Do you ever suspect that your knitting can affect fate? I do. When I heard (on Thanksgiving Day) that my sister-in-law was pregnant with the baby that would transform me magically into an aunt, I knew I had some serious knitting to do. Serious. It was time to do a baby blanket.
So, I bought my yarn and cast on a few days before Christmas. I finished knitting about a month ago and, in my typical fashion, didn't block it until this weekend. So, what happened on the day that it was finally dry and thus, officially finished? Three weeks early, the baby decided it was his birthday.
Hearts And Stars Blanket from Zoe Mellor's Adorable Knits For Tots
Yarn Misti Alpaca Worsted in Pumpkin (about 5 hanks, I think...)
NeedleU.S. 6 (again, I think... memory fading)
Mods Gauge, since the pattern calls for a DK cotton. Because of that I did five rows of pattern repeats rather than seven. Since the pattern is intended as a family blanket, not crib blanket, I think I would have modified the size even if it knit up in the recommended gauge.
So, there you have it. Leena (my amazing mother-in-law) made this same blanket for the baby of a family friend a couple of years ago and I noticed that she paused when I told her I was planning it for the baby and that I'd already dove into it. She later confessed that it was a very long knit. I'm glad I went for a bigger gauge and less repeats, because as fun as the bumpy purled hearts and stars were, this was a looooooong one. I worked on it fairly regularly and it ended up being about five months of knitting. But I think it looks great. The yarn is like butter -- it's so soft and beautiful. I just hope that the baby isn't a particularly messy little thing, otherwise my sister-in-law is going to have to rename me "your Auntie who seems to think that it's okay to knit a hand-wash-only blanket for an infant." But, I just couldn't resist the yarn and I've successfully convinced myself that as a heirloom item, handwash yarn is okay.
Anyway, loads of pictures here -- since it took me so long I want to bask in its glory. I added a picture of it on Ruby's bed for scale (it's a pretty huge baby blanket -- hopefully it'll follow the little tike though childhood) plus a presentation of it folded up with the matching pumpkin hat. Enjoy it, little one.
Omg. I'm an Auntie.
2 comments:
congrats auntie! about that beautiful balket and the new addition to the family...
my 3rd niece is going to be here next tuesday!!! I'm so excited!
Good job on the blankie! It's amazing. I started a hooded towel for a baby like 6 months ago. I can't even look at its unfinished self. Perhaps it will turn into a hooded towel for a future baby. :-) You have inspired me to get back to it though.
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