Looking Back and Forward

Hi there, how are you all doing on this sunny Sunday? Here in Bavaria it feels more like a lovely spring day than a typical November day, and it's quite warm, too!

There hasn't been much crochet on this crochet blog lately, don't you think? Here are some excuses:

1) I'm still busy taking step-by-step pictures for the baskets I've made recently, but it's almost impossible to get good close-up pictures with the bad light I've got in our appartment. It's frustrating. 2) I'm still working on the super secret project (see glimpses of it in my Thursday Thoughts). 3) I've had (and still have) several long (and not completely painless) sessions at the dentist, because I'll be getting a crown - it won't make me a princess, but it'll cost me a fortune! (and there goes the money I've worked hard for all summer long with the extra hours) 4) I've got to prepare things for our coming vacation - Saturday is Take-Off-day! :)

That's why I thought I'd show you some more of my "old stuff" and asked my sister to bring a blanket I've made back in 2002, when my niece Hanna was born:

Now you might think that these are not quite typical colors for a baby blanket (especially not for a baby girl), and I certainly wouldn't pick these colors today. I don't know why I've choosen these colors back then, but somehow it seemed right, and my sister loved the colors and told me she still loves them today. Oh, and Hanna does, too - she's nine years old now, but it still seems like yesterday, when she was born, funny how time flies, isn't it?

Here you can see that I've sewed some fabric to the back of the blanket - it was meant to be laid on the floor for the baby to roll around and play on it. The blanket is quite big for a baby blankie, too - it measures 120x120 cm (47x47 inches) and it's made with the basic granny squares (the only pattern I knew back then, just like in my huge granny blanket I've showed you some time ago).

It's really quite big compared to the United Colors Baby Blanket I've made earlier this year and which measures only 75x75 cm (30x30 inches). Oh, talking about the United Colors Blanket: The baby's there!! It's a boy named Yannick, he was expected for mid-November but he already arrived on October 22nd, so he's quite small but he and his Mom are fine!

And now let's look forward: Don't forget that there's another link-party here on Friday! You've still got a few days left to vote, but it really looks like the Blankets will bring it home this time. On Saturday night, John and I will be up in the air, heading to Egypt, yippie! We'll both turn on year older wiser while we're away, and it will be wonderful to celebrate our birthdays in the sun.

For December, I thought a Christmas-themed link-party would be nice. So there won't be a new poll this time, instead you'll have the whole month of December to link up your Christmas crochet ideas - time enough to get inspired and show off your creations!

Last but not least, I thought another giveaway is more than overdue! Meanwhile, there are more than 200 people reading this blog, stopping by and leaving wonderful comments. Thank you sooo much! Please check back later this week to read more about this giveaway! :)