Rylie's Baby Blanket

I knit a blanket! A blanket! A whole (baby) blanket! This was a straight easy knit, just row after row, but that does not make it any less satisfying to have it completed, even if Rylie is well into her third year. I wrote a bit about what brought me to knit Rylie a blanket a while ago. I love the way it came out. I dug into my stash and knit and knit, not even paying attention to details like waiting until the end of the row to change yarn colors - who can be bothered with such fuss? No, not me. Instead, I switched yarns right in the middle of the row and I think it is rather charming that way. I didn't plan for this per se, it was more my dogged determination to use every last bit of my yarn. I can imagine when Rylie grows up and pulls this blanket from a box, those little quirks will make her smile or laugh out loud, either way, I'm pretty proud right about now. It is fun to breakthrough my knitting comfort zone like I did when I knit her a sweater.

I went to the thrift shop that I mentioned on Monday and there were boxes and boxes of picked over novelty yarn stuff. When I asked the manager if she had more in the back she said yes but that she was only putting out a small amount at a time lest it all get snarled into a big yarny mess. I told her that I would really love to see the rest of it and she held tight to her rationing strategy. I did get a few skeins though. One of which is the perfect shade of dark cranberry red. I bought this pattern and I am going to attempt to have it done in time for Christmas for Rylie. I need to stop typing and cast on for crying out loud. I am thinking as I write this that it may be wise to have a second dress on back up just in case. Not sure, Sometimes the absence of a safety net is an awfully effective motivator (and anxiety producer.)

And what does Rylie think? Well, she is in the unique position to have the opportunity to verbally express her opinion of her own baby blanket. She says, "Mom made that," and then promptly pulls it off her bed and gets to jumping!  


I'm linking up for Ginny's Yarn Along and sharing what is on my nightstand. I feel that Rylie's blanket project has come full circle since I originally bought the yarn with the intention of crocheting a baby blanket when I was pregnant, but as you may recall that was sort of a dismal experience. But I've held on to that desire to learn to crochet and picked up this book because I think it will be a good foundation. So far it seems the only thing that knitting and crochet have in common is yarn and needles! Oh brother, wish me luck!