Thanks so much for the sweet comments and emails on the baby news in my last post! Super appreciated. We’re getting excited, and it has been so cool to see Pearl getting more and more eager to meet him. I have to admit that I’m having a hard time believing it’s almost November… except for the weather, which is pure Pacific Northwest fall. I picked up a surprise treasure at the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store about a month ago and dreamed up a cold-weather craft project. And Tuesday turned out to be the day I finally got to sew it!

Pendleton sells big and small pieces and remnants of their wool fabric by the pound, and I snapped up 55 of these sample cards for about $2.40 total. There were nine different patterns in the mix, in totally random quantities from one to a dozen, and each one measured around 8.5 by 10.5 inches (some were smaller, though), with neatly pinked edges.

On another trip a few weeks later I got a beautiful piece of blue blanket header that measured 60 x 96 inches, on sale for $12 (from $32), that I wanted to use too. Perfect.

So I pieced a 7 x 7-square patchwork throw, randomizing the patterns so no two touched, and sewed it together by rows.

The squares ended up a bit erratic instead of perfectly aligned since some pieces were a little shorter, but I like it better that way.

The finished piece measures about 54 x 70 inches, perfect for one or two people watching a Blazers game (by the way, they won their season opener the day I sewed it, and have now gone 2-0 since I finished it!) or reading. It would be great for curling up with and watching a movie, too (if I could stay awake through a whole one after Pearl goes to bed, that is).

And I love the heavier blue wool I backed it with – so pretty. I just need to tie it now (one more Blazers game should probably do it).

Anyway, it’s nice to make something so simple that turns into such an instant favorite. Thanks to the amazing bargains at the Pendleton store, this whole project rang in at about $12 – I have plenty of that lovely blue wool left, along with enough plaid squares for a big pillow or something.

If you’re local, the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store is a can’t-miss treasure. They also have an eBay store and ship internationally, if you order directly from them! Along with wool fabrics in all weights and dimensions (I have bought 112-inch-wide blanket fabric from them – incredible), they sell their own lovely wool yarn, buttons, notions, patterns, magazines, and books. One more tip: check out their blog for the weekly truck report, and find out exactly what by-the-pound bargains are delivered every Friday.