Mermaid Tail Blanket

I found this mermaid pattern on Ravelry.  I made it for my sweet friend, Beth, and all of the little ones that come to her daycare.   

I used a K hook and leftover worsted weight yarn:

Light pink - Vanna's Choice Pink Rose
Lavender - Lion's Pride Woolspun Orchid (which is bulky weight and too thick)
Violet - Vanna's Choice Magenta
Purple - Red Heart Soft Grape
Blue - Red Heart Soft in Seafoam
Green- Lion Brand Heartland in Everglades

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The only comment I have on the mermaid ruffle pattern is when starting the tail, I would attach it from underneath, not on top of the scale ruffles.

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Back side

I used a basic wave pattern knit on size 9 needles with remnant yarn.  Change colors every 4 rows in descending order to match(ish) the front color scheme.


CO 72

Row 1 - knit
Row 2 - purl
Row 3 - *(k2tog)x3, (yo, k1)x6, (k2tog)x3* repeat
Row 4 - knit

Repeat rows 1 to 4 until it reaches about 23 inches (equal to where the front piece begins to narrow)

Decrease rows:

Row 1 - (ssk)2, knit across to last four sts, (k2tog)2.  (68 sts)
Row 2 - purl
Row 3 - [(k2tog)x2 on first section]. *(k2tog)x3, (yo, k1)x6, (k2tog)x3* repeat. [(k2tog)x2 on last section].
Row 4 - (k2tog)3, knit across to last six sts, (ssk)3.  (64 sts)
 --
Row 5 - (ssk)2, knit across to last four sts, (k2tog)2.  (60 sts)
Row 6 - purl
Row 7 - [(k2tog), (yo, k1)x4 on first section]. *(k2tog)x3, (yo, k1)x6, (k2tog)x3* repeat. [(k2tog), (yo, k1)x4 on last section].
Row 8 - (k2tog)2, knit across to last four sts, (ssk)2.  (56 sts)
--
Row 9 - (ssk)2, knit across to last four sts, (k2tog)2.  (52 sts)
Row 10 - purl
Row 11 - [(yo, k1)x2 on first section]. *(k2tog)x3, (yo, k1)x6, (k2tog)x3* repeat. [(yo, k1)x2 on last section].
Row 12 - k4, k2tog, knit across to last 6 sts, ssk, k4 .  (48 sts)
--
Row 13 - (ssk)2, knit across to last four sts, (k2tog)2.  (44 sts)
Row 14 - purl
Row 15 - [(k2tog)x5, on first section]. *(yo, k1)x6, (k2tog)x6* repeat. [(k2tog)x5 on last section].
Row 16 - knit across.  (40 sts)
--
Row 17 - (ssk)2, knit across to last four sts, (k2tog)2.  (36 sts)
Row 18 - purl
Row 19 - [(k2tog)x3, on first section]. *(yo, k1)x6, (k2tog)x6* repeat. [(k2tog)x3 on last section].
Row 20 - (k2tog)2, knit across to last four sts, (ssk)2.  (32 sts)
--
Row 21 - (ssk)2, knit across to last four sts, (k2tog)2.  (28 sts)
Row 22 - purl
Row 23 - [(k2tog)3, on first section]. *(yo, k1)x5, (k2tog)x4* repeat. [(k2tog)x3 on last section].
Row 24 - (k2tog)2, knit across to last four sts, (ssk)2.  (25 sts)
--
Row 25 - (ssk)2, knit across to last four sts, (k2tog)2.  (21 sts)
Row 26 - purl
Row 27 - [(k2tog), on first section]. *(yo, k1)x4, (k2tog)x5* repeat. [(k2tog) on last section].
Row 28 - (k2tog)2, knit across to last four sts, (ssk)2.  (17 sts)--
Row 29 - (ssk)2, knit across to last four sts, (k2tog)2.  (13 sts)
Row 30 - purl
Row 31 - k2tog, (yo, k1)x2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, (yo, k1)x2, k2tog
Row 32 - (k2tog)2, knit across to last four sts, (ssk)2.  (9) sts)

Sew front and back sides together with a yarn needle, sewing under the ruffles.  

 

Behold! 

Poseidon!

Willow Hat

I made this Troll hat by Gabriela Widmer-Hanke from a pattern on Raverly.  I used a large remnant of violet, acrylic, dk yarn on size 7 needles.

Hazelnut

This here's Hazelnut Filbert.  She's my newest rescue furbie.  I snagged her from the Humane Society amid a herd of crying, disappointed girls in line behind me.

Sorry to disappoint, young ones, but this nutjob is hanging out with me.  :)

And biting everything that can possibly be bitten...

8 Bit Scarf

Bye Bye Benicio

How lucky I am that I keep kitten milk on-hand. It doesn't matter how many decades pass without using it, for that one night when a half-dead kitten shows up long after pet stores have closed.

Much like that random night in May when Benicio crawled up from the creek. At first, I thought the sound was a baby.  Then we spotted him under the bushes.  He was so malnourished that his head and body were the same size. His whole face was crusted over with conjunctivitis and his bony body was covered in fleas. I gave him a light cleaning and a brief, frantic meal, and put him to bed in a box on a heating pad.  When his cries woke me up at 5am, I was completely surprised that he was still alive.

 

I remember the first time we realized that he had sight behind his ulcerated eyes.  I remember when his bowlegged back legs started to work and he went from dragging them around to a funny, little gallop.

 

15 years is three times longer than a feral usually lives. Despite a heart murmur, chronic herpes, the darkness that crept in at the back of his eyes, and a serious distaste for the dogs, he was my wild baby.  How he begged for pets from up in a tree or the roof of the house with a non-existent squeak. How he barely made a sound and only wanted attention from a few of us, until after Blink died. 

I remember the time that he drooled up my nose, cuz he fell asleep against my face.  He used to shove his nose in my hand and drool into it while I pet his face. It was a lifetime of cleaning him up before giving him love, and a life worthy of it. I imagine he made his way back to the creek that he came from. 

Benicio. Nisho. Bad Nisho. Nichi.

Entrelac Scarf

Entrelac Scarf that I have made and modified for many years now. Based on this Entrelac Scarf pattern.

Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable yarn in Sunrise color on size 8 needles, CO 24

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Harry Potter/Alice in Wonderland colored scarf works up into some of the most amazing blocks. I made this one with Red Heart Super Saver worsted weight yarn in Peruvian Print color.

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I forget the name of this rainbow-esque Red Heart yarn, but the rainbow pattern in it was lost until I tried it in the entrelac blocks!