At Long Last... A Blankie!

Look! It's Stinkerbelle's blankie.

I really thought I'd finish this much sooner. When I started this blankie in July 2006 I assumed that it would be a relatively quick project. I'm sure it would've been done long ago if it hadn't spent so long in time out. It wasn't a bad project. It just wasn't exciting. My sweet Stinkerbelle is also very patient so I wasn't feeling any pressure to finish it until recently when she casually commented that maybe it would be finished next year. Suddenly this sucker was in my lap all the time. I took it with me everywhere and spent every free moment working on it.

As this project drew to a close, I felt really pleased with it but it was a little raw. I also had some design decisions to make about how to finish the blankie off. I asked for a little advice and you all, unanimously, confirmed my instinct to wrap it up with a strip of the dark blue color and continue it around the edge. I could've done a simple crochet edge but I went for the applied i-cord. That i-cord took for-freakin'-ever to do but it was so worth it. With the i-cord, the edges look finished. Kay is right, it really does look like bias binding and enhances the look of the blanket more than words can express. I just wish it didn't take quite so long.
The edges aren't the only aspect of this blankie that is satisfying. The whole blankie was made with 100% cotton, Sugar & Cream yarn. It uses 10 different colors of yarn (9 of which were chosen by Stink-o) and I only used about 1 ball of each (except for the dark blue which needed 2). It wasn't the most fun stuff to knit with. Actually, I hated it at times but the end result is a blanket that feels really substantial - not heavy, just not light and feathery. If the feel of it is any indication, this blankie will wear really well which is a very imporatant featture for an item that gets dragged all around the house.
It's my hope that washing it will soften it up quite a bit. I'm not sure about that though because in order to prove or disprove that theory I'd have to pry it out of my darling Stinkerbelle's hands. That hasn't happened since the last end was woven in.
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BTW, thanks to everyone who took the time to join me on my little trip down memory lane. There are some events in ones life that are so major that you just can't help but commemorate them in some way and telling the story is much more satisfying when there's someone there to listen. I would respond to each of you directly but Blogger doesn't make it easy at all. Thanks!