Summer knits

I've been scouring the internet, printing out free patterns for my ever-growing collection. The only problem with this is that I want to make every pattern that I print out... right now. Of course I know I can't have 80 different projects going at once, but still... it's nice to dream.

My shawl is going great, I'm almost finished with my 3rd skein of yarn. It's turning into a skein a week really. Or around that. So only another month to go before it's all finished. Yay!

I've also started looking into charity knitting. Mainly preemie and chemo caps. I found some really great patterns HERE for chemo caps. Most of the time if you knit the caps and donate them to your local knitting store they'll be able to get them to the people who need them most.

Speaking of knitting stores... the past two Fridays I've been taking part in the Girl's Night Out at my local store. What it is, basically, is that on Friday nights, from 7 til 9, the store, I'd Rather Be Knitting, opens their doors to anyone who wants to come, chat and knit. I suppose technically you should work on something that you bought from that store, and I have been, but the friends I've brought with haven't. But no one has complained, so all is well. But I can't go this week, I work until 7 and there isn't enough time, and probably not enough energy, for me to get there.

Last week one of the women told me about the corner to corner baby blanket she was making. Or as she called it the "Any dumbass can do it baby blanket." Basically the pattern is as follows:

CO 5 Sts
Row 1: Knit(K) across
Row 2: K3, yo, K across
Row 3: K3, yo, K across
Repeat these 2 rows until the blanket is as wide as you want it. Then begin the decreases.
Row 1: K2, K2tog, yo, K2tog, K across
Row 2: K2, K2tog, yo, K2tog, K across
Repeat until there are 7 sts left, then K2, K2tog, K2tog, K1.
Knit across remaining 5 sts
BO

If you use the right yarn, such as a varigated or make it a scrap blanket, it looks far more impressive than it really is. I'm going to make it with size 11 needles, using Homespun yarn in a light blue and a cool charcoal like color.