I washed it by hand in the kitchen sink, and squeezed out the excess water as best I could. It still took 3 days to dry. It was not as warm outside as the photo makes you think. I did bring the blanket in overnight. The owl is there to keep any little birdies away from the blanket. The strategy worked, as the blanket did not have as much as a dog hair on it once dry.
Thanks for all of the comments on my "Fudge" moment. And yes, fudge was not the word that I screamed inside my head. I have young children, so I am getting pretty good at screaming inside my head. To answer Kathryn's question, yes, it is (was) a Crystal Palace needle. It is no where near new, though. I am going to research their replacement policy, if there is one.
In response to LisaK's question, that is the Wool Peddler's shawl (oh, how I love this pattern!) in Lisa Souza's Black/Purple Baby Alpaca/Silk. It is destined to be a gift, but not until August so I should be able to finish by then.