theraineysisters knitting and so much more

February 15, 2010

From Susan — Surrounded!

Filed under: Surrounded — lv2knit @ 10:52 pm

Hello!  Now that I am back from the virtual dead, it’s time to post!  And I do have some news to share.

Last fall, I came up with an idea for an afghan, charity square, scarf — really anything square or rectangular — that would be edged in built-in i-cord.  Built in from start to finish, so that when the project was done, it was done.  I submitted the design to Knitty — they did not outright reject me, but rather placed me “on hold” for a possible future issue.  Okay.  I can wait (she taps toe impatiently). 

Surly suggested that I check out KnitPicks to see if they accepted design submissions, since I had used their Swish Bulky yarn for the prototype.   Talk about crazy timing!  KnitPicks had just started an Independent Designer Partnership.  And the rest as they say is history! 

Introducing my new design, the Surrounded Afghan and Lap Robe:


Surrounded Afghan in KnitPicks Swish Bulky, Color Adobo (now unavailable)

The design is available immediately on Ravelry and will be on KnitPicks by this Thursday.  If Sally and I can figure it out, it will also be available for purchase here as well.  The price?  A measley $1.99.  That’s right — not even 2 bucks!

Unfortunately, the color I used had been discontinued SO I needed to re-knit the design. I decided to make the Lap Robe in Swish Worsted so I could actually test knit both items.  They take the same amount of knitting, but the sizes are different: 30×42 inches (lap robe), 40×52 inches (afghan).


Surrounded Lap Robe in Clematis Heather Worsted

The Lap Robe would also serve as a baby blanket if the color was right…


Surrounded Baby Blanket in Bok Choy Worsted

Sally made this for her son for Christmas and served as a test knitter for me.  Yes, this is the afghan she was secretly working on!!  She could not share it at the time.  Well, her son LOVES it — he will not take it off.  Honest.  He wanders the house with his crutches and the afghan draped around him like a cape:


Isn’t he adorable?

And the other gorgeous child of my sissy, shown here “knitting” on it to “help” Sally finish:

And here is my daughter modelling the afghan:

This has really been a family affair!  We are all surrounded by Surrounded!

PS: Who is the worst sister ever? 

C’est moi!  I forgot Surly’s birthday yesterday!  Because I had already sent her present (the crocheted “sugar” bowl), I had mentally checked it as ‘done.’  Au contraire, Forgetful One!!  I am so, so sorry!  Will you forgive me??

In the spirit of not forgetting birthdays: Happy Birthday, Jena!  You are the sweetest, most beautiful 15-year-old ever!

PS2: Several of you asked to see the reverse side — it is not reversible, but this is the back of a sample I knit in Pastaza (I have not gotten my afghans back yet from KnitPicks):

29 Comments »

  1. Bingo!!!! I’ve been looking for something to make my mother-in-law for a big birthday this May. I need something interesting to knit, of a yarn she can mishandle, and which they can easily pack when they move cross country this year. Not an easy task (or an easy lady to please, for that matter). Perfect, perfect, perfect!! I’ll start it right after the Olympics.

    Comment by KateMet — February 15, 2010 @ 11:24 pm

  2. Beeyoutiful! I’m buying it immediately. And what a tremendously good-looking bunch of offspring between the two of you. Good designing – afghan AND kids!

    Comment by Emm — February 15, 2010 @ 11:41 pm

  3. Wonderful, wonderful! And I love Swish, too.

    Comment by Chery — February 15, 2010 @ 11:55 pm

  4. I love it! Faved it all over the place in Rav already. And right to my queue!

    Comment by dclulu — February 16, 2010 @ 12:33 am

  5. Wow! So polished. I don’t knit big projects but if I did — this would be it!

    Comment by Chloe — February 16, 2010 @ 1:31 am

  6. Wow congratulations! I know you must be tickled to death to have it published and shared this way. The design is just beautiful. Is it very hard to make? I am a new knitter. I have made a couple of hats and scarves. Do you think I can handle this pattern? Thanks:)

    Comment by Peggy — February 16, 2010 @ 7:41 am

  7. Very lovely. Such a classic item.

    Comment by Gale — February 16, 2010 @ 8:38 am

  8. Beautiful afghan. Just added one more project to my list. Oh well, knitters aren’t happy unless we have multiple projects going at once.

