Rainbow Afghans
The idea for a “Rainbow Afghan,” was created by volunteer, Chris L. in Canada. She loves her blankets to be thick, so she always uses two strands of 4-ply yarn, worked together. She collects odd bits of leftover yarn, in a variety of small yarn balls. Once she has a good amount of leftovers, she starts rolling the pieces into one large ball, tying on the next color as the small ball runs out. Don’t worry if the lengths of each color vary widely, that’s what makes the blanket so special!
She pairs this ball of mixed colors with a solid color as her second strand. She recommends using bright colors for this strand, to make blankets extra cheery. She watches that her stitches do not get too loose, since she’s using the two strands, since a tighter stitch makes for a warmer blanket. Even if you make the stitches a bit too tight, the resulting blanket will be nice and firm, perfect for pups!
Chris calls them “Rainbow Afghans” because they hold all the colors of the rainbow. She reminds us, “The rainbow is a promise from God, that He will never flood the earth with water like He once did. For me, it represents His promise of a better life even if we are flooded with tears as we cuddle into the afghan.” Chris prays over every afghan she makes….and idea I will be adopting this year!
Rainbows in Blankets
I’ve received other blankets that embrace the rainbow idea, but simply make rows which match a rainbow as it would appear in the sky. To do this, knit or crochet one or two rows in each of the following colors
(in this order): Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. These colorful blankets always brighten up the shelters!
The Pocket Blanket
If you’d like to make super-thick blankets, one way is to create a blanket that’s twice as long, as it is wide, and then fold it over! Only secure three sides, so that the pet has a blanket to lie on and then one they can hide in! This is also a great idea when you’re making tied fleece blankets or blankets for other pets, like ferrets or hedgehogs. These “critters” love to curl up and hide in a comfy sack!
Add a Heart
Another idea, started by a volunteer, is to sew a little crocheted heart to every blanket. It’s such a sweet touch and really reminds the adoptive parents how much the little one was loved while they
waited in the shelter. You can find a pattern for these hearts….here.
Maybe you have your own pattern that you find to be just perfect for pet blankets. If it’s a pattern you’ve edited a bit, adding your own special “spin”, I’d love to share it with other volunteers. These are examples of patterns suggested by a few CFC volunteers … Anita’s Weave, Dorothy’s Weave, Arlene & Susan’s Pattern.
Each pattern is designed to help a fellow CFC volunteer make a perfectly sized blanket for a shelter pet! CFC’s strength is that we all pull together to find patterns and get supplies donated. We share ideas and support at every turn. A big thank you to all the volunteers who have been on the Comfort for Critters journey with me, as we start our eleventh year!
