baby blanket.

I finally finished this super sweet baby blanket I had started when I first found out my sister is having a girl. I took my time on it partially because I like to bounce between projects, and partially because I have a secret fear of finishing things--what if it doesn't turn out?! Luckily, I'm beginning to learn that the amount I learn from each screw up greatly contributes to the success of my next project.

 Anyway, back to the blanket. I used the tutorial at MADE, as well as the one she links to. I LOVE the way it turned out.

One thing I love about this design is that I'm always a little nervous to throw my freshly sewn items into the washing machine. I have fears that they will just completely deteriorate and all my hard work will be completely ruined in one 30 minutes cycle. So, imagine my pleasant surprise to find out that not only did this blanket survive the wash, it actually improved as the cut edges frayed, making them softer and more chenille-like.

I decided to spend the time to hand sew the binding onto the back of the blanket. Even though it took a lot longer for me to do it this way, I love the thought of putting hand stitches into a project. It gives you some extra time to really hold the project in your hands and infuse it with all the love you want to give to the recipient. I think this is also why I am so drawn to knitting for people, and babes in particular.

You can sort of tell in this photo that I used multiple colors of contrasting thread, mostly because I ran out of my first color and decided to make it look like that was the plan. I actually like how the "stripes" turned out though. The horse fabric is an embroidered corduroy that I found at Joann, and I think it's perfect for a little baby girl who will be born and raised on a small farm, especially since there is already a pony in the family. :)

Overall, the tutorials are great, the blanket was fun to make, and I love the way it turned out. Success! Give it a try. 

:)