Dreams of Lerwick (FO)

Taking advantage of a rare afternoon nap by Wiggle Bug -- blog entries take much longer when you're on newborn schedule! 

All of Britain was amazing, but there was something very special about Lerwick.

Because Partner is so amazing, he let me spent hours choosing yarns and hemming and hawing over what to buy.  I bought some yarn that I thought was special. I didn't really know what I wanted to make with it at the time. 

At the time, I also didn't know that Wiggle was starting to grow. 

And when I did, I wanted to make something for Wiggle, with this yarn. I searched and searched and, with the help of Kate Davies, discovered how much the cockle shell is a part of traditional Shetland knitting.

Finally, with the help of my friend K, I got a copy of the cockle shell pattern, also called the Grand Shell or Hoopskirt, from Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

Several weeks before Wiggle's due date, Wiggle started acting like he might be coming. But the nursery wasn't ready.  The handknits weren't ready.  And I definitely wasn't ready! I told Wiggle that they had to wait until their special blankie was ready.  

Then, I was a week overdue and I started to wonder.  "Did Wiggle take me seriously?" Because the nursery is ready.  I'm definitely ready.  But blankie wasn't done.  

This is, very slightly, my own pattern, as I played with needle sizes and measured to come up with an idea of how large to make the blankie. I was constantly weighing yarn to make sure I could keep going with another repeat. 

I had an idea of making a border, but miscalculated my yarn.  And by miscalculated, I mean I counted two balls of white yarn for the cockle shells and then counted one ball of white yarn for a border. But I only had two balls of white yarn (see that picture at the top!). :) 

So, in the end, it was nip and tuck to crochet a border to hide all of the color joins. 

Did I mention the color joins?  These were all the ends that had to be woven in. 

But after two days of marathon knitting and a finishing session, blankie was finally done.

This blankie went to the hospital and was Wiggle's first hand knit and part of his going home kit.

I'll admit there isn't much need for a 100% wool blanket in Hawaii, but each night I put a light blanket over Wiggle, put a blanket around to keep him from rolling over and then put this blanket over him. I like to think it's why he sleeps so well at night (an hour or two at a time!) 

It's not that large, only 28 inches by 19 inches.  But, I hope while he's that tiny, Wiggle will know he's wrapped in so much love from Partner and I.

Pattern: Dreams of Lerwick
Yarn: Jamieson's Double Knitting, 25g balls, 409 yards total
        Colors: (from darkest to lightest) - Mogit - Moorit - Mooskit - Mooskit/White - Natural White
Modifications: My own pattern, US8s
Knitting yardage total 2013: 785

Comments

[kate]

Oh Kathy, this made me tear up. The blanket is beautiful, what a gorgeous job you did on it. And Wiggle, sleeping, oh my. He is wonderful.

[melissa]

yep, tearing up over here too.
everything about this post is simply beautiful and full of love. wiggle is lucky to have such a wonderful mama.

[Rue]

Oh, Kathy, that's a gorgeous blanket (and a wonderful story to go with it). I think my favorite picture is the one with the car seat where he's just snuggling up with the blanket. Of course, the one with the two of you is incredible, too!

[Kat]

Kate, it came out perfectly! If you want to expand the border as he grows, I'd be honored to spin some of my white...