Deep in the darkness of my basement closet, wrapped in a 28-year old plastic bag, lay a forgotten and unfinished afghan. Recently, I unearthed it and brought it upstairs into my sunny room.
When I pulled this treasure out of its bag, I noticed a typewritten note I had composed (yes, on a real typewriter, not a computer) pinned to the afghan...
Does anybody recognize this stitch?...
If you said hairpin lace, then you are 100%, exactly correct. That part, I do remember. And something about a crochet hook. But that's about as much as this old brain can recall.
Its colors are officially lemon-yellow and lime-green, which happened to be my favorite colors when I was a youngster. They were inspired by my (also) favorite - yellow and green M&Ms (which have been around much longer than 28 years). I had so many favorites when I was young.
If you read my note in the picture above, you know that my grandma had a hand in getting this afghan as far as it got (before I stuffed it away). Grandma B is famous in our family for the beautiful afghans she crocheted for her loved ones. She crocheted me a hot pink (another one of my favorite colors) king-size bedspread when I got married. And she crocheted each of my four children a baby blanket when they arrived into the world.
I am now a grandma myself, just as I predicted in my note. These are still favorite colors of mine, and in 2011, I could care less what might be "in style." I still love this unusual and beautiful blanket.
It means so much to me that Grandma B's hands helped to shape its weave. You see, she's passed on, and I miss her. When I see this blanket now, I don't think of Home Ec. or my obsession with yellow and green M&Ms when I was 12, I think lovingly of Grandma B, and her willingness to finish this ambitious project I started so young (and which very much overwhelmed me in no time - what was I thinking?). She had the patience to make blanket after blanket, one stitch at a time.
I love her dearly, and this treasure which I have unburied, brings sweet memories of her.
I've decided that no more yarn or stitches are needed to make this blanket any more useable, enjoyable, or finished. I will tie up the lose ends and let Grandma B's work complete my blanket. This is enough. And it won't go back down to the basement. It will remain in my room to warm my shoulders and brighten to my sprit. Another beautiful blanket worked on by Grandma B to be enjoyed by a loved one. Thank you, Grandma. I love you. ~CJ~
My UFOs (unfinished objects) have been haunting me in my sleep. Calling out for attention. I don't know what it is about Saturday mornings...last Saturday I was compelled to wash my blinds and windows. Today, when I woke up, I felt the call of the UFOs. So I rounded them up and studied my unfinished work. First, a hemstitching baby bib and blanket...
Next, some cross stitch items that were destined to be ornaments, jar covers, or framed for wall...
It wouldn't take much to finish these. Now that they're out of hiding, I'll give them some time now and then.
And, last, a very old (and stained) embroidery kit that I started when I must have been a teenager...
I remember this project well. I bought it because it reminded me of my littlest brother and sister, who were toddlers when I was a teenager. We had so much fun together. I felt like their second mom. But, of course, nobody could take my angel mom's place! I was still sister to them.
I don't know if I can get the stains out of this piece. But it's worth a try. If I would someday finish this, it would means so much to me. Those few years when my brother and sister were little were such happy times. This brings a smile to my face, even now, unfinished.
These UFOs must feel much better now that they've had some recognition!
I felt the pull of the hemstitching hardest this morning...
I sat in bed and crocheted while I watched the room brighten with the sun. In no time, I'd completed the first round on the unfinished bib. Now, I just have the second rounds left in yellow on both the blanket and bib.
I have made many little hemstitched baby blankets and bibs. Maybe it's a Utah thing, I don't know. The fabric for this set is particularly adorable.
Cute little frogs, turtles, and chickies parade around on the front. And on the back are colorful waves.
I started this set about eight years ago, and one day something in my life caused me to forget about it, and I put it up in a closet to wait for its resurrection...today. It's like finding an old friend again. A few evenings on the couch in front of some fun movies, and it will finally be done and ready to pass on to a new little baby. What fun!
My knitting sticks deserve a little rest, don't you think? ~CJ~
