The last time I posted about this blanket was on the 20th June 2016. This is where I was up to at that time.
Then my needles broke 😦
Before starting this project I looked long and hard at all the available needles and these ones had great reviews. They’re called Symfonie by Knit Pro and they’re not cheap but I think you usually get what you pay for. The fact that they’ve snapped is no reflection on their quality in my opinion. It was the sheer weight of the knitting that caused the end bit to break free.
I got in a proper purple pickle (a phrase coined by my great friend Allison) when, on the most complicated twisty row, 30 stitches pinged off in all directions as the wire went BOING with a mind of its own! I managed to lean over and message my OH with my little finger while hanging on for dear life, not wanting any more stitches to drop off the wire or, allow any of the ones that were already enjoying their freedom, to run any further. Thank goodness for smartphones! I was holding my breathe. One wrong move and I knew I’d lose the lot. With the help of my knight in shining armour and a second pair of hands I eventually managed to get every dropped stitch safely onto a spare needle temporarily and breathe again. Phew! The task of actually sorting out the stitches in the pattern took a good couple of hours but all is well that ends well. No damage done.
I’ve saved the bits of needles and will superglue them when I need them for a lighter weight project. I’ve bought the same needles again, except in purple this time, and hope they hold together until I’m finished. I might not be so lucky next time.
By now, if you’ve waded through all the above, you’ll want to see where I’m up to. 
As you can see, it hasn’t just been sitting in a cupboard for 20 months. I’ve been picking it up and doing a bit here and there during the colder months but can’t bear to sit under it and knit when it’s too warm. I’ll try to get as much done as possible before May….this year.
Do you have any long term knitting WIPs? I bet I’m not the only one.
Sewing Beside the Sea 
Ginny @ Mytimestitching .com
/ February 19, 2018Wow! You were knitting like crazy to break your needle, LOL. So glad that you were able to get all those stitches back onto a needle with no problem. What a disaster it could have been. The blanket is gorgeous! Can’t wait to see it all finished. Me, have long term projects laying around?? Ha! I don’t really have any knitting projects except to use up my stash. But I do have cross stitch projects in waiting :O I still have a WIP from the 90’s that needs to be worked on. Plus a few others. I plan on starting the 2018 Line and Threads Mystery Sampler that will go until the end of the year and I am getting ready to start another year long SAL. So, um….yeah, I have lots of long term projects.
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 19, 2018Thank you Ginny. I’m really enjoying knitting it but I do need to concentrate to keep the pattern right. If anyone reading this hasn’t already visited your blog I urge them to do so now. The 2017 SAL you’ve just had framed is a masterpiece!
claire93
/ February 19, 2018what could have ended in disaster was saved, thanks to modern technology and your knight in shining armour ^^ This blanket is truly beautiful, Avis, I love everything about it: the colour, the textures with all those different patterns. You’ll be sad to see this one finished, won’t you?
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 19, 2018I think I will miss it when it’s finally finished but then I can start something else so that’s OK.
tonymarkp
/ February 19, 2018What a beauty. And so much work.
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 19, 2018Thank you Tony. If it isn’t a challenge it isn’t worth doing 😉
salpal1
/ February 19, 2018Wow!! Scary story, the stuff of nightmares! I do think knitters pride has a lifetime warranty, you could try asking where you bought them.
Glad it all worked out well, and that you were able to move on with this lovely blanket.
I don’t have anything like that on my needles now, but I did take two years to finish my first lace-weight lace shawl. Some projects just take time.
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 19, 2018I honestly don’t think the needle snapping was down to poor quality. It was all down to the weight of the blanket which is in aran yarn. I can understand it taking a long time to knit a lace-weight shawl. Something to be savoured 🙂
salpal1
/ February 19, 2018Some things are meant to be savored!
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 19, 2018So true 🙂
katechiconi
/ February 19, 2018I love the high drama of you sitting there immobile holding everything together, waiting for backup to arrive – and it’s so worth it! Beautiful work, and what an outstanding achievement it’s going to be when it’s finished.
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 20, 2018Thanks Kate. Yes, it was a trifle scary!
kathyreeves
/ February 19, 2018Those are gorgeous cables Avis, and what a shock to have your needles explode! I seem to be job the middle of very long projects right now…I need to find something small to balance things out!
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 20, 2018I go through phases when I enjoy small projects but I mainly stick to larger, more long term ones.
Alice
/ February 19, 2018This is such a gorgeous blanket!
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 20, 2018Thank you Alice 🙂
craftycreeky
/ February 19, 2018Wow, that is beautiful!
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 20, 2018Thank you 🙂
nikkibnb
/ February 20, 2018Wow that looks wonderful! I’m currently knitting a cable blanket myself but it’s got a lot less stitches than that one!!
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 20, 2018Thank you. Hopefully you won;t break your needles! Good luck 🙂
willowcreekfarm
/ February 20, 2018Beautiful! What is the pattern called?
I have a long-term crochet project, caused by my knitting – an afghan made of granny squares that uses up all the scraps of yarn left from my sock knitting. It has been in process for about 4 years now and is nowhere near done. I take it out occasionally and make several more squares, then put it away again.
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 20, 2018Thank you. It’s my own pattern so it doesn’t have a name. An afghan made from sock wool sounds fabulous. There’s no need to hurry 😉
Catherine
/ February 20, 2018Oh gosh, what a story this piece tells! I’m glad it all worked out, it’s a lovely pattern by imagine putting it right again was no easy task!
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 20, 2018Correct! It was a nightmare.
Donnalee
/ February 21, 2018It looks beautiful. Good for you for finding a way to keep going.
Emma
/ February 28, 2018oh I can’t believe your needles snapped 😦 I love those knit pro too, maybe I will be careful not to have super heavy projects on them then. The blanket is looking fabulous I actually love that it’s all one colour 💜
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ February 28, 2018Thank you. I wanted the pattern to do the talking and thought one colour would do that best. My second pair of needles are holding up so far. It was definitely the weight that caused the others to break. I’m being oh so careful now!
rutigt
/ March 5, 2018I started knitting a table cloth years ago and it´s still not finished 🙂
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ March 5, 2018Next SAL project maybe??
rutigt
/ March 10, 2018Oh no 🙂 I have too much going on right now 😉
jsntexstyles
/ March 12, 2018That is absolutely beautiful!
Sewing Beside the Sea
/ March 13, 2018Thank you. I’m really enjoying knitting it but it’s getting rather heavy now.