Our Blanket is COMPLETE!

Woo Hoo! Alert the media! Our blanket is finally finished. :)



It took several years, and several knitters to make our lovely blanket. We should all be proud of the work we have done.

I read the entire journal as I was knitting, and looked at all the sections that were knitted. Such a beautiful experience, seeing the words and handiwork of each of the sweet people who participated in our project.

This was our very first Oddball Blanket, and I started it on February 23rd, 2007.


It then travelled all over the United States to grow a few inches at a time. Each knitter added their own special touch, along with lots of love:


















That last photo shows how it looked when it finally came back to me after all it's travels. I still had quite a bit of work to do to finish it up. A couple sections of the blanket had been worked in a design that was too tight for the blanket, so it was drawing in the sides. So I had to remove those sections, and re-connect the blanket using kitchener stitch. Next, I added a few more sections to get the blanket large enough. Next was the huge task of weaving in all the loose ends. It was a lot of work, but I finally got it done.

Now, our blanket is complete, and ready to give to charity. We've decided to give it to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. It is the poorest spot in the USA. The average life expectancy for residents is only 47 for males and early 50s for women. The unemployment rate is 90% and the teen suicide rate is four times the national average. Basics such as running water, heat and food are scarce for many residents let alone jobs and health care.

I've heard that they really appreciate handmade blankets, so I feel like they are the perfect recipient for our creation!

The Blanket is Back at Shandeh's House

After spending about a month at Cottage Yarn, our blanket grew a tiny bit. We also received 3 skeins of yarn donated from the shop! So, we will use that yarn to work on adding more length to our blanket.

Lestrella (a local member of the Knitting Help Forum) has offered to help knit some, so I'll be getting together with her soon to pass it over.

The Oddball Blanket is at Cottage Yarn!

Our 1st Oddball Blanket is very near completion. Shandeh laid the blanket out on a queen size bed, and realized that we need about 12 more inches to make it full-size.



Since the blanket is so large, it's just too expensive to mail to another knitter. So, she has taken the blanket to her favorite local yarn shop, Cottage Yarn, in Mint Hill, North Carolina. There, visitors can see the blanket, read the journal, and knit a few rows. They can even write a few words in the journal!



So, if you happen to be in North Carolina, go by Cottage Yarn to see our beautiful blanket, before it is given to charity!







(Pardon the quality of these photos - they were taken with my little Sony Clie PDA.)

Getting Final Touches Added!

Our 1st Oddball Blanket has had quite an adventure over the past year. It began in Shandeh's house on February 25th, 2007.


And has grown to a beautiful blanket, handknit by 25 knitters!

We are now finishing up the blanket, weaving in the ends, adding a few more rows of knitting, and adding a border.

Won't it be wonderful to see it complete?

We are really looking forward to giving this handknitted work to charity. :)

22 Knitters Have Created a Beautiful Blanket!

Our 22 knitters have done a BEAUTIFUL job on the 1st Oddball Blanket for charity.

Today, Howdovely and Shandeh met at Starbucks to handoff the blanket.

Our Oddball Blanket is Almost Finished!

Our Oddball Blanket has had a very interesting life, travelling all over the United States. Now, it's back in North Carolina, and is almost complete. :)

Beekaync is currently adding her knitting to the blanket. Soon, it will be back in Shandeh's hands!

Misha rf Finished Her Knitting!

Misha rf had fun doing her part of the Oddball Blanket. She used "Classic Worsted Tapestry" by Universal Yarns, and did a Bamboo Stitch pattern.


Here's a close-up of her stitching: