Project: Baby blanket

 

I don't include many craft posts, not least because I have so many ideas for different projects but so few of them seem to get started, let alone finished, that I'm always a bit reticent about admitting to them!

One of my problems tends to be over-reaching myself in terms of what I think I can achieve in a set time. When friends of ours announced they were expecting a baby earlier this year I thought, 'Excellent, I'll knit something'. I didn't want to do clothing, as it lasts for such a short time, and I didn't want to do a straight-forward blanket as I'd only just finished (sort of - about 99% complete with just the sewing onto a piece of backing fabric left to finish - see what I mean?!) a large patchwork blanket, so I found a pattern for a baby papoose. This is basically a large diamond shape to which you attach two pockets, one small traingle for a hood and a larger traingle for the body and feet, to then wrap your baby up in.

'Plenty of time to get that done', I thought to myself. Needless to say it was finally finished about 1 month after their daughter was born, but at least she was a summer baby and so wouldn't have had a lot of use out of a snuggly blanket straight away!

Size: 100cm top to bottom and 65cm wide

When we discovered we were expecting our own bundle of joy, I decided I'd make the same item again, as I was now pretty familiar with the pattern. Our due date is this coming Monday (eek!) and I've literally just finished the papoose this morning. Still - the point is that it is finished! Ta da!

The pattern is from 'The Art of Knitting' and I used Debbie Bliss Eco Aran both times as I wanted to use a fair trade, organic wool (the first time I used 610 Mauve for the main blanket and 609 Purple for the edging; our blanket is in 622 Teal). The only change I made to the second papoose was to use fabric for the edging, rather than following the pattern to create a knitted border in a contrasting colour. This is partly because I was a bridesmaid in the summer and I really wanted to re-purpose the fabric from my dress into a number of 'everyday' items that I would look at frequently and remember my friend and her wedding on a regular basis - rather than just hanging the dress up in the wardrobe and thinking 'Well, I might wear that again one day'.This is it's first outing and I think it looks pretty good! Obviously I have plans for using the rest of the fabric, but I'll just keep them under wraps for now...!