Crochet Shark Blanket

This shark blanket is fun for all ages. It is easy and surprisingly quick to make, and very cozy.

You will need: a pattern, a crochet hook, a quilting needle, and yarn in the following colors: gray, cream, red, black, and white

If you love to crochet like I do, sign up for the website Ravelry. It's free, a great place to get ideas, find loads of patterns, and a wonderful way to keep your projects organized.

I purchased the pattern for the shark blanket here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bulky--qui...

I used I Love This Chunky yarn from Hobby Lobby. This yarn is fantastic to work with and so soft. Even my dog couldn't resist cuddling with it. And an extra bonus, it's machine washable.

The pattern calls for using two strands of bulky weight yarn, I only used one strand. I used 5 skeins of gray yarn, one skein of cream, and very little of one skein of red, and a little black and white for the eyes.

The pattern suggests using a 16mm hook. I went down a few hook sizes to an 11mm because I liked the look of tighter stitches.

You will need to decide who will be using the blanket, and from there decide which size to make. The pattern has instructions for infant, child, and adult. It is very easy to customize size. You can easily add more or less rows to make it longer or shorter. Simply measure how long the body of the blanket is.

This blanket is worked from the top down, starting with the red yarn as the gums. It is open in the back of the body, then cocoons at the bottom where the feet go in. The belly and teeth are crocheted on last.

One tip I have is to crochet over the yarn ends as you go, that way you won't have as many ends to weave in.

Crochet the belly and teeth with the cream colored yarn.

After you have finished the blanket, you will crochet the fins, tail, and eyes. I used a french knot to make the white parts of the eyes. Sew them on the blanket with yarn and a quilting needle.

Enjoy your shark blanket!