Bind-off blues

So near, and yet so far! Casting off a large project can be a uniquely frustrating process. There’s only one more row to go, but there’s a good chance that row will take forever. In this case I’m three hours in and barely halfway through, but the finished effect is definitely worth the effort.

My Hemlock Ring Blanket has ended up with a contrasting colour for the cast-off-that-never-ends, partly as a design feature, but mostly out of necessity. Despite doing a bunch of maths before I started – with a calculator and everything! – I ran out of yarn.

Still, I like the way the blue brings out the best in the green, raising it from a sludgy moss colour to something a bit more summery. Three more hours and this little blanket will finally be off the needles…

A little bit of history

One of my favourite things about knitting is its links to the past. The women in previous generations of my family were keen knitters, and many of the patterns they used are not only still available, but also still usable.

Given the number of technologies and systems that have fallen in and out of favour even during my lifetime – MiniDiscs, anyone? – that feels like quite a feat.

So today I’ve cast on a pattern originally published by The Canadian Spool Cotton Company in 1942. It’s the Hemlock Ring Doily Throw, turned from a vintage doily into a modern throw by designer Jared Flood. 40 rounds in and it’s knitting up nicely.