New Year, New Baby, New Blanket

I'm delighted that the first blog post of 2016 is all about new beginnings. Huge congratulations go to Becksini on the birth of her daughter, Rose. OK, so baby Rose did actually arrive in 2015 but she got to go home and meet her big brother on New Year's Eve. I'd like to think that meant celebrations all round but I rather imagine it meant no sleep for anyone, and not for partying reasons.

Anyway, the happy news was all the cue I needed to get out the fabric box and sewing machine to conjure up a blanket. I also worked on a new design, one inspired by the fact that I spent a whole day in October trying to crochet an elephant from Edward's Menagerie. I clearly need to go on a crochet refresher course or just learn to relax more since my tension was hopelessly tight and the body of the elephant, even at the 5th attempt, looked more mouse-sized than elephantine. I very reluctantly abandoned the project but clearly still had elephants on the brain.

Knowing the new nursery is painted in multi-coloured stripes, I felt that a rainbow of elephants may be appropriate so had fun lining all my fabrics up in shade order. I say fun because, yes, I'm also the sort of person who has their music and book collections in alphabetical order too. So, with fabrics chosen and a new elephant template drawn, the blanket quickly came together.

I used a striped grey thread for the appliqué which, I think, gives it a bit of an illuminated quality. Or perhaps the illusion that the elephants are squirting water at each other?

Naturally, the blanket stitches had to be done in a shade of 'rose' - in this case quite a deep pink. Let's just hope Mum and baby like it - oh, and are far too busy to be reading this blog between me hitting 'publish' and being able to deliver the blanket!