Thursday, February 16, 2012

Eleanor's Blanket

For my nieces and nephew, as a 'welcome to the world' present, I cross-stitched them blankets.  The theme is always the same: Beatrix Potter's characters.  In fact whenever I make a baby present, a birth sampler, pillow, bibs-- I always use her charming creatures.  Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Hunca Munca, Jemimah Puddleduck.

So, when I heard my youngest sister was pregnant, I started on blanket #5, with a pattern I had set aside for her baby.  I had been waiting to do this one for years, as this pattern was made just for her. When she was younger, I would take her shopping with me.  Now, don't think that it was me being a nice elder sister.  Oh, it was really selfish.  I used her for my calculator. "Becca, I have $45.  This sweater is $29 but is 15% off and these earrings are $12 but 10% off.  How much will that be and do I have enough?"   She would be able to do the calculations, including the tax, in her head within seconds.  Very useful to someone who has an issue with just straight adding.  Ahem.

Anywho.  I heard Becca was preggers, and I started sewing her baby's blanket with Peter Rabbit and his friends and numbers 1-12, taking a total of 10 months to complete (I admit that there were a few weeks I didn't work on it--like in Copenhagen or when I was on pain meds for my broken toe.  Medication and counting generally do not mix).  Once the baby was born, I added her name and birth date.  I added a back, some stuffing to make it warmer, my initials. Then I packed it up and shipped it off.

Only, once it was in the hands of the post office, did I realize that I hadn't taken photos of the finished product!   All that hard work and nothing to remember it by.

But, now that issue has been resolved.  Becca sent photos of Eleanor on her blanket.  She laid it out on the floor and had Eleanor pose for me, by her current favorite numbers: three with Hunca Munca, four with Benjamin Bunny, and five with Miss Moppet.  I am thrilled to see the blanket again and remember ho sweet it was.  Though, I think that the best part of all is having Eleanor also enjoying it.  Soon she will be able to read the numbers, and then she is just a hop, skip, and jump away from the higher mathematical skills of discount shopping.
Eleanor with Hunca, Benjamin, and Miss Moppet.

The entire blanket. 

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