We finally saw a bit of sunshine today, so I took the blanket outside for a picture. Here it is hanging on the fence. Below, it's on the gate.
I tumbled it in the dryer to remove bits of debris from the yard before trying it out on the guest bed.
Beth
This has taken a year and seven months, from its beginning. Of course, I have completed several other projects in the intervening time. This has been a learning experience and a real joy!
The colors remained vibrant; the wash water was not colored with dyes. There was a bit of shrinkage, but nothing alarming.
Below the white, circular stitch marker is a tiny rectangle that I filled in with background color. The space above required I create another log cabin rectangle. Below, those spaces are filled in, and lying at the front edge of the pillows, one row from the left end of the blanket.
The wise ladies at The Yarn Nook in Candler suggested the border be the same as the background, and not deep blue as I had at first thought. After deliberation, I concluded they are right. I wanted to put on an applied I-cord border, but this yarn is not conducive to that which calls for a bit of tugging to get it right. This yarn is easily broken - basically, it's roving with a thread around for texture - and has very little elasticity. So I have opted for a double seed stitch. Have not begun yet; I am working on the many, many long ends to weave in on the wrong side. Anyway, I continue to learn and enjoy as I go. I hope it's ready for her birthday in February!
Beth
Sewed in ends and then did borders and added background to the edges; after taking last picture, I saw that it was still a bit too wide for the space. 
Often it takes getting far away from it (taking a picture) to see what has to be done; I have seamed this in such a way that it is very easy to undo a seam, and remove some rows of stitches. 
Anyway, here it is, and I will take another picture in a day or so to show even more progress. When I contemplate this project, I am amazed that I have not grown really tired of it, or stopped altogether. But I do love the colors, am enjoying the continuing process of creation, and am eager to see how it turns out! 
I have seamed the top, down the sides, and across the bottom, with the exception of the middle bottom. I think that there will be some adjusting to do all along the way, and I don't want to lock myself in to a certain perimeter right now.
Above, there is a vertical space between two rectangles. It is small enough that I decided to fill in with background color. I picked up stitches, knitted garter stitch rows, using what I learned in entrelac to make connections at the top end. Below, you can see the space (one turn to the left from above picture) again, with the newly knitted portion ready to be seamed.
After creating a few more rectangles (pseudo Courthouse Steps and Baby Moderne) to go with the others, I layed them all out again. 
So, I am currently working to surround each log cabin rectangle with "background" color. The stitches remain live, with white cotton yarn pulled through in place of the needles. When I finish this stack of remaining rectangles, determination of their placement will begin. Only after that step will I know what still needs to be created in the way of rectangles to complete the blanket. And then, of course, the daunting task of seaming!
If you have WIPs that you want to finish, consider knitting along! I'd love to have your company!
Beth
In an attempt to learn how much blanket I have, I layed the pieces on the dining table. It will be easy to put them together in a horizontal/vertical fashion, the most common way one would piece a blanket. On the other hand, I am considering doing it on the diagonal; this would involve more thinking.
As you can see, each block is unique; for me, this is the fun; I have been unable to stick to a pattern of repeats, of sameness. However, when I find the work of others interesting or wonderful, it is precisely because they have had the perseverance it takes to repeat colors and patterns; the effects are visually stunning.
Several blocks are still in the making, and most have yet to be edged with the three rows of what will be the "background" color. I am wearing a brace on my wrist - the carpel tunnel threat keeps me from knitting right now - but I will be back at it shortly.
Beth
After working on Ryan's name on his blanket, I learned a lot! That for intarsia with garter stitch, work the stitch change first on the right side, work it with the same color when you come to it, on the wrong side. This isn't at all what one can do in stockinette. Anyway, I tried what my brain had figured out, above, and here is the finished rectangle, front and back.
It has become a center rectangle in what will become a larger block. When I have completed the blocks, I will give each a border of 3 rows of garter stitch, leave the stitches live (using white cotton through to hold them) and later do a three-needle bindoff to join them.
The problem then will become one of creating blocks of the right dimensions to complete the blanket, once all these have been joined. As you can see by the two above, each block is different (have I had fun!) and therefore, because I am joining them irregularly, there will be odd spaces here and there at blanket's edge. Still have not completely solved that yet; when I do, you'll know!
