Magic Blanket Ride: Chapter 4

I'm back today with news from the Magic Blanket Ride:

Actually there aren't lots of news, because after a break of several weeks I've just come back to it last week-end and didn't have much time for it because I had a busy week of highs and lows. (If you're not interested in my non-crochet life, just skip the next two paragraphs) :)

My lows were mainly work-related: I've been on emergency duty for the past seven days and had lots of calls and duties after work, even on Saturday and Sunday. I'm working in the warehouse of a medical company, and if there's an emergency outside business hours we have to ship the products (the life-saving ones) via taxi or train. This week I also had a call from an angry customer who started to insult the company and me, after he found out that I couldn't help him and that there was nobobdy else available in the evenings - after that call I was so excited and upset, that I accidently dropped the emergency cell phone into the cleaning bucket full of dirty water next to me - unfortunately thankfully the cell phone had no severe damage and still worked after all. :)

The positive highlight of my week (maybe even year): we have finally booked our "summer" vacation for November!! Together with two good friends, John and I will fly to Egypt for two weeks - the first week we'll be on a cruise on the Nile, visiting the pyramids and temples, and the second week we'll be relaxing in a hotel at the Read Sea, with temperatures of about 27 °C (~ 80 °F). JOY!!

But now back to the Magic Blanket Ride. I think I'm gonna show you more pictures of details, and save the full-size photos until it's finished - otherwise it's like reading a book and already knowing the end (and who likes THAT? *gg*). Maybe some of you would like to know more about double-ended crochet, so here are some step-by-step pictures:

Working from the right to the left, I'm picking up stitches with grey (just like working "unfinished" single crochet stitches):

 

At the end of the row, I turn the blanket, slide the loops to the other hook at the opposite end of the cable, and start working off the stitches - from the left to the right - with white:

When I've got only one loop left on my hook, I do NOT turn the blanket. I continue with white, picking up stitches again (just like step 1):

You already know what's coming: at the end of the row I turn, slide the stitches to the opposite end, and work them off with grey (just like step 2):

You see, it's actually just two rows I'm repeating over and over and over again. Here's a picture of the blanket when I've got all the stitches on my hooks:

And on the next one you see the same edge when the stitches are worked off:

Before this post gets even longer, here's the summary:

Intermediate Statistics:

Width: 150cm (~59 in) (nothing's changed)

Length: 104cm (~41 in)

Colored Stripes: 21

Yarn Usage (basic colors): 11 balls of grey + 8 balls of white

Days actually worked on the blanket: 33 (I took the whole month of August and most of September off)

Previous Posts: Introduction - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3

I hope the next week I'll have more time for crocheting and blogging. Have a wonderful week-end everybody!