My third baby ripple is complete!
I made this for a friend at work, her baby is due in the first week of July but I always like to push on with projects and get them finished. Usually the inital excitement of a project carries me through with baby blankets as they are quite small. This one took me just over a week, I had to wait for some more yarn to complete it otherwise it would have been a week jobby. The reason that I’m quick with these blankets is that they are very portable, which enabled me to take it to work with me. Each row took about ten minutes, and so if I got into work about half past eightish meant that I could usually do one stripe (three rows) before work. Then I was able to fit in a couple more at lunch time and sometimes even one or two on the bus ride home, provided it wasn’t too busy.
I used Rico Baby Dk in five colours (I kept the labels but the shade number don’t match up to any websites that I can find! Annoying. I’ll have to take the blanket back into the shop where I bought the yarn from and buy it again like that!) and I have to say, I’m VERY impressed with it. It is 50% acrylic and 50% polymide and is sooooo soft. As it’s baby dk it’s a little lighter than a regular dk and would be tighter with a 3.5 mm hook instead of the 4mm hook that I used, but I think a light blanket for a summer baby isn’t a bad thing, so I’m happy with how it turned out.
I know I used turquoise, cream, and vanilla (colours) but I don’t know if the blue is “ice blue” or “lightblue” and I don’t know what the green is. The labels said “hellsblau” and “hellsgreen” but I don’t speak German so I’m none the wiser!
Choosing colours for baby blankets is always a bit of a puzzler for me. I automatically lean towards bright colours, and I have a real aversion to pastel. I don’t agree that baby things HAVE to be pastel (and don’t even get me started on girl = pink), but I think very bright colours can look a bit scary wrapped around a teeny tiny baby. And this is the rub – that’s MY opinion about baby colours and as I am not making any of these blankets for myself (yet – give me time!) I like to give the parents to be the choice over colours. If I’m going to spend a week making something for someone I want them to like it and it to be used.
My friend in this case did prefer pastelly colours but I think by sneaking in the turquoise it really lifts the blanket while retaining the non-scary paler colours. I don’t think I would have enjoyed working this blanket if they had all been pastels. If you cover up the turquoise in the photo of the balls of yarn, it really changes the look of the other colours.
When I look at this blanket, I think of Spring and Easter and fresh and non-gender specific. Boy or girl could be snuggled in this blanket and not look out of place I reckon. I would definitely work with this yarn and this colourscheme again (just as soon as I can figure out which shades I used …) and it’s nice and cheap at around £2 a ball.
So, that’s the background, here is the finished item. The big ta-da!
I’m really very pleased with it (hmm, wish I’d pulled it a bit straighter before I took the photo though!) and I’m reluctant to give it away! Just joking. I feel it’s a good sign though that I want to keep the things I make, if I like them then chances are someone else will too.
It looks sweet bundled up too :-)
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It’s beautiful. I love the colours, I agree, pastels need a bit of lift, and you have picked a beautiful range of colours. I learned German a life time ago, I think hells means light but don’t hold me to that. Your friend is very lucky, it is an absolutely gorgeous baby blanket.
I love it – it\’s very pretty. I\’m sure the new parents are gonna love it too. :)
Looks great! I’m not a fan of pastels either but I would be delighted to receive a gift of your blanket and I’m sure the new parents will be too.
Good work :-)
It is pretty in the pastels with that pop of color you added. I’m sure they will love it.
It is lovely, the colours like you say are lovely for boy or girl. I like to mix bold colours in with light colours I think it makes the ripple really stand out x
Hi Heather, Lovely blanket, well done. Colours are gorgous.
In a previous post you mentioned you got Rico yarn in Barnsley. I would love to have a look at it and I’m going to be in Yorkshire next weekend. Would you mind letting me know where sells it.
I have looked to see if anywhere local sells it here (Manchester) but with no luck.
Many thanks and well done on 3rd baby blanket
Fiona
Dear Heather a lovely ripple blanket. Sea,sun,sand and white cotton clouds just right for a baby due in July.
Beautiful Baby blanket…love the bit of turquoise that you threw in :-)
Very pretty! I’ve got a stash for a lap blanket I plan to make and I taped a little bit of the yarn to each ball band so I know what colour is which just by the ball band.
Yummie, Yummie colors. You did a great job. What\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s next?
Kate – The Garden Bell
http://www.thegardenbell.blogspot.com
I don’t speak german either, but “hellsgreen” sounds scary! haha
xo
I admit I am not a fan of the pastel thing either, but this blanket gives no hint of it. I love the colors, very soft. Great job!
The blanket is lovely! Good combination of colours which makes it quite neutral – what’s next??
Oooh, it’s lovely! Very summery :)
It’s a shame you can’t see on the screen how snuggly soft it is – my stash is currently being experimented on and I think it may be just perfect for something I’ve had my eye on for a while!
I really like all the Rico yarns – that cotton blend I’m using for Beeby’s blanket is working up really nicely, and goes a lot further than the balls look like they will! I’d def recommend it if you ever want to make a Not Wool blanket for A! And it’s always good to see baby yarn in non-insipid colours :)
Your blanket is lovely, and I think you’re right about adding the turquoise. Hell means light in German so you have light blue and light green there. Happy Sunday!
It turned out so beautiful Heather. I’m sure you’re friend will be very pleased. Can I ask how you deal with the ends when changing colours?
Libby
It’s really beautiful and I love the colours. The turquoise definitely ‘lifts’ it.
That’s lovely! Crochet is very tempting at the moment, everyone is making such lovely things. That’s a great gender-neutral colour scheme – lucky baby!
Beautiful blanket, the colours look so good together. I’m impressed you did this in a week. I’ll have to check out Rico yarn, I tend to stay away from acrylics until I see someone else use them with good results, how does it feel? It certainly looks snuggly!
Stunning work – I am really enjoying this blanket – congrats on your finish :)
Awesome ripples! Great colour combinations, I’m working on my own ripple blanket but have just ran out of yarn on one row. I hate it when that happens!
I loved the combination of colours you used. They look so warm and cozy!
love,
Resmi
Such a beautiful blanket, makes me want to get on with
the one I started ages ago.
Really beautiful! Well done. And I totally agree with you about baby colours. Baby girls look really sweet wrapped up in colours OTHER than pink. This will be lovely for any baby. :-)
It’s brilliant!! I loves loves loves it. Once the beast of the granny is done (only 3 more squares to do before I start joining them all together, eek!) I really want to make a ripple for my new niece/nephew due at the end of October. I’m hoping I have the time!! And funnily enough I was totally checking those colours out last time I was in the wool shop near me! Had a quick look at Attic 24′s instructions for rippling but they made me feel a little queasy so I stopped looking, best to just wait until I’m ready to give it a go I think!
Oh my it’s so beautiful!! Love the colours, and I agree the turquoise really lifts it all up without being too bright!!! I’m sure it will make the new baby very happy!!! xx
You are the world’s fastest rippler! Such a beautiful little blanket – I know it will be beloved. It’s hard to give them up, though, isn’t it?? :-)
Lovely blanket! My German’s very rusty but I just asked my brother and he says hellesblau just means light blue :-).
Those blankets are gorgeous and the colours you have used are divine. The turquoise really does lift the blanket – think it would be too wishy washy without it. Hope your friend loves it
This is gorgeous! The colors make me happy. :)