me to do that when I finish and bind off. She recommended that I use 9's to start and then for the last six rows of knit I use 9 again to bring the project back to shape.

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I left the store with my bag of gorgeous yarn and a bundle of great suggestions to make this project the smoothest yet. Now if you wonder where I am this winter, just imagine me sitting in my family room with the fireplace roaring (it's gas, but I imagine the crackle) sitting in my chair knitting away.

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Perfection.