I like this scarf, I like this yarn and the one remaining ball that I have from the project is going directly into the donation bag. This is a tape like linen yarn which changes from a flattish cotton tape to a sleek satiny section and changes colors throughout. The colors are fabulous and this made a wonderful scarf with incredible drape. Since I choose a shell pattern, it will be warm but I wouldn’t want to use this for an afghan. I purchased the yarn in a sale online which I just decided to try because the “price was…

Mother’s Day was a few days ago and some of the ads that I saw for craft stores and supplies were targeting mothers. Seeing those always makes me laugh because though my mother has always supported me in crocheting and other crafts that I have pursued, she never crocheted. When I was eight and decided that I wanted to crochet, my mother asked my aunt (my uncle’s wife) what I needed, then took me to the store to let me choose the yarn I wanted. She has always supported me and still supports me in my pursuits. She critiques my…

Everyone talks about and shows what they are currently working on, but what about those items that you have put in “time out” or have tried to forget about because they were so painful? I’m not talking about those first projects when you were first getting the hang of crocheting or knitting, but the ones that you had high hopes for and ambitiously thought… this will be great. Facebook, Pinterest and scores of sites on the internet are filled with beautiful work crafted by skilled crocheters. Even the trials and tests of patterns weren’t perfect the first time. What happens…

Saturday, April 21, is the first Local Yarn Store Day. Go out and support your local yarn shop! It’s not about need or greed, it’s about shopping local. There is always more space in your yarn stash. For those who have a yarn store in their neighborhood… treasure it and patronize it. I’m still scouting out a new LYS closer to my home, since my favorite closed a couple of years ago, and I always encourage people to support their local businesses. Go to the TNNA (The National Needlearts Association) site for a list of participating shops.

Yarn and a hook are possibilities. There are 10, 080 minutes in a day. How many of them do we spend doing things we don’t necessarily want to do? Like waiting for something or traveling to a place? Reading while on a bus works for some, unless you get motion sickness. Of the 1440 minutes in a day, I spend 45-60 of those crocheting. Some days more and some less but every day I make time to crochet. During my lunch break at work and also during talks or large group seminars where there is a crowd and I’m just…

The shower gift was a big hit. Here is a picture of the baby blanket and hat. The blanket is to use now and is a 38 inch square in a washable white yarn in a shell stitch. The hat is  for later – sized for a 3-6 month old child so it can be used in the fall.   The two color scarf made it to a strong finish. I decided to do a border, so that the future wearer won’t snag the yarn on the side where the colors were changed. I didn’t have enough of either color…

Anyone who is interested in crafting for charity or who has ever thought about it  –  start small… why not make a hat (or two)? Baby hats are small and quick to make. I’ve done this for a few years and they work up quickly.  [And the recipients are so adorable!]