Jessica Harris

For a very long time I had been wanting to make a chevron stripe crocheted blanket. It is known by many names- In Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan, it is referred to as a 'hills and valleys' blanket. Growing up, I called it a ric rac blanket, after the familiar braided crochet ric rac my mother bought at Joann's to sew with on my clothes and other odd projects. Most often, it is called a chevron stripe blanket, because traditionally it is made with two to three alternating colors that either have total contrast or form a gradient, usually done in bright, cheery colors. They are a quick, warm blanket to make and are often good starter projects for beginners. I decided to make this blanket after the first month of quarantine. I did not want obnoxious colors, and I wanted a soft yarn so I picked a cotton yarn by Lily Sugar n' Cream. Sixty-four dollars later (shipping include), I was on my way to making my own quarantine blanket. As it got bigger and bigger, I was able to enjoy the warmth and weight of a cotton yarn. Because it is cotton, every time I wash it, it will get softer. It is big enough to snuggle up on the couch with and it is quite nice for taking to sleep overs. It took me two and a half months to complete, and countless hours of counting, rereading my pattern (gifted to me by my grandma Leanna who had passed shortly before I left for college) and lots and lots of crocheting. This blanket will last me for years to come and I already sleep with it every night. The book pictured is the European Spanish translation of The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien.