I’ve made this blanket three times already. I’m not a time traveler. I just keep making the same blanket, from the same pattern, over and over. Sometimes I try to make a blanket from a different pattern, but my evening crochet blanket pattern of choice is always the Alissa throw from Rescued Paw Designs.
(For the record, it is a free pattern. Free things are good.)
That’s not to say I don’t work on other projects. Sometime soon I’ll post the crochet headband I made (also from Rescued Paw Designs) and you can laugh yourself silly with all of my trials and tribulations. For a while I drove myself wild trying to force myself to try new patterns.
This winter, I made a change. I’m accepting myself the way I am. If I want to work on the Alissa throw, I will.
The thing is, I love to create. I’m an author, a cook, and whatever else I’m making at the moment. I’d always wanted to learn to crochet, and I finally decided the time was right to sit down and learn. I’m still new at it, so things don’t always come out the way they do in those gorgeous pictures on Pinterest, but I’m okay with that.
I don’t do yarn crafts just for the joy of creation, though. That joy is a huge part of it, of course, but I do yarn crafts at the advice of my doctor.
You read that right. I have both chronic insomnia and anxiety. My doctor recommended doing something repetitive and meditative in order to help calm my brain at night. Crochet (or knitting) fit the bill perfectly! It turns out, I’m not the only one who’s made this connection. Yarn crafts are considered to be great for people who are living with these disorders. They have the added benefit of visible progress at the end of a session.
You may be asking yourself, why is this person making the same blanket over and over? All of this about anxiety and creation is well and good, but making the same blanket over and over sounds like a whole different problem.
Well, like I said, I was making myself downright wild trying out new patterns. I’d try new blanket patterns and frustrate myself when they didn’t make sense, or they didn’t come out the way I wanted. It’s supposed to be a calming, meditative exercise, not something that makes me remember every curse word I’ve ever learned.
So I gave myself permission to make the same blanket. I’m just not going to make myself rush.
I’ll learn and practice new techniques on other projects. At night, when I’m winding down for the day, I’ll make the Alissa throw. I’ll do it in different sizes, of course. I’ll do it in different colors, too.
The first one I made was in Caron Tea Cakes Hibiscus. The cat claimed it before it was even finished and refuses to allow anyone else to sit on it, or put anything on it.
The second one I made a little larger. I made it as a lapghan for my uncle, who was stuck in a wheelchair. I had a hard time keeping the edges straight on that one, but I hope he liked it. He passed away a few weeks ago and I don’t know what became of the blanket. I made that one in Caron Cakes Pistachio, which was a good color for a masculine kind of guy (and doesn’t show up the kind of spills that can happen for someone with his particular impairments.)
The third one I made for my toddler nephew. I made it in Caron Cakes Blueberry Cheesecake.
This one is a little more neutral in color, Caron Cakes Buttercream, because I haven’t decided who it’s for. I might even keep it! I hate the cold, and I don’t think a person can ever have too many blankets. I’ll probably give it away, though. There’s always someone out there who needs a blanket, or the great feeling a handmade blanket brings.
For what it’s worth, I’m not being paid by Caron to promote their yarn. I’ve just been really into their cake yarn lately. I like the way it feels in my hand. I like the way it works up – it doesn’t disintegrate or fall apart. And I love the self-striping aspect! Every time the color change happens it’s like a little bit of magic in my day. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea and I respect that, but I personally love it. My daughter has to physically block the yarn bins every time we go into a craft store lately to keep me from buying more! Apparently I’m supposed to use what I already have or something ?
So this is my “anxiety” blanket – the blanket I work on to help me deal with my anxiety. I love this pattern because it’s adjustable and easy to remember. I love these yarns because they’re fun, easy to care for, and don’t cost a beginner an arm and a leg. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
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