Last Minute gift WIP

[countingsheep]

Hello everyone! Well, this is just too much fun and I'm so glad that I found this site.

I need some positive feedback on my current WIP. A little over two weeks ago, my baby brother (OK, he's 35 but still!) announced that he was getting married! Wonderful news but... not much time to knit a gift. My idea was a throw so I've been knitting in every spare minute to finish it. He does cross-stitch so he will appreciate the time, effort and love that goes into a gift like this!

I am using two strands of yarn - Lion Brand Homespun and Caron "Pounds of Love". The LB is a verigated called "Corinthian" with red, gold, purple, green, blue... rich fall colors! And the Caron is a cranberry color. I'm using size 15 circular needles. I cast on 85 stitches to start.

The pattern is fairly simple: Knit first and last 8 rows for border
RS rows - knit all stitches
WS rows - k4, *P2, K3*, repeat until last 6 stitches then P2, K4
The finished product SHOULD have a garter stitch border with knit and purl rows running up and down the throw.

So.. that's the idea. It's a fairly good idea too but I've had those little brain blips where I botch the pattern and have to fix it on the next row. And I have to fix them because they mess up the flow if I don't! Anyway, the wedding is tomorrow and I am down to the last 5 inches! The total size will be 48"x60". I swear, I will finish this throw and have it washed, dried and gift wrapped before I go to bed tonight but... I am feeling some self-doubt creeping in.

You know, "what was I thinking?" "is this a stupid idea?" "will I ever finish?" "wonder why I dream that I'm knitting every night?"

So... I am being pitiful and needy and have no friends who knit and wonder if any of you have ever felt this way about a gift project. And, if I need a good solid slap, a fellow knitter is the one to administer it!

So... I'm Angela and that's my story.

From one Angelia (ignore the spelling) to another:

*loving slap*

The brain blips are just the result of pressure; you're having to rush to finish. But it's okay--it happens to us all. (Even when some of us aren't in a hurry!!)

You can finish this afghan--you're almost there!! And it will be loverly--those colors sound just beautimous!!

And how sweet of you to give them something they can snuggle under together! It's not a stupid idea at all, and your brother will so appreciate this because he knows what every stitch means.

You can do it, you can do it!!

(BTW, Welcome!! )

[Ingrid]

WHAT'RE WAITING FOR!!!! KNIT THAT SUCKER!!! MOVE! MOVE!

Sometimes you've got to be tough.

You could just make it a little shorter.

You'll be soooo glad when it's all done and you can present it with pride--it'll be worth all the angst!

[KnitStreet]

I am trying to finish 3 prayer shawls for 3 wonderful senior ladies who came to my rescue last month. I appreciate that they came during the day and took care of me while my husband worked. Because they were so willing to share of themselves and time it kept me from having to be placed in a rehabilitation center for 4-6 week while I recuperated from surgery. I'd like to give these shawl for a Christmas present. I'm trying to improve my seed stitch it just looks so ratty. Do you have any suggestions for a seed stitch that does not look uniform? The knit and purl stitches are fine. It's somewhere in between that I'm messing up. :thinking:

[rebecca]

I had 2..TWO..."oh we decided to go ahead & get married, we've been engaged so long" fast family weddings this summer...did afghans for both...after THAT & having done nothing but 99% of my knitting for other since I began in June 2004 (happily, by the way) I decided that I was NO LONGER knitting for others, rather for me & my husband & that's it....WOW..IT REALLY FELT GOOD, TOO!! So on Sept 15 I began knitting for us and I'm loving it...all of the projects that I have bought yarn for are beginning to get done & I will be happily knitting exclusively for us for a while...bc I have a LOT of yarn that I bought for these projects :rofling: !! I do love to knit for others, but it's sure fun to knit for me, too