A Blanket For Carrie

I began crocheting about 7 years ago.  It didn't come about because I really desired to learn, so I could create blankets and scarves, and various items.  Instead it came about out of a need of necessity.  My youngest son played the piano for the youth in our church, and I, being his mom, went to all his practices.  This equated to around 15 to 20 hours a week of just sitting in a chair listening to and keeping an eye on him.  After a minuscule amount of time of this sitting, I knew I had to find something to do with my time.  So I sought out someone to teach me crocheting.  When I had the basics down, I visited our nearest yarn shop and bought a pattern and about 12 skeins of yarn, and set off to crochet a blanket.  This I did, and was quite pleased with the result.  Then one day, Carrie and I were shopping, and into an Anthropologie store we skipped (more or less, if only in our hearts.  May I take a moment and sing the praises of this store? We love, love, love this place!).  So anyway, as we slowly made our way through the part of the store with the dishes and lamps and cookbooks and bedding, we spot this lovely hand crocheted throw. We fingered it.  We drooled over it.  Then we saw the price tag.  Carrie walked away from it as I stood firmly planted beside that gorgeous throw.  "I can make it", said I.  Carrie turned back.  "Really?"  "Yah, I can make it", I said twice now.  When something takes hold in my heart, I usually find a way (except playing the clarinet....).      
Once I got home from this shopping trip, I got on the Anthropologie web site to find that throw.  Then I printed it.  I studied and studied it.  I had a few crochet books, and naturally I bought more.  My goal for this blanket was to complete it in about 3 months.  I was determined to pull this off.  The funnest part of this was the fact that Carrie had no idea what I was up to.  This blanket was to be for her.

I went to a Hobby Lobby and bought yarn.  Now this blanket was for Carrie.  The very same Carrie that I would ride bike with in the dark of morning, in the middle of winter (we do live in the South).  On mornings when I would have 2 pairs of socks on (one being wool), and plastic bags wrapped around my toes (trying to keep them from freezing), Carrie would be either in flip flops or a canvas shoe.  Carrie does not get cold easily.  I bought acrylic yarn.  I wanted her to use this .  Had I bought wool, she would have only touched it maybe 2 weeks out of a given year.  With 13 skeins of yarn, pattern books, a hook and lots of anticipation, I began this delightful throw.

This blanket was a journey.  A lot of hours were spent thinking, planning and crocheting.  Many nights the light of my sewing room was on until after midnight.  It was all worth it.  Every minute, every long night, every stitch.  When my fingers ached.  When I wanted to do something different.  The look on her face the first time she saw the blanket, was totally worth everything!