Cozy Stripe Blanket Ta-Dah

It was Wednesday night around midnight. While the rest of my family was tucked in bed sleeping, I was perched on the edge of the sofa, butterflies in my stomach, the end in sight. I finished off the last round of the edge, darned in the last few ends, and I was finished. Excitedly, I laid my Cozy Stripe Blanket out on the living room floor, feeling my breath catch in my throat when I saw how beautiful it was. My Cozy Stripe Blanket was finished.

I began this blanket way back in January 2015. I worked on it diligently through the winter while the snow fell and the wind howled outside, took a little break during the summer as the gardening took more of my time and the weather turned warmer (which makes working on a large blanket while it covers my lap most uncomfortable) and then got back at it in earnest come the fall.

I had hoped to finish my blanket by Christmas - an image of myself curled up under my blanket in the glow of the Christmas tree lights had lodged itself in my mind - but after dealing with all the ends that I did not darn in as I went along, and running out of the yarn colors that I needed for the edge (major panic), that did not happen.

Finally, last week, I decided to get down to business and work the edge - a brilliant pattern, simple and perfect - and now my blanket is finished. And I absolutely love it!

But friends, as much as I love my blanket, I am also a little sad that it is finished. Working on this blanket was such a calming journey for me. It was always there on the edge of the sofa, waiting for me to pick it up and crochet a few rows. My blanket became a sort of fixture in my days, bringing me so much happiness when I was working on it, and when I knew it was sitting there waiting for me to work on it. Maybe this is why I was reluctant to get going on the edge and finish it up even though the additional yarn I ordered arrived in early January - because I didn't want 'working on my blanket' to be gone from my days? Does this seem completely crazy? For me, making a blanket really is a journey, and it does weave itself into my life, so I guess it makes sense that I am sad to see it end, though oh so happy at the gorgeous outcome.

Anyways, enough blabbering on, are you ready to see my Cozy Stripe Blanket:

Oh it is gorgeous, isn't it?

Colorful stripes of crochet make me so happy. I am really quite proud of this blanket.

It was a beautiful journey and I have a gorgeous blanket, I could not be happier.

(The pattern is available at Attic 24 - for the blanket and the edge)

I'm joining in the Winter Project Link Party at Thistlebear