right in tine for the cool weather! For a while there I was wondering if fall was ever going to come.

I crocheted them over a couple of evenings, and just sort of made it up as I went along. Well, I mean, I did that on the first one, the second I just tried to do the same as the first.

They're a little big around, but they stay on and keep my feet warm. Yay!

Labels: crochet, weather

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  I've been toying with the idea of using reusable bags at the store. We used to do it all the time in college, but sometime between then and now I got old and tired and just started using the bags they give you.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to make a bag. I didn't really use a pattern, but there's nothing here that hasn't been done before. I made a circle for the bottom, then some mesh, and then a band of single crochets leading to a strap. Because of my fibromyalgia, I'm not always able to carry a lot in my hands, so I made the strap long enough to go over my shoulder. Plus some! It's really stretchy.

Here's me and my bag, the bag is modeling several canned goods from my pantry:


For next time, I will make the strap shorter, and probably make the sides shorter as well. That was pretty darn heavy will all that stuff in it! I think having groceries spread out over more bags would be easier for me to manage...

I posted this bag over at the Craftster Forums, where a discussion started about how to make a hat starting from the same kind of circle I used to start the bag. When I got enough details, I decided I just had to try it out. And IT TOTALLY WORKED!

I'm up late feeling crummy, so I only had one victim model to work with as I sorted out this method. So, let's all hear a big round of applause for Tigger!

He's awfully patient, as you can tell.

Well, my work here is done. Goodnight!

Labels: crafting, crochet, fibromyalgia, pets

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  A lot of families in our homeschool group have decided to follow the same unit study this month. We're starting La Paz Home Learning's A Term at Hogwarts. We're having a graduation ceremony at the end of the month, with a feast! Until then, we'll be studying hard.

Of course, the first thing I had to do was to dork out and make mini Hogwarts scarves for my kids to wear. I made the little cards they attach to as well, I just culled some art from the net (they were reproduced a zillion times over at different sites, which I hope means no one will mind if I use them for my kids). The verse is taken from "The Sorcerer's Stone," it's modified from what the Sorting Hat says.



They sorted themselves, which surprised me. I thought I'd have to intervene.

So, for the rest of the month, this is where my kids are:
Anya: Gryffindor
Maya: Slytherin
Sage: Ravenclaw
Tiernan: Hufflepuff

Today we made Goblin Slobber and studied owls and chamomile.

Labels: crafting, crochet, homeschooling, kids

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DONATING GRANNY SQUARES 1. I know I normally talk about knitting, but today I want to talk about crocheting, which I have actually done a whole lot more of in my life. 2. Do you know how to crochet? If not there are several tutorial pages on the internet, as well as classes offered at local craft stores. 3. If you live near Denver, email me and I will teach you. 4. If you want to take advantage of #3, you have to be serious about learning to crochet, and not a serial axe-murdering rapist or something. I have enough issues already, thank you. 5. I especially want to talk about Granny Squares today. 6. Granny squares are easy to make. Here's a step-by-step tutorial from Crochet Cabana. I really recommend her site, she has a TON of great information and patterns for folks interested in crochet. 7. One of the things I really love about granny squares, is that they are quick and easy to make, they look good in just about any yarn, so you can use up leftovers, and there are many, many people who accept them and join them to make afghans to donate to various charities and groups. 8. I recently sent a box of squares off to Love Afghans for Pine Ridge Reservation. This group assembles the afghans, and sends them up to Pine Ridge, where many people live in substandard conditions, and a blanket can make a big difference. 9. You might also be interested in Squares for Survivors, a group that is turning donated 12" grannies into afghans for the folks who survived Hurricane Katrina. 10. If neither of those grab you, Bev has a huge list of folks accepting grannies for all different sorts of places, nursing homes, babies, the homeless, etc. She has about a billion other patterns and ideas for places to donate on her site, too, for all kinds of home made items not just crochet. 11. If you're ready to make fancier squares, Stargazer has links to 6", 7", 8", and 12" squares at her site. She really more crochet patterns in one place than any other site I've seen, so if you're looking to make anything, you might want to start at her Crochet and Craft Links. 12. So, if you have the inclination, and an hour or so, why not make a square and send it off to someone? It's not a lot of work, and somewhere down the line it will definitely make a difference in someone's life. Remember, many of these places will take knit squares as well! 13. Happy Hooking! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! I'm using the FABULOUS Mr. Linky again! If you're playing the 13, please link yourself up and leave me a comment. Don't skip the comment part, though, because I get all twitchy when people do that.

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Labels: charity crafting, crochet, knitting

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