Lexi's blanket
By marie2052
@marie2052 (3691)
United States
April 5, 2012 7:00pm CST
I know my friends on here have heard me whine over making this blanket. It is for my 9 month old baby granddaughter.
My problems began making this was when I bought the yarn and read the label and followed the size of needles I needed to knit it.
the only one good thing that came of it was I was smart enough to get the needles with the line attached to it so I could make it oversized.
But following the label and getting US #6 knitting needles, goodness it took me forever to knit!
I just finished it Tuesday. Yesterday I actually got to cross stitcch again! I had given up other crafting to finish this piece and it was getting to where it was no longer fun.
But its finished and will be shipped as soon as I get a package of candle tarts in so I can share with my daughter to send in one box.
Oh and by the way, the MINUTE I was done knitting that piece the size 6 needles went in the trash!
NEVER AGAIN will I make a blanket with that size of needle. it was like working with chopsticks it was so small!
Anyone else ever followed a needle size and wish they had used bigger needles?
2 people like this
5 responses
@bretay61 (722)
• United States
6 Apr 12
I knit all the time.All the time making blankets or something.Just finished making a bunch of miniature bunnies,and some crocheted marshmallow peeps for my granddaughters for Easter.I prefer working with a size 8 and up.Size 6 isnt too bad.I hate the 2 and 3's
1 person likes this
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
6 Apr 12
Hi bretay61 And WELCOME TO MYLOT!
It seems like less and less people are knitting and crocheting and cross stitching.
Seems no one has patience and wants it instantly done.
I remember my mom crocheting little bunnies they were cute.
I hear you on the size LOL
I am working on a 9 needle now and I see progress go faster.
My daughter is expecting again so I found this pattern that you use 2 colors of yarn in baby yarn and it is really pretty to see it come together.
I am doing it in aqua,yellow,green and lavender. That makes it gender neutral.
Not sure yet what she is having so I figured those colors would be safe.
The other color being worked with it is an Ivory with a silver thread through it.
I got the aqua one finished 12 squares and have started on the yellow thread now. So I am enjoying this one seeing it go faster than doing the one with the size 6 needle shown ugh!
It seemed to take forever to get it done. It has 6 rolls of yarn.
I learned my lesson LOL
I could not imagine using the smaller needles again.
Let me know when you are making something with them I will pray for you LOL
Have a nice day!
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
11 Apr 12
Did you see the picture of Lexi's blanket I just finished I added here on the discussion.
yes the new one is going to be really pretty. I try to do a square a day at least.
But now that I have finished this one with such tiny needles I am enjoying a few days off and doing cross stitching. that is my first love LOL
I am so glad you are doing crafts with the kids. people do not understand how important it is to do things with their children.
Parents seem to be busier and not spend as much time with their kids.
I still enjoy going out with my son. he is 22 he just got a new fly pole and we went to the gator pond at our state park and he actually caught a blue gill and this blue heron come flying in when it saw the fish on his pole LOL
So we took it off the hook and fed him dinner.
Once we fed him, he was patiently sitting there waiting for my son to catch her another one! those are treasures of life just the little things you do together.
we also got to see our first gator of the year with just his eyes and nose out of the water.
thanks for sharing! I will post a picture under crafts when I get the new blanket finished.
@bretay61 (722)
• United States
7 Apr 12
I love to knit and crochet.Your colors sound really good together.Would love to see a picture.My granddaughters are always finding stuff for me to make.My 10 yr old granddaughter is into sewing.She crochets some.She loves to hand sew an draw.The 7 yr old is into beads and drawing.And neither of them are really into candy too much.So their basket this year I fixed Breannas up with some sewing supplies and Taylors up with some beading supplies.They have the bunnies I made in different sizes.Made them some crocheted marshmallow peeps in different colors.They won't eat marshamllow,lol.This way they can still have some peeps.We are all the time into some craft or another.Nothing like grandbabies.Mine are a little spoiled..lol.Some of the bunnies were made with a size 3.I started a keychain purse with a size 0.Needless to say it's not done.I think I will work on a bigger bag with a bigger needle.lol. A size 8-10 is my favorite size to use.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
6 Apr 12
Even with huge needles, I'd never be able to knit anything like that! I tried knitting as a child - 11-12 - and hated it so I quit. I tried it again in like 2006... after dropping stitches and otherwise messing up, I decided I still hated it and quit again!
My mother tried knitting for a while. She even took a CLASS! she did this one sweater with one pretty normal needle and a HUGE one, I don't think she ever picked up a knitting needle again!
Unlike you, I can't cross stitch huge things either, but I do find small projects very relaxing.
1 person likes this
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
6 Apr 12
Probably if she only used one needle it was crochet. My mom used to crochet and she told me I could not learn because I was left handed. So I never tried.
I should have had you all over for the trashing of tiny needles LOL
We could have turned it into a cupcake and tea party LOLOL
I treat my larger cross stitch projects as a small piece. I can only work on a 10x10 area at a time (100)stitches
I hope to cross stitch a bit this weekend
I am not planning anything big as I have not been feeling well.
have a nice day.
