Raspberry Baby Blanket

I did it. I really did it. I knitted a baby blanket in five days. Now I know it can be done—but I won't ever try this again. I knew a few weeks ago this baby shower was coming, but I was determined to finish the Summertide shawl before I started the blanket. The realistic plan was to give the mom-to-be the blanket later. (Baby isn't due until May.) But when I finished the shawl slightly faster than I expected, I figured I see how fast I could make a blanket. Maybe I could do it in time for the party.

If it was going to happen, I needed to stay home and stick with it. I was helped along by a broken clothes dryer. I couldn't be tempted to go somewhere else because I had to wait on the repair man. Daddy-O rigged up a clothesline that tided us over a few days. But I surely didn't want to miss the repairman if I had to stay home all week! It turned out that I was glad for a few "go hang out the laundry" interruptions. My hands and shoulders definitely needed a break from the needles.

But for the most part, I sat still, watched old movies, and knitted non-stop. It was like the movies were cheering me on. Knitting scenes kept popping up. I had seen both "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" and "Willy Wonka" several times, but I didn't remember there was knitting in those movies. Now, it was like knitting was everywhere.

By Friday night I was so close to the end. And then I realized that I was running out of yarn. Two choices—order more yarn and delay the gift or figure out a new way to end the blanket. You've heard people say, "If you can't have what you want, then want what you have." Well, I couldn't have more yarn instantly, so I decided I wanted to use a different bind-off. It wasn't my original plan, but I like this one, too.

On Saturday I got up early, washed and dried the blanket, and wrapped it up and arrived at the morning baby shower exactly on time, and walked in calmly like there had been no rush.

The baby shower was such fun. A house full of friends, neighbors, cousins, sisters, children, babies— all gathered to celebrate this newest addition to our world. All new babies should be so anticipated.

Pattern: Pinwheel Blanket by Genia Planck

Yarn: Berroco Comfort, in Raspberry Coulis colorway

Needles: size 8

There is still one more blanket needed. Another baby is due in May. But this time? I'm taking it slow. Even if the baby arrives before the blanket.