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Hello and thanks for visiting my blog. I have been knitting on and off for 50 years and I recently learned to crochet. I love looking for wool bargains and making them into something useful. I mainly knit for charity. I occasionally knit for myself and family members if I find a really good pattern or if they ask nicely!!

Monday 9 March 2015

The "Days of Wine and Roses" blanket...






I completed this large granny square blanket for SIBOL recently.  It has become a tradition that these blankets are given a name before being delivered to residents in care homes.  

Sometimes, I think of a name first and then plan the colours. Sometimes, I start to crochet and hope that a name will suggest itself.  This blanket fell into the latter category.  It is a mixture of pinks and purple and was lovely to make, but a name eluded me until near the end.  Then the phrase "Days of Wine and Roses" came into my head and kept coming every time I thought about the blanket.  

So, I Googled the phrase and was amazed at what I discovered.  The words come from a poem by Ernest Dowson who was born in the part of London that I have lived in since I was 32.  He died, aged just 32, in another part of London that I lived in until I was 32.  Eerie!

They are not long, the days of wine and roses:
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for a while, then closes
Within a dream.
– Ernest Dowson, from "Vitae Summa Brevis" (1896).

Without going into too many details, Ernest Dowson had a short and tragic life.  But he understood how precious it is.  His poem and the sentiments behind it are beautiful.


18 comments:

  1. Days of Wine and Roses has arrived safely this morning and I love it. Coming in at no 993 this is another wonderful addition to our collection. Thanks so much Una it's perfect in every way.
    Love Sue x

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  2. This is absolutely beautiful, and the inspiration behind the name is so wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing the story!

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  3. Hi Una, wow what a beautiful granny square blanket you crocheted. I love it and I'm sure someone will be very happy with the blanket you made!

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  4. It was meant to be! Beautiful blanket and perfect name!

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  5. I love the story behind this beautiful blanket. The poetic words are certainly powerful!

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  6. A lovely blanket Una and the name is perfect. :) xx

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  7. Great job but now I have that tune stuck in my head! L

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  8. A wonderful name, blanket and story, albeit that his life was rather sad. I am sure that the blanket will bring lots of joy though! xx

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  9. Your blanket is beautiful, Una. Thank you for sharing where the line came from, I didn't know but I've always liked it.

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  10. A beautiful blanket and a great cause!

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  11. Wow - what a lovely blanket andwonderful story. The colours are so beautifully balanced, and the name fits perfectly. :)

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  12. Another wonderful blanket, Una. And what an interesting story about the name!

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  13. Beautiful blanket Una.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  14. Beautiful blanket and I love the story behind the name - what a coincidence?

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  15. What a neat story, and what amazing coincidence with your own life! It's a lovely poem. And it's truly a lovely blanket too -- I LOVE the pattern. It has a neat 3-D effect on the eye.

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  16. Lovely quote - and a really lovely blanket Una. Very well done

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  17. That is stunning! The colours are gorgeous xx I love the name-the poem behind it is beautiful :-)

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