There is nothing more precious than a new baby boy.
He will fill a space in your heart, that you never knew existed until that moment, a void filled with love so strong, it has no words.
An unbreakable love only a parent understands.
As his tiny hand, grips your finger, your hopes and dreams become selflessly all about your tiny, fragile baby that lays in your arms, as your heart bursts and overflows with love.
That tiny bundle of joy becomes your life, your every waking thought and the blood running through your veins.
As you once thought out future plans fade happily away in to the distance, determination to protect your son from the world and all its demons, ripple through your unconscious. You know you’ll do anything possible to keep your son safe, to protect him.
While he sleeps peacefully as he grows, you’ll swaddle him tightly in a blanket, giving him a sense of love and protection, showing him he’s safe, while loving him from a distance.
And what better way to give him those feelings, than a handmade blanket, made specially for him.
Every stitch entwined with love.

When my mum asked me to make a blanket for a new born baby boy, I knew how important this blanket would be.
For it’s not just yarn stitched together, it’s so much more than that.
It’s comfort, it’s warmth, it’s tenderness, it’s security but most importantly it’s love.

Mum and I decided on colours and of course it had to be pale blues and white. I just love to see newborns in Pale Blues, pale pinks and especially white.
We chose Stylecraft Special Double Knit, from Wool Warehouse, in colours, White, Cloud Blue, Sherbet and Duck Egg, a colour combo very new to me. I haven’t really ever made anything in such a pastel colour-way before and it took me a little while to get use to it.

We decided on Briar Rose, by Vanessa from Hooked On Sunshine. It’s such a pretty, well written pattern, I just knew it was perfect and a pleasure to make.
Briar Rose began its journey of becoming a blanket of hugs.

I probably spent an afternoon trying different colour orders, frogging it and starting over again, until I found the one I liked the most.
In truth I wasn’t the biggest fan, it was so different from what I am use to making.
I kept sending my Mum photos, asking if she really liked it, I even asked my hubby to take it into my Mums just to be sure. Mum being the best mum in the world, she loved it from the very first stitch.
Because she loved it, I began to love it to, and with each stitch, every repeat it grow into a blanket full of love and hugs.

I made five repeats and finished on round one of the border. Even though I think the two rounds I missed out, are very pretty, they kind of remind me of a princess crown, perfect for a baby girl so I decided to finish on the shell round, which to me is perfect for a boy.

My colour repeat were –

Round 1 – White
Round 2 – Cloud Blue
Round 3 – Sherbet
Round 4 – White
Round 5 – White
Round 6 – Duck Egg
Round 7 – White
Round 8 – Sherbet
Round 9 – White
Round 10 – White
Round 11 – Duck Egg / Sherbet
Round 12 – Sherbet / Duck Egg
Round 13 – Cloud Blue
Round 14 – White
Round 15- White
Round 16 – Duck Egg / Sherbet
Round 17 – White

Rotating rounds 11, 12 and 16.

And for the border I used
Round 1 – Cloud Blue

I have to say, I rather like it and hopefully, Mummy, Daddy and baby, will like their blanket of hugs, just as much if not more.