Moths, mice, and the ravages of time

For quite a few years I cleaned peoples' houses to earn extra money. But sometimes what was even better than the dollar bills I carried away in my pocket was the really cool stuff I was given. Stuff that was no longer wanted: books... food.... clothes... curtains... all sorts of goodies.

I could hardly believe my good fortune when one day, one of the women whose house I cleaned pointed to a stack of blankets and said, "help yourself." And I was happy to help myself. I brought home two blankets. One of them covers the recliner in the living room; the other one, a beautiful, soft blanket made in Peru out of 50% alpaca wool, 40% virgin wool, and 10% cotton, is on the bed.

I feel so organic sleeping under it. 

Yes, it is just a tad itchy against the skin, but it is forms a very nice cap on the layer of blankets under it.

When I got the blanket out as Fall was sliding into winter and the temperatures began to drop at night, fuzz began flying in all directions and I was dismayed to see that time has not been particularly kind to this blanket.

The moths and mice have taken their toll;

I suspect I have not stored the blanket properly against the heat and humidity of the summer.

But it still has a few good years left. If it becomes too threadbare, and I am feeling very ambitious, I might attempt to make a pieced top for it.