I want to knit an afghan for my son. I’m thinking something like a cable sampler…picture a large rectangle with various cables running its lenth. (I tried knitting plain squares and quickly realized I might die of boredom if I don’t do some sort of pattern.)
I can’t decide whether to knit it in one big whopping go, or to go with a knit-a-scar strategy, with many “scarves” that, unfortunately, I’d then have to sew together.
I’ll probably use Cascades yarn, I think about a size 7 or so needle. I’m not a tiny-needle knitter, and definitely don’t enjoy using anything bigger than about a
10.
Anyways, ideas or input? I haven’t knitting anything this big before.
No time for elaboration right now, but some considerations:
- How much do you hate seaming?
- How good are you at seaming?
- Is this supposed to be a portable project that you can knit while you have a spare moment on the train/waiting for appointments, or something that will stay at home?
I hate seaming. I’d be willing to pay a friend to do it for me, though.
Undecided about the portability thing…not too important, I guess. Socks are usually my takealong project. I’m mostly concerned that if I do the scarf approach, I’ll end up using too many colors and it will be too busy. Of course, if I knit in one big wack and one color, I might get bored…but if I pick a color I really like I think I can stand it as long as I have a pattern going.
If you have a portable project, I’d do it in one go. If you use variegated yarn it would be less boring – or you could do stripes, either with different colors or different stitches so there are textural changes. There are plenty of books that feature nothing but different types of stitches. I’d be glad to recommend a couple if you don’t already have some.
I’m currently making an afghan for my at-home project, in a make-it-up-as-I-go-along project. Size 8 needles, worsted weight superwash wool in about eight different colors. Probably should have done a slightly heavier wool. I’m doing rectangles in different stitches, color patterns, and picking up edge of one square to do the next. Here’s what I’ve got so far. (That big teal rectangle in the middle actually has my initials in it in reverse stockinette.)
ETA: Here’s the first afghan I made – three colors, done in sections and seamed.
If you hate seaming and you don’t need to have a portable project, I would definitely go for doing it one piece.
I love the look of this “half log cabin” blanket (free pattern)
I’m thinking about this one. It’s on ravelry.com, and I don’t know if it’ll show up if you aren’t a member…
Ravelry: Bramble Border Cable Throw pattern by Joan Barnett
I think sticking with one color would be better for me…once I start throwing colors together things can get ugly fast. 
I am a member so it’s all good. It’s a very attractive pattern – if it appeals to you, then go for it!
Curious though, I’m not much of a knitter - how do you cast on such a wide piece? With giant circulars?
That’s what I would do. The pattern calls for a 40" needle. I have interchangeable circulars with various cord lengths, so I would use a circular with a 40" cord. Also, a benefit of doing a blanket on circulars instead of straights is that the weight of the blanket hangs in the middle and in your lap, instead of pulling on the end of the needles - it’s easier on my wrists.
Note that the blanket size is 51.5" by 69". But it can fit on a 40" needle because the stitches squish together on the needle.
I would do that blanket in all one solid or maybe semi-solid color (not variegated), and in a lighter color yarn. That way the cables will show up better. In a dark yarn it will be harder to see the cables but it might still look good. With a variegated or hand-painted yarn, it’s really hard to see the cables - you want to be able to show off your work to it’s best advantage!