Layering Blankets

A current trend in baby photography is using layering blankets.  Usually small, about 16x16" to 18"x18", they give a nice frame around the baby when using a simple, all one colour background, or they can "anchor" a baby when using a busier background.  They can fill up baskets or bowls and provide a comfy layer for the baby.  If on the larger size, they can swaddle the baby.  Styles range from primitive (burlap, flour sack, etc) to ornate (antique lace).  I've seen everything from colourful, multi-textured blankets, to simply sweet mohair lace.  As well, there's a great opportunity here for recycling/upcycling.  Cut up sweaters, small pieces of fabric, antique linens that are damaged, etc.  Anything goes, really.

I posted before about my first layering blankets and looked forward to doing more.  I was contacted by my brother's girlfriend's best friend, who is a fabulous photographer about 90 minutes from me.  I've done two boudoir shoots and two family shoots with her and if she were closer, I'd do more!  Jenna was looking for some basic blankets, and we worked through that she was looking for texture, and openness, and not too "repetitive" (she didn't like a basic blanket all done in double crochet, for example).  While I wasn't going to get to re-use the original pattern I created, I was going to get the chance to be creative, and also use up some stash!  I LOVE projects like these!!

I did lots of swatching, but in the end, they didn't really help.  Some of the designing was done "on the fly", like this one:

 I started off with doing a garter stitch bias square.  I had found a super large, 20mm needle in my collection and tried the old technique of one row with it, one row with a smaller needle (I think I used 12mm).  Sometimes, to add a little unevenness, I did more than one row with the smaller needles.  It doesn't really show up in garter stitch.  Then, I was worried it was not big enough, so I decided to drop some stitches.  The ladders do go all the way from corner to corner, it's just harder to see the top right corner due to the angle I was at.  I can imagine little piggies sticking out between the rungs!

 I wanted a pattern that would look good on both sides--either be the same, or be totally different.  I remembered about the wave stitch.  I REALLY like this.

 I was using two different creamy white yarns, and inside, I couldn't see much difference.  But outside, suddenly I could.  It's still very subtle though.

 This is the same pattern, but showing it sideways....at least, to knitters, it's sideways.  To a non-knitting photographer, it's just another look.  And I LOVE it.

 This one was the second one I did.  It was all knit, and every third stitch was dropped.

 This charcoal one, the sand one, and one of the creamy yarns are all Patons Divine.  I love that yarn.

 I went outside for the "artsy" photos.  Even though it was April 2, it was freezing out.

 They also make nice backdrops for finished product pictures.  I have a large stack of these little caps I was working on.  Some need ribbons or flowers though, and then I'll show them all.  I'm working on creating enough product to have a "Twins & Siblings" line, and this Bernat Mosaic is great for getting two hats that look similar, but slightly different.

 I played around with my shipping options.  At first, I wanted to doll the blankets up; nice tissue paper, pretty packaging....but I could save Jenna about $7 if I could fit them into "envelopes".  I used my FoodSaver and created two envelopes that fit within the "large envelope" sizes.  One package weighed 99gr at home, which meant just $1.34 in postage (though at the postal outlet, she weighed it as being 101gr, but let it go anyway).  The second one was a bit more, but still only $2.20.  The hard part was getting the address/stamps on.  Next time, I will put the address inside!  The stamps had to go on paper, and then the paper taped to the envelope, but no tape over the stamps.  These are both less than 2cm thick, if you can believe that!!

 

And now, some amazing shots from the talented Jenna!

 

One more shot.  LOVING that sand wave pattern!!

Yarn In:  5192gr
Yarn Out:  168gr + 1504gr = 1672gr
Balance:  3520gr more brought IN than out
Cost:  $157.97/94 days = $1.68/day