It took several years, and several knitters to make our lovely blanket. We should all be proud of the work we have done.
I read the entire journal as I was knitting, and looked at all the sections that were knitted. Such a beautiful experience, seeing the words and handiwork of each of the sweet people who participated in our project.
This was our very first Oddball Blanket, and I started it on February 23rd, 2007.
It then travelled all over the United States to grow a few inches at a time. Each knitter added their own special touch, along with lots of love:
That last photo shows how it looked when it finally came back to me after all it's travels. I still had quite a bit of work to do to finish it up. A couple sections of the blanket had been worked in a design that was too tight for the blanket, so it was drawing in the sides. So I had to remove those sections, and re-connect the blanket using kitchener stitch. Next, I added a few more sections to get the blanket large enough. Next was the huge task of weaving in all the loose ends. It was a lot of work, but I finally got it done.
Now, our blanket is complete, and ready to give to charity. We've decided to give it to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. It is the poorest spot in the USA. The average life expectancy for residents is only 47 for males and early 50s for women. The unemployment rate is 90% and the teen suicide rate is four times the national average. Basics such as running water, heat and food are scarce for many residents let alone jobs and health care.
I've heard that they really appreciate handmade blankets, so I feel like they are the perfect recipient for our creation!
