Every pattern I design for a new baby blanket starts with a prayer in my heart that this might be the “one,” meaning the one that finally wraps around my first grandchild. But I also add to that prayer that if not mine, please let this pattern help someone else that desires a baby of their own. It’s been a humbling idea for me to pray about and hope for, yet brings about such a greater meaning to each blanket design.

I do it for every baby blanket, but for some reason, the stories behind the gingham blankets seem to be the most miraculous. I have written about Mandy’s pink gingham blanket, which is the very first gingham pattern I made. Without Mandy’s love of crochet, and for giving me the opportunity to design something new for her, gingham would not even exist.

And the purple gingham blanket welcomed into the world baby Iris. Her story has taught me to never ever give up hope. She waited to come to her family for a very long time and now is wrapped up in so much love.

Several months ago, I received a beautiful email from a fellow crocheter who found my account on Instagram and took a leap of faith of her own and started crocheting a gingham blanket in faith.

She has given me permission to share what she wrote to me:

Hi.

So this is a bit weird because I’ve never sent a message to someone whose Instagram and Blog I follow, but I felt compelled to reach out and thank you.  It’s weird to say, I know, but I promise I will explain.  You see, when I found you online with your beautiful crochet blanket tutorials, my husband and I were already struggling with infertility. 

I’ve been crocheting for a long time and have made so many baby blankets for friends who were expecting, and when I saw your gingham blankets I knew that I would save that particular design for my own future child’s baby blanket.  At the time, we had already suffered a miscarriage but were continuing to hope that we could start our family soon.

Right when we found out we were pregnant for the second time, I picked out what I hoped were gender neutral colors and got to work on my baby’s gingham blanket.  I was so excited and really felt that this time would be different. 

Unfortunately, I was wrong and a couple of weeks later we suffered our second miscarriage.  I remember being so frustrated and kept trying to shove my partially made blanket aside, but I just couldn’t seem to put it down. 

So after a few days, I decided to make it a hope blanket – I promised myself that I wouldn’t give it away and that it would still be my baby’s blanket someday.  So I kept crocheting that little blanket all the time, even bringing it with me for our first appointments and testing at the infertility specialists office. 

Continuing to make that blanket gave me some sort of tangible evidence that there was a light at the end of this tunnel we had found ourselves in.

As luck would have it, after all of the infertility testing, and just as I was finishing up the last few rows of my little gingham hope blanket, we found out that we were pregnant for the third time.  And though we spent many weeks so scared of another loss, as of tomorrow I will be 21 weeks along with a beautiful baby girl who is definitely making her presence known, and who will join us in person come April 2018. 

When I started my little hope blanket I had not yet read anything about you personally and only later learned of your own daughter’s struggles to conceive.  I wanted to send my hope and prayers your way for her to have the happy ending we are so excited to have come April.  I truly believe one of your exquisite blankets will be meant for your grandchild someday soon.

Since I’ve spoken of this blanket so much in this email, it only felt right to send a picture along.

I don’t have your talent and it’s not perfect but, believe me, it will be cherished for life.  So again, sorry for the completely out-of-the-blue email from a stranger who lives across the country. 

I swear it is incredibly out of character for me.  I’ve had this email partially written for weeks, but kept hesitating if I should press the send button.  But at the end of the day, I felt compelled to just thank you and let you know how much you and your work have meant to me.  Have a wonderful weekend, a lovely holiday season, and a happy new year.

Lindsey

I’d like to tell Lindsey thank you for sharing this beautiful experience with me. Your blanket is absolutely stunning and gorgeous and every word in the world to describe something grand. I love that you shared with me your personal struggle and journey and so glad you are willing to share it with the crochet world. It helps others who are experiencing the same struggle more than you know.

I thank you from the deepest part of my heart that you understood the meaning behind the blanket pattern and love that you called it your hope blanket because that is exactly what it symbolizes to me.

Hope, and I won’t give that up. Hope has become my best friend and I like having it in my heart. Hope inspires me to keep creating new designs, share more blankets, connect with more crochet friends and eventually I know will lead to a baby for Hannah and a grandbaby for me.

A few days ago I heard from Lindsey again.

As promised, I’m happy to report that our little girl was born last Friday.  She’s silly and loud and perfect in every way…even if she is quite the handful at night. 

The gingham hope blanket was of course what we brought her home in…it brought a tear to my eyes to see it across her lap in the car on her way home with us. 

Thank you again for the pattern and for giving me hope that we would have her someday – I will continue to pray that you get to be a Grandma someday soon. 

 I might not be crocheting for a bit – my hands are a bit full – but when I’m ready to craft, I look forward to another wonderful pattern from Daisy Farm Crafts.

-Lindsey

I’m wiping the tears away as I write this! Lindsey has labeled these blankets perfectly for me. These really are gingham hope blankets.

 I’ve made up over ten different patterns for them now since the very first one and even if I have to design and crochet one hundred or more, I’m going to do it. But here is something I’ve realized, I’m not alone in this journey, just like Lindsey took the pattern and created her own, a lot of you are too!

 I’ve said this before, but that really does feel like prayers lifted for us and for so many others, so I thank you so much. I hope the making of a gingham blanket might bring a miracle into your own lives with whatever you are needing.

I’m always beyond excited to share your finished blanket with everyone. It took me a while to figure out how to do that on Facebook, but if you post a picture to my wall, I can share it with the group!

 On Instagram tag your pictures in the comments with #daisyfarmcrafts and every Sunday I can share them up in the stories. But I have found that Facebook is more interactive with sharing the pictures because people can comment and give you compliments and that just feels great! I love cheering other crocheters on, no matter if you are a beginner or a pro.

 Thank you again for everything! I’m sending you all my love from my little Daisy Farm to you where ever you are in the world.

xo, Tiffany