Knitted baby blanket with crocheted flowers.

I finally finished knitting the baby blanket for my ex-boss, who is due in January. I had collected money for materials from my co-workers before I got laid off. So since the money was all kicked in, I couldn't really just say "no" and keep the yarn the money purchased. Also, I like Jess, even though she's the person who had to lay me off.

At first working on it was just a prolonged reminder of losing a job that I trusted and even liked, but then it just became like any other project -- fun, and a constant struggle between what I want it to look like and the realities of my limited talent.

This is based on a pattern I read in Debbie Stoller's first Stitch 'n' Bitch, except I used worsted weight wool instead of sock yarn. There's a seed stitch border all around, and the middle is just four blocks of alternating stockinette and reverse stockinette. I think cast on about sixty stitches and just knit it until it looked like a good size, making sure the squares were about the same size.

I blocked in lukewarm water with a detergent that puts lanolin back into the fibers, making it softer the more you wash it. I did the stems of the flowers with a tapestry needle and green yarn, just a backstitch. The blossoms were crocheted separately then sewn on.

I'm pretty bummed that I can't be there when they give the blanket to Jess. I don't even know if I'll ever see or talk to her again. Oh well, I hope she enjoys the blanket because I really liked making it.