Knitting - Hemlock Ring Blanket

Pattern: Hemlock Ring as re-imagined by Brooklyn Tweed
Yarn: Greengate Lincoln Longwool - 10 balls
Needle: 6mm
Modifications: I found my stitch counts to be out on occasion, so I fudged it a few times. I also lost at yarn chicken with about 50 stitches left to bind off, so I borrowed some sock yarn which was the same yellowish shade, held double.

before blocking:

Verdict: I love it!
The yarn is not a soft one, not the kind of thing you want next to your skin. However, the blanket is warm and cosy, and it's softened up a great deal in the wash.

I had intended to finish this in order to use it as my blanket on the Yoga retreat I went on in early September. However, it was still in progress. I took it with me still, as my evening crafting! I think this was part of the reason for my row mismatches! Not that you can tell.

This is also part of my mission to knit with the rare breeds on the RBST watchlist. Lincoln Longwool Sheep are considered to be "At Risk" with between 900 and 1500 breeding females in the UK. They're a big sheep with long dreadlock-like fleece. They are an excellent meat sheep as well as producing lustrous wool which is excellent for rugs and outerwear. I hope that this means that my blanket will be hardwearing and warm, and will make a nice bed-topper.

I enjoyed knitting the pattern, but I found I kept losing track of where I was in the feather and fan pattern. I think circular blankets are a lovely idea, but I'm not sure how practical they are, only time will tell!