FO: Afghan Square

Pattern: Honeycomb, #111, (center) and Horseshoe, #30, from Vogue Knitting Stitchionary vol. 2
Yarn: Plymouth Encore Worsted in Cream #1202
Needles: size 8 aluminum straights (my first needles ever!)
Started: April 2
Finished: April 4

One of the sadder pieces I've knitted. In late March, fellow Raveler and internet knitting friend Joel was killed in a tragic car accident leaving his wife and two daughters behind. He was driving his daughters home when an oncoming car swerved into his lane and crashed into his van. The woman driving the car was texting on her cell phone and also had her two daughters and a friend in the car with her. Joel's two girls walked away with minor injuries; Joel was not so lucky. The other driver was killed instantly; the three girls survived with minor injuries.

I knew Joel from the forums at knittinghelp.com. He was always there with a smile and a kind word or comment on your most recent knitting project. Joel also started the SMACK! group (Single Men Also Crochet and Knit) on Ravelry and was a huge supporter of knitting men and fiber arts in general. Thanks to his love and work, the group is still going strong today.

A bunch of Joel's friends got together to make two afghans for his daughters and a shawl for his wife. Ravelers can read more about the afghan and Joel here.

Since I chose the cream color, I definitely wanted an Aran style pattern. My first attempt involved some intertwining ropes and seed stitch diamonds, but ended up way too big. I've seen the honeycomb pattern on many an Aran sweater and I really liked the look. I wanted a longer horseshoe repeat to show off how each repeat seems to grow out of the middle of the last (my favorite part about the pattern), but I was too far along by the time I realized it should be longer. Overall I'm very happy with how it turned out.