So every July my family and I head up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for our annual family vacation. Now, granted there have been lean years, or years where a grandparents illness has prevented us from going up there. However, out of my nearly forty years on this earth, I’ve gone to Hagerman for vacation between 30-33 of those years.

On July 6, 2010, my grandfather passed away at 94 1/2 years of age. I wanted to create an afghan that my family could use any time of the year that would represent the lake, the land, the beach and the cottage and created a graph to do so. I couldn’t decide on the colors so made a “mini” version that I could work with while I played with the colors.

I liked it so much as I started working with the mini version that I decided to finish it and create a large hot pad that could also be used year round. I might even make a smaller version with solid colors with a wool to felt and shrink for coasters. :)