2 people like this
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
22 Apr 12
Just a thought drop them off at a nursing home. Some of the elderly will still craft if given some items.
There is a little lady at my MIL's nursing home she is in. She used to be my mom's roommate and my mother in law would NOT get along with her.
This tiny little lady who has a heart of gold is crippled over sitting in a small wheelchair and her hands are so crippled you would not think she could craft.
She knits slippers. She sells some of them at the craft shows when the home holds them to make a bit of pocket money.
But she wanted a a red, white and blue blanket made for her bed.
She had her needles and the home got her the yarn. This lady made an afghan the size of a twin size bed for her bed.
She has shown me as well as many others that even though you are disabled you can still do something if you want to.
I hope to be like her and knit and cross stitch til I die.
but check in donating them to a senior center or nursing home someone would love to have them.
1 person likes this
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
7 Apr 12
The end result is beautiful and now that it's done, you probably feel it was worth it. You can tell from the picture how tight the weave is. I would never attempt anything like that. My friend's mother tried to teach me to knit, but I never got the hang of it and haven't tried since.
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
11 Apr 12
I got the cast on and how to figure out how to knit but my girlfriend in Canada was always trying to tell me how to do the purl. I even sat and watched videos on the internet, looked at pattern books in the craft stores, and could not for the life of me figure this all out LOL
So last fall there were a group that came to knit, crochet and even cross stitch, and the ladies taught me how to do the purl.
but with my memory loss, I forget with each row what the heck I was doing so I just do the knit stitch and its easy for me.
@fashionfever (2200)
• Indonesia
7 Apr 12
Hello marie2025 two thumbs up for your wonderful blanket. Your granddaughter is lucky to get this blanket, it will make her warm and specially because her grandmother made it with alot of love.
I still not patient enough to make a large item such as blanket, sweater, dress, etc. By the way I dont understand US term of knitting needles? what is size 6 in mm? I have 2,5mm, 4mm, 6mm knitting needles and also 4 mm circular needles + a set of 5 SPN knitting needles size 4mm. I still dont use the 2,5mm knitting needles, it is too small and I find its hard to find the right yarn to knit with this size of needle. I prefer using bulky yarns + 6 mm needles.....faster and easier.
I can understand your frustration of knitting with small size of needles, I dont knit alot but I was trying to make a blanket using afghan/tunisian crochet hook. The needle's label is No.5 so I thought it is 5mm afghan crochet hook but I did not read that the actual size of No.5 is 3.6 mm 
I gave up the blanket. I will make a blanket later when I have a size 6mm or 8mm afghan hook. For now Im focusing on crochet, and lucky I have these size 6mm, 8mm and 10 mm crochet hooks so i can finish my craft faster than when I use a size 2,5mm.
I gave up the blanket. I will make a blanket later when I have a size 6mm or 8mm afghan hook. For now Im focusing on crochet, and lucky I have these size 6mm, 8mm and 10 mm crochet hooks so i can finish my craft faster than when I use a size 2,5mm. 1 person likes this
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
11 Apr 12
Yes there are two different conversions for needles a US 6 knitting needle is a 4mm needle.
My favorite size needles to use are US 9 which would be 5.50 mm to US 10 1/2 which would be 6.50 mm
I really wanted to give up on the blanket several times. It took me longer than it ever did to make any blanket before.
Since you do knitting like me here is a link that you might like I put in my favorites.
http://knitting.about.com/od/toolsandsupplies/a/needlesize.htm
1 person likes this
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
18 Apr 12
When you buy a ball of baby yarn almost all of them say use a US 6 needle.
I am now working a pattern that uses 2 strands of baby yarn and I am working them in 9 needles.
Its the first time I tried using two strands together and the squares are turning out beautiful.
I am making it in aqua, mint green,yellow, and lavender. The second yarn that goes with each is a ivory baby yarn with a silver thread through it. My daughter is expecting again so I am doing this one off a pattern but I am not real good at knitting by a pattern so I just figured out how to make it myself LOL
Sorry we don't live close or I would offer to show you.
Good Luck I looked at pattern books, and videos and not much helped me. My girlfriend from Canada set on the phone and taught me LOL
I am fortunate she was VERY patient.
@fashionfever (2200)
• Indonesia
12 Apr 12
Thank you for the link, I just started the knitting lesson from youtube because I dont have anyone to teach in real life and the link is very useful. I'll take a big note not to knit a blanket using the small size of needles.1 person likes this
@rewardsinlife (1132)
• United States
6 Apr 12
I started on size 7 with a project, and never finished, so good for you for sticking it out! I think long projects are the hardest because you can't see the results as fast. I personally like to make scarfs because I can whip them out fast! One thing that you can be sure of is that I am sure the baby will LOVE the warmth of the blanket, and your daughter will be grateful for your hard work that you have put into the blanket. I am sure it will be treasured for years to come!
1 person likes this
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
11 Apr 12
Thanks rewardsinlife how kind of you in your comments.
Yes I threw those needles away LOL
I am on to a new baby blanket that is in squares.
My daughter is expecting again so I am doing another blanket LOL
But I am doing it on size 9 knitting needles so I am progressing nicely.
And it does not feel like a chore to work on.
