Look at those two photos. If you saw that mass (or mess) of yarns on the left sitting in a pile, would you have any idea that the finished product would look like that infinitely touchable baby blanket on the right? Nope, me neither. I went into Fine Points Yarn Shop on Larchmere in the Shaker Heights neighborhood of Cleveland shortly after my birthday. They had sent me a quite generous birthday discount offer, and I was determined to use it!
My daughter-in-law has suggested that I make a baby blanket or two for her photo studio. She thinks her brides from a couple of years ago, who are now having babies, would be interested in purchasing one of my blankets for their photos shoots with the new babes. So I asked what the ladies at Fine Points might suggest for such a project.
The clerk who was helping me led me upstairs to the baby and child room. When she showed me that pile of yarns, all wrapped up in a plastic bag with a pattern that said “Oh, Pretty Baby: A Baby Blanket Using Bits,” I wasn’t so sure. After purchasing it and scheduling it as my next knitting project, I wasn’t so sure. But 10 rows into it? I was smitten!
The price on the kit was higher than I wanted to spend and the finished project would be higher, I thought, than a new mom would want to pay. Luckily, my spousal equivalent just acquired a brand new great-niece. Guess who’s getting a blanket? Cora is, that’s who.
The pattern couldn’t be simpler. Cast on 95 stitches. Use the base yarn—Schachenmayr Crazy Cotton (the kit used color #82)—throughout. At all times, hold a second yarn, picking up one of the “bits” – the random small balls of yarn. The “bits” can be eyelash yarn or a similar novelty yarn, or they can be chenille or bumpy or, really, whatever. They give the interest to the base yarn. The stitch? Garter stitch throughout. Knit every stinking row. Just keep knittin’. Couldn’t be easier.
After a lot of television shows and audio books, the blanket was finished. (The pattern suggests knitting to 30″. I wish I had gone a little farther, as it’s not quite square.) It’s beautiful. And soft. A nice weight to throw over the baby in the crib or as she’s riding in her stroller.
I threw it into the washer on the hand-wash setting, then into the dryer on a similar setting, then, while still damp, laid it flat on a table to finish drying.
I can’t wait to hear from Cora’s mom when she receives it. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind gift.
