Chou and I really like to keep gifts simple. We would both rather get no gift at all or one or two gifts that are truly needed and/or wanted than a pile of gifts that will end up in storage or the back of a closet somewhere. Our century-old home has a grand total of three small closets, which is added incentive to make every item worth its storage space. Over the years, some of my favorite gifts from Chou have been tickets to go see the Yankees play in New York (at the old stadium where we could actually afford tickets that were close enough to recognize players from their faces and not just the backs of their jerseys) and the framed wedding photos that are hanging in my dining room and living room.
Thinking about E's first birthday, I really wanted to get her something meaningful that would last more than a few months and then inevitably be set aside for the next baby or sold at a yard sale. I saw this blanket on pinterest last spring and decided to make it over the course of the summer.
The blanket is made up almost exclusively of this basket weave stitch, which I absolutely love! It is the same on both the front and the back, which is really nice for a blanket, and it creates a nice thick afghan that is incredibly warm. Additionally, it's super fast and easy and really different from most crocheted patterns. The only downside is that it uses a lot of yarn.
I used the Charisma yarn from Michaels and a size N hook as the pattern recommends and I love the sheen on the yarn. So pretty!
I thought the original was too small and made mine to be 20 squares (80 stitches) x 22 squares (88 stitches). The initial chain was 84 stitches, not 68. With the border, it measures 34" x 36", perfect baby blanket size, yet it's big enough to use as a lap blanket when she gets a little older.
Most importantly, E loves it! She crawls back and forth on it and likes to play with the basket weave.
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