Playing With Blocks....

I've learned a lot about knitting a square this past year while a member of the Ravelry group Baker's Dozen. It's a simple idea, each month you knit/crochet a block for a specific person and each person ends up with 12 blocks to make a blanket. Each square must be 12x12 inches. So, the first lesson you learn is gauge so that you end up with a 12x12 square. Will this pattern give a little in the blocking, is the yarn forgiving, do I make everyone a different pattern or use the same one for each square???? These are all questions that you ask as you sit down to a relatively simple task.

One of the main stays in conversation on the chat board is ideas about new patterns. As many people in my group crocheted, I actually started to enjoy that art form again and did a few small crochet projects over the year. However, for those of us that knit, Nicky Epstein to the rescue with her newest book, Knitting Block by Block.

This is a lovely hardbound book with 150 different block patterns inside the covers. Now these are not just any blocks, lest we forget this book's author doesn't do anything halfway. These blocks are works of art. There is applique, cables, colorwork, entrelac, and if you like applied i-cord this book is your new best friend. Nicky has given us enough new ideas to mix and match to our hearts content and several patterns with which to use the blocks if you're stuck for a project. I like to think of this book as a stitchionary, except for blocks. Truly endless ideas await you.

Now, back to the Baker's Dozen group. Yesterday, I received my last square and low and behold, as if by magic, my dear group member, Jennifer had knit for me a block called Cathedral Windows - straight out of Nicky's book. It is a lovely shade of teal with multi-colored edging. Beautiful work, Jen - thanks! In the book this block is shown as part of a pattern for a lovely cropped vest. I think it would work perfectly in the Autumn with a long sleeved tee, some jeans and boots. Just a thought as to what the Knitty Scribe might be wearing in the coming season.

Well, Nicky has come through once again - many thanks. And to Jennifer, your hard work is going to make a lovely pillow to accent the rest of my blanket and will be properly used in my studio when I'm cuddling up on the chase to knit and read - many, many thanks!! And to all my Baker's Dozen group - it has been a pleasure working and getting to know you all. Have a lovely summer, thank you for all your work on my behalf and I hope to see you around in September when we start up once again. Peace and joy to you all....

Knit On, Read On....
The Knitty Scribe