Baby Blankets

My sewing machine is working!
At the beginning of September, I decided to have a family focus on service for the month. One thing we decided to do was make baby blankets to be included in the newborn kits our church distributes. You can read the story that inspired this project here.
Anyway, the kids and I picked out some cute flannel and fired up the sewing machine--only to find that, mysteriously, it would only sew in reverse. I actually complete one blanket sewing in reverse, then set things aside until I could deal with the problem. After examining my options I figured I could A) take the machine to a repair place and pay $$ to have it fixed; B) pay more $$$ to get a new machine; or C) risk further damage by trying to fix the machine myself. I chose C. After unscrewing an inordinate number of small screws, I managed to pry the plastic casing off and find the reverse switch mechanism. I actually didn't find any specific problem, but after playing around with it for a bit I tried turning the machine on and found that it now sews forwards again. So we're back in the blanket-making business.
I have a small collection of home-made baby blankets that people have given me for my own children. These blankets are so much more than a warm piece of cloth to wrap a baby in. They say to me that someone cared enough about me, and about my baby, to take precious time out of their lives to make something beautiful and special just for us. One of my treasures is a beautiful baby quilt made by a dear friend who somehow found the time in spite of having a newborn herself. Another is a wonderful crocheted baby blanket given to me by my sister-in-law, who learned to crochet after loosing her sight and made this blanket for my first baby, born the same day as her own baby boy. These blankets represent to me the love and support of friends and family members, wrapped around my little family.
I don't crochet, and I barely know how to sew, but I hope I can craft a simple blanket that just might warm a heart as well as a body. I don't know if the particular blankets I make will go to Africa or elsewhere, but I am sure they will go somewhere where they are needed.