Ben's Blanket

Many years ago (over twenty in fact) when Ben, my eldest son, was only seven I organised a sponspored knit for the PTA of his primary school.

Participants had to agree to knit a certain number of squares and get friends and family to sponsor them. All the money raised went to the PTA and the squares were sewn into five large blankets which were given to Save the Children.

A lovely lady came and spoke to the primary school children and showed them a film of how the blankets would be used, which made quite an impression on my then seven year old. So much so that I taught him to knit and he made several squares of his own to add to the blankets.

When it was over he decided he would like his own knitted patchwork blanket and so we set about knitting the 96 squares required. Admittedly I probably ended up making most of them but Ben knitted several of the squares that went into the blanket. I can't tell which were his and which were mine which may say as much about my knitting skills as his!

And it has lived in his room, which became Joe's room when Ben moved out, ever since. But tomorrow I have a lodger moving in for a month (I'll tell more next week) so Joe's room needed clearing out. It has taken me three days to clear the mess and debris Joe left behind (and was meant to clear before he went travelling!) and among it all I found the blanket... which has now been washed and repaired.

It might not be the prettiest blanket and it's looking rather worn and tired but it is soft and warm and rather special.

As for Ben's knitting skills... he has no recollection of ever having learned to knit! But then he also claims not to remember wanting pink pyjamas when he was little either!