Harper's baby blanket

Harper and her friend, Rachael came over the other night.  They have a friend who is pregnant and far enough along to know she is carrying a boy.  Both of them want to make something for the baby before October when he is due.

We had no problem choosing something for Rachael as she is an experienced crocheter and found yarn in my stash and decided to make a rhinoceros with the yarn and immediately started her project.

Harper and I found yarn that we liked and I cast on for her and she knitted a part of a row.  But at the end of the evening I was not satisfied with the project we had chosen so I looked again in my stash and still was not sold on any project for Harper.  She wants to knit a blanket.  I want it to be machine washable and pretty enough that she won't loose interest.  I think we need to choose a project with larger needles than the one we chose so it will go more quickly,  So after a thorough search for yarn in my stash, I decided to go see Jonathan at the Blue Ewe to see what he has on hand that might be suitable.

The pattern Harper and I had chosen last night was Garter Block Baby Blanket by Meg Hollar.  Sarah and I had made this baby blanket for my Mary's twins six years ago and they turned out aok.  Meg's pattern takes 650 yards of yarn and is knit on size 10 and 1/2 needles.  I am not convinced that Sarah and I knit on that large of needles nor that we used Bulky yarn so perhaps we made a different version of this pattern.,

It is an easy pattern but not totally mindless as there is a bit of counting that needs to happen.   I am also going to add a couple of patterns below that we considered because of nice color selections 

So I am organizing what I looked at at the Blue Ewe so that I can show Harper what I felt were the best choices that Jonathan carries.

Queensland Fair Isle is an Australian 

And below is a sample that shows what a larger piece of fabric might look like:

And then a photo of a pattern called Bondi by Susan Claudio that might appeal to Rachael in this yarn

The Queensland yarn is 75% super wash wool and 25 % nylon and comes in 246 yard ball.  They suggest 7 to 9 knitting needles.  

Queensland also has solids in 100% Cotton knit on size 7-9 needles with 185 yards of yarn and can be machine washed.

Below is th shelf with the Coastal Cotton selection:

Probably Jonathan's favorite suggestion was Cascade Cherub Aran Prints.  It is a Nylon/Acrylic yarn knits on size 7-8 needles.  Machine Washable. 240 yards

And here is what they look like knit up:  Top one is Colorway 701.  Botton one is 702.  The lady who knitted it complained that the yarn was not very thick.

 

The next yarn I looked at is Araucania Alsa.  I was unable to find it on Ravelry.  It is a lighter weight that the others have been but it is very pretty.

It knits on size 5-7

And last but not least is Cascade Elysian6

It is 60 percent Merino and 40% Acrylic.  It knit on size 9 needles.  Johnathan had a t-shrit made out of it on the wall.  It is bulky and is knit on size 9 needles.  Here are colors available.  It is Superwash Merino

My new Blue Ewe project

 I am almost finished with both of my Blue Ewe projects.  So on Wednesday I bought yarn for the third project that I will be knitting on Wednesday afternoons this summer.  The pattern that I chose is The Loop.  The yarn that I chose is