Love's a Stitch

Finley has received many quilts and blankets handmade, stitched carefully by women who love her... and who I love. I had to have my baby model each blanket so I could have them photographed for her to see as an adult...

This pink blanket has white mink inside... It was made by Hannah's friend's mom, whom I've never met. I am so grateful to women who want to boister woman-to-woman relationships. My idea of Utopia is one where women have a non-judgmental, caring, creative community for even strangers. Thanks to this mom for bringing me a little slice of that.

This blanket we lovingly call the crack blanket, because it was pieced together and tied by an NA group here in Lehi. We put this one down for Fin's tummy time every day. (We washed it twice.)

Deanna, my former Relief Society President, put this quilt together. I know that these particular quilts take more than 40 hours of work. I love the brown and aqua. It matches my brown bedspread perfectly.

Another old friend, Gina, made this darling springtime blanket, with two matching burpcloths. You can see how our model likes to snuggle in this one.

However, Laura, Finley's Gigi, has supplied her with more blankets than anyone. This was her Christmas blanket, made furiously for her two nights after she was born. "She has to have a Christmas blanket!" Laura kept saying.

This birdie blanket is very special. Laura made it after we found out Fin was a girl, and picked this partridge print specially for me. She knows how much I love groovy 70s prints. This is the one Fin came home from the hospital in.

This red, white, and blue quilt was pieced days after I announced I was pregnant. Laura had a blue backing for a boy and a red backing for a girl. When I showed up with the ultrasound, Laura finished the quilt and Fin received this as a "welcome to the world" present when she was still in the hospital.

This quilt is my favorite, and will go on Fin's bed one day. This was her Christmas present, and Laura has several requests from our friends for replicas.

But the most special blanket of all is this, Fin's blessing blanket, hand-stitched by Laura. In fact, the history of this blanket is astonishing.

Years ago, before I knew who a Ricky Turner was, we were both attending Eaglecrest Elementary 5th grade. There were awards given for exemplary students monthly, and Ricky and I both got one the same month. Laura sat in front of my mom in the audience, and my mom noticed she was stitching a baby blanket. They introduced each other, and were reacquainted when, years later, Ricky and I started dating.

This pattern is the same pattern she was stitching years ago. Maybe it's a magical blanket. Maybe not.

Either way, when I think of all the factors that had to be in place--dates, times, where they both sat--I get chills.

Did they think they'd ever share their first grandchild someday? Did Laura know one day she'd stitch those same lines, but with more love and adoration than she'd ever mustered? Does Finley realize the history, the feelings in the threads of all these blankets that she's wrapped in?
I think she does, and I'll tell her every day so she will.

Thank you to everyone who made her these beautiful blankets. They will be kept forever, until they are tiny rags and she hides them in her backpack at school.

*Model's outfit supplied by various friends:
Onesie from Andy and Lorraine

Leg warmers and socks from Aunt Reilly

Pearl bracelet and headband from Grandma Eagar