Charlie is my first manager and I knew I wanted to do something special for her two year anniversary. 

Slipped Stitch Studios does a bag of the month club and Laura came to us a while ago and asked us if we could do a special colorway for one of her bags, specifically inspired by the Fourth Doctor's scarf.

I thought it would be fun to include the team in creating the colorway. Many of us at the factory, including Charlie, are Doctor Who fans. I chose the colors and invited everyone to paint their own version of the scarf on yarn. We then voted on our favorite skeins and sent the top three off to Laura to let her pick her favorite. And guess what, she chose Charlie's!

So when thinking about what I wanted to do for Charlie, I knew I wanted to express to her how much I appreciate everything she does and what better way than to wrap her in a yarnie hug. I started with the Doctor Who skein and pulled For Better or Worsted skeins in colorways that complimented the skein without distracting from the colors. I chose two skeins each of Petals, Au Natural, Toffee, Clay and Curry, and one skein of Chipmunk. 

I worked on it steadily for a few weeks, then got distracted with life and other projects, as you do. I carried it with me all over the country and even to concerts and the beach. As Charlie's anniversary got closer, I carried it with me everywhere, knitting in what ever moments I could capture. Being a log cabin blanket, I could have called it good after finishing any section, but I had a goal.

Charlie's anniversary came, and I took the team out for dinner. I hadn't finished her blanket, to my standards, there were ends everywhere and I was even in the middle of knitting a section. Yes, I was furiously knitting all the way up to the dinner. Just before I would be late to the dinner, I wrapped it up and presented it to her. She joked that she was going to have to weave in her own ends. She tends to do that for me, bless her. No way, I promised, I was finishing this without her help.

And, well, she didn't help me, but when I was at Stitches West, Miriam Felton was taking a load off in our lounge and we shared this story with her. Well, lo, Miriam also loves to weave in ends, and before I could say anything, she had her darning needle out and my ends were woven in. I still had a few more blocks to go, so I kept on knitting, again in my spare moments. Fast forward a few more months, I know!, and I finally cast on the last section.

I just need to finish weaving in my ends, hush. Then I will present Charlie with her hug, hoping she can feel all the love and gratitude for all she does in each of the stitches as she wraps up in it. Yes, it is the middle of summer, and we are in the middle of 100 degree heat, but maybe she will go to Alaska and need a warm hug.