Blanket Statement

I first learned to crochet when I was 12.  My mom would make those funky ("funky" in a good way) ripple afghans and they were remarkably cozy and practical.  I watched her and picked up on the double stitch ripple groove and made about 10 afghans one year.  Sadly, after compulsive coverlet creating, I kind of fizzled out and focused on smaller projects for the next few decades.

"Citrus Rose"

Several weeks ago, our younger daughter asked me to crochet a blanket for her.  I thought, "why not?" We looked over some ideas on Ravelry and we always love the beautiful designs and ideas from Lucy of Attic 24.  We went with the Granny Stripe Blanket.  After the initial 2 starting rows, which are mostly just long and a bit boring, the rest is a breeze!  There are so many options here.  You can go crazy with color or keep it refined.  You can crochet lengthwise or widthwise, depending on how you want your stripes to run.  I went with assorted colors from my cotton Sugar N' Cream stash, we call the finished product "Citrus Rose."  For the edging, I used a basic shell stitch.  

"Violet Bluebell"

Of course, our older daughter wanted one immediately after feeling the airy, yet cozy softness of the triple-crocheted granny stripe stitch. Since she loves blues, I went with a cooler-hued stash to create "Violet Bluebell."  I used a different edging here, I'm not sure what the appropriate name for it is.  Basically, I start with a shell stitch and add a picot stitch to the middle of the shell.  

These blankets are perfect for this time of year, especially when they are made of cotton yarn.  You could also use a double stitch as opposed to triple, to create a slightly tighter feel to the blanket.  Thicker, woolier yarn would also add warmth, if you need that.