So this was the start of Mom and Dad's Christmas afghan. (Its a partridge in a pear tree). I found the charts at another blog. but I used a different technique than her patterns show. Its called double knitting. The pieces are reversible, but exact opposites (green tree on red background, bird facing right).

All 12 have been finished in various mixing of red, green, and white. They are still being put together, I had nearly 8 blocks together before I decided I hated it and ripped out the "sashing". Sashing is a quilting term, but I guess it fits here too.

Some of the patterns are "sideways" when knitted, but they will all be facing the same direction in the afghan. Had to decide if I wanted to block these to help with the square-ness, but I decided they are close enough, that a little stretch in the inbetween would make everything look right.

Two turtle doves is one of the "sideways" ones.

These boxes were not knitted in number order. I did the first one first then skipped to the last one. Since my father played tenor in the Spartan Marching Band, it only made seemed right that the "12" drummers drumming should be in green and white.

As can be noted from the fact that I'm still unfinished, Christmas morning only 3 1/2 blocks were wrapped up. I had two boxes, one for Mom and one for Dad, and told them to open together. Dad had a note that said something along the lines of "Twelve drummers drumming from your nine ladies dancing... kinda..."

I danced from first grade until college, I still try to dance as often as possible. It was a quirky note, but it fit.

Mom's box was bigger. It had the first block and the half done block, with the yarn underneath (I used one pound-ers so there was a lot of yarn under)
Her note said something about "started with a partridge, and well... never got finished"

My mother taught me to knit, but she's a quilter at heart. She doesn't always have the time she wants for her projects though. So I added a "like mother like daughter" sentence. She understands projects being unfinished on the date of the shower, birthday, Christmas, etc. The half finished square was the 5 "Golden" Rings. (with my color choice they looked more like wreaths, hehe).

After they opened presents I started knitting right away, I knew I'd bitten off more than I could chew. I think Mom liked watching me make the project more than the idea of having another afghan. The never-ending project is drawing to an end though (Thank goodness says the boyfriend). After tomorrow I will hopefully have the first six blocks connected in reverse order.

In addition to the fun double knit blocks I have cast on in a reversible way, found a reversible pattern for the sashing, and discovered mitre squares. These will all fit together somehow... we shall find out how tomorrow!