5/17/10 - Just purchased the yarn for this blanket. I’m so eager to start this one, even though I have a few other projects on my hooks right now. I think by breaking this up into squares, I’ll get it done well before Christmas. It’s going to be huge (king sized). Last year (a few weeks before Christmas) my mom mentioned that she wanted a bedspread & matching pillows for her king sized bed. I may be fast at crocheting…but not that fast. Then she said she wanted a solid color…the texture in this pattern looks perfect for a solid color and I think she will be impressed with it. Can’t wait to start.

5/21 - Still stalking the mailman eagerly awaiting the arrival of the yarn. I did a search online to see what the dimensions would be to make a California King sized bedspread, which is approximately 120 X 112. Trying to do some rough math figures to see what needs to be done in order to get it done by Christmas.

5/24 - Got the yarn in the mail last week and decided to make a couple of squares so I can determine size and how many squares I need to make. I HATE THIS YARN! I thought the Caron pound was a pound of Simply Soft. I didn’t even know Caron made such a rough/scratchy yarn, worse than Red Heart. I love the square though. Got the okay to send the yarn back and will swap it for the simply soft!

5/28 - Ordered the Simply Soft yarn today from Knitting Warehouse. I returned the other yarn, with the exception of one skein that I had already opened. Hoping it gets here soon, I’m ready to get started on this one.

6/3 - The yarn was delivered today, so I started right away in order to measure the squares and determine how many I would need. My squares are measuring about 5 1.2” inches, so I will need roughly 440 squares (YIKES!). I’ve only made four and plan to make at least a few more tonight. I’ll need to make at least 15 per week to finish by Christmas. Hope I’m not in over my head on this one.

7/11 - Haven’t done much on this blanket. Only 30 squares in at this point. I was joining with a slip stitch, but decided against that and took them apart and sewed them together. I think it looks much better this way. I’ve also decided not to block.

7/13 - Did about 4 squares last night while watching tv (which is more than my daily minimum) Hoping to do a few more squares tonight when I get off work.

7/26 - I am falling behind on this project. Looks like I’ll have to increase the number of squares I need to make each day in order to meet my deadline. I only have about 56 squares done at this point, but at lease the ends are weaved in and they’re sewn together at this point. Looks like I’ll need at least a few “SUNNY SPREAD MARATHON” days in order to catch up.

I am weaving in the end just to the corner and leaving a long tail which I use to sew the squares together (back loop only). I’m NOT BLOCKING (as usual) and really like the way it’s looking so far. Only 384 squares to go…the way it looks now, it looks like I’ve OVER estimated how many I’ll need. I just ordered 12 more skeins from Knitting Warehouse, I can’t find a better deal on this yarn anywhere else.

9/28 - Okay, I totally admit that this project has been hybernating and SHOULDN’T have been. I’m sooo way behind. Will this be done by Christmas? I managed to get 20 squares done over the weekend, sewn on and all ends weaved in. That’s a total of((drumroll please)) 90 squares! That’s right, not even 100 done at this point. I foresee some Sunny Spread Marathon weekends in the near future.

11/23 - I’m starting to sweat a little on this one. The clock is ticking and I’m faced with about 300 more squares to complete at this point. I focused on this project today and didn’t permit myself to work on anything else since I was off work. I sewed on 17 more squares today and hope to squeeze in a few more before the night is through. It’s about 13 by 11 at this point and I’m aiming for about 20 x 20.

11/28 - Only made a few squares today on this, then worked on making a hat for a craft bazaar that’s coming up next weekend (Friday - Sunday). Trying to make sure I have enough inventory for a 3 day event and hoping that the sales are REALLY good. I’ll be working like a mad woman after the craft bazaar to get this one finished in time. I do have a plan B (scrapbook page for Mom detailing this project with a keepsake square). I just ordered the final 32 skeins of yarn I think it will take to finish this monster. I do work better under pressure, but this is ridiculous!

12/25/11 - Okay, so obviously this project never got completed for last Christmas, but I couldn’t let it sit another Christmas without completing it for my mom. It’s such shame that I had not done a single stitch on this project all year, so I feel like I picked up exactly where I left off last year. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a crocheting marathon in my life and wish that I had a little more time and not feel so completely rushed and stressed while making this. I had so many custom orders that I had to let this sit until 3 days before Christmas and I feel like I didn’t stop crocheting until it was done. More than 14 hours yesterday because it was my last opportunity before Christmas Day. The size was changed to Queen size (thank goodness) since my mother has decided to eventually downsize her bed…that and the fact that she is firm on NOT using this bedspread for fear of messing it up. I did make her PROMISE to sleep under the blanket tonight, that was too much work for it not to be used. i think I may ask her to use it during Christmas every year…it seems a shame for it to be folded on the bottom edge of her bed and never be used. It is a stunning blanket. I wish I could have kept it for myself and would love to have one like it, just not in any rush to make any more of these squares right now…her blanket was 289 squares total.

06/12 - Finally finished the trim on the blanket.