Exactly one week ago today I was on my way to Minnesota to deposit my sweet girl in her college dorm room. Bittersweet is leave-taking. So hard to let her go but so good knowing that I am returning her to a place where she thrives so beautifully.
It was such a great summer, having her in the house again, and I am grateful for every second of it. Somewhere along the way my baby went and grew into this beautiful and lovely young woman. It's a wonderful thing when you realize that you like the almost-adult child you have unleashed upon the world almost as much as you love her—a really, really wonderful thing.
All throughout this year I have been working on a hug for my girl...

This was the perfect project to get me through our first year of living in this house without her.
It's bright and cheery, and I found it almost impossible to be mopey when I was working on it. These happy little squares were quick, portable, fun to crochet, and they accompanied me everywhere. I have great memories of the events and people that kept company with me and my squares throughout the year. I love that when I look at the blanket I see them in there.
And the coziness...

It made me so happy to imagine her dreaming sweetly beneath the finished blanket or snuggled up in it reading and studying into the wee hours on a cold Minnesota night. I had no idea the thoughts and feelings that working on it would provoke—not at all unlike the emotions that I felt when I made her first crib blanket and bunting—but it makes sense that you would put your hopes and dreams into a project like this.
And the finished product?...I have to say I love it, and the fact that I loved working on it as much as I love the finished project makes it just that much sweeter.
Here is a glimpse of my year {a little here-a little there} in crochet...
Squaring off...

Blocking...

Done!...

And this...

...is just what I was hoping for...and is even better than I imagined it.

A word of warning though...no one ever told me how addictive crochet is. It's the perfect little pick-me-up—I think I'm in love. Which reminds me!..thank you so much to Attic 24 for her wonderful patterns and tutorials. She is holding this non-crocheter's hand project by project. If you haven't checked her blog and tutorials—you must—no really, run don't walk over to her blog of handmade goodness! I used this pattern and adapted this border. The squares were crocheted together after the fact using this method. Yarn used was cascade 220.

More crochet love coming soon—here's a teaser...

Have a great weekend!

~xoxo
alison