Sky Blanket, Update. . .

loungin' on the couch

I really do love the sky blanket, but I've found over the past few months that it has spent more time decorating the back of the couch than on my lap.

It is the perfect lap size, and it is the right amount of warmth for one's lap. But it has not been happy to be just a lap blanket that mostly decorates the back of the couch. It certainly was not receiving the appropriate amount of love and attention it deserves (although it did get plenty of attention last year).

I did a quick measure of the dimensions while folded in half, and, of course, it is a funky size that does not exist in the world of regular pillows, or even pillow forms one can by from a craft store. Sigh. I figured I could find something that would work, or at the very least could buy fiberfill stuffing and go that route.

On the way home from the big city (aka, Burlington) yesterday I stopped at a large housewares box store (shudder) to inspect their pillow selection. I nearly turned around and left because of the amount of stuff in the place - I forget about that as I rarely frequent such places. After several minutes of wandering around the maze of aisles and shopping carts and people much more excited than I to be there, I stumbled upon a pillow section ("a" because there were at least three that I encountered. . . there could have been more, but I booked it out of there as soon as I claimed my prize). This section contained those that were of the throw pillow variety, and after nearly giving up again, I scored this beauty, on sale for half off:

for the love of. . . oh, right.

It's shimmery. And embroidered. And . . . so not me. You may disagree with me, and find this pillow to be the most amazing thing ever (and maybe bought one for your hubby, or boyfriend/girlfriend, or received it as a wedding or anniversary present - I'm sorry on all accounts), so we will agree to disagree. Might I remind you it was on sale? And let you know there was more than one on the shelf? And these were the ONLY ones on sale? Nobody else wanted them. Its only redeeming quality is that it has a bird. Everything is better with a bird. It's a trade secret in the crafting and decorating world, you know. Want something to look more awesome? Put a bird on it (bonus points for that reference. . . ).

put a bird on it.

I did a little in-store comparison (yes, I brought the blanket to the store), and the blanket almost perfectly fit the pillow in one direction (a hair short the wide way), and more than perfectly fit it in the other direction (a hair wide the short way). Success. But then I had to attempt to leave the dang store. And had to be told by the cashier how to exit, since apparently it is a secret, and you are not allowed to leave the door you entered.

Of course when I got home I could not for the life of me find the leftover yarn from the border, but I eventually found that I had this much left:

bigger than a gumball, smaller than a golf ball.

Which was more than enough - I think it only took about a yard and a half total to sew the three edges together. I wrapped the blanket, taco-style around the pillow and sewed the love in.

taco sweater-blanket for the love pillow

Ta-da! New life for the Sky Blanket! A throw pillow for the couch!

All of the other throw pillows are jealous, since they don't have sweaters, although this isn't the first pillow that has been adorned with its own sweater.

basket weave pillow sweater
(I know, I know, its just a pillow case. . .)

On a side note, I slightly regret not preserving the bird outside of the sky-blanket cocoon. It was a nice bird.

On another side note, my little blog has been pinned!