    Comment by Snowbird — February 16, 2010 @ 8:47 am

  9. Beautiful……I can’t wait to see the pattern up on Ravelry….

    Comment by Diane — February 16, 2010 @ 9:10 am

  10. So cozy! Congratulations, you author you!

    Comment by jess — February 16, 2010 @ 9:24 am

  11. purchased within a minute of reading this post yesterday! what a wonderful pattern, i can’t wait to make it.

    Comment by Lori — February 16, 2010 @ 9:25 am

  12. This is fabulous, Susan! A great new technique and wonderful options for sizing. Congratulations!

    Comment by twinsetellen — February 16, 2010 @ 9:57 am

  13. I love it! Must make it! Will you show us a picture of the reverse side?

    Comment by Mary C — February 16, 2010 @ 10:41 am

  14. Just beautiful…Knitty’s loss (what were they thinking?…it’s gorgeous!). I love the sizing options…it’s definitely on my short-list! Thanks so much for sharing your talent and expertise!

    Comment by Maureen — February 16, 2010 @ 10:56 am

  15. I love the blanket, and like many others, immediately bought the pattern. It’s interesting because in the red and greeny/gold colors, I saw a cable pattern and in the purple color, I saw something more like squares. Now I see that it really is all the same, but my eyes play tricks on me. 🙂

    Comment by danielle — February 16, 2010 @ 12:26 pm

  16. I love it! I second the request for a picture of the reverse, and would love a vague estimate of how long it would take a knitter to do. I know you’d have to take a guess, but it would help! Longer than a sweater, for example?

    Comment by bethh — February 16, 2010 @ 1:43 pm

  17. I love it, bought and am going to add it to my que once the Olympics are over. Need a baby blanket for June shower and a housewarming gift for August.

    Beautiful

    Comment by Lynn — February 16, 2010 @ 3:07 pm

  18. Very nice and wonderfully cozy looking!

    Happy birthday to Surly. 🙂

    Comment by Romi — February 16, 2010 @ 4:09 pm

  19. Congrats, Susan, on a great pattern! I just plunked down my measly $1.99 on Ravelry for the download. I love doing attached i-cord, so it will be interesting to work the built-in i-cord as the project is knitted.

    We had 12.5 inches of snow late last week (I know, it’s a mere sprinkling of snow for Minnesota and for D.C. this year), but it was an all-time snowfall record for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I could have used a Surrounded Afghan to warm myself each time I came in from knocking the wet snow accumulations off of my trees to keep the branches from breaking.

    Mary G. in Texas

    Comment by Katie's Granny — February 16, 2010 @ 4:45 pm

  20. It’s lovely and really like the idea of being done done when the knitting is done.
    Thank you for sharing.

    Comment by Kelle — February 16, 2010 @ 5:03 pm

  21. Already hopped over to Ravelry, purchased, and downloaded the pattern! I can’t wait to knit it!!

    Comment by Michelle — February 16, 2010 @ 6:34 pm

  22. Hi Susan,

    Congrats on your design being accepted! How could it not; it is just amazing!

    Comment by Eryka Jackson — February 16, 2010 @ 6:56 pm

  23. Wow! I can honestly say this is the first afghan I’ve loved at first sight! Can’t wait to knit one!

    Comment by Kym — February 16, 2010 @ 8:04 pm

  24. I have purchased and downloaded the pattern from Ravelry and will next order the yarn. Congratulations on having your pattern accepted and published. Can’t wait to start on this project.

    Comment by Kathy — February 17, 2010 @ 10:27 am

  25. Susan- Congratulations- well done you!

    Comment by Lorraine — February 17, 2010 @ 11:03 am

  26. A beautiful blanket! Thank you!

    Comment by Jan — February 17, 2010 @ 5:06 pm

  27. What the heck do you mean it isn’t reversible? I think the back looks mighty fine. Lovin’ this afghan and I thought I’d never consider a knitted afghan, I’m re-thinking my opinion about that. :o)

    Comment by TracyGP — February 20, 2010 @ 10:10 pm

  28. I have downloaded the Surrounded pattern from KnitPicks. I wondered if the afghan would work up alright using cotton yarn instead of wool and perhaps in a worsted weight, not bulky?

    I absolutely love the look of this afghan and can’t wait to get started!

    Thank you.

    Comment by LeesaT — August 23, 2010 @ 10:46 am

  29. I can’t wait to start working on this afghan! But, I am really confused about the provisional cast on. Could you maybe post a video showing how to do this? I think this would really help.

    Thanks!
    Vicky

    Comment by Vicky — April 23, 2011 @ 11:37 pm

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