How My 8-Year-Old Created a Handmade Blanket in Bali (and Melted All Our Hearts)
Back in Australia at Christmas time, Lola was given some cash as a Christmas present. And if you know Lola… you know there was only one place we were headed next: Spotlight. She wandered through the aisles, touching every single skein of yarn, before finding the one — a super soft, fluffy, chunky yarn in the prettiest tones. Her plan? A big round blanket she could snuggle into when the weather turned cooler. She started it over the holidays, picking it up and putting it down between other little projects, but now that the Bali mornings have a chill, it’s been the perfect time to finish it. And she did — completely on her own, no pattern, no help, just her own creativity and patience. The sweetest part? She decided to add a stuffed bunny head in the centre — a nod to a little “stuffy blanket” she had when she was tiny. The same bunny she once tucked under a blanket someone else made for her is now wrapped in one she’s made herself. At just 8 years old, she’s gone from crocheting her bunny some PJs when she was learning, to now wrapping that same bunny (still wearing those PJs!) under a big, fluffy blanket she dreamed up and made from scratch. Honestly, if she keeps this up, soon she’ll be crocheting for all of us — and I’ll be happily living in handmade blankets forever. #BaliWithKids #BaliFamilyFinds #CrochetKids #CreativeKids #FamilyLife #BaliLife #HandmadeWithLove #BaliFamilyFun #FamilyTravelBali #CrochetCommunity #CraftyKids #BaliHolidayVibes
Back in Australia, our daughter Lola received a bit of cash for Christmas—cue her beeline to Spotlight, every craft lover’s dream. She wandered the yarn aisle mesmerized, hands grazing every skein, until she found it: the softest, fluffiest, chunkiest yarn in dreamy pastel shades. Her vision? A cozy round blanket, just in time for Bali’s chillier mornings.
Fast forward to our home in Bali, where morning breezes now carry a little bite. Between beach days and banana pancakes, Lola picked up her hook and set to work, letting her creativity lead. No pattern. No guidance. Just her imagination and dedication.
And then came the sweetest touch—literally. In the center of her now-finished blanket, she crocheted a bunny head. It’s a tender tribute to her childhood 'stuffy blanket' and the same well-loved bunny she once tucked in herself. That bunny? Still around, still sporting the tiny crocheted PJs Lola made when she first learned to stitch. Only now, he's snuggled beneath a masterpiece made entirely by her small but mighty hands.
At just 8 years old, Lola reminded us all what can happen when kids are given space to dream, create, and grow—especially in a place as inspiring as Bali. Who knows? Maybe one day, our family won’t need to pack blankets... because Lola will have made one for each of us.
Travel Tip: Craft stores like Spotlight (available in Oz) are a great pre-trip stop to gather creative supplies your kids can use on the road. And Bali’s family-friendly slower pace? It’s the perfect backdrop for little hands and big projects.
#BaliWithKids #CrochetCommunity #FamilyLife #CreativeKids #BaliHolidayVibes
