In the works

Here is my current project, which will probably remain my current project for the next year. Or so. One day, this will be a queen-sized, warm and toasty, 100% wool blanket for my bed. (Jeremy's too, but who's counting?) At left is the first rectangle, which was completed relatively quickly. It looks sloppier than it really is. I probably should have laid it out better before photographing it, but I didn't. I am the sloppy one.
I will need 4 of these rectangles plus a border to achieve the size I want. Each color/rectangle/patch, call it what you want, is a different pattern. I'm finding
that cables and ribs are the best as they hold their shape better. Some of the patterns are my own-- in fact, all but 3 of the first block are-- but I'm running out of inspiration, which forced me to buy my new favorite book 220 Aran Stitches and Patterns, volume 5 in the Harmony Guide series. When I say "was forced", I really mean "had an excuse to finally buy what I was coveting." So, now, in the second block, only the section in progress is of my own design, and only because I managed to totally bungle my math and had to rip half of it out and start again. So, thanks goes again to Katrina for the gift of some of the yarn for this little endeavour. (Too many British mysteries... can't spell endeavour with no "u"...)
And, for something totally different... mittens! Sebastian wanted red mittens, and what Sebastian wants, Sebastian gets-- IF I feel like making it for him. And this time I do. Unfortunately, this one is a little on the small side for him, so I'll finish the pair, but I will make a slightly larger pair, too. Dorian can always wear these. This one mitten took approximately 1 hour including finishing with the kitchener stitch and sewing in the ends. My new love the kitchener stitch! It's a hassle to do, but it gives the illusion of there being no seam, thereby making me look like a miracle worker. In 3 hours, I could be finished. Or I could be asleep. Guess which one I'll choose.
So, if you've been wondering how I fill all the time I'm ignoring the children, there you have it.