“I don’t pay any attention to what my hands are doing. They have a mind of their own,” said Hawkins, who has knit approximately 150 lap blankets during the winters since he moved from Chicago to Lost Lake Woods Club in Lincoln in 2011.

Each approximately four-foot by five- or six-foot blanket takes about 4,000 yards — just over two miles — of washable, acrylic yarn. And 150 to 200 hours of knitting.

“I’m proud of my work and that everything I make is unique,” said Hawkins, who created his own design. “I don’t know anybody else that makes blankets like I do, with double thread technique. One end has an inch-long strip of contrasting, solid color.”

Hawkins calls the end with the border “the nose end.” It is the end that comes up under his chin as Loki, a retired seeing eye dog, lies asleep at his feet on the couch. Knowing which end is up, Hawkins doesn’t get dog hair in his face.

Courtesy Photo by Diane Andrews Lost Lake Woods Club resident Mark Hawkins has spent a year-and-a-half crocheting a queen-sized lace bedspread similar to one his late grandmother made.

While cozy throws are his mainstay, Hawkins’ piece de resistance, destined to be a family heirloom, or a Besser Museum piece, is a queen-sized lace bedspread of 2,000 hand-crocheted squares, using just shy of 150,000 feet — about 27 to 28 miles — of cotton crochet thread.

The almost-completed lace bedspread represents countless hours of handiwork. Hawkins has been working on it for a year-and-a-half. He crochets everywhere, taking a ball of string and crochet hook to meetings, church, waiting rooms and on airplanes.

He recalls more than one flight where a male passenger came up to him, confiding that, covertly, he, too, does what is nowadays considered a woman’s handicraft. The man then took out his phone, showing Hawkins photos of his latest creations.

Hawkins points out that years ago, whole families knitted together in the evenings by candlelight, making everything they needed, from socks to sweaters. During World War I, families knitted clothing for Allied troops.

Hawkins says that knitting, crocheting, and fine lace crocheting come naturally to him. Since the 1700s, his forebears — the Maxfields, on his late mother’s side of the family — flourished as renowned lace makers in Salisbury, England, where he visited in 2006.

Courtesy Photo by Diane Andrews The queen-sized lace bedspread Mark Hawkins is crocheting has 2,000 intricate squares.

The youngest of four children growing up in Michigan, Hawkins is the only one who crochets and knits. As a boy, his grandmothers piqued his interest when they visited, bringing their handiwork with them.

“I remember being a small kid, being fascinated how a small piece of yarn could turn into something,” said Hawkins, who asked his maternal grandmother to teach him how to crochet.

By junior high school, he was crocheting lap throws. He did not yet have the hand dexterity to make fine, lace doilies like his paternal grandmother. He taught himself knitting as an adult, before YouTube launched in 2005 with its plethora of “How to…” videos.

Once as a boy when he was sick, he got to rest on his parents’ bed. It was covered with a lace spread his paternal grandmother crocheted. He still recalls the imprint of the lace pattern on his cheek when he awoke from his nap. He adapted the pattern of his own lace bedspread to duplicate his grandma’s — to the best of his recollection.

“Lacework is a dying art, something that’s going away,” said Hawkins. “Not many grandmothers even do it anymore.”

Courtesy Photo by Diane Andrews The queen-sized lace bedspread Mark Hawkins is crocheting has 2,000 intricate squares.

He loves sharing his handiwork.

“The biggest joy is being able to gift a blanket to people,” said Hawkins, who has given many to family and other special people, such as someone on chemotherapy, “who might benefit from a little extra warmth.”

“I know they are well-loved and well-used,” he said of the blanket gifts.

Mark Hawkins’ knitted lap blankets are available for purchase exclusively at the Hollyhock Emporium, 301 E. Main St., Harrisville. For more information, visit The Holly Hock Emporium on Facebook.

He adds an extra special touch to his creations.

Courtesy Photo by Diane Andrews The queen-sized lace bedspread Mark Hawkins is crocheting has 2,000 intricate squares.

“Every blanket has a little bit of dog hair knit into it,” he said, eyeing Loki.

Courtesy Photo by Diane Andrews The Hollyhock Emporium in downtown Harrisville is the exclusive outlet for Mark Hawkins’ knitted lap blankets.