Last week, Lauren, one of my daughter’s college friends, asked if she could come see my stash of blankets.  She was looking for a birthday present for herself with money from her 18th birthday and had her heart set on taking a blanket back to school.  I pulled out my inventory, and she found this graduated-color experiment I did over a year ago.

It was plain when Lauren saw it, no flowers.  “I like this one, Mrs. O–.”  (I believe all of our kids’ friends still charmingly call us Mr. and Mrs.  It warms my heart, even as I use my first name with them so they might feel comfortable making the switch.)  “Can you put some flowers on it, like the one with the marigolds?”  And then she pointed out what color she’d like the flowers to be (actually more green than these photos show).

When I originally made this blanket, I named it “Getting Warmer,” for obvious reasons, I think.  Not only do the colors go from cool to warm, but also the phrase reminds me of that childhood hide-n-seek game (“You’re getting warmer…warmer…now you’re BURNING UP!”).  I seem to recall playing that game a lot as a kid.  So there was that.

But as I sewed the flowers this week — by open windows with cool breezes, listening to honking geese, and watching college kids leave home again — I realized “getting warmer” was no longer appropriate.  And so it became “It’s Getting Cooler” — a fall theme that still respects the graduated color pattern.  And Lauren’s flowers are like autumn’s chrysanthemums, just with reversed colors.

Lauren: I had fun working on this for you ♥.  May it bring you lots of joy at school and beyond, and may it also remind you of the people at home who love you.  (And, of course, you can call it whatever you want!)

“It’s Getting Cooler,” aka “Getting Warmer” ;) —  Size: 62″ x 75″

This blanket has already gone to a good home.