More Kids Knitting?

Perhaps?  Maybe?  Out of the blue, both boys decided to knit again.  After my youngest finished his teddy bear's scarf in November, he started a hat but soon lost all steam.  The item sat in a basket until I needed the yarn for mittens.  The older boy frogged his scarf (he'd lost interest too) and decided knitting was not for him afterall (too bad 'cuz his stitches and tension were neat and even).

How things change!  This week both boys picked up their sticks and decided to make blankets.  Right now, they're knitting strips of garter. 

Beginning of One Garter Strip

Another Garter Strip

Once one strip is complete, they'll make another in a different colour.  When all the strips are completed (say 5-6), I'll seam them together to create a blanket (similar in concept to the item pictured below). 

Blanket Made From Stripes

I thought that would be the easiest way for them to make a blanket.  Casting on hundreds of stitches would just be . . . well, too challenging and frustrating.  Besides I have tons of matching mega balls of acrylic (I'm not called acrylic-girl for nothing).

Big Balls of Red Heart

Hard to get a sense of the ball size without any reference, but these are truly "mega" balls.  They're huge!  The larger white one (pictured below) runs just over 1800 yards while the "smaller" ones probably run over 400 yards (small and large being relative of course).  I had to guess-timate yardage, as there is no amount given on label, only weight (each weighs about a pound).

As Big As . . .  A Dinosaur Egg

Cozy and Soft 

Then it hit me: why not teach the boys to crochet?  If I showed them how to work a granny square, they could make a huge blanket, but they'd only have to worry about one stitch at any  given time ('cuz unlike knitting, crochet does not require live stitches).  Both boys seemed keen to try it.  So that's my task for one of these nights (but not this weekend as they're trying out a new video game).

Happy crafting :D