Wow! This is my first FO for 2010!
I began this project on October 5, 2009. My daughter and I had received an invitation to a friend’s bridal shower.
“K” and “T” were getting married! They are a very special couple. Both graduated from college in December, and T just got hired on as a full-time youth pastor at my church. He’s been an intern for quite some time and is very close to the local kids. K worked at the church last summer and became very good friends with my daughter.
This is a couple that adores being with teenagers. They have been such a blessing to my own family, so I knew a special gift was in order.
I quickly decided on a project as, of course, a knitted item was in order.
I bought the yarn…
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Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool - Color 098 (Natural)
I was ready…confident that I would be able to finish the project in the three weeks time-span to the shower.
The knitting gods laughed at me.
I mean, let’s face it. It was Fall…the holiday season.
I worked when I could, but other projects came up.
But then things settled down, and I finally focused all of my energy…
To finish…
[CENTER][B]The Tree of Life Afghan[/B][/CENTER]
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You can find the free pattern here. There’s also a Ravelry group dedicated to this project.
This project kept me interested. The tree sections were actually the easiest and fastest to complete…
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These panels alternate with garden sections, which required a new technique for me…using a crochet hook to pull the yarn from back to front (trust me…it’s not too hard when you read the instructions)…
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The sections in-between were simple garter stitch…easy-peasy!
There are different arguments out in internet-world about the best way to complete the border. I didn’t read ahead in the instructions, so I was oblivious. I pretty much did what I was told and knit it separately from the rest, attaching it by using my own modified version of the mattress stitch…
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The border was very simple but very elegant, forming leaf petals.
I worked on the border when I subbed for a history teacher for a week. My classes spent most of their days watching movies…which allowed me a lot of time to knit as the movies were long, and my students were incredibly well-behaved!
Now, I’ve gotta say that I mustered up some brain power and smartly decided to leave live stitches on my needles, not binding off the edging until I was absolutely sure it was long enough. I knit 58 repeats, stitched them to the blanket, and promptly ran out of edging. So, I knit another 17 repeats, adding this portion to the blanket’s edge, and discovered I needed one more repeat!!
Oy!
In total, I worked 76 pattern repeats of the border.
The border really made this project complete. It added a very elegant touch to what was already an incredibly amazing project (if I do say so myself).
My son and husband held it up so I could get pre-washing/blocking pictures…
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K and T came to the house so they could open the gift in front of us.
I was so nervous! Would they like it? Would it match their decor? Would they realize that I want them to USE this…not be afraid of the 100% wool thing?
I needn’t be afraid. I think you can tell what they thought of it from the pictures below…
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K inspected the work up close…
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[LEFT]Final stats on this project:[/LEFT]
[LEFT]Began on October 5, 2009
Bound off on January 18, 2010[/LEFT]
[LEFT]Used 4.6 skeins (2,139 yards) of Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool (Natural)[/LEFT]
[LEFT]Knit on size 8 needles[/LEFT]
[LEFT]Finished blanket size: 78 x 58
Thanks for looking all!! 
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Just pulled up the pattern:passedout: 
just ordered some yummy LB yarn too…think I better stick with a basketweave pattern:aww: