FO Report: Amelia's Baby Blanket

Amelia's Baby Blanket

Yarn: Cleckheaton Country Naturals, 85% wool, 10% acrylic, 5% viscose; six colors*
Pattern: "Cot Blanket" by Louisa Harding from Natural Knits for Babies & Moms
Gauge: 5 sts/in
Needles: US6 - my very favorite (and pointy) hand-made straights that I also used for Jackson's baby blanket
Size: 33"x35"
Started: 3/1/08
Finished: 6/4/08

I finished the blanket today! I let it sit for awhile after discovering that I had sewn one of the squares in upside-down, but finally felt the urgent need** to finish it yesterday. (It's amazing what leaving a problem project alone for a couple of weeks will do.)

I did tear out three main seams (the offending square was smack in the middle) to re-do the whole thing because I think I was feeling a little "perfectionist" on this one. It took some extra time to do it right, but it wasn't painful and I'm happy that I did.
Modifications: I greatly increased the size of this blanket because I thought that the pattern was much too small. The pattern called for 12 squares and I did 30. I also added the same picot edge that was used for Amelia's kimono sweater and I love how it turned out. I didn't have enough left of any color to do a solid color border all around, so I compromised and did two sides in green and two in purple.

Overall, I'm thrilled with this blanket. It's wool, it's warm, it's machine-washable and it's a lot like the blanket that I made for Jackson before he was born. Now my kids have matchy-matchy baby blankets from Mom. They won't care about that for a long time (like, 25 years), but it makes me happy. And these are the blankets that we'll take camping for an extra layer on the kids when the tent gets chilly. I absolutely adore the feeling that I get when I put something that I made over my child to stay warm (and can't wait for camping again after Amelia is born!).

Click here for individual photos of the squares.

Bonus FO: Jackson's Baby Blanket
This was started and finished way before the blog existed (and before Jackson existed), so it was never photographed until today. I don't recall the yarn, but it's also wool and machine-washable (which has come in very handy on more than one occasion). His blanket is 32"x37" and the pattern is from Vogue Knitting on the Go: Baby Blankets Two.
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*The color numbers from Amelia's blanket are: 1833 (Rose/Mauve), 1834 (Mint Green), 1830 (Periwinkle), 1828 (Charcoal/Brown, 1814 (Lavender/Purple), 1806 (Peachy/Natural)

**Jackson was one week overdue and I spent that last week finishing his blanket. My labor with him started THE VERY SECOND that I put the last pin in for blocking the blanket. It was as if he was hanging around waiting for me to finish it before he made his appearance. I didn't want to take any chances with Amelia thinking like her brother, so I think getting it done five weeks prior to her due date was sufficient. Don't you agree?