Comfort for the month of March

I'm not completely sure how March and I got off on the wrong foot. After all there are glimpses of Spring as the giant snow drifts slowly recede. Here and there daffodil greens peek through the earth and the birds have been singing brightly outside my window for days.
Perhaps the problem is that March will start out sunny and warm causing me to run about willy nilly without securely fastening woolens around my vulnerable neck. Then I will get a head cold, which will make me cranky, which in turn makes me hole up on my couch and think dark thoughts about March.
Dark thoughts don't last long though if you find yourself reading a particularly lovely book. Add to that some quality wool swathed around your neck and a mug of tea in your hand, it's almost bliss.

The book is "A Homemade Life" by Molly Wizenberg, Stories and recipes from my kitchen table.
Some of you are probably already in the know and have been reading her blog Orangette for years. Somehow she slipped under my radar, so this book was a delicious surprise for me. One that ended much too quickly. At least there is the added bonus of trying out some of the recipes. When I'm feeling better some of them will be gracing my table.

The Wool is technically for baby. However since baby is snug and warm inside me I don't think baby will begrudge my appropriation. Besides baby is arriving in August when a wool baby blanket might be considered a form of child abuse. (Can you hear me cackling mine all mine!)

The pattern Tweed Baby Blanket by Brookylntweed was chosen because even a pregnant automaton can knit garter and remember to increase or decrease once at the beginning of every row. I would add you can also remember to do this while dead tired and having a conversation with the electricians cutting holes in your walls. (They will also think you are pretty handy to be knitting for your baby)
The Wool, that deserves it's capital letter, is woolen spun worsted weight Cormo from Elsa Wool Company. Jenny and Nichole over at Stash and Burn mentioned this website on one of their podcasts and said the wool was very soft. I bought 3 skeins of light gray for the main color and 2 skeins of dark gray for the contrast.

Other details:
* Since the pattern is for DK weight I bumped up the needle size to 9's for the blanket and a 10 for the i-cord bind off.
* I was unsure of my yardage amounts but they turned out be be just right. The second skein of contrast color was only used for the i-cord bind off so there is plenty for left over for a hat or two.
* The finished blocked blanket is 36" by 40" the perfect size for covering your lap or maybe scrunching around your neck. (The fact that it can comfortably be scrunched around your neck tells you how wonderfully soft this wool is)

Mmmm delicious and comfortable, just what I need for March.