Doll Blanket or Heirloom?

Over 20 years ago I knitted.  I mostly did blankets and a few sweaters.  I was self-taught through books and experience.  My mother did not knit.  She made beautiful crocheted items, mostly dollies and pot holders.  But she approved of me spending long amounts of time learning to knit. I guess she liked the solitary aspect of the activity.

After many years of marriage when all the things I had knitted for my daughter was over and I had knitted enough blankets or afghans for the two of us to use, I stopped knitting. So when a knitting class at church started up, it made me want to experience knitting needles and the feel of yarn pulling through my fingers again.  When the first wave of church projects was over, I decided to see if I would like to knit again.  But what useful thing should become my project?

I have a granddaughter, Nola, who was soon to turn four years old.  So not needing any more blankets for us, I decided to knit her a doll blanket.  It would not take as much yarn or time as an adult size afghan would take so I got two colors of yarn and started to knit the birthday gift that I hoped she would love and keep well into her grown-up years.  I had about four weeks of on and off again time to put into the blanket.

To keep things simple, I used only the knit stitch.  I changed colors after four rows were knitted.  I just twisted the yarns together each time I changed the color and avoided the knot tying issue until the binding off process.



Finished Blanket Showing Twisted Yarn End

I have to admit I was happy to feel the yarn again and happy to see something come together in my lap.  I dropped stitches a couple of times but a church friend got me back on the right track when I did.  Thanks, Susie.

As I was knitting I was also thinking of Nola.  I hoped that she would like my efforts and would snuggle up in the soft blanket that I was making for her.  I thought about how she might "mother" the doll I was intending to buy her and if she would wrap the doll in her blanket.

She has mostly "all boy" brothers and cousins so she has had to learn to defend herself and play by their rules for the most part.  She is a beautiful girl and I hope she will like the gifts and girlie play with them.

The Rows Line Up Nicely

I was able to knit smoothly so that the blanket kept a rectangular even shape.  Sometimes my projects would not have straight sides but this one did.  I used a large circular needle too.  By using the large needle, the stitches had a loose feel to them which I thought made the worsted weight of the yarn seem softer.

The Back Side of the Blanket

Because I changed color every four rows, the back side of the blanket took on a distinct pattern too.  The delicate loops of the stitches showed better from the back side.  At times during the knitting I thought I liked it better than the front side.

Folded Blanket Shows Both Patterns Made by Knit Only

Softly Draped Blanket

Doll and Blanket Together Showing the Size of the Blanket

I finished the blanket when I thought it was large enough to cover and wrap the doll.  Somewhere in my heart I also hoped that the blanket would cover Nola too when she laid down for her nap.

Nola Playing with Her Doll and Blanket

A few days ago, her mother sent me the above picture of her holding her doll and the blanket.  I think she liked her birthday gifts.  It looks like she enjoys the back side too-just like her Grandmother!