the blue blog archives: let the blankies begin

After I finished the big sweater design project that was hanging over my head, I started trying to think of a simple and easy project to start knitting to relax: a fun pinafore for baby maybe; a little matinee coat; one of those post-pregnancy sweaters for myself.... Then that evening while I was putting him to bed, S asked me, with a sad little look on his face, if I could start knitting his blanket that night. Okay, project picked.

S had previously insisted that the blankie look exactly like his old one and now he was focused it being red and blue and having "a pattern". He would talk about a blue stripe then a red stripe then a blue stripe and I was worried that he wanted me to do the lace pattern in intarsia with blue and red stripes. Aaack! But then when he explained it again that night, I realized he was talking about patterns like they do in kindergarten: as a color sequence - just red, blue, red, blue, red, blue. He didn't want any of the lace he said; it just had to have stripes. He told me I could look through my books and find something with that pattern and that would be fine. So I did.

I found this cool afghan pattern in Sarah Dallas Knitting. It's called "Block-striped Afghan" and is miles long and uses a bunch of colors S didn't want, but I'm paring it down. S has approved one long red strip and a second strip with a blue, red, blue, red, blue, red pattern. I picked out more Lamb's Pride (yes, he stayed adamant that it be knit out of Lamb's Pride) and he's so excited to see it started!

It's not anywhere as long as his first blankie, but at 36", it'll be plenty big. And best of all, it's got the long garter stitch edge that S loves to run through his fingers so much.

Oh and while I was leafing through that book finding the blankie pattern for S, I found one for wee one too. She'll be getting a version of this lovely "Three-textured Afghan" with subtle checkerboard patterns. I picked out Cascade 220 and Ella Rae worsted wool for it in colors as close to the original as I could find. I'll adjust the size like I'm doing for S's blankie - absolutely no bigger than 36" square.

PS - Many of you have asked in the comments how I care for the wool blankies. The boys' original blankies are also 100% wool and not superwash. I just wash them in the bathtub in lukewarm water when they need it. I like to use a wool wash like Soak that you don't have to rinse out to prevent the temperature change and squeezing that often happens when rinsing and can cause a little felting. But even when I used regular old Eucalan, I didn't have any problems with the blankets. I roll them up in a towel or two to blot out excess water and then lay them out to dry on a couple of bathmats. Give 'em a day to dry thoroughly and they're ready to return to their messy little owners. Yes, Virgina, you can wash wool - just not in the washing machine!

posted by alison at 9:22 am | in brother and sister blankies

Comments

Oh adorable, both blankets. And I love it that S insists on Lamb's Pride - you're bringing him up right!

Posted by: earthchick at February 7, 2007 9:30 AM

Both blankies are going to be so wonderful!

Posted by: Jennifer at February 7, 2007 9:31 AM

The blankie looks adorable. The mention of matinee coat made me remember this pattern (http://monkeysuits.com/patterns-pop-pat11.html), which I made years ago for a friend's daughter. It was really cute!

Posted by: Hillary at February 7, 2007 9:33 AM

Both of those blankies are adorable. Your children are spoiled (in a good way) ... and are so lucky to have you for their mom. :)

Posted by: Samantha at February 7, 2007 9:45 AM

I love how excited S is about you knitting him a blanket. My 5 year old boy just keeps asking me to put the knitting down. Sigh.

Posted by: Rachel H at February 7, 2007 9:51 AM

Love the way we complicate a kid's (relatively) simple wishes. I so agree with Samantha -- your kids are lucky, indeed.

Posted by: Luise at February 7, 2007 10:20 AM

How sweet. I have yet to knit my Bug anything (except a pair of tiny socks that he outgrew before I finished them) but I hope I'll have the inclination one of these days to knit him a blankie. Right now he has one of those from Target with the satin edge, and he LOVES it. I'm not sure a knit one, even handknit by Mama, will be an acceptable substitute for him. :-(

Posted by: Carrie at February 7, 2007 10:25 AM

Those are awesome! What about B...any yearning there for a new one of his own?

Posted by: Roberta at February 7, 2007 10:37 AM

Beautiful, both of them. It is so wonderful to have your knitted items truly loved.

Posted by: Angie at February 7, 2007 11:07 AM

I've never commented before, but I love reading your blog, and hearing about your boys. And I just had to comment today, because that beach picture of the stripy afghan was taken right where I live! Those beach huts always say 'home' to me, and it makes the world feel like a much smaller place to just bump into a picture of them like that. Good going on the blankie!

Posted by: sasha at February 7, 2007 11:23 AM

My brother is 25 years old and you'll still catch him absently fingering the satin edging on the blanket they've got thrown over the back of the couch. Just like his baby blanket, at least he stopped sucking his fingers!

Posted by: Sarah at February 7, 2007 11:25 AM

I am having a bit of blanket fever myself. I have two on the needles right now.

I love the ones that you are making! I have a question for you. How do you wash blankets made out of handwash yarns? I have been sticking to machine washable yarns for blankets, but find the colors limiting. I would love to use lamb's pride and Cascade 220 if I knew how I could wash them without felting them.

Posted by: Oiyi at February 7, 2007 11:27 AM

Of course that had to be your next project! What a great Mom you are.
Love wee one's blankie - fantastic pattern.
Isn't it nice that S knows himself so well?

Posted by: Miss Scarlett at February 7, 2007 11:45 AM

I so loved the blankie that was loved to death I bought the pattern. Now as these also get loved to death, I'll have to get to blankie making!

Posted by: Kim at February 7, 2007 2:22 PM

Very Kewl, Alison. You know my Gil likes Red...I'm working a Red blue and white Cardi...I wanted to break all the red...but the theme isn't USA, nor France, nor Holland...nope...if you know me the theme is Great Britain... :-) enough said. I'm using a plain and simple Louise Harding pattern but all the color work is off the top of my head.
Btw, what is the green yarn in the Blankie for ? looks cute though.

Posted by: Orli at February 7, 2007 2:53 PM

Some one already asked about the practicality(?) of knitting for babies(and young men)with feltable wool. How have you been washing them? My cousin is having a girl, too, and I want to knit a blanket and all of the good yarn is wool. I don't want to have washing be a burden because babies can be messy. Thanks! And S's blanket is lookin' mighty fine!

Posted by: Elizabeth at February 7, 2007 3:22 PM

I love the checkerboard pattern for baby blankets, but I have a hard time figuring out how to do them properly. I started one, and somehow goofed up, so I ended up with like 5 stitches invading the other pattern! :(

Posted by: Angelle at February 7, 2007 3:43 PM

Glad the intarsia fears have been assuaged! I have a newfound love for the garter stitch border. It provides a nice contrast with stockinette and it's functional. It looks like both patterns will turn out lovely.

Posted by: C at February 7, 2007 3:45 PM

I was wondering how you kept up with wool washing too. Do you just throw it in a cold delicate cycle and air dry?

I'm a bit obsessed with the blankets presently. I've got three going. Two are mitered squares with handpainted yarn. It is all about the color for me with these. One of them is for me with various, random colorways of Noro and the other is a kid's blanket so I ordered some heavyweight Socks that Rock washable stuff. I'm not as brave as you.

Or me and mine just leak a lot more.

Posted by: Laurie at February 7, 2007 4:02 PM

I pre-ordered the book!
And I pre-ordered Harry Potter #7.
Such great things to look forward to.
:)

Posted by: Micky at February 7, 2007 4:23 PM

I love that Sarah Dallas book, it is one of my favorites. It has some of the most simple but fantastic designs. Great choices!

Posted by: susan b anderson at February 7, 2007 4:38 PM

I have tears in my eyes reading what S has to say about his blanket. Just so sweet!

Posted by: Sherry at February 7, 2007 5:11 PM

it got to me, the way S wanted a new blankie. The idea of him running his fingers along the border brought a tear to my eye.

Posted by: ginger_nut at February 7, 2007 6:16 PM

Holy Batman, wonder woman! Do you have a lot of excitement going on or what? Congratulations on the new book -- I can't wait to see it.

S's blankie saga has served for much entertainment. Isn't it fun how attached kids get to their blankies? My elder son still slept with his when he was in high school. Of course, he would never have admitted it.

Your new baby is going to have the prettiest knits of any! I'm curious, though, what is her name?

Posted by: Kristy at February 7, 2007 6:29 PM

Adorable- and congrats on the book too! My husband made another Superbowl cake- only this time it was knitting-themed (with a ball of yarn for the football and everything)! I put a picture up if you want to see.

Posted by: Amy at February 7, 2007 8:21 PM

S is such a sweetheart, and I'm soooo happy to see his new blankie being "yarned"... hope it's not gonna take 90 days ;o) BTW, both your picks are really nice!

Posted by: Maryann at February 8, 2007 12:16 AM

Its great that your son wants a knitted blanket, he's got his priorities right!

Posted by: Sara at February 8, 2007 6:30 AM

Orli, the green is just a contrast edging. Sarah Dallas has it on most of her afghans in the book and it's a really nice touch, I think. The two strips will also be sewn together with single crochet in that green yarn.

Posted by: alison at February 8, 2007 9:58 AM

Actually, I have successfully washed quite a number of woolens on the most gentle cycle of my front loader with cold water and gotten no felting. Of course, this means that when I *want* to actually felt, well, it doesn't go so well ;o)

Posted by: trek at February 11, 2007 8:52 AM