Wow! This is my first FO for 2010!
I began this project on October 5, 2009. My daughter and I had received an invitation to a friend’s bridal shower.
“K” and “T” were getting married! They are a very special couple. Both graduated from college in December, and T just got hired on as a full-time youth pastor at my church. He’s been an intern for quite some time and is very close to the local kids. K worked at the church last summer and became very good friends with my daughter.
This is a couple that adores being with teenagers. They have been such a blessing to my own family, so I knew a special gift was in order.
I quickly decided on a project as, of course, a knitted item was in order.
I bought the yarn…
Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool - Color 098 (Natural)
I was ready…confident that I would be able to finish the project in the three weeks time-span to the shower.
The knitting gods laughed at me.
I mean, let’s face it. It was Fall…the holiday season.
I worked when I could, but other projects came up.
But then things settled down, and I finally focused all of my energy…
To finish…
The Tree of Life Afghan
You can find the free pattern
here. There’s also a Ravelry group dedicated to this project.
This project kept me interested. The tree sections were actually the easiest and fastest to complete…
These panels alternate with garden sections, which required a new technique for me…using a crochet hook to pull the yarn from back to front (trust me…it’s not too hard when you read the instructions)…
The sections in-between were simple garter stitch…easy-peasy!
There are different arguments out in internet-world about the best way to complete the border. I didn’t read ahead in the instructions, so I was oblivious. I pretty much did what I was told and knit it separately from the rest, attaching it by using my own modified version of the mattress stitch…
The border was very simple but very elegant, forming leaf petals.
I worked on the border when I subbed for a history teacher for a week. My classes spent most of their days watching movies…which allowed me a lot of time to knit as the movies were long, and my students were incredibly well-behaved!
Now, I’ve gotta say that I mustered up some brain power and smartly decided to leave live stitches on my needles, not binding off the edging until I was absolutely sure it was long enough. I knit 58 repeats, stitched them to the blanket, and promptly ran out of edging. So, I knit another 17 repeats, adding this portion to the blanket’s edge, and discovered I needed one more repeat!!
Oy!
In total, I worked 76 pattern repeats of the border.
The border really made this project complete. It added a very elegant touch to what was already an incredibly amazing project (if I do say so myself).
My son and husband held it up so I could get pre-washing/blocking pictures…
K and T came to the house so they could open the gift in front of us.
I was so nervous! Would they like it? Would it match their decor? Would they realize that I want them to USE this…not be afraid of the 100% wool thing?
I needn’t be afraid. I think you can tell what they thought of it from the pictures below…
K inspected the work up close…
Final stats on this project:
Began on October 5, 2009
Bound off on January 18, 2010
Used 4.6 skeins (2,139 yards) of Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool (Natural)
Knit on size 8 needles
Finished blanket size: 78 x 58
Thanks for looking all!!
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