This is my first time posting a completed project on Craftster, so hopefully I'm doing it correctly. (All of the links to the patterns that I used or was inspired by are at the bottom of this page for reference)

I did start this blanket following a pattern. I only got as far as the base of the pattern before I ran into trouble - I couldn't figure out how to make the crocheted tulips. Thankfully, I'd made about five million crocheted butterflies a year earlier and a friend suggested I sew the butterflies onto the blanket. However, I realized that if I cut the antenna off, they actually looked like flowers. Which made me feel a little less like a rebel. So, that's how the cherry blossom blanket came to be.

Once I decided to use the upcylced flowers, I had to figure out how to make a branch. Side Note, that's actually how I found Craftster. I searched for Cherry Blossom Crochet - although I didn't find a pattern, I did find a very cute laptop bag and this site. Anyway, I ended up improvising with a vine pattern and basically stared at a picture of a cherry blossom tree on my bedroom wall, while I crocheted the branch. Trying to fashion branches going out of branches on two sides without wandering off the blanket... ugh. I can't tell you how many times during this process I wondered if maybe I should have tried a little harder to learn how to make a crochet tulip.

Finally, the flowers. I sewed...and sewed.. and sewed. It took me six weeks to sew the flowers on this blanket. I worked on it every single day for at least 8 hours a day. I hated it and loved it, and when it was done I have to admit I was very sad. I don't know if i'll ever make something like this again on my own. In the end I think it was worth all of the work. I am happy with the blanket and I'm like that I made something that a good friend's daughter will hopefully treasure for years.

Please let me know if you would like any information, or if I left anything out. I would love to connect with fellow crafters and share ideas!

This blanket inspired me to create a blog. (of course) http://craftyadalaide.com/willows-cherry-blossom-blanket/
Tulip Baby Blanket Pattern (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tulip-baby-blanket)
Butterfly Pattern http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-to-crochet-butterfly.html
Cherry Blossom Laptop Sleeve http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=352749.0
Vine Pattern:http://storiedyarns.blogspot.com/2011/10/free-crochet-pattern-vine-garland.html