Itty Bitty Crochet Kitty

One of the first things we did when I retired in July of 2021 was drive to Boulder, Colorado. We had not been to visit our grandchildren in almost two years due to COVID travel restrictions and ongoing border closures. 

In July of 2021 the Canada/US border was still closed to non-essential travel. We hoped to get through because we were visiting our daughter who was pregnant with her fourth and in need of help with the other three while her husband was working. Luckily our reason for travel worked with sympathetic US border guards. I remember it was such a huge relief that I cried tears of joy when they let us go.

Our drive to Boulder was uneventful, but our reunion with our grandchildren was awesome. We are always happy to see them and they us. This visit was different though. After more than a year of COVID restrictions including on-line schooling, limited activities and very little socializing, they were super excited to spend time with us. Our week together flew by and we enjoyed every minute of it. 

Our granddaughter was sad to see us leave this time. She gave me a note the night before we left with a picture of a kitten she had drawn. She wanted me to crochet a kitten and she wanted it to be little like her drawing. 

I didn't follow a pattern for this one ... just crocheted parts to match the drawing and sewed them together to make an Itty Bitty Crochet Kitty. Check out the photos below. Although it's a little bigger than her drawing, I think I nailed it!

 

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Teal Dreams Ripple Blanket

This year, I intended to crochet using yarn from my stash. Instead, when my daughter suggested her sister-in-law who is due to have a baby any day might like a ripple blanket and praised the Sweet Summer Ripple Blanket I made for her two years ago, I couldn't resist. I rushed out to buy yarn in colours to match the nursery - teal, grey and white. I bought three shades of teal, three shades of grey and two shades of white for a total of eight different colours. I committed to making another Ripple Blanket.

This blanket took about two weeks to make. It was finished a couple days ago. I waited for a sunny day to take photos. 

I was considering calling it "Shades of Grey and Teal", but decided Teal Dreams Ripple Blanket was more appropriate. This combination of colours looks so calm and soothing. I love it.

Changing colours for each stripe creates a lot of ends to weave in and cut.

I love how mesmerizing stripey ripples look. I used approximately 1.5 balls of each colour, adding the rest to my stash. 

 

The blanket is folded and ready to go, although it will probably be months before it gets to California. We will take it with us when we visit our daughter in Boulder this summer. Our daughter and her husband travel to California regularly. Hopefully it will get there by next winter.

To make this blanket, I followed free instructions covering Ripple Blanket Know How posted by blogger Lucy at Attic24. I love all of Lucy's colourful crochet ripple blankets. Her brilliant colour combinations inspire me.

Technical details for this Teal Dreams Ripple Blanket are listed below for the crocheters out there who might like to make one too. 

Starting Chain - 157 (14x11+3)

Finished Size - 44"x62"

2 rows per stripe 

54 stripes

8 colours

Time to Complete - Approximately 30 hours (30 mins per stripe + border)

Patons Canadiana 100% worsted weight acrylic yarn:

2 balls (100 g/3.5 oz) of each colour

• Pale Teal 
• Medium Teal 
• Dark Teal 
• Pale Grey Mix
• Medium Grey Mix 
• Toasty Grey
• Winter White
• White

Hook size - 5 mm

Stripe Colours in this Teal Dreams Ripple Blanket:

1. Pale Teal
2. White
3. Pale Grey Mix
4. Dark Teal
5. Medium Grey Mix
6. Medium Teal
7. Toasty Grey
8. Winter White
9. Toasty Grey
10. Pale Teal
11. Medium Teal
12. Dark Teal
13. Pale Grey Mix
14. Winter White
15. Medium Grey Mix
16. White
17. Medium Grey Mix
18. Pale Teal
19. Dark Teal
20. Medium Teal
21. Pale Grey Mix
22. Toasty Grey
23. Winter White
24. White
25. Toasty Grey
26. Pale Grey Mix
27. Medium Teal
28. Dark Teal
29. Pale Teal
30. Medium Grey Mix
31. Winter White
32. White
33. Medium Grey Mix
34. Winter White
35. Pale Grey Mix
36. Dark Teal
37. Medium Teal
38. Pale Teal
39. Toasty Grey
40. Winter White
41. Toasty Grey
42. Medium Teal
43. Medium Grey Mix
44. Dark Teal
45. Pale Grey Mix
46. White
47. Pale Grey Mix
48. Dark Teal
49. Medium Grey Mix
50. Winter White
51. Medium Teal
52. Pale Grey MIx
53. White
54. Pale Teal

Border Colours:

Round 1: Pale Teal

Round 2: White

Round 3: Medium Teal

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