It’s time to let it go

My mom crocheted this blanket for me a while back; it’s been sitting in a box for a good five years, unused. Yesterday we did another big clean-out and cleared out some stuff, and that’s when I came across the blanket. I washed it, and when I hung it up, I immediately noticed a big hole. I just took it off the line and took a closer look at the holes and damage on the blanket. I found more and more holes, and bigger ones too; I took a picture of the biggest one and sent it to my oldest daughter. She said that if there are more than five holes like that, it’s not worth the effort to repair it. It’s not just the big ones—there are also a lot of tiny holes where the thread has simply come undone. The blanket is over 50 years old and has served its purpose; now it’s time to let it go, as beautiful as it still is despite its holes.


Love, Inge

 

At some point, it really is time to let it go. But it sure was beautiful!

I once had a beautiful blanket made from lots of scraps, too.
Unfortunately, the scraps were of different thicknesses and materials, so after a lot of washing, the blanket eventually looked pretty distorted because some rows had become matted.
My daughter’s dogs still felt comfortable with it, though. They loved it.
Eventually, however, it wasn’t a blanket anymore—it had been played with so much that it had to be thrown away.
I think your blanket would still appeal to a little dog, especially since it’s freshly washed now.
Maybe you have a pup in the neighborhood?
Best wishes from Mona

Thanks to both of you :-)
Crocheted blankets like mine aren’t suitable for dogs—I once saw a dog tear out a claw on a blanket like this, so I put it in the textile recycling bin. My daughter has a Maltese mix, and she said the same thing: “Not for my Joschi—he’s old anyway (13), and he should be able to enjoy the few years he has left without any pain.”

Love, Inge

Dear Inge,
it’s wonderful that you’ve honored your mom’s blanket one last time. There are so many memories tied to it, after all. Just as you’ve kept the blanket all these decades, your daughters and grandchildren will surely keep the handmade items you’ve crafted for them—the ones they especially love. Store-bought items that are broken would have ended up in the trash long ago. But personal handmade items are simply more than just material.

Warm regards, Ina