Shelby's Blanky

My friend Shelby has had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month. She went to the hospital to have surgery on her back. She was supposed to be out a day later. And, instead, they gave her one of those nasty antibiotic-resistant viruses and held her captive for weeks. They let her go from the hospital to a nursing home. And then she went home. And then she got sicker and went back to the hospital (a different one, as Shelby is a bit bitter about the whole experience, after all). And then they transferred her to another hospital. And finally, two days ago, she was sent home. But, she's not allowed to see the likes of me, the immune-suppressed.

I wanted to make her something that would comfort her. So, I've got this dandy lap blanket. When I first learned to spin, it took me quite a while to get to a point where my spinning was worthy of knitting. I finally got over the hump, and my mom knit my son a baby blanket from my handspun. I had never dyed anything before, so I dyed the yarn with Kool-Aid. My son, being a manly sort, gave up the blanket pretty early along, I suppose because it was made from bunny, and manly kindergartner's don't like to appear toting fluffy bunny blankets. So I took it over, and whenever I go to the hospital, I pack it up and take it with me. Now I am looking at it and thinking perhaps I should wash it, as it has been to the hospital a lot, first for when my Mom and Dad were there, and then for a couple of trips myself. Goodness, it may be imbued with hospital cooties.

Back to Shelby... I inherited my Mom's friend Shelby from my Mom, and Shelby now lives maybe two blocks away from me, and so I got to thinking that her lap blanket, which is also very bunny, should be dyed with Kool-Aid. So last night I hauled down to the basement and lifted up the craft microwave and followed the directions from How-To: Kool-Aid Dye with a Microwave. Here it is, drying on the rack:

I have some regrets about having lifted the craft microwave up to get it set up; my back went out. But it seems better today.

Anyway, Shelby, I know I should have dyed this to match your red couch, but in all honestly, I think most people who receive lap blankets from me store them under the couch, as my craftmanship isn't necessarily display-worthy. It's all about the snuggle, if you ask me. Also, I wanted to make it the same color as the one that my mom made so you would think of her when you use it. My mom really appreciated your friendship, and so do I. Thank you so much for helping us through our terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year. Without friends like you, it would have been so much harder.