Top Secret Young Women Project Revealed!

Several weeks ago, our ward young women president asked if I would be willing to take on a special project--to be in charge of the graduation presents for the Laurel's who will be soon be leaving us. Of course I said, "yes." She told me that I had a $10 per girl budget. I thought that was VERY generous. She also told me that in the past, they have received towels from Costco and that another woman in the ward will embroider their first initial. I thought that was a lovely idea.

I contacted each mother of the graduating seniors to find out what their favorite color is. Do you know that ONLY one girl has pink as her favorite color? All the rest were different shades of blue--turquoise and sky blue being the predominant favorites. No purple. No red. No yellow. I feel rather sorry for those colors.

Armed with this information, I went to Costco to look at their towels. They were lovely towels, but they came in shades of beige, white, and mossy green. No favorite colors there. This would not do!

I asked a few people for suggestions worthy of a young women graduation gift. Several people suggested a gift card to Jamba Juice or In and Out. Those are FUN gifts but so....temporary. I wanted something permanent! Something that these girls would hopefully treasure and remember their young women years with fondness. Something they could use and take with them when they leave home.

And then I remembered Utah Sister! Utah Sister is currently a ward Relief Society president. Utah Sister came up with a lovely idea a few years ago to make fleece blankets for the INCOMING young women--a way to welcome them to Relief Society. I thought, "Loralee, if this is good enough for a 'welcome to Relief Society present' why then it is also good enough for a 'Congratulations, you are graduating (whether you want to or not) Young Women present.'" Thus, the fleece blanket project was born!

I began scouring the Joanne's ads faithfully, waiting for a lovely sale of their fleece material. Lo and behold, there came such a sale shortly before I left for Utah and my much anticipated graduation. Armed with my "favorite color" knowledge, I went to Joanne's and was immediately overwhelmed with the plethora of fabric to be found. Some were clearly not suitable with a most decidedly baby motif, but there were many, many options. There were so many options that I...(wait for it!)


ACTUALLY PULLED OUT MY CELL PHONE AND TURNED IT ON!

I then actually USED my cell phone and called home.

I needed Emily at the fabric store--STAT--to help me make my selections. She has good taste and I knew she would know what 17 and 18 year old girls like. We chose several lovely patterns. I then purchased my first EVER rotary cutter and mat to add to the ease of the project (they were also 50% off thank you very much) and then the fabric was placed in my closet to await the day when I returned from Utah--about two weeks hence.

(I don't think I have ever used hence in this blog before. I don't know how I feel about using it now.)

Two weeks later, armed with directions I found on the Internet, I began cutting and cutting and cutting, and "tying" and "tying" and "tying" five lovely fleece blankets. For two weeks, I spent every. free. moment. working on these blankets.

My back became very stiff and sore from cutting out these blankets.

It was part of the gift.

I stayed up late too many nights to finish a blanket.

It became part of the gift.

I neglected other aspects of my life.

It became part of the gift.

They were made with a great deal of love.

This also became a big part of the gift.

Finally, I finished the last blanket--Emily's blanket--as I rode home from the Oakland Temple with my mom and Jack after working there last Friday.

Here are the blankets.

Blankets for Stacie, Emily, Dawn, Katie, and Laura. I'm going to miss those girls! At least, two are related to me. I'll see them around, even when they are OLD Relief Society women.

Wrapped up and ready to go.

Accompanying each blanket was a lovely card from the Young Women president and Laurel adviser and a very cheesy poem written by me. I won't share it with you in it's entirety (it's three stanza's long) but to give you a FLAVOR of the poem here are the first two lines:

If you're ever feeling blue,
May this blanket comfort you.

Please don't judge me harshly. I NEVER claimed to be a poet.

Emily says that it's her FAVORITE blanket ever. I'm glad you like it my darling daughter.