One of the benefits of working on multiple projects at a time is that I don’t get bored with crocheting. Also, since I’m working on afghans, after a short time, they are too large to be portable. Enter the simple, functional and humble scarf. I started another scarf because I needed a portable project and the other scarf I’m working on is in my desk at work. When I was sorting through my working yarn stash, I found a chunky marled gray yarn. Someone obviously didn’t like it. There was a bit of it, unbanded wound into cakes in a…

Yes, it’s the second week of January, well, the first FULL week of January and I’ve finally set my 2020 crochet goals. This year, I am committing to making 15 afghans, 15 hat and scarf sets and 40 scarves. I really missed making afghans. What I missed most about working on afghans is that when you work on them in the winter and they are large enough to cover your lap, your legs are warm. In the summer you can put and afghan off to the side or use it to block the breeze from the fan or ac, but in…

  New Year’s Eve and I’ve finished all my crocheting goals: 75 baby hats, 15 hat and scarf sets, and 75 scarves. The original goals had to be adjusted from 60 baby hats and 50 scarves. I work faster than I thought. I restarted a few of the items, because I didn’t like them. In 2019, I intended to do less post work, but I discovered that I really like it. Using different colors makes the basket weave stitch and other variations of it really stand out. The new year begins soon. I haven’t set goals for 2020 other than…

Not everyone is worthy of your gifts. I ran into a neighbor as I was getting some packages that I’d ordered for Christmas. She commented – presents for Christmas? Yeah. “I’m making mine this year she said” I’m a senior at [a local university] and college is expensive. She shook her bag and said I’m just making everyone hats this year, they’re easy and quick. “Wow! That’s great, this is the first year that I haven’t made anything for anyone, “ I said. She was saying she wanted to pay her tuition and we got to her floor. As the…

My 2019 crochet goals have changed a few times. I met the baby hat goal, original scarf goal, then added a hat and scarf set goal, then met and exceeded that goal. Now everything that I’ve made has been donated. This leaves only 8 scarves to finish for the modified scarf goal. Four are in progress and no holiday gifts are on the horizon, so I’m ready to keep plugging away! The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day can be stressful. Since my counting of completed projects is inaccurate until I’m ready to send them, I chose to…

I definitely cheer myself on when I get the math right or plan the correct number of stitches for a new project. [Thanks to the practical use of algebra.] When it comes to finished projects counting is where the difficulty comes in. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets excited when the math works out for a pattern repeat. I get more than a little excited especially when I have decided to combine a couple of different things and don’t have to restart a project after the first try. I know I can count and in other aspects…

  The American Heart Association has ended its Little Hats Big Hearts program. Many of us who made hats for the organization were concerned. The hats that were already sent to the AHA will be donated. Those of us who hadn’t sent in our hats were looking for other organizations that would accept the hats. In the Little Hats Big Hearts Illinois group, another organization’s founders said they would gladly accept the hats. This isn’t the first time that a program has ended and won’t be the last. When one door closes another opens. Several years ago, another program which…