Welcome, sturdy blanketeer. It takes a special breed to know the joys of the long-haul knitting project. How’s it going? What’s working? Looking for help?
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Hello Hello Hello!
My Station Wagon kit arrived yesterday and not a moment too soon. I am very grateful to have time in the lounge, I’m assured I won’t be alone here for long!
So I’ve cast on and I’m getting gauge on 9’s.
In keeping with the vibe of the blanket I’m using Susan Bates Circlon needles in some pink Bakelite derivative.
KT
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KT! I’ve started my blanket, too, and I wish I’d gone with size 9s. I think I’m going to start over—the current block I’m making looks and feels exactly like a potholder. Way too dense.
Your needles are deeply, deeply admirable.
The station wagon of my youth was my mom’s Chevrolet 1972 Kingswood Estate. Navy blue, as long as a hearse, the car I learned to drive in. Huge. I don’t think we ever used the seat belts.
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I found that 9s give me a very blankety fabric that I don’t have to fight on the needles. I do plan on soaking the pieces then doing the old drain and spin (my favorite technique for blocking non-fussy stuff) before seaming. Speaking of seams…How are you feeling about center seams? I’m wondering if I want to make 7 long strips instead of 14 short ones. I’m pretty certain the only difference is looks. And less 3 needle bind off. I cannot imagine that have longer seams impacts anything.
Thoughts? Anecdotes? suggestions?
I definitely kept going into block 2 without binding off. The short strips are more portable, but I knit at home so what do I care!? Let it flow . . .
Also, I am experimenting with the shocking concept of spit splicing the yarn color changes. Not sure it is easier than weaving in all the ends. But there’s something nice about finishing a block and being DONE.
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I have my kit and my pattern, but I am forcing myself to NOT cast on until I finish my current blanket project. The struggle really is real. I can find all sorts of reasons to start this blanket post haste - with one of my high schoolers planning to manage the basketball team and the other planning to try out for the basketball team (at two different high schools, thankyouverymuch!), I foresee a lot more time in the car over the next few months, and this blanket would just be perfect for driving around in what will surely be a cold New England winter.
I’m paying attention to those who are knitting the blocks as per the instructions and those who are knitting two blocks together (one long strip), because I’m curious as to whether it makes much difference in the finished product.
I’m also wondering, for those of you who have started, whether you are tracking rows by counting garter ridges, or whether you are using a counter. I think either way works, but each time I use one method, I find myself miscounting and wishing I’d used the other method, which suggests it’s just my own little brain glitch.
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That was my thought, too. That said we have the first 4 (half) strips done, but will proceed with the double longs…
Hi all,
I started my blanket last week. I have one block done, washed and blocking. I’m knitting on 7’s - my gauge got much looser when I switched to continental knitting. I’m going ahead with the 14 blocks. But I am spit splicing as I go, so no ends to weave in. So far, so good!
I immediately fell in love with this blanket. The description brought me back to the 60’s/70’s when my family always had two Country Squire station wagons - needed to cart all 8 kids and 2 parents around. It made me think of the family vacation drive from Michigan to Cape Cod in '69 and watching the moon walk, and the family weekends at the lake and up north, and going to drive-in movies. Can’t wait to have this done!
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I started my blanket on Halloween. I have a test knit (cardigan) that I really should be spending all my knitting time on, but this project keeps sucking me in. So far, I’ve finished 2 each of block 1 and 3 and 1 of block 2. I was worried when I finished my first block 1 and had used so much indigo, but at this point I have more than 1.5 skeins left, so I should be able to use the indigo for i-cord trim as the pattern specifies.
To keep track of the pattern, I paid close attention to the ridge count for the first of each block. After that, I use the completed blocks as my “pattern”. They are easy enough to read, and the little booklet always was folding shut on me, so no hands required.
I think I will do my 3 needle bind off from the right side so that I will have nice, neat stripes crossing on the front and all the color change purl bumps on the back. Anyone else trying it this way?
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Clearly Ann is the clever kid in the class. Spit splicing didn’t occur to me. I am however, on color changes, knitting the first stitch if the new color normally, then knitting 4 or 5 stitches with the tail and working yarn held together. Then after blocking I can snip the tail and have 50% less weaving.
I am knitting the sections as one long strip. For strips 2 and 3 I think I’m going old school -2 long strips at a time. It’s how I do sleeves and it works well for me. Plus, this was never going to be a portable project for me, so why not have it be less so. The StationARY Wagon Blanket🤓.
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I count the ridges. And we’re going to the 1 strip method. I also have thoughts on how to join with a garter ridge between each long strip.
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It’s like a recipe that everybody is modifying to suit their taste-- exactly as it should be.
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Please note the pattern update here
Updated instructions for Block 2 of the blanket. Here is the correction:
Page 28, column 2, line 1: Add asterisk before “With E.”
Page 28, column 2, line 3: Delete asterisk before “With B.”
Page 28: Delete line 11, “With E, knit 16 rows (8 ridges).”
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Thanks Nell! Your timing was perfect. I had just knit the corrected section. Luckily no ripping involved.
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Of course you didn’t use seat belts!! No one did! Especially not when there were literally a dozen kids smooshed into that thing – I think we were human airbags, especially in the way back holding section, scrunched up as small as possible.
Although a NYC kid I was lucky enough to have many summers away (a bungalow colony), where I was immersed in the ways and culture of suburban America.
(Apparently those bungalow colonies were special places based on FB posts from many city folks who moved to suburbia yet still miss our little colony.)
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I will admit here, in the safety of MDK, that it took a view viewings of the original display blanket before I understood the name of this project. But once I did: BRILLANT! And perfect. Thanks for all the memories it evoked.
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I’m swatching away trying to get gauge. I’ve tried 7, 8, 9, 10 and trying 10.5.
And I must confess, I just couldn’t use the violet so after ordering 3 different teal colors, I chose Aztec turquoise.
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Since it’s a blanket, I’d go with the swatch I like the best in terms of the way the fabric feels and handles. In the photo the one in the upper right corner looks perfect.
This yarn, in garter stitch, grows quite a bit when you block and wash it, too.
Can’t wait to see that Aztec Turquoise stripe!
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Thanks Kay! That’s the 10. I think. I’m pretty sure. I just threw them on the coffee table to take the picture! It is the most blankety. Whew. Now I can start the blanket, finally. I’ll take pictures when I get to the turquoise.
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I ran out of yarn on my current WIP and the additional skeins that I need to complete it haven’t arrived yet, so Station Wagon Blanket knitting began today. I’m loving it!
My design choices:
- Ordered the kit from MDK, so colors as indicated in the pattern.
- Slipping edge stitches to make assembly easier.
- Knitting long strips.
- Weaving in ends; tried spit splicing but it was too bulky. This is difficult to do with singles yarn.
- Using mystery needles - I know they are larger than US6. I believe they are US7, but I can’t find my needle gauge. I like the fabric and I am getting gauge, so they are working.
I love the colors of this blanket. The muted palette has a lovely vintage feel. However, if this is a success, I could see making it in other colors for my kids. It would be lovely to send my two 15 year olds off to college with this blanket, in their favorite colors or their high school or college colors. (And, I have over two years to complete them, lol!)
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