the blue blog archives: on the edge

Just what this mommy on the edge needs - another blankie rescue! As the boys were watching their morning shows last week, S. looks up and casually says, "there's a hole in my blankie." A whaaaat?! I check it out and indeed, a large, gaping hole had formed just under the edge that he'd rubbed away a few months ago.

Back then I added a single crochet edging to that corner to hold it together. Mission accomplished: apparently, he didn't even bother rubbing the edge anymore, but kept rubbing the weak stitches right below it. And now they were gone. Nothing left to do but knit him a new corner. I mean the rest of the edging looked just fine, no reason to rip out a whole inch of 4 feet wide garter stitch border and reknit it, when all he does is flip and rub the corners, right? One new corner, coming up!

I picked up some stitches below the danger zone, knit garter stitch rows to the edge and mattress stitched the new panel to what remained of the old garter stitch border. I pulled out that crochet edge I'd added and trimmed (yes, with scissors!) the holey area, tacking the remaining frayed stitches to the new corner.

I tried to explain to S. that he needs to use the other corners more otherwise this one would keep falling apart. B. heard this and said with a sort of Eureka enthusiasm, "these blankies are old; we need new ones." And in my most sensitive and compassionate mommy voice I replied, "that ain't gonna happen."

posted by alison at 9:18 am | in blankie blues

Comments

I'm impressed! Your now the Queen of Knitting Fix-up Solutions!!!!

Posted by: leslie at February 11, 2005 9:44 AM

Hee - I nearly fell off my chair when I read this! Your twins are lucky to have such a saucy & capable mama.

Posted by: Cher at February 11, 2005 10:06 AM

Seems like the only time you get handmade blankets is when you're born and when you get married. Poor guys, they've got a while to wait for the next milestone!

I'm not a big fan of blanket knitting myself, but I do think it's lovely that they asked you for something new and knitted. Hopefully that bodes well for future sweater, sock, hat and scarf requests!

Posted by: Theresa at February 11, 2005 10:10 AM

"that ain´t gonna happen" --- are you sure? :-)

Posted by: leandra at February 11, 2005 10:33 AM

Maybe it is time to start teaching the boys to knit? Call it needles or something. 'Cuase that is the only way a new blankie is going to happen.

Posted by: mia at February 11, 2005 10:47 AM

Very clever blanket fixing. You're a much better mother than I - I just let my boys' blankets disintegrate until -- poof -- one day they were gone.

Posted by: nona at February 11, 2005 10:55 AM

What? You don't want to take serious time out of your knitting day to knit some more boring (but cute!) blankies?!?! I can't imagine why not.

Those boys are so cute.

Great job with the fixing!

Posted by: Jenn at February 11, 2005 11:24 AM

I know, Jenn, I'm a terrible mom. But those are 4' by 5' blankets we're talking about. An age to knit and a fortune to buy the yarn again. Plus, their blankies are just fine! The real problem is that they can't stand to have them out of their hands for an hour while I do these repairs! S. was actually cuddling with the other end of the blankie while I was fixing this end.

Posted by: alison at February 11, 2005 11:46 AM

Ok, Alison, that's about the sweetest thing I've ever heard. May we all be so lucky to have recipient(s) who love our knits as much as we do. Fantastic job on the repair! We newbie knitters can learn so much from you!

Posted by: Rebekah at February 11, 2005 12:47 PM

come on !! 2 new blankets ! What a great 2005 new projects (and the boys would be SO happy to choose the colors :o) )
Nice fixing up anyway !

Posted by: karen at February 11, 2005 12:59 PM

That little guy was just being sensitive to your need to have plenty of fodder for "Fixit in February!"

Posted by: Wendi at February 11, 2005 3:35 PM

like blankie ER!

Posted by: heather at February 11, 2005 4:22 PM

Awww, so cute! I can just picture you working one end while he cuddles the other. I didn't realise how big they are! I feel justified in always thinking blankie patterns are a bit small now, that's a great size (though as you say, a truckload of yarn, not to mention time).

Posted by: jo at February 11, 2005 6:05 PM

alison, you are so cracking me up. "that ain't gonna happen" :) too funny!!!

Posted by: carolyn at February 11, 2005 10:14 PM

That sounds like a line drawn in the sand, baby.

Posted by: claudia at February 11, 2005 11:15 PM

They are so cute with their blankies I am so glad we smartened up with our store bought blankies with Cameron. He had 2. Owen, well, he has 3! Cameron rotated...Owen keeps them all.

Posted by: Kathleen at February 12, 2005 7:30 AM

Ewwww...your boys are surely your most ardent and deserving giftees! Look, they even know what to say to get mommy to knit them more snugglies. How's that for you to keep beefing up your stash?

Posted by: Emy at February 12, 2005 12:50 PM