Dove in the Rock

I actually finished my “Afghan of the Sandman” blanket mid-December but was too caught up in events to remember to post it. It was begun for nobody in particular, then when we found we were pregnant it was dedicated to the baby Peanut, then we miscarried and it was rededicated to Jay-Jay. At that point I began working on it in earnest, hoping to finish it before he came home. This blanket was completed in a record five months. Now it is in my closet, packed away with all my hopes for him. Kind of funny that I just happened to make this blanket in a child’s size rather than a newborn size, because if Jay-Jay does end up joining our family, by that time he too will be child-sized.

Click the picture to see detail

I accidentally used the worsted weight Caron Simply Soft on this blanket, but now that it’s done I love the weight. I was glad that I’d used a no-dye-lot yarn because at the last minute I had to go out and buy just one more skien to finish it. Because I’d used the wrong weight, all the measurements did not fit what the directions indicated, so I ended up just continuing it until it was about the length I wanted, then moving on to the border. It worked just fine.

I love it. So many hopes and sorrows and tears and prayers are woven into every stitch. Holding this blanket, laying it across my lap, snuggling it against my face, they all raise such a complicated soup of emotions within my heart. As beautiful as it is now in its just-completed state, I pray that someday I will see it matted and worn from many trips through the washing machine and much love from a small boy.

Update: I’ve done this again in white, then embellished it with ribbon to make it more feminine.

Posted on January 13th, 2008 by Dove
Filed under: Domestic Arts