On My Mind Today... Blankets and Booties

A big little boy is soon to be born to my brother and his wife. He is due to arrive in around 5 weeks. I have, rather ambitiously, started knitting him a blanket. His mommy chose the wool - a delicious denim coloured bamboo/cotton blend. The blanket is knitted on circular needles. It contains 35 squares of different texture in the pattern of my design: cables, stripes, diamonds, lacy bits, but not to lacy for a boy. The squares are not knitted separately. I distinguish between them with bands of garter stitch. It is complicated, yet I enjoy the challenge. My only concern is that the blanket won't be complete in time for the arrival of this long awaited baby boy. You see, I am only just completing the first set of 5 squares. Thirty squares to go.

A hand made gift has love woven into it, and means far more than something that I just bought off the shelf. Every time his mamma wraps him in his blanket, they will know the love that went into making it is wrapping around him too.

The doctor says that he is a really big baby, about two weeks bigger than his gestational age. I have a feeling that the booties I knitted him might just be too tiny.

I am also desperately crocheting two granny stripe blankets. One each for my children. This one will be for my 15 year old daughter who adores all things colourful. My son says that the bright colours hurt his eyes, so his blanket is rather more conservative. I want them to feel my love wrapping around them too as they snuggle under them in the freezing winter here near the Lesotho Highlands. My children see the time and love that goes into each stitch of their blankets. I know that they will value these handmade labours of love.... when I eventually finish them.

Thank you Rhonda for this idea of sharing what it On My Mind today.