Well....that depends. First of all will you be knitting or crocheting? Crochet takes on an average 1/3 more yardage than knit to make the same size square. Secondly what will your gauge be....that is the number of stitches to the inch? That is determined by the size of the needle you use and the weight of the yarn. Once you figure out those things, you can find a pattern that uses the same gauge you plan on using and see what yardage of yarn they recommend, then use that figure for your baby blanket. If you are just doing a fairly simple blanket without fringe or add on crocheted flowers and the like you should be able to get by for about 500 yards of worsted weight yarn. Do you do Ravelry? There are a bazillion of adorable patterns there....for all sorts of wonderful things! Here is a link that might be useful: ravelry

Wow -- thanks, everyone, for responding! It's fun reading about what you're working on. Mscsippy -- I don't have photos of any of the stuff I've made; and none of the stuff that's currently in progress is at a point where a photo would make much sense, because my camera just doesn't seem to take decent closeups (they always manage to end up out of focus or blurred in some way - I guess I need a tripod!). But, I'll try to get photos of all of these things as I finish them. Taigen -- my paternal grandmother tatted. I have many beautiful things that she tatted. I tried, but failed, to learn to crochet, so I don't think I'd be able to master tatting, either. Cherbo -- you're much more sane than I am! Moni -- your secrets are safe with me. ;-) Donna37 -- I haven't done any embroidery in sooo long! I'd like to start up again with embroidery and also counted cross stitch. I've got a counted cross stitch Christmas sampler that I started soooooo many years ago! The horrid thing, too, is that there's not that much more to do to finish it. I have completed many, many counted cross stitch projects, I just don't know why I've never gotten around to finishing this one. One of these days... Dances -- my sister wants some fingerless gloves/mitts, so that's a project that is on my "to do" list. I'm sure this Winter will be long gone by the time she gets them. LOL! But I, too, have vastly different yarns on each of my projects-in-progress, and I'm certain that must be why I have so many going at once. Eliza Ann -- knitting is supposed to be very good for relaxation and stress relief. Maybe you should spend 15 or 20 minutes knitting each evening to help relieve the stress of getting your house ready for sale. :-) Linda -- that is a really cute poncho, and I love the color! I also think it would make a cute skirt (not without a slip/petticoat of some sort, though!). But, as I've said, I can't crochet at all, not even one stitch or chain or whatever it's called... :-( Donna Loomis -- you're my hero! Keep adding to your list of projects so I won't feel so bad, ok? :-) Zipper -- I'll be sure to pay attention to what I'm doing when I finally get around to the Baby Surprise Jacket. My niece isn't due until mid-July, and since it's her first, it could easily be late July or early August by the time she delivers, so I'm counting on having enough time to finish the two baby blankets that I'm working on (I've already given her one, and all three are totally different from each other); and I also want to get some booties and caps done, too. Janie -- I haven't experienced the "knot on the wrist," but I HAVE suffered from cramps in my left thumb from gripping the left needle too tightly when it's a small size needle and lace weight yarn. Another reason why I like to have a bunch of projects going with different yarns -- so I can relieve that stress on my thumb. Socks -- I keep each project in a separate bag, and I always have paper and a pencil (mechanical pencil, so I can retract the lead) with each project so that I can make notes as to where I am when I stop. And I try to always stop after I've finished an odd-numbered row, which somehow helps (like a placebo, I'm sure!). Susanjf -- yarn outlet??? WHERE??? Ivamae -- what color poncho are you going to make? Jannie -- your project will turn up when you least expect it! What size bamboo needles were you using? I use bamboo needles for everything that I knit that is knitted on straight needles. I also have the Bamboo Sister interchangeable circular needles set from Plymouth Yarn Company, and some fixed circular bamboo needles. One of the baby blankets is being done with the Plymouth interchangeable bamboo circulars, but for the other I'm using the Options Harmony Wood Interchangeable Needles from Knit Picks. I love those needles because the points are much "pointier" than on the bamboos, so it makes it easier to knit lace weight and fingering weight yarns. I've also got an afghan going on another size of the Harmony needles and the varigated-color yarn is nearly the exact same colors as the needles, so it's a challenge! Sheila Joyce -- what a great thing you're doing! I'm a tight knitter, so I certainly hope that no one ever has to attempt to finish anything I've started... Would using a smaller hook (than the one called for in the pattern) help at all? Have you tried taking the partial cloth into a yarn store to see what they can recommend to match the thread?

It means every fifth row 17 times. Your sleeve will be pretty long when you're done. :) If you have other knitting questions there is a knitting forum here. They have lots of experience! Donna

Traditional blocking won't do a thing for acrylic. If it does "need something", this is what I advise: Lightly spray the scarf and pin it (this will need to be done in sections since it is an eternity scarf) to an ironing board. Place a clean cotton dish towel over the section and hold a steam iron over the towel very close to the towel, but not touching it. And be VERY careful not to touch the acrylic yarn anywhere, as it will immediately melt. Slowly move the iron around the pinned section for a few seconds, then remove it and let that section completely dry before moving the scarf and pinning another section. Alternatively, you can actually put the iron directly onto the towel and just iron the piece. It will permanently set the scarf in the position you've pinned it, so be very sure you pin it as you want it. This is known as "killing" the yarn, because as I said, it will never go back to it's original (often lumpy) shape. It often also softens the yarn and the piece is then usually a bit limp. Depending on the piece, this may or may not be desirable.