We knit, we crochet, we do it by ourselves and sometimes together. We keep our hands busy and our hearts open. The results are labors of love. We do it because we can and because we want to and because we are overjoyed that a small new tiny person or a big person we love will be wrapped in our handmade gift. They are blankets crafted of yarn.
I don’t really remember just how all this yarn manipulation got started. I think there were infant hats for charity to be made and crocheted potholder lessons involved or maybe it was just an excuse to meet once a week at the Starbuck’s in Barnes and Noble but soon we were making a layette set for Michelle Mach’s second baby.
Roundabout Project Engineer Rachel Price is one of our own and to show our solidarity and support during an illness, we made her a bright blanket to surround her with love and affection. We entered the blanket in the Evergreen State Fair and won 2nd place, plus a “Best Presentation” ribbon. Imagine our surprise when years later a duplicate blanket showed up on one of our favorite TV shows “Flight of the Conchords.”
We thought our baseball-themed blanket was appropriate, since the mother of this baby boy is an Atlanta Braves’ fan.
When Randa Awad got engaged, of course we had to celebrate her marriage with the gift of a blanket. We searched her various bridal registries and finally chose to imitate a rug pattern that she had selected.
Finally, one of the creators, Shanna Vasser, had a baby of her own. In this case – twins. Bummer; now we are one creator down and we need to make two blankets! Challenge accepted. The biggest part of the challenge? Keeping it a secret until they were done.
Alas, another creator has a baby. Since Shannon Lambert was the organizer of all the previous blankets; laying out the pattern, buying the yarn and making assignments; it was going to be hard to keep her baby’s blanket a secret so why bother. In fact, she gave us the idea that she wanted. A TV test pattern – not your typical blanket but so fun to work on.
And another creator has a baby! (be careful of the water in this office) Randa Kiriakos was the third new mom in 2011!
Finally, our CFO Simeon Alejo, welcomes a baby girl and pink can be introduced into the color pallet at his house.
We are working on a new blanket and although it is supposed to be a secret; I bet the new mom can guess what is coming.
Facts to date:
- 12 babies
- 1 bride
- 1 survivor
- 7 years
- 11 yarn manipulators
- 62 colors
- 280 skeins of yarn
- Approximately 25 miles of yarn
