Baby {blanket} work in progress

Today I finished a long standing work in progress. Baby blankets don't take me very long to make- usually about 4-5 hours all told. So this was actually deliberately strung out over the past 3 years or so (I actually have no clue when I started it). I hesitated because I didn't have a deadline. I just wanted to start working on a blanket for MY kid. I had made one for all four of my co-workers' babies from when I was teaching middle school. Betsy, Rafa, Stefanie and Kari all had hand made crocheted unique original creations, and since they've all gone on to have #2, I figured it was time I got going on one for me!

I chose to keep it all white, since my tradition was to start with a white center and then after the gender was revealed, I'd add an appropriate color around the edges. But since I didn't know what I would have first, I'd just do the whole thing white and it could be for the day they get blessed at church.

I had to switch to another yarn because I ran out/lost track of what I was using at first. I know I restarted it at least twice due to contrasting textures. Once I finally go moving on an acceptable yarn #2, I worked on making it more interesting by adding a pattern. About this point is where I was actually pregnant and had an end date goal in mind. So I worked on it here and there and about a week ago got moving in earnest. I knew I wanted the edges scalloped so when I ran out of yarn about 5 stitches from the end, I didn't panic. There would be an entire new row around the outside that would cover up the very slight difference between the second and third types of yarn. I thought about using my spare change to run to the store to get more, and then I remembered I had that other yarn in my stash that I had originally tried to use as #2. I grabbed that and finished it off this morning.

Viola!

My idea was to create just a little difference in texture by interrupting the double stitch with a few lines of triple. I like how it contrasted, and next time I would do them closer together and more of them. The way this one is, however, gives it the ever symbolic number 3- "my three white dresses" in the case of a little girl, or even the Holy Trinity. Plus, she'll be the third member of our little family!

There is still quite a bit of the white #3 left so if I wanted to start another white center for one of the 3 other girls' babies I've been going through this pregnancy with, I could. Since I finished so quickly and still have two months to get through, I just might!

Post Edit: Shortly after publishing this post we got word that my husband's cousin is expecting. They will be attending our baby shower in a couple of weeks so it would be inappropriate to not get a gift for them as well. Of course, my heart sank thinking, "How on earth are we going to be able to afford something nice for their baby?" when I remembered...I can MAKE them something priceless, and I have a whole stash of baby yarn. It'll be FREE! I don't know if she'll appreciate it or not, but really who can argue with a hand made gift?