Clay's Choice Afghan Lap Blanket - Pinwheel - Blues, White

Size: 34.5 inches x 44 inches
Colors: Navy, Royal Blue, Sky Blue, White
Pattern: Clay's Choice Afghan (pattern modified to lap blanket size)
Book: Patchwork Grannys for Afghans, Pillows & Bedspreads - Leaflet 267 - Designs by Diane Marie Goff - Copyright 1983 - Leisure Arts
Date: January 2003

In December 2002 when my husband was looking for Christmas tree decorations in the "attic" of our garage, he came across a box marked "Cheryl's Yarn." Lo-and-behold! Guess what was in it? 2 unfinished blankets I had started in the late 1980s or early 1990s before I stopped crocheting due to tendonitis in both wrists in March 1992.

There were 99 3.5-inch squares for this blanket in the box. The original afghan pattern needs 176 squares. I redesigned the pattern to be a lap blanket size (about 35 inches x 45 inches) requiring 130 squares and made the additional squares. 2 squares from the original 99 didn't fit into the redesigned pattern so these will be taken apart and used for scrap blanket yarn.

When I was putting together the blues-and-white "found" blanket, I discovered that I didn't have any more Royal Blue or Soft White yarn needed to stitch together about half of the squares. Using the Light Navy or Baby Blue on the Soft White and Royal Blue seams wouldn't look good. So, I stopped by Michaels Craft Store, compared the squares I'd brought as samples with the yarn they had and bought just what I needed! The Royal Blue matches exactly. The Soft White is just a little off, but good enough. Fancy that - matching yarn that is 10+ years old!

The first photo above is the blanket after I laid it out on the kitchen table. I managed to get the rows organized before any of the cats decided to "help" me.

I will probably never do another blanket like this - it has entirely too many small squares which means entirely too many ends to hide and too many squares to sew together. Although I do like the detail provided by smaller squares. Hmmm, maybe one day I'll feel like doing a small square blanket